AED 5150 Computer Graphics for the Art Room

08/12/2008
Carl Butler

Lesson: Collage using Adobe Photoshop

Grade: Special Needs High School Students

Photoshop Level: Beginner

Photoshop Instructor Level: Barely Passable

MDEC Standards: E 1.1, 2.6, 3.1, 1.4, 5.2

Objective: Introduce students to computer usage, show examples of collage art, assist students in the creation of
a unique and personal art project.

Materials: State of the art computers, adobe photoshop software, handouts for students with graphics of
Photoshop tool bar and Edit pull down commands (for reference)

Vocabulary: Collage, Software, Programs/Commands, Composition

Introduction: The advent of technology and cutting edge computer graphics has revolutionized how images are
made and received today. Through photoshop, students can manipulate images in the traditional form of collage
with dazzling results of professional looking quality, all without any gluey mess.

Teacher will...
- define collage for the students.
- show hard copy examples from art history.
- run through the power point presentation.
- verbally state the project requirements.
- monitor and assist students with self directed work.

Student will...
- identify what a collage is and what makes it unique ( assembled images)
- choose from the clip art file the appropriate number of images.
- dive into the art project.
- print a copy of the finished project.

Rubric: Excellence = 5 - 7 images used, evidence of three or more tools used, all over composition, a unique
and personal art project.
Good = 3-6 images used, two or more tools used, nearly full page composition.
Fair = 1 - 3 images used, one tool used.
Poor = No effort means no credit.

Adaptations: In order to meet the needs of all of the diverse learners modifications would have to made for
students on an individual basis. The population of MOCI students would do very well with instruction and
probably require little in the way of direct help utilizing keys and commands. The SXI population would require
intensive intervention to the point of hand over hand assistance and modified keyboards.

Closure: In addition to offering students a means of personal expression this project should help familiarize
students with computer usage in general. The drive to experiment and try new things and release some of the
inhibitions students may feel toward computers is part of the learning objective of this project and should be
looked for in “closure.”

Assessment: As always student achievement is measured on an individual basis. In terms of this lesson it is
critical to present the material in a meaningful way and continue to research the subject of the lesson. To that
end, the educator should continue to investigate what the medium has to offer and keep abreast of the dynamic
changes the web has in terms of electronic art, images and sounds.

Teacher Reflection

As the dawn breaks on each new day in the classroom, a quiet lull settles in an empty room. Desks waiting to be
filled with eager young minds and the weight and responsibility of pedagogy rests on the shoulders of the
aspiring educator. An inexperienced teacher might well say: “How can I present a lesson in photoshop when I
know scant little about it myself?” This could lead to hesitation, feelings of inadequacy, trepidation and fear. All
major stumbling blocks to the delivery of a successful lesson. The experienced teacher says: “#^@* it, I’m going
to bluff my way through this project just like I did in my under grad classes.” Which brings us to the first point of
reflection, mastery of the subject at hand. Speaking for myself I am a novice when it comes to computer art and
the myriad forms of digital art going on in the world today. My hats off to professor Makowski, who can bring
experience from the world of commercial art into her classroom, that is valuable knowledge to be sure. But for
the rest of us, we may very well have to fumble along side by side with the students- not that that is necessarily a
bad thing. Again speaking for myself, I would be up front with the students and say how my knowledge of
computers is rather weak but this is an increasingly important field of study so we are on a journey of discovery
together. I think students appreciate honesty and this may well help them take more ownership of the success of
the lesson. Incorporating movie maker and downloading songs is beyond my level of expertise at present, but it
may not be out of the reach of my students. I consider it a success if students take an active role in the
development of a lesson.

The second matter of reflection is the practicality of computer art in the classroom. My experience has been in
schools where computers are hard to come by, being few and far between. I believe this project would work best
as an extended activity that would be due at the end of a quarter or semester. This could allow students the
opportunity to sign up for a limited number of computers on a rotating schedule. This project would have to be
done concurrently with other projects in class, but computer work does lend itself to a certain degree of
independent study. Students that miss the introductory lesson would be able to catch up at a later time without
falling behind. Those that have a greater command of the new fangled computers could act as peer tutors to
those who may be struggling (teacher included). With the technological deficit, however, students from the more
deserving districts might have to make daily field trips out to the more affluent, computer rich districts.