Charles Hackney
Snapshot
3-D printing? You mean 3-D Penning!
My problem of practice is showing students the connection between art and technology. There seems to be a disconnect in students minds of what art is and how it can be used in a broader sense. When I talk to students for the first time they always consider art to just be old pictures and paintings, it never dawns on them that all technology we use is somehow connected to art. Whether that be from the design or the aesthetic of the devices they use every single day.
With my previous KVEC grant I was able to show my students that connection, and it was a big highlight for my class. Everyone was curious about it and it blew some minds that there was a 3-D printer in the art room. It helped gain a lot of attention for my class, which was really welcome. It also helped achieve my goal of showing the students that there are viable and exciting careers with art. Jobs that are also connected with technology.
For this years grant I was wanting to go a step further with an even newer technology. This new technology also has a direct connection with the 3-D printer because it is 3-D pens. Instead of using a machine with a pre-designed layout, the students will be able to make free-form 3-D objects and builds. We can then take these builds and transfer them over to our software and make 3-D prints out of them. This allows for a strong connection to STEAM course work that students may not get in a lot of Art classes.
The only items that will be needed for this undertaking are the 3-D pens, filament, and other supplies that can be used in conjunction for the projects. These items are things such as paper, paint, ETC. The question that I hope these items solve is can using the technology open up other career ideas for students interested in Art, and can it help bridge the gap between arts and technology? That is the ultimate outcome that this projects affords, in that I can see from the beginning of the year to the end if students are making those connections and some actually considering art careers from being involved in the projects. I will measure these outcomes from checking progress on the level of understanding the students have of the technology, and if I can get students who have used 3-D printing to become even more capable from using the 3-D pens.
The innovation grant will be proven successful by the students gained understanding of the technology, and especially if more students become interested in arts and its implications. That is the most I can ask for, and would be some truly positive outcomes. This technology will also be used in a cooperative setting with other classes to increase all students knowledge of STEAM and STEM. Providing a positive outcome not only for my class but many others in the building.
Modern Classroom
I have received a KVEC grant before and it was used to incorporate 3-D printing technology into my classroom. This was a big success and showed a lot of my kids that there was more out there in an Art career then just drawing and painting. With this grant I hope to further incorporate new technology and open up more avenues for students to pursue.