Rebekah Williams
Snapshot
Interactive Art Gallery
To help students reach their full potential, they must be fully bought in and engaged. However, in our current state of uncertainty due to the constantly fluctuating educational landscape as a result of COVID, it is more important than ever. Last year, student engagement at our school was at an all time low. This year can’t be the same. We must do whatever possible to increase student engagement to overcome the deficiencies caused by last year. As a technology teacher, this means incorporating new technology into the classroom and providing students with the opportunity to apply it in an authentic and meaningful way.
In order to more authentically engage students in their own learning, Ashland Middle School will be partnering with the city of Ashland and The Holler STEM squad to create immersive and interactive art exhibits around the city of Ashland through the use of Augmented Reality, QR-code linked videos, geographically restricted SnapChat filters, and other interactive technologies. Furthermore, these experiences will be compiled in an app that can be used to find and interact with the various art exhibits. Students will travel to the downtown art alley and riverfront to work with the city officials, local and national artists, and STEM professionals to bring their exhibits to life. In order to create these experiences, students will need a variety of materials and resources, so they can implement choice and voice with their project This will include utilizing 3D printers and graffiti art to create and apply QR codes, Augmented Reality (AR) software to create immersive experiences, creating SnapChat filters tied to specific geographic locations, software to enable the creation of an iOS and Android friendly app that can be used by all, and video creation equipment to record interviews with the artists. Furthermore, providing students with a variety of options allows students to learn and apply their learning at a pace more commensurate with their own ability and to choose an avenue that they find more interesting. This allows all students to be engaged and celebrated while contributing at their own pace. By making learning authentic, we can help overcome the challenges we face today.