Module Four Reflection

During this reflection I wanted to summarize the key points of one required module reading. I wanted first to highlight a few interesting findings in the paper by Mitchell Rabinowitz entitled "Psychology, Instructional Design and the Use of Technology: Behavioral, Cognitive, and Affordances Perspectives" then compare it to my own personal teaching style and methods. I was intrigued by the authors analogy that 'machines were useful as teachers' because, according to Skinner (1958,1989) "good instruction requires students to immediately know whether they are doing something correctly or not by rewards or recognition for right answers." Skinner also noted that the machine itself does not teach the student but their are features provided by the machine (hinting, prompting,and suggesting techniques) that help students arrive at the right answer. I believe the same theory is applied in the visual arts more specifically creating works of art. As an art educator I try to allow my students to explore their own individually and discover their own creativity. Recently, a lesson was introduced involving the representation of 'dreams'....what are dreams, why do we have them, and what they mean. The assignment involves illustrating a 'dream'. They choose the medium. They choose how they want it to look like, the colors, and techniques they think would be best. Sketches were drawn and ideas were shared. Students were engaged and interested because they were the main creators of this artwork. I wondered around the room hinting, prompting, and suggesting colors, placement of objects, drawing techniques that would look best, and gave words of encouragement and recognition to all that were showing progress. For those students showing advance skill I presented them with advanced concepts and techniques. For those students whom where struggling words of encouragement and easier suggestions were applied. I believe that giving the students the opportunity to choose,in a limited way, allows students to find, fix, and solve their own problems. In comparison to the behaviorist point of view these features shape the student's behavior and also hold the student's interest.