This is the fourth of a series of posts outlining an ever-evolving plan to re-imagine and reconstruct a self-paced, collaborative, student-centered learning environment to better prepare kids for challenges they’ll face in a rapidly-changing 21st century workplace. Comments, critiques, suggestions, etc. are always welcome.

Since much of this will conflict with preconceived notions, common sense, and other conditioned reflexes, I offer these words to strengthen your/my resolve:

Questions in our upraised hands, and answers we’ll surprise
Like the caterpillar who, does seem to death defy
It might take a miracle, belief may then belie
Fate it seems that common sense, is fated to deny
Battles rage within us all, where truth is compromised
There dreams, like tissue paper wings, are torn and tossed aside

This is the third of a series of posts outlining an ever-evolving plan to re-imagine and reconstruct a self-paced, collaborative, student-centered learning environment to better prepare kids for challenges they’ll face in a rapidly-changing 21st century workplace. Comments, critiques, suggestions, etc. are always welcome.

Since much of this will conflict with preconceived notions, common sense, and other conditioned reflexes, I offer these words to strengthen your/my resolve:

Once upon a child’s mind, did flutter butterfly
Gift to share with one then all, who’ll open wings to try
Asked to ask and seek and knock, on wooded points of view
Goodness treats patient resolve, with echoes ringing true
Child’s play remembering, climb branches looking sees
Others just can’t find the time, and hunt on hands and knees

This is the second of a series of resources outlining an ever-evolving plan to re-imagine and reconstruct a self-paced, collaborative, student-centered learning environment to better prepare kids for challenges they'll face in a rapidly-changing 21st century workplace. Comments, critiques, suggestions, etc. are always welcome.

Since much of this (and what will follow) will conflict with various preconceived notions, common sense, and other conditioned reflexes, I offer these words to strengthen your/my resolve:

Trust is time to ask yourself, to find the strength to ask
Questions free the answering, unbinding them our task
Faith is time spent wondering, what we’re meant to find
Imagine it’s your purpose, adventure by design
Belief is time to listen, but who has time for that?
Especially when the answers, knock expectations flat

This is the first of a series of resources outlining an ever-evolving plan to re-imagine and reconstruct a self-paced, collaborative, student-centered learning environment to better prepare kids for challenges they'll face in a rapidly-changing 21st century workplace. Comments, critiques, suggestions, etc. are always welcome.

Since much of this (and what will follow) will conflict with various preconceived notions, common sense, and other conditioned reflexes, I offer these words to strengthen your/my resolve:

Think I conflict with signals? Should see the signs I yield
Coded morsels in the air, across the diamond field
Mixing words and metaphors, desegregate the game
Some rules should not be broken, some should be profaned
Who are we to question rules? I’ll tell you who and why
We’re the hope another has, the reason that we try

I teach digital photography, and usually during the course of the semester, several students will try and pass-off an image downloaded from the internet as their own work. Solution? upload the image in question to: TinEye.com and within seconds, the internet source of the image is revealed.

BEFORE I resort to using TinEye, it is very quick to check for the camera settings using Adobe Bridge...just look at the data in: File Properties, Camera Data, and IPTC Core. If those windows look fishy or a devoid of any information, then it is time to do a TinEye search.

Can be used for graphic designs, too. Sneaky students, beware!

Whew. Worked on this for a long time. There is so much that is involved in Infographics! If you haven't checked out the professional development for Infographics, do it - it is really great: http://www.edex.adobe.com/professional-development/

So this is a unit that I designed to introduce students to infographics, the different styles, how to choose the right visual vehicle, and ultimately the task of developing an infographic on the world population of stray dogs. Included in the .zip file is: A 6-page student information packet with steps, tips, diagram, rubric, etc. And a 3-page unit-planning guide. Both are in interactive .pdf format with lots of hyperlinks, and also in InDesign .idml format so that you can revise and customize to fit your needs.

Please - I need your feedback. A project plan is never finished - with your help I will revise it and add to it to create something that will really inspire and invigorate students!

Also, I have a self-guided Infographics tour on my class website - check it out and tell me what you think: http://www.learndurkin.com/infographics.htm

Cheers!

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Through other dimension

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Sunset journey

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Motherhood

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Look

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : In a storm of life

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Hanan

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : From the time of the Knights

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Falcon and the ghosts of the dark

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Face in the clouds

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Detention of mind

Digital art is a general term for a range of artistic works and practices that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative and/or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital art is itself placed under the larger umbrella term new media art.

I believe that the arts are not spent materials or how to implement, As far as interested in the idea and the message behind the artwork. That's what I'm trying confirmed through experiments, across the width of the initial sketches and final work after Processing it through graphic programs like Adobe Photoshop & illustrator.

this project called : Journey of days