To enhance the process of educating my art students, including increased student motivation, improved student achievement, and improved communication with parents and community. Additionally, this site can assist other art educators who currently use digital media or who hope to in the future.

For More Information...
• Our Story

• My Story

• Our Structure

• Equipment

• Advice

The Media Arts program began as a bold-at-the-time vision in the mid '90s by a very forward-thinking Board of Education, some generous community members, and the art department. We officially began our Media Arts story in September of 1999, and since then we have learned a LOT along the way.

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MY STORY
My name is Lynn Schauer-Bewley. What exactly are my credentials? I graduated from high school in 1986 when only the geeky kids used any kind of computer (I did not, although maybe I was still a geek, I don't know). I graduated from the State University College at Buffalo in 1990 with a BS in Art Education, having never learned how to do anything on a computer except word processing. I took all of the traditional studio courses - sculpture, ceramics, papermaking, printmaking, painting...and I concentrated in drawing. I was just a plain traditional art teacher - not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you. I loved it.

My first couple of years I was an itinerant art teacher through the BOCES in Batavia. I taught in places like Pavilion and Batavia City Schools, and I taught all levels and even students with severe disabilities. It was hard work being constantly on the move between classrooms, especially since I also commuted daily from Buffalo. Additionally, I worked a few of those first summers as an aid and then as a teacher at the Stanley G. Falk School, a school for students with severe emotional disabilities, and that experience helped me to develop my classroom management skills.

In January of 1993 I was hired for my first job in one building in one place - Alexander Central School. I worked with some very lovely people out there, and they allowed me to take off running, building up a traditional high school art program that had been slipping in recent years. It was a perfect experience for me at that point in my career and I learned a ton.

So how did I end up teaching Media Arts? Well, one day at ACS the new "tech guy" dropped off a computer and said "Here - you can use this, and it has some software you can use with your art classes, too." The rest, as they say, is history. That particular computer was a PC (I am such a Mac fan now, but that's another story) and the software was Corel Photopaint. I loved it! I was hooked, and the kids were crazy for it, and I knew that I wanted to teach a Media Arts class. ACS said they would be happy to let me teach it, as long as it did not cost them any money (!). We managed with 1 computer, 1 camcorder, 2 VCRs and 1 distance-learning lab that had a scanner -- and we managed to LOVE it.

The commute from Buffalo was getting to be a bit much, and although I love Buffalo ('still do) my son was going to start school soon and I really wanted him to go somewhere other than Buffalo (sorry, Buffalo). In 1998 I heard that Wilson was hiring, and they wanted to start a Media Arts Program! I couldn't believe it!

I made a digital portfolio (that was a big deal back then) that I brought in on a laptop for the interview, and they hired me. All of those less-than-perfect jobs had prepared me for my dream job in the best school district ever that was actually willing to spend some money setting up a Media Arts program.

1998/1999, my first year in Wilson, I taught 7th and 8th grades while planning and writing and ordering in preparation for the next year when we would begin. Although it was already 1998, the internet had very little info about high school Media Arts, but I dug around and managed to create a curriculum that seemed to make sense. We ordered equipment (funded mostly through a generous grant from a community business) and in September of 1999 we were under way!

Of course, the first week in September the computers weren't actually READY so I showed 2001: A Space Odyssey and the students were disgruntled (they did not appreciate Kubrick) and I felt panicky. I left a cushy job with one prep in the middle school for this?? So what if I had to handle flour paste - I could at least control my little world of traditional media, and now I was at the mercy of the technology gods. But we worked out the kinks, got things up and running, and when I think about how much more difficult it was to teach this course then compared to now I have to laugh.

By the way, the only course I ever took that was related to using computers for digital art was a class at Buff State that was essentially an independent study, and I made a wonderful HyperStudio project and saved it on a Zip disc. Both Hyperstudio and Zip drives are now obsolete, but I did learn one thing while taking that course: you do not need someone to "teach" you how to use software if you have the time to experiment, and if you have a manual to refer to if you really get stuck. YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO USE ANY SOFTWARE ON YOUR OWN! Just be brave and remember you can't break anything. May 2009 update: learning how to master Dreamweaver has been a fun challenge : )

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OUR STRUCTURE
I currently teach four sections of Media Arts, one section of Computer Graphics, and one section of Studio in Video (yup - 6 classes - I never said Wilson was perfect). All students must take Studio in Art as a foundation before taking Media Arts, and after Media they can take Computer Graphics and/or Studio in Video. The Guidance department hates prerequisites for electives, but we have been able to stand our ground as there really is sequential learning in art - really there is. For information on things such as projects, class expectations and grading, you can go to the "Course Description" pages on this site.

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EQUIPMENT
Currently, this class is set up with 18 student computers (iMacs with lots of hard drive space and DVD burners) and 3 scanning "stations". In addition, I traded my iMac for a shiny new MacBook Pro (and it really is stunning).

The software we use is Adobe Photoshop CS3, Dreamweaver (what I use for this site), iMovie, Final Cut Express, Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint.

We have several digital cameras (some are available for signing out), several digital camcorders (some are available for signing out), 2 Hi8 camcorders, 2 VCRs, 3 analog/digital converters, and a projector that is permanently mounted and hooked up to my computer.

We use 2 Epson printers that work great and were very reasonable to purchase, although the ink costs area a killer.

Finally, we use card readers that accepts multiple sizes so students can bring in pics taken with their own digital cameras without actually bringing the camera to school.

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ADVICE
• Keep equipment locked up whenever it is not being used, and give the students "ownership" - make them feel responsible, and stress that it is their equipment and they won't have it to use if it gets stolen so they need to help with security.

• For your own sanity as well as to encourage the students to use their own brains as much as possible, have directions posted for every operation that requires specific steps. I have the "Printing Procedure" steps written on a whiteboard, and I have the scanning steps printed and taped to the top of each scanner.

• Planning is vital and I suggest that you plan as much as possible before beginning a program like this, but also understand that you will be blindsided many many times so be prepared to be spontaneous (I would not suggest showing 2001: A Space Odyssey, however)

• Show the occasional high-quality technology-related movie to your classes - the kids love it and you can really justify it. I always show Minority Report (demonstrates how technology could possibly evolve in areas like advertising, transportation, computers, personal freedom, retina scanners, etc), Gattaca (demonstrates how genetic research can be positive and negative), and AI Artificial Intelligence (can we make computers "feel" emotion, and if so then what? Plus it is a Kubrick project they won't hate). I also show various other movies to my video class - we usually discuss what we want to see together. Actually, we discuss movies constantly in Studio in Video, and we watch dozens of trailers on-line throughout the year.

• Your room should be special, and everyone who enters it should feel inspired. Natural light is key if you can control that, and institutional fluorescent lights are terrible and should be avoided if there is enough natural light. Display a lot of diverse and beautiful posters/images, meaningful quotes, and examples of student work. When I begin a project, I start by showing digital examples from this site using the projector, but then I display printed and matted versions while the students are working on the projects. They are constantly looking at them, discussing them and critiqueing them, especially at the beginning and ends of the period when in transition. It's really cool to watch.

• Display the student work as they print it. I have 4 chalkboards that the students use to display their work, and it is a huge motivator. About a week or so before the scheduled critique, students are allowed to begin printing when they have completed their project. After printing, they place the project in a plastic sheet protector (required for every single printed project) and then they hang them on the board. Every day students walk by and check out the new projects, critiquing informally. By the day of the formal critique, they have some opinions to share. This also gives me the opportunity to say to a student "hey - there have been a lot of students very impressed with your project" and it also makes the slacking student realize what could have been. My critiquing philosophy for this level is when the positives are pointed out, the negatives become apparent on their own.

• You are still an art teacher - NOT a computer teacher - and you will have to constantly defend that. Ignorant people will discount what you do as not really "art" or they will suggest it is easier than drawing or painting. Gently remind them of the facts: digital tools are still tools, and the basic art principles are still the same. These tools in the wrong hands can produce the same disastrous results that a paintbrush in the wrong hands can produce. Anyone can teach somehow how to hold a paintbrush, but that doesn't mean they can paint a quality piece of art. Anyone can learn the steps in how to make a web site, but that doesn't mean they can then create a well-designed site. Anyone can learn the tools in Photoshop, but that doesn't mean they can then use it to create art . Students need an art teacher!

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