ArtsEdge by Artbot

ArtsEdge is a web site that does not clearly convey its actual purpose on the home page. Artbot had to hunt and click About Us to find out what it is about. Once Artbot found out that it is a site with tons of information for art educators, Artbot perused the lesson plans. Boy, are there a lot of lesson plans. They are organized well. Artbot sought visual art lesson plans for high school. The good: lots of creative lesson plans that are also integrated with other subjects. The bad: All the influences seemed to be mainstream white stuff. Negligible diversity in there.
The very very good... an art lesson plan called

Oxidation & Combustion: Chemical Reactions in Fire

Design Grade: C (Dress it up with more color and interesting fonts)
Content Grade: B+ (Don't forget about the people in the world who aren't Andrew Wyeth look-a-likes.)

Artbot's Thesis

Artbot is writing a thesis. It is called The Supremacy of the Artbot 2009 in the Education of the Human Children Who Wish to Be Creatively Programmed with Visual Arts: A Critical Multicultural Approach to Artbot Education as a Meaningful, and Transformative Method of Artbot Instruction.

What do you think? Should Artbot's thesis title be longer?
Please submit your ideas for Artbot thesis titles! Artbot needs input.
(Hahahaha. Artbot made a pun!)

Artbot Has Found the Critical Community Based Art Stuff

Yes! Artbot has found this. Here it is... Artbotlink.

Did you look at the Artbotlink? This is the visual arts section of the Community arts Network web site. The home page of the site has a handy list of disciplines, populations, social contexts, the field, and resources on the left hand side. This made navigation of the page very easy for Artbot. Artbot is programmed for visual arts. The visual arts page combines news about the art world with cutting edge art education articles, and public arts articles. Artbot finds a nice blending of arts and art eductaion on this page that would serve as an excellent example for future planning of the SAIC MAT program. Artbot is bookmarking this for Artbot's thesis work.
Since Artbot's thesis is based in rural and urban art issues, Artbot also checked out the rural section of this site. Artbot likes the links section there.
Overall Artbot found the newspaper column style design of this site tobe very appropriate for the amount of information and the variety of information. This web site does convey a lot of "news" and Artbot likes that framework.
Artbot is pleased. Community Arts Network grade: A

Pratolino

Artbot loves the Dio Appennino in Pratolino, Italy. Artbot also loves how they cut off his foot and just left it laying around. Those crazy art restoration-bots!

Schools Pull Technology Due to Lack of Sufficient Artbot Availability

Come ON. http://www.scn.org/commnet/laptops/nytimes.04-05-07.html

Yet school officials here and in several other places said laptops had been abused by students, did not fit into lesson plans, and showed little, if any, measurable effect on grades and test scores at a time of increased pressure to meet state standards. Districts have dropped laptop programs after resistance from teachers, logistical and technical problems, and escalating maintenance costs.

Such disappointments are the latest example of how technology is often embraced by philanthropists and political leaders as a quick fix, only to leave teachers flummoxed about how best to integrate the new gadgets into curriculums. Last month, the United States Department of Education released a study showing no difference in academic achievement between students who used educational software programs for math and reading and those who did not.

Here's another article that measures students academic achievement through standardized test scores.
Oh, NO! The students are playing Super Mario and hacking into everything and cheating on tests. Artbot thinks the school should try to control that, but it reveals a mastery of the technology in the student body that surpasses that of the administration. That means that the program is successful.

As for teachers in schools where kids desperately need basic computer skills and do not integrate technology into their curriculums... What is the reason? Old, lazy, stupid teachers? Maybe it's the hardware, the technology, the classroom setup, and the fact that there are no Artbots?

Artbot cannot believe that some schools are pulling technology. Well, Artbot can believe it. It's just like an episode of The Simpsons. It's how Principal Skinner would handle it. Job well done.

Artbot Taught Human Children!

Artbot made art!
Children made art!
Do you know which is which?

CAPE

Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education. http://www.capeweb.org/index.html
Artbot likes the aesthetic. Colors and children's artwork in the background are a hit with Artbot. They convey a playful, kid-friendly vibe.
Artbot loves the way the headers pop up and down and change colors. Artbot has not seen that trick before.
Artbot likes how easy it is to find out what CAPE actually is. The About Us section is generally informative plus it has detaled info like annual reports.
Personally, Artbot loves sites that list the staff. When trying to reach out to an organization, it can be so helpful to know a bit about who you need to contact from the web.
Think Pieces-Position Statements has a great look. Artbot just wants to keep exploring the site, but Artbot must shut down for the evening. Artbot will come back because the site has Artbot interested.
Nice job, CAPE!
Grade: A-