A Study The Roles of Digital Arts in Teaching Practices for

Secondary School

Zahidah binti Ab.Aziz

2013770077

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

In twentieth first century, a lot of transformation that were change which is from a traditional age

to globalization age. All the thing on this globalization age demand with technology including our

art education system. The changes of using a technology actually people can think creatively,

solve the problem and make more meaningful decisions.

Nowadays, technology and digital media is a part of today’s generation lifestyle. Their world is a

drastically and definitely different with previously generation. Gadget is everywhere. People

were obsess with their gadget which is they communicate with other countries through their

gadget.

“Advances in computer technology dramatically transform modern society into an arena where

digital devices are indispensable. Collectively, technologies create a new genre of contemporary

art form” by Roland,1994

As a faculty member of the Education in Visual Arts at Mara Technology University (UiTM) , the

researcher realized that digital media and arts in teaching practices for secondary school were

important in today’s generation.

1.1Background of the study

In art education, educators should lead this change in the transformation of this new generation.

This transformation not only their lifestyle change, “the type of thinking developed therein,

uniquely meet the needs of the 21st century learner by not only providing experiences and

opportunities for today’s students to be engaged, but to thrive”. ( A. Kathleen; M.Melissa,2011)

Art educators hold responsibility for educating students about the purposeful and artistic use of

technology through the study of visual culture.” (Duncum,2001). Art educators must thinking

forward and changes the perspective and find the way what the learners needs for today’s.

Consequently, “ teachers who ignore new technologies are providing inadequate student

preparation for the current art world (Jackson,1999) “Creativity involves inventions, discovery,

curiosity , imagination, experimentation and exploration. During the creative digital process

there is a transformation from something known to something not previously known”. (

Browning,2008a, p.213).

Technology tools teach today’s generation more effectively and use their time efficiently.

Computers are everywhere. Everyone can use it. Computer is the one of a tools for display of

technical skills. Victor D’Amico (1953) suggests “that teachers should give as much instruction

as a student needs, satiating curiosity while not overwhelming with too much information that

could derail a student’s original intent about his or her artwork”.

In today’s strongest art programs, teaching content and process as well as following students to

use content for artistic self-expression are of primary importance.(Anderson & Millbrandt,2005)

An important to teaching digital arts for secondary school, art educators must learn and know

the type of software they used and develop lessons for classrooms on their own. From that,

creativity in digital art can be effects on that lessons and activities.

In class, students must know about the application of software. When students know used the

software, they can express their idea and explore the process of art making. From that, students

can improve their creativity, patience, more appreciate and their self- confident in what they

learn by using graphic tools.

Digital arts and creativity is a related in today’s learner. “The way in which art educators use and

integrate technologies into a classroom is crucial to stimulating student’s learning, their

imaginations, and the creative process.” (A. Kathleen; M.Melissa,2011).

In additions, digital art is a part of technology which is a form of art using a digital software. For

example, 3D animation, video games, graphic multimedia and others. Student develop the

digital arts by a lot of graphic tools. The potential of digital arts were specifically video,

telecommunication, animation can refine students to understanding of arts and expression of

creative.

In art class, “ teachers and students are active participants in the learner environment, and both

have to be willing to take risks, which is an important aspect of any creative activity. Students

can learn to choose and develop their sense of “digital wonder” while problem solving and

creating art. (Delacruz,2009). Art educators need to create a new leaning as a lessons in

classroom.

Secondary school in Malaysia not exactly using a technology in digital arts. Some of art

educators still using a previous content in art class. Some students may not to introduce and

communicate with any technology because they not a from a rich families. They just learn a

computer and digital arts in classroom only.

1.2 Problem Statement

Why not just carry on with traditional methods of teaching and learning – with what is tried and

true? Why is using technology in our art classroom so important? Perhaps the answer harkens

back, to use Bob Dylan’s phrase, to the fact that “ The times they are a changing” (1964).

Today’s students called “screenagers” by some, are indeed different than even a decade ago (

Taylor,2007),immersing themselves in interactive technologies, becoming creators of digital new

media , and socially collaborating on a scale that we have not seen before (Jenkins,2009;

Tapscott, 2009;Taylor 2007, Wesch,2007)

Nowadays, in 21st century, art learners have a lot of problems. One of that, all the syllabus and

content were change with technology tools and digital arts creatively. From that, art educators

must know how to learn them with digital arts in classroom.

For secondary students, as a new learners with technology, they must know what the future

needs in digital arts. They are teenagers who can create any creativity with digital arts and give

them a lot of foster opportunities to make them survive with their world.

1.3 Research Objectives

The research objectives for this study is :

i. To identify of the important of using digital arts in art education.

ii. To investigate the creativity can related with digital arts in art education.

iii. To identify the impact of technology on teaching in art education

iv. To investigate the secondary students can adopt a digital arts in their leaning.

v. To investigate the teachers using a digital arts as the lessons in art education.

1.4 Research Questions

The research question for this study is :

i. What is the important of using a digital arts in art education?

ii. How can creativity can related with digital arts in art education?

iii. What is the impact of technology on teaching in art education?

iv. How can a secondary school accept a digital arts in school ?

v. How the teachers can teach with digital arts in classroom?

1.5 Research Hipotesis

H1 : If a secondary school students using with their creativity and skillful in any arts through

digital, it is mean their generations can be thrive with any fostering opportunities they can

survive.

1.6 Operational Definitions

Definition of iKid :

“In scouring through the multitude of proposed names and potential labels for today’s school –

age population we found ourselves particularly attracted to the term “ iKid” ( Marc Prensky,2008)

“Prensky’s designation seemed to allude to many of the factors we feel are unique to many of

the factors we feel are unique to the iKids – knowing of which is essential for anyone seeking to

be in touch with this different generation of leaner. In an effort to more fully understand our

students, we are proposing the following characteristic in the students we see in our classrooms

today.” (A. Kathleen ; M. Melissa, 2011)

Definition of Creativity :

“Creativity is defined as “ any act, idea, or product that changes an existing domain or that

transform an existing domain, or that transforms an existing domain into a new one” ( Mihaly

Csikszentmihalyi,1996)

“Creativity requires this leap from the known to alternatives but to make it fully the individual

must be able to hypothesize, imagine and appreciate the significance of one’s transformational

activity ” (Pickard,1990,p.7)

Definition of Technology :

“ The word technology comes from two Greek words, transliterate techne and logos. Techno

means art, skill, craft or the way, manner or means word, the utterance by which inward through

is expressed, a saying or an expression. So, literally, technology means words or discourse

about the way things are gained. ( Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Definition of Digital Art :

Digital art is an artistic work or practice that use digital technology as an essential part of the

creative or presentation process. Since the 1970s, various names have been used to describe

the process including computer art and multimedia art, and digital artsis itself placed under the

larger umbrella term new media part.( Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

1.7 Limitation of the Study

As the researcher, there are a few of the limitation in this research. First, the researcher only

focus on secondary school which is from form one until form five.

Second, the limitation of finding this research is a place. Which is the researcher only

concentrate a few of secondary school that have using digital arts at Johor Bahru and Shah

Alam. In Malaysia, not all in school are using the digital arts as a new lessons.

1.8 Significant of the Study

From this research, the researcher found that, nowadays, technology were important for new

learner. Digital arts is a way to make them more creativity and innovative. In secondary school,

the researcher know that in school, some of art educators not using a technology tools. They

still using a traditional content in teaching practices. From that, they must to think out of box

which is the changing of this generation.

In 21st century, the content of learning must based on new learner needs including creativity. Art

educators must alert with new leaner in creativity. Creativity and technical skill in digital arts is

related with others.