Week 4- The Art of Possibility Chapters 9-12

Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart.

The final chapters of the Art of Possibility do not disappoint.  I found many insightful nuggets to incorporate this school year and many things that will keep me focused and sane throughout each day.  The first important concept is becoming the board and having the power to transform my thinking.  The idea that ultimately I am in control of everything that I experience in my life is quite revealing.  I thought about a Monopoly game, and how we always thought the game pieces gave us so much power that we fought over the top hat or the shoe each game.  In reality, according to the Zanders, the game board has the power.  The game board determines what the game pieces will do, how far they will go and helps to determine the winner. I discovered that as a game piece I have limited power, but as the board I make room for all of the moves to happen.

The next novel idea was the concept of vision.  Vision, defined by the authors, means to invent and sustain frameworks that bring forth possibility.  After reading this, I realize I need vision for my classroom.

In the Bible it states, that without vision the people perish. This made me think about the vision I have for my students when they come to my class. What possibilities are in store for them based upon the vision I have cast for the year?  Vision goes beyond goal setting and reaches a wider range of thought.

And finally, taking risks are necessary for anything great to occur!  I believe I take some risks, but maybe I need to take more.  I constantly encourage my students to take risks, but now I need to be willing to experience the same possibilities. The inclusion of the Marianne Williamson poem is the icing on the cake.

I love this poem and everything it represents.  A couple of years ago, I posted it in my room as inspiration for my students, and I believe I will post it again so my students can imagine the potential that is within each of them.  Another school year brings forth so much and I am excited about experiencing it with fresh eyes and a fresh heart!

Week 4_PublishingandLeadershipProject

                                                      Image provided by IJEA.

Image provided by Edutopia.

                                                                                                           

My top two choices for submission are the International Journal of Education and the Arts (http://www.ijea.org/mission.html ) and Edutopia (http://www.edutopia.org/). 
I feel that each journal is forward thinking and well established as a platform for educators.  The International Journal of Education and the Arts provides a venue for educators in the arts to present research that generates dialogue about education through a creative process.  Edutopia provides an arena for innovative teaching techniques and current trends in education that work and are effective in the classroom.   I like both journals and feel they encompass two areas found in my CBR project: art and innovation through personal learning environments. I plan to review the submission processes to select a final journal for submission in month twelve.



Publishing/Leadership Thinking Out Loud Blog #1
Publishing/Leadership Thinking Out Loud Blog #2


salters_tracye_publishing.docx

Week 4-Thinking Out Loud Part 2

                             Image courtesy of Edutopia.

After much consideration, I am making some adjustments to my submission list.  I am adding Edutopia to my submission list for my publication and leadership project.  I selected Edutopia after reviewing the site and observing the large amount of articles that featured art.  Edutopia contains a plethora of information about different and innovative approaches to education and I feel a journal that is on the cutting edge would  be beneficial to me.  Edutopia features many current trends in education, such as problem based learning and social learning.  I will feel I may need to go over my article with a fine tooth comb before submitting, but I believe I am up for the challenge.

Week 4- Wimba-Thinking Out Loud

                                  Image provided by Microsoft clipart.

My thinking out loud during the Wimba session did not go as planned!  The plan was to showcase my leadership project in a smooth, professional manner and demonstrate almost all of my intelligence but thanks to technology all of that went out of the window!!!  So, let's reboot and start the process over!

My plans are to publish rather than present my project.  Public speaking is not my strong suit, so I would prefer to submit an article based upon my research in the classroom. 
 I would like to submit to a journal with an art or technology focus because these are the two areas I am most interested in at this point. My CBR project focused on personalized learning in art and how this concept could empower students in the learning process.  I believe my CBR project went well and I hope to continue encouraging my students in constructing learning environments that engage and stretch their imaginations. 

Week 4-2 Peer Comment

Image provided by Microsoft clipart.

Her thoughts:

Everything in education starts with the teacher. Too often you hear people say “it’s the kids” or “kids today” . You cant change to kids or the parents or the administration. The only thing you have control over is you. Lighting the spark and being the board deal, in  my opinion, speak to how I as the educator have to find ways to engange the students with the material. When I am no longer able to find an external source to motivate them, then I have to look inside to see what I need to change in order to achieve the goals.

In order to achieve said goals in education you have to be able to persevere in the face of criticism. Once you have set the board you need to move the pieces as they are supposed to move and not take the shortcuts. That could only lead to needing to change the board again.

While the teacher is the start of it the students are the life of it. What ever we decide as educators we need to listen to the needs of the students and ask ourselves what will work best for all of us. The classroom is a group dynamic and while each student has their own individual needs and wants and the teacher has her own, the only way to achieve success is to look at the best possible things for the whole not the parts.

Posted by Kelly Baker at 5:36 AM

http://kellybakerect.blogspot.com/

My thoughts:

Kelly,

I really like the last line of your post and I think it speaks volumes about the current state of education.  Lately, it seems like we have been playing tug of war in education.  Educators vs. students or students vs. educators...year after year! What your post suggests is that we all play a part in the classroom...teacher and student. As teachers we must be diligent in seeking the right dynamic to ensure success for all students.

In order to reach that dynamic, it may take different techniques and out of the box thinking to reach and engage our students.

Week 4-1 Peer Comment

Image provided by Microsoft clipart

She wrote:

As teachers we are definitely responsible for lighting the spark in our students but we sometimes wonder how. Most of our students are not amazed by anything we do or say. It's just teenage natural to see parents and teachers as uncool.

So it is our job to outwit them by letting them find of light their own spark. Or let them think they are lighting their own spark. This can be done by simply becoming more a facilitator of learning whether than a teacher of learning. Allow room for error in yourself as well as in your students. You will that you both may be finding a spark.

Posted by Tonneche Brown at Friday, July 29, 2011

http://eastoktibbehacomputerlab.blogspot.com/

I wrote:

Tonneche,

Your thoughts about "the spark" are very welcome as I prepare to go back to school.  I do wonder how to be the instructor, inspire my students and foster independence everyday at school.  As teachers we compete with so much, so we end up being not cool! Realistically, who can compete with Lil' Wayne and Beyoncé'? Maybe I should stop trying to compete and find a way to bring their interests into the classroom! (A novel idea!)  I will take your advice and allow more wiggle room and generate many sparks!

Week 4-1 Discussion Post Quickie

                                      Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart.

Utopia for me would be to teach in a room full of enthusiastic, imaginative creative young artists that actually have a love for art.

I want to teach them in a room with unlimited resources, supportive parents and personal learning environments for everyone!!!  I want to do away with mounds of paperwork that has nothing to do with art and I want my students to embrace every ounce of potential they have inside of them. I would be surrounded with colleagues that are hard working and driven to help each child succeed...period.

Week 4-2 Discussion Post Quickie

                                       Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart.

What stands between my dream job and me?

I believe I am still searching for the perfect thing for me and this is my hurdle. I have a great desire to stretch myself and do different things, but like Crystal, a certain amount of fear is in the pit of my stomach.  Fear of failure and fear of success. I believe my dreams should manifest because I am a passionate, hard working and creative person. I believe I have much to offer in any given situation. I plan on creating my own bucket list of all the things I want to do professionally and see where it takes me.

Week 3 Free Choice-2011/2012 School Year

                                      Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart

The new school year is fast approaching and I am anxious to do things differently.  I am ready to put everything I have learned at Full Sail into place!  I don't want to do things the same way and get the same results! I want to be able to take the same risks I am asking my students to take in the class room.  After reading The Art of Possibility, I realize I don't have to be perfect, but I do need to take steps toward being the teacher I know I can be each day!  I realize that this will mean work and dedication on my part to embrace this new way of thinking in my classroom, but I believe I can be an agent of change for the better!
(And if I happen to fall off of the horse, I have plenty of Full Sail reinforcements to help me out! Right?

Week3-The Art of Possibility Chapters 5-8

Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart

I didn’t realize I needed to wear steel-toed boots when I am reading The Art of Possibility!  I am noticing I am coming face to face with the issues that may be in my life and in my classroom…yikes!  I am a perfectionist to some extent and can take things seriously when given the opportunity!  I found myself looking in the mirror when prompted to lighten up and it may light up those around me!   After this revelation, I found myself asking how can I possibly do this and survive in the classroom?   What I did discover is by lightening up; I can become human to my students and connect with them on new levels.  If I give up my pride, it may benefit others and break the hold it has on me. (Almost too deep before the start of school!)

Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart

So, today I plan to live and learn and not take myself too seriously!

The next section that hit me in the gut was learning about my calculating self versus my central self.  The calculating self withdraws and contracts and focuses on his or her immediate needs.  On the other hand, the central self opens and expands, letting things be without fighting against it.  I learned by focusing on my central self, I can let things be without fighting them every step of the way and forcing me to lighten up in the process.

(Revelation, revelation, revelation!)  At times during the school year, we have a tendency to focus on how things should be instead of how things are in any given situation.    I loved how the authors pointed out when our attention is primarily directed to how wrong things are, we lose our power to act effectively. (Another light bulb moment!  It makes me think of my pastor who always tells the congregation about responding versus reacting!  I have a strong mindset at times to REACT, instead of respond.  Responding to an issue means I have thought things over, I am calm and I have solutions!  When I react, I usually have regret.  So, as the school year begins, I will focus more on my central self and less on my calculating self and see what possibilities come my way.

Week 3-Peer Comment 2

Image courtesy of Melissa Miller's Blogspot

Melissa said:

Educators are resistant to change because of two reasons: 1, they are use to doing things the same way over time and 2, the time it takes to learn how to use it. Teachers fall into complacency and use the excuse I don’t understand it and it takes to long to learn it. Schools have issues in not valuing the need to incorporate technology. Those teachers and schools who are excited about using technology get frustrated because of firewalls or the unavailability of programs. I think that businesses have a better opportunity to implement new programs because the business doesn’t have to censor themselves, create their own identities with technology, and they decide what programs to use for their company. Schools have to have teachers who find the technology, administration had to approve it and then the district has to install it. There are just so many hurdles for teachers and schools to jump that frustration easily sets in and a bad taste and frustration is left.

http://mellissamiller.blogspot.com/2011/07/week-3-quickie-2.html?showComment=1311552598069#c5277137822631104398

My response:

Melissa, I wish I could send your post to my entire district! You made many relevant comments within your post that I encounter on a daily basis. I can especially appreciate the frustration with firewalls and unavailability of programs.  (We must donate any programs not readily available by our district.)  We talk so much about preparing our students for the 21^st century, but we continue to have our students jump through the technology hoops each year.  I think we must continue to push our administrators to do what is best for students at all times, in order for them to reach their full potential beyond the classroom.

Week 3-Peer Comment

Image courtesy of Crystal Cusimano's Blog

Crystal said: 

The other main "Ah-ha" moment that resonated with me was the Rule Number 6. I often have a problem of taking my self too seriously and reading this chapter put that "practice" into context for me. It allowed me to examine further how I take myself to seriously and when/if it does happen again how to diffuse it. I wish I could make copies of this chapter and give it to everyone I know, not to force it on anyone as the book says, but just to give others the chance as I have to realize that we all at one point or another take ourselves too seriously and this does us all no good in the long run. Live and let live, right?!

http://theducationrevolution.blogspot.com/2011/07/week-3-art-of-possibility-lead-by.html?showComment=1311551381225#c8325413118797276570

My response:

Crystal!

I agree with you about being too serious in certain situations.  I always get tagged as having the “fun” subject and I try my best to fight against it.  Ultimately, I come across very serious, instead of passionate about my subject, which is what I want to demonstrate in the classroom.  I want my classroom to be an engaging place and I guess the first step in that direction is not taking everything too seriously.  I think the book stresses for everyone to find opportunities to bloom, grow and experience life to the fullest.

Week 3-1 Discussion Board Quickie

                            Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart.

My district introduced the International Baccalaureate Program, via the Middle Years Program, to our campus several years ago and it proved to be an experiment gone bad.  The program wasn’t the problem, but the buy in and commitment from faculty and staff to make it a success was the stickler.  When people don’t buy in or support what is being presented it makes it very difficult to implement the program and yield any benefit.  We would have a portion of the staff that would fully implement the program and the other half would drag their heels in protest. The lack of participation and lackadaisical attitudes made it impossible to successfully implement the program and now it doesn’t exist.  I think our staff missed out on an opportunity to bring an international perspective to our campus and engage our students with global concerns.

Week 3-2 Discussion Board Quickie Resisting Change

Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart.

I think educators resist change because they don’t want to come out of their comfort zone of right-ness. Using technology involves risks; creativity and new mediums to produce products and some educators are not comfortable with exploring this arena.  (And many certainly don’t want to be wrong in front of their students)

In addition, even though many educators claim to be life long learners, I believe many don’t want to learn technology because it changes so fast.  By the time you learn one program, a new and better version is around the corner.  In order to get technology, you must change with it and be willing to adapt.  I didn’t grow up with the technology my daughter has, but I love it just the same.  I approach technology with open arms!  I don’t want to be the last one on the block to know anything…especially technology. 

Week 3-3 Video Podcasts

            Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart.

As the school year is approaching, I thought I would select visual podcasts that I could introduce to my various classes during the school year.  Our budget is limited, so the resources listed below will enhance the art experience for all of my students.

http://www.nga.gov/podcasts/#video

Awesome works of art available to me in an instant!  I found this was much better than a dated film or video.

http://www.rmanyc.org/pages/load/121#video

The Rubin Museum of Art gives the viewer access to art on many different levels.  Students would have access to videos featuring artists, museum goers and art scholars.

http://www.nasher.duke.edu/media/

I found these video resources provided by Duke University refreshing and new.  I believe these videos will give my students a new way to experience art.  It was great to see people of color represented in the collection.

http://www.chickasaw.tv/#/arts/VideoModule/373?gclid=CM76yoG7kaoCFQSt7QoddTcSwA

This is a wonderful site that introduces the viewer to the arts of the Chickasaw nation. Through this site, I could introduce my students to Chickasaw visual artists, performing artists and writers.  Students can see, hear and participate in activities that help them learn about cultural art.  Great find!

Week2 - Free Choice

               Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech

I thought I would share my summer reading list for my free choice post.  I know how we all love Sir Ken Robinson and if you have not come across this book, I would highly recommend it.  It complements our reading of The Art of Possibility in most chapters.  The Element is where natural talent and personal passion intersect.  There are many illustrations of people finding their passion and the route they took to arrive at bliss.  It is another opportunity to enjoy Sir Ken and to see how you can discover your passion.

I am reading this book as a requirement for my AP hours, but it is a good, thought provoking read that challenges my thinking on every level.  You really can't go wrong with Sir Ken, so I invite you to pick up a copy and discover your Element!

Week2-The Art of Possibility/ Chapters 1-4

Image courtesy of Zander and Zander

The Art of Possibility generates a great deal of thought after reading even the simplest paragraph.  I am trying to find ways to implement what I am reading to make an impact in my teaching and in my classroom.  I have come away with several nuggets to jumpstart my school year in the art room.  The first light bulb came with the description of the teacher’s role described by the authors.  The teacher role is to help students chip away at barriers that block their abilities and expressions.

I really love this idea of unlocking potential that is within each student, not developing it, but unlocking what is already there.  To me, this means students have value and something special within that is waiting for someone to discover it.

The second gem from the book focuses on the student: A student that is the least engaged may be the most committed member of the group.  I think this speaks volumes about the student-teacher relationship and how we really communicate in the classroom.  For me, it illustrates how I shouldn’t make preconceived notions about the students in my room.  The students that don’t seem too interested may be the very ones that are committed to learning the concepts presented in class.  It shows me that I must find a way to actively engage and reach each student.

I have read various comments made by peers concerning the positive declarations found in the book.  I must say I am one of those people that operate on faith, so concentrate on the positive means I spend less time worrying about things that are out of my hands.  I believe in the university of the possibility and the unfettered imagination of what can be and I hope to bring this change to my students.  We have so many negative things floating around us, why not embrace the positive?

Week 2-2 Peer Comment

Image courtesy of Jennifer Geiger

Jennifer posted:

So I'm a little more open to this and I'm going to try to live into it starting with my husband.  I already know that when I fight with him, I assume the worst.  Really.  I assume he's being a jerk, when really, he didn't realize what I would have wanted him to.  So, I shared this with him and told him I'm going to look at a card with reminders written on it like, "Rob is not your enemy; he loves you and is trying to contribute.  Give him an A."  So things are still going to happen, not according to my little precious plan or whatnot but my disappointment in him will be gone/ lessened.  I will treat him as my partner (or try to because I am less than perfect!)

I also need to think more about using this in my classroom.  I need to read on, to see how this really works with students.  I don't want asinine or lazy behavior because everyone has an A now.  I need to work on my semantics of delivery of the message.  How can I lead them to see that getting the A means working hard and even taking some risks is what gets an A.  I can see I am starting to sound like the measurement world again.  I stopped myself short of pondering a contract: "behavior for an A."  But I am trying still not not be too fantasy-minded!  Can ninth graders (who I hear are a handful from the teachers in the previous grade) respond to this and live into the A?!?

PS Is anyone else giggling like a lunatic over the irony of these ideas juxtaposed over the very popular and very dangerous world of measurement in teaching right now???  "Of course I'm a failure as a teacher if my students are not all passing the state test!!!  Even one child left behind is unthinkable!  Fire me!!!"  compared to, "What are you measuring anyway?  How can you reliably measure engagement and bright eyes?!?"

Posted by Jennifer Geiger at 10:22 PM

http://wittlesandwords.blogspot.com/

My response:

Jennifer!

What a great post! Reading and laughing at the same time is a great moment!  I share your concerns about how this will work in the classroom.

Is this something that will produce results or something I will abandon the first week of school? I don't know...the jury is still out! I, like you, want my students to invest in their education and get the marvelous results we all desire.  I want my students to love school like I did, but I wonder if that is a pipe dream in this day and age. I guess I will read on, too!

Week 2-1 Peer Comment

Image courtesy of Microsoft clipart

Leon’s Post:

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Wk 2 Post 4: Publishing Leadership Project

I am considering sharing my research with the Hillsborough County Band Association, I would like to share the process of building a personal literacy tool to TMEA and FMEA.  Not that my study is definitive or even successful, but I think that every music teacher needs a set of guidelines to use to ensure their students are actually learning to read music.   I would like to share my project, which encouraged me to create a music literacy tool that meets the requirements of the literature.  I would also like to demonstrate how to create media assets to facilitate the implementation of the tool

Georgia Educational Technology Conference

Alabama Educational Technology Conference

http://leonsedmtclassblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/wk-2-post-4-publishing-leadership.html?showComment=1310954298358#c3272678591094747126

My response:

I am really interested in the research project you have initiated. As a fellow fine arts teacher, I think a literacy tool is a necessary concept to consider implementing. I think guidelines for any fine arts subject are desperately needed, as we are usually the first to have to justify our place in the academic arena.  I think your contribution would help others see the possibilities of music.

Week2- Wimba Session 2

                                           Image courtesy of Wimba platform.

After viewing the Wimba session, I believe I need to make changes as an educator, consumer and creative artist.  As an educator, I feel that I am walking a fine line with fair use, and to be honest, I know I wouldn’t be alone!  Now that I am looking at the details of copyright, fair use and infringement, I know I need to examine the resources I use in my room a little more closely.  Do I really need to use someone else’s work to get my point across?  Why don’t I just create my own resources to use in the classroom?

In addition, I need to make sure my students are knowledgeable as artists when it comes to copyright issues.  I want my students to know the difference between being inspired by what they see and just borrowing ideas or concepts for every creative endeavor.  As a consumer, I need to remember to give credit and seek permission in everything I use for my personal use.  Copyright doesn’t seem like a big deal, until the shoe is on the other foot.

As an artist, I am very protective of my work.  I want credit for whatever I have labored over either through written acknowledgement or monetary compensation.

We are living in such a creative time and we must be careful to respect the work of others and acknowledge their efforts. 

I liked modern art resource that was given during the session and it helped to shed light on the Fairey issue and I feel it could help others understand the creative process for modern artists.

Week2-3 CD Ownership, Music Sharing or Spontaneous Listening

                                       Image courtesy of Microsoft Clipart

Podcast list

I tried to locate a variety of podcast that deal with different areas of art and creative processes.  I didn’t realize the number of art podcasts that were out there and how many I could possibly use in my art room.  The podcasts listed below are just a sampling of what is available:

http://www.artnode.org/projects/artpod/just/just.htm

This collection of podcasts is contained in iPod format on the site.

I thought this was a unique and clever concept to present a podcast.

http://sketchrob.podomatic.com/

Very interesting podcasts covering art, design, and process in graphic design and working within a creative community.

This podcasts covers interesting takes on copyright and what the artist calls “out right stealing”

http://mabryonline.org/podcasts/archives/student_podcasts/art/index.html

A podcast showcasing student artwork during the course of the school year looks very interesting to me.

This would be a great idea to make the artwork available to a wider audience and in a different format.

http://artagogo.libsyn.com/

Art reviews; commentary and news are featured in each podcast.

I am excited about the upcoming school year and incorporating so many different tools to engage my students in visual art.  I hopeful that my students will be willing to try something new and learn beyond the walls of our classroom.  Are they willing to use their iPods to learn something?
I hope they are ready to at least try!

Week 2-2 CD Ownership, Music Sharing or Spontaneous Listening

Image courtesy of www.discogs.com

The first song that touched me at an emotional level was Eric Carmen’s All by Myself.  The strange thing about this selection is that I was in 3^rd grade at the time I connected with this song.  Why?  Maybe because I am the youngest of three, and my brother and my sister are at least seven years older than me.  I don’t know why, but I would listen to this song and sing along because I believed Eric Carmen knew the depths of my soul!

I love catchy tunes, the fads of music, but I especially love the music that punches you in the gut and makes you think! Lyrics are essential for me. I want to know what the artist is trying to say beyond the surface. I agree with Elaine, music that moves my spirit and lyrics that are pure and real are essential for listening.

Week 2-1 CD Ownership, Music Sharing or Spontaneous Listening

Image courtesy of Microsoft Clipart

Music plays a pretty significant role in my life.  At my house you may hear anything from rap to R&B to gospel on a daily basis.  In the past, we would purchase CD’s on a regular basis, but for the most part CD’s are expensive, and not worth the effort unless every song is awesome and this is very rare. Therefore, mp3’s are the best for me: easier to access, cheaper than a cd and friendlier to the environment. 

Whatever the format for the music I choose, I always purchase it to support the artist that created it.  I use sites like Pandora or YouTube to preview music before I purchase online.  The state of the economy forces me to make better choices and think twice about my purchases.  Do I buy the entire mp3 or do I make the a la carte purchase for 99 cents?  Having this option makes my musical life much better!

Week 1- Publishing and Leadership-Think Out Loud

Image courtesy of the International Journal of Education Through Art

Image courtesy of the International Journal of Education and the Arts

My search for journals for the publishing/leadership project led me to two journals associated with education and the arts.  Truthfully, I am still trying to grasp the concept behind this assignment and hopefully I am headed in the right direction.  (I feel like I am in a Project Runway episode and I am told I have one more garment to make before I hit the runway!)
Nevertheless, I reviewed the submission process for each journal and made sure they were separate journals because of their similar titles.
The submission process, I discovered, is similar to the process I am undergoing for the literature review.
I found checklists, rounds of reviewing submitted article and of course...DEADLINES!  I believe to actually have the opportunity to have something published on this level would be quite remarkable. I don't know if my article is worthy to be included, but will give it the old college try!

Week 1 Peer Comment 2

Original artwork courtesy of Tracye L. Salters

http://taniashavor.blogspot.com/2011/07/copyright-issues.html#comments

Fortunately I have had to learn and deal with copyright issues in the past. I have a BFA and in doing multiple projects that deal with a wide array of commercial and personal images.  I also understand copyright to be very personal to me as an artist. As a graphic designer however more often than not I have had to deal with a lot of pictures that sometimes accounted for a large portion of my hard drive space. Most of the time in a company setting that requires some pictorial representation these companies will invest in buying the rights to use images from places like Getty, istock and Corbis just to name a few.

The above image is an image created by hand (not digitally) which was inspired by a magazine ad. This drawing is a good example of how we can become creative with the images we see without using the actual copyrighted image.

Posted by Tania Shavor at 9:08 AM

My comment:

Tania,

Two words stuck out to me in your post...inspired by.  As artists do we need to give specific credit to the inspiration? It makes me wonder when so many fields overlap, similar to the Shepard Fairey, who are we accountable to? Explaining this concept to students is a challenge I face every year in the classroom.  How much is too much and how much is truly inspired?

(Beautiful stippling on the drawing!)

Week1 Peer Comment 1

                                                    Image courtesy of Microsoft

http://web.me.com/megisgem/Meg_Williams_EMDT_MAC_Blog/Week_1_Blog_Entries/Entries/2011/6/28_Copyright_-_wow.html#

My experience with copyright issues has been if someone else won’t create something on your behalf without permission, then you need to get permission. This came into play in 2008 when I married my husband. We are both huge Iron Maiden fans, he more than I. It is son ingrained in his being that we both wanted to have something of Maiden as part of our wedding. We decided to have the grooms cake made in an image of one of their album covers. Of course, Publix would not re-create the image without permission.  So, my husband contacted the artist to ask for permission. We found out that copyright isn’t always owned by the creator. We had to contact the band in order to get permission to use the image.  What we found amazing was that it was incredibly easy in this particular case because the band feels that the images and the music belong to their fans. Even though they were on a whirlwind world tour, we got an official letter within a couple of days.  The funny thing was when my husband actually did one of those special fan events where he met the lead singer, Bruce Dickinson. He explained what had happened and Bruce was shocked at all we had to go through to get permission, until he realized my husband was American.

 My Comment:

Meg,

Thanks for sharing your experience with copyright issues.  It was amazing that you had to jump through so many hoops and still be focused on the prize.  I think the fact that Publix would not recreate without permission is noteworthy.  If more individuals and businesses would follow this practice, artists would be more willing to allow access.

Week 1- Copyright

Image courtesy of http://kobilevidesign.blogspot.com/

Despite all of the video and reading on copyright, I still find it a sticky situation. 

Everything seems so simple, but meeting the established conditions makes it a bit confusing.  Trying to understand the specifics is probably the main reason people violate copyright.  It’s there so I must be able to use it mentality explains why some people think the internet is a supermarket and a means to gather any source that doesn’t have a watermark.

When I think about my teaching colleagues and what we use for resources in the classroom, we are clearly in violation of copyright and fair use!   As educators, I know we are guilty of logging on and printing off any and everything without thinking twice about the possible violations we are committing.   Like many people in the videos, we don’t ever think anyone would seriously take the time to come after the “ good teacher”.  Yet, educators chase down students about plagiarism constantly.  Doesn’t seem quite fair.

                  Screenshot from the Creative Commons website

As an artist, I am very particular about who has access to the things I have created.

Do you really know what I went through to produce the image you took five seconds to download? Did you bother to acknowledge my efforts or did you just use it to meet your needs? 

As a consumer I think there is a need to make more of an effort to seek permission, give credit and stop violating copyright laws.  As a creator I feel there is a need to protect what you have created, but use the systems to your advantage.   Using sites like Creative Commons can benefit an artist trying to establish himself in the growing creativity fields.