The Pennsylvania Artists Web Site Project

The North Allegheny School District Art Department will develop Internet based instruction units studying the contributions of important Pennsylvania artists. This project is supported by a $15,000 Pennsylvania Technology Grassroots Grant. Students of the Computer Multimedia Arts classes and Art Department faculty will cooperate on this project, drawing on the resources of the Carnegie Museum of Art Education Department. Jim Reinhard is project manager.

The goal of the project is to promote critical understanding of the work of significant artists with a Pennsylvania connection utilizing the connectivity, interactivity, and multimedia of the Internet. The web resources will support the meeting of standards for art historical knowledge, critical and aesthetic dialog and artistic production. (A prototype featuring Romare Bearden can visited here.)

Significant Features of the Web Resource

• The users of the site will including entire art classes, smaller student groups as well as individual students who will be able to view, interact with, reflect upon and learn more about the work of these artists.
• Connectivity of the web allows users to respond to the works and for teachers and students to assess student response to the subject. Links to a wealth of additional information about the subject extend the users ability to construct an understanding of the artist, their work and the cultural context.
• Interactivity of web based media provides the ability to engage in "what if" manipulations of the work, to follow links to other information, to focus on particular features of interest, and to actively construct meaning.
• Multimedia content integrates sound, graphics, animation, video and virtual reality and text to provide a multisensory experience of the the work and cultural context.

Features of Web Lessons

• Whole classroom groups can be introduced to an artist and their work by the teacher through the web resource, supplemented by prints and other instructional materials. Smaller groups and individuals can explore the work, do interactive tutorials, give responses and initiate further research.
• Lessons can emphasize the standards of production, history, criticism and aesthetics. The resource can be used initiate student art work, research activities and critical and aesthetic dialog.
• Assessment of student response and learning is integrated in learning, provides immediate feedback, and can be archived for summative assessment.

The Digital Grassroots Grant Program

Classroom Lessons & Web Projects offers teachers and students the opportunities to digitize "Pennsylvania-specific" content and place it on the web in the context of a lesson plan or web project. These lessons and projects will contribute to the Link-to-Learn collection of Internet activities on the Professional Development web site and will provide resources for Pennsylvania educators seeking to implement the academic standards. Through these projects, students will gain web authoring and other technology expertise-skills valuable in Pennsylvania's knowledge based economy.