NEWS RELEASE
DA_7_8_RYSS
Digital Art exhibition by 7th and 8th grade students [Raul Yzaguirre School For Success (RYSS), Houston, Texas] to be held at Talento Bilingue de Houston [A Latino Cultural Arts Center], 333 South Jensen Drive, Houston, Texas:
Exhibition: August 3 - 22, 2009
Opening: August 7 [Friday], 6:00-9:00PM
The online version of the RYSS Digital Art exhibition can be seen at:
http://www.tomrchambers.com/DA_7_8_RYSS.html
Information about the exhibition:
DA_7_8_RYSS [2008-2009 School Year]
Middle school students [7th and 8th grades] at Raul Yzaguirre School For Success [RYSS], Houston, Texas, U.S.A. participated in a classroom assignment involving GIMP 2 [Photoshop equivalent] photo software and vocabulary building through word identification/meaning via the Internet.
The students were given a particular word to research the meaning of online then translate that meaning in photo software as Digital Art. As a result, vocabulary enhancement came to the forefront with acquired skills of manipulating photographs ... utilizing various tools and filters within the software.
This cognitive and creative process placed the students in a new environment of hands-on with photo software and the requirement of researching the "real" meaning of a word [vocabulary] then translating this "reality" into a "creative" one through visualization.
"Making art" in this respect was a first-time approach for these students and precedent setting for this school [RYSS] to manipulate photographs via photo software to make Digital Art. Digital Artists abound in all sectors as a part of this Digital Revolution we find ourselves a part of these days, which means this classroom process is also vocational.
Another interesting aspect to this project/process is the fact that the students ... who usually don't enjoy vocabulary building within a language arts setting ... took the word assignments in stride to be able to visualize their meanings as art and in this case, Digital Art.
Disclaimer: photographs for the manipulations were downloaded from the Internet strictly for educational purposes.
Teacher's Statement:
"I believe the most important aspect of this digital art project and its showcasing is the fact that a classroom assignment such as this ... or any other ... has transcended the confines of the room and the school system to provide impact or stimulus within the community.
This impact or stimulus is a realization for the students who participated, their families, their school system members and community members that what happens in the classroom can also be transferred to outside situations within a real world context.
The classroom assignment and its end result have moved from the student's notebook to a product on display for public consumption and evaluation. This fact indicates to the student that what he/she does can have more meaning within a wider setting. And because of this, it builds greater confidence levels to continue and in parallel with everyday activities in society."
Note: this classroom assignment [lesson plan] was found to be exemplary and has been included in the national lesson plan library at Digital Wish:
http://www.digitalwish.com/dw/digitalwish/view_lesson_plans?id=3402
Other exhibitions for this project:
East End Gallery, Houston Institute For Culture, 708-B Telephone Road, Tlaquepaque Plaza, Houston, Texas, January 7 - March 15, 2009:
http://www.tomrchambers.com/DA_7_8_RYSS.html
4th annual Carnival of e-Creativity & Change-agents Conclave [2009 CeC & CaC], February 27 to March 1, 2009, Sattal Estate, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, India:
http://www.theaea.org/cec_cac/cec09/index.htm
Other student projects as a part of the Technology Applications and "Power Time" processes at Raul Yzaguirre School For Success:
http://www.tomrchambers.com/RYSS_TCCC.html
Contacts:
Tom R. Chambers
Teacher, Technology Applications
Junior Academy
Raul Yzaguirre School For Success
Houston, Texas
281-889-9966
[log in to unmask]http://www.tccc-ryss.org
Jorge Pina
Curator
Talento Bilingue de Houston
Houston, Texas
[log in to unmask]http://www.tbhcenter.com
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