Microsoft technology art
Some of the final artwork produced
(Click to view the final artworks)
Level: Year 8
School: Remuera Intermediate School
Teacher: Billie Sturgiss
Duration: Two hours per week over 12 weeks
Category: Technology across learning areas
The Microsoft New Zealand head office is decorated with art produced by Remuera Intermediate students, who worked through the technological process in a visual art unit with clear links to the Technology Curriculum. When Art teacher Billie Sturgiss was talking to a friend from Microsoft, who commented that the office needed more meaningful art relating to their IT field, they decided this was an opportunity for students to create art for the company's walls.
Billie limited the project to two classes to make it more manageable, but also ran a small extension group for students who had demonstrated a particular talent in art. As Art is an option subject at Year 8, students in the two classes were self-selected as having an interest in that area.
Microsoft suggested that the students could consider the theme "Technology and how it will affect us in the future". Billie presented this to the students as a broader brief: "Create a piece of art that shows what technology means to you", to see what they could come up with. They were informed that Microsoft would visit at the conclusion of the unit and select 15 of the pieces for their office.
The students discussed their given brief, brainstormed what technology is and how different technologies have developed over time, and considered items, such as mobile phones, which had changed within their own experience. The students had to think about what technology meant to them, and how it might be represented in a piece of art. (Nature of Technology: Characteristics of Technology – Students will understand that technology both reflects and changes society and the environment, and increases people's capability.)
The class discussed examples of technology companies and then considered their stakeholder – looking at what Microsoft does, what it wanted in terms of art, and the need for their work to reflect the company but not to be an advertisement. To help them generate ideas on reflecting technology, the students looked at technology advertising images and pulled apart a computer to see the circuit boards, wiring, etc. They also discussed colour, how it is used to represent particular ideas and which colours might represent technology. (Technological Practice: Brief Development – Students will explain the outcome they are developing and describe the attributes it should have, taking account of the need or opportunity and the resources available.)
Billie and her students "co-constructed" the assessment criteria as rubrics which she based on NCEA grades (achievement, merit, etc). The students used these to set their goals and as a reference as they worked through the process, and Billie based her feedback in student conferences on the criteria. Time was allocated each session for students to share their progress with the class, when they commented on their progress related to the rubrics, what worked well or didn't, where to next, and advice they had for others. [Technological Practice: Planning for Practice – students will undertake planning to identify the key stages and resources required to develop an outcome. Revisit planning to include reviews of progress and identify implications for subsequent decision making.]
The students sketched their ideas and practised processes such as blending, shading, and toning before beginning the construction stage of their work. They were given a canvas board (supplied, with the paints, by Microsoft) and had to focus on building up layers in the piece, thinking about their background, foreground, and the layering of their 3D components. Some students made mistakes or changed their ideas and painted over their background, taking it back to a blank canvas; some up to four times. (Technological Knowledge: Technological modelling – Students will understand that functional models are used to explore, test, and evaluate design concepts for potential outcomes, and that prototyping is used to test a Technological Outcome for fitness of purpose.)
The artwork in place on the head office wall
(Click to enlarge)
Students used a variety of different materials and methods, according to the message they wanted to convey in their art, including icons and symbols, computer parts, copper foil tape, wiring, collage, 3D effects, and writing. As they generated ideas and developed their final design, each student had to justify what they were doing and why, and link it back to the brief. (Technological Practice: Outcome Development and Evaluation – Students will investigate a context to develop potential outcomes; evaluate these against identified attributes; select and develop an outcome and evaluate the outcome in terms of the need/opportunity.)
At the end of the unit, each student presented their work to the class and told its story, stating where they ranked in the assessment rubric and justifying their judgement. Billie notes that the students assessed themselves fairly and that their explanations aligned exactly with what she had written for their reports.
Although they didn't have to make their work available for selection, 46 of the 50 students opted to do so. Microsoft representatives came to the school, met the students and were presented with the artwork – they were so impressed that they took all 46 pieces instead of the planned 15. Billie comments that Microsoft was impressed by the quality and ideas, and that every piece told a different story. The company hung the works in their Auckland office and reported that so many visitors, some of whom wanted to purchase the pieces, enquired about the art that they have put up a plaque explaining the collection.
Billie will repeat the unit in 2010, but plans to make clearer links with Technology in terms of achievement objectives, terminology, and increased student interaction with their client, because "it fits beautifully with Art". She intends doing some professional development on the Technology Curriculum, and says that it is important to "flow" the terminology and processes through other learning areas. "It's about the processes for me rather than the outcome, even though the outcome is important, and the process is the learning stated in the rubrics."
Client comment:
"The art work exceeded our expectations of what we thought the students might create; we couldn't believe that 12 and 13-year-olds made these amazing pieces. By making such a small investment [the canvas boards and paint], we have received such amazing enthusiasm from the students and a real passion for Art and IT – it has provided a great connection with a local school and community."
— Lindsay Zwart, Microsoft New Zealand
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