Wicked Problem Project: Part D - Findings and Implications

My wicked problem is to provide a unique way for students to create a portfolio using technology. Knowing that I would not have students after May 25^th, I decided to use my WPP as a test run before school resumes next fall. With a student volunteer, she will be applying to art colleges during the 2012/2013 school year, I ran a mini-implementation.  The project was implemented as planned. I was able to assist the student in creating an online platform for displaying her artwork. The website is still in the development phase, but can be updated and altered throughout her senior year. I intended for this online portfolio to continue throughout the school year for all senior art students as an ongoing assignment. After completion of a “show worthy” piece students can upload the information and image to their portfolio. I believe that there is sufficient evidence of success, for there is visual documentation of the student’s efforts. Viewing the website allows me to see that the students successfully posted her artwork online in a professional, organized manor. I think if I were to approach a project of this type differently, I might consider having students keep a blog of their artistic journey. There, they could document the process they take to reach the final piece. I think this would be more beneficial for the high school teacher for portfolio reviews than prospective colleges. I like the idea of all students keeping an online portfolio of some type to document their progress through the school year. Some lessons that I learned when implementing this project was prior to this project I will need to implement a lesson on photographing artwork. The student’s art could have a better “wow” factor when photographed successfully. I can see this project being part of an entire lesson on presenting artwork. (Photographing, editing, publishing, etc.) This would also be what I would change about this project. I often forget that students do not always have an “eye” for design and incorporating a lesson on good web design would be beneficial. Although the website Weebly, does not allow for a lot of artistic direction, they can still get their pages too busy. I had a professor that always used this acronym when discussing design, K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid!)