Designing A Digital Photography Course for Teachers
Lori King
Kent State University
When
high school teachers are tasked with teaching or managing student
photographers, they should know how to operate a camera, understand what makes
a good photograph, and be aware of basic legal rights and ethical standards of
a photographer. Photography is
more than just pointing and shooting a camera to capture a pretty picture. It is a technical and aesthetic
discipline that invokes critical thinking. This Master of Arts project involves the author creating and
teaching a basic photography course to better prepare high school teachers who
instruct or manage student photographers. The course, tentatively scheduled for
Summer 2013 at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio, includes a syllabus and
lesson plans, as well as homework assignments tailored to each teacher’s need.
The course is developed in accordance with scholarly research that supports
using photography as both an art form for expression and a critical thinking
tool for learning.
Keywords: high school teachers, student photographers, photography
course, critical thinking, teaching photograph
Designing a basic photography course for high school teachers
High
school English, math, science, art, and history teachers all require
educational degrees specifically related to their subjects before they can
instruct students in the classroom.
History teachers do not cover algebra and science teachers shall not
instruct on the Civil War.
So why are English teachers increasingly being tasked to pull double
duty and instruct photography, journalism, and yearbook courses? That question is the inspiration for
this Master’s project, which is the creation of a basic photography course for
high school teachers who instruct or manage student photographers in some way.
Because of recent national budget and specialized teacher
cuts, particularly in the subjects of art and journalism, it is becoming
commonplace that photography is being taught, if taught at all, by teachers who
do not have the necessary experience or educational backgrounds. However, for this author’s purpose, it
does not matter why this is
happening. What really matters is
that it is happening, and it is not
fair to the teachers or the students. This proposed photography course is
primarily designed for teachers in this predicament, but it will also be open
to core academic subject teachers who want to add photography to their
curriculum. Photography, after
all, is a powerful critical-thinking tool.
Ultimately, this Master’s project will provide an
opportunity for teachers using photography for any subject to learn about the
art of photography so they can be better prepared in the classroom.
Literature Review
The greatest obstacle to art education is the financial cost of resources,
materials, and faculty (Way, 2006). In
2011, it was reported that budget cuts targeted art
education in public school districts across the nation, including Toledo [Ohio]
Public Schools (Brakel, 2011).
Brakel (2011) noted that school administrators and board members
frequently value the arts but must balance their budgets at a time when school
expenses outpace revenue. These
budget cuts have caused a concentration on spending limited resources on core
academic subjects, subsequently causing a reduction in teachers in
non-traditional subjects, like photography and journalism (Eisele, 2008). Cutting back on teachers who specialize
in photography and journalism results in teachers in other subject areas unfairly
picking up the slack.
It would be odd to expect a teacher to plan a lesson on, for instance,
writing reports in science and to evaluate related student assignments, if that
teacher is ignorant about writing and about science, and does not understand
what student progress in writing science reports might mean (Buckmann, 1984, p.
32).
This logic can certainly be applied to teaching photography. Indeed, it is odd for an English
teacher to prepare lesson plans on photography when that teacher is ignorant of
how a camera functions. Though
there is little empirical data
to shine a light on how many photography teachers lack proper educational
training, theoretical and anecdotal data help illustrate the challenges
unprepared teachers face.
One English teacher has witnessed this dilemma firsthand. M.
Davidson (2012) has a Bachelor
of Science degree in journalism and said he was asked when hired at a Northwest
Ohio public school in 2002 to advise his school’s print newspaper. He also started an Introduction to
Journalism course, where prospective student staff members were trained in
photography. Though Davidson was prepared to instruct photographers
because of his journalism degree, he admits knowing about art, foreign language, and even
industrial technology teachers who were asked to advise student media
publications (M. Davidson, personal communication, September 7, 2012).
Few have the training or experience to
properly advise. It is only after
years of education, training and, experience that advisers can feel comfortable
doing what is being asked of them. School administrators have to believe
journalism programs hold great educational value to our students because
journalism and photography courses are some of the few that truly promote
essential skills students need to be independent and critical thinkers. Unfortunately, I believe administrators
do not understand the journalism process, and therefore do not understand its
value to students. When funding is
an issue, that makes it easy to see journalism education, including
photography, as expendable (M. Davidson, personal communication, September 7,
2012).
Unfortunately,
the print and online newspaper, as well as the journalism course at Davidson’s
school, have since shut down due to budget cuts. But funding isn’t the only obstacle
for the retention of photography and journalism courses. Eisele (2008) pointed out that art is suffering
as schools concentrate on reading and math, primarily because while the No
Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 lists art as one of the 10 core subjects
students need to learn, the
legislation only requires schools to report student achievement test results
and meet state-determined standards for reading and math. This feared reduction
in arts education adversely affects the quality of arts education for students
(Brakel, 2011).
Administrators might debate whether art is even an academic
subject, compared to English, mathematics, and science, but according to the
NCLB, the answer is yes. The arts
is among the NCLB Act’s list of core academic subjects, located in Title IX,
Part A, Section 9101 (1)(D)(11), Definitions. It states:
(11) CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS - The
term core academic subjects
means English, reading or language arts, mathematics,
science, foreign languages,
civics and government, economics, arts, history, and
geography (Dept. of Education, 2012).
The federal government has put art education in the same
category as core academic subjects, but administrators might question whether
photography, specifically, is considered art. This is more of a gray area, considering the NCLB doesn’t
provide a definition of the arts. It is actually up to each state to define its
arts curriculum (America for the Arts, 2012). The
Ohio Core requires students in grades 7-12 to complete two semesters or
equivalent of fine arts to graduate, but it is not specific as to what
constitutes fine arts. However, Ohio does have a licensure
requirement for art teachers who teach dance, drama, music, and visual art (ARTS, 2012). Since photography
is not specifically mentioned, there is no licensure requirement for
photography.
One real example of an ill-prepared art instructor forced to
teach photography is that of Ohio public school educator Marino (2008). When Marino
was hired as an art instructor, her duties included teaching both a beginner and
an advanced photography course for high school students. Marino (2008) posted this online
plea for technical and pedagogic help on a public forum:
My
question is, does anyone have any tips for me on the following: 1. Some basic
steps of teaching photography (such as first, parts of the camera; technical
info. Second,...) 2. Some ideas on how to teach beginner and advanced students
in the same class 3. Some lesson
plan ideas 4. Any resources that would be helpful for me. This is a lot of
information I'm seeking, I appreciate any input I can get. THANK YOU !!!! [sic](Marino, 2008).
Recognizing a need to offer
photographic education for teachers faced with similar circumstances as Marino,
the
International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York designed a 468-page
curriculum guide called Focus on
Photography: A Curriculum Guide. This guide was created as a free resource
for teachers because IPC understood the rewards photographic education can give
to students (Way, 2006). Way wrote, “As students learn about photography, they
benefit from an integrated learning experience that nurtures their minds,
hearts, and souls (p.25).”
The ICP Focus syllabus listed three
aspects particular to the medium of photographic education:
(1) Active
learning: Students must work hands-on with cameras in a setting where they can
create images; this encourages students to interact with and know about the
world. In contrast, musicians, painters, and writers often can create artwork
from their imagination and in the privacy of their rooms.
(2) Point of
view: Creating an image with a camera trains the photographer to select a point
of view, to frame a picture in the particular way that communicates what he or
she wants to say. This has a tremendous personal benefit for students, as they
broaden their communication skills and see value in their perspectives.
(3)
Applications of the medium: Because the use of photography is widespread in
professional, educational, and personal spheres, learning to create and
understand images is a powerful, relevant skill. To move beyond the snapshot
and comprehend more complex visual statements, such as in advertising and art
exhibitions, offers students access to a communication skill that is part of
their education, family lives, community history, and future careers (Way,
2006, pp. 7,8).
Way
(2006) acknowledged that this curriculum guide will help educators use
photography to enrich students’ learning experiences, and to incorporate
photographic education into their teaching.
There
is no doubt that teaching skill competency in the medium of photography, such
as technical knowledge of camera equipment and basic compositional rules, is
one of the elements of creative art that must be included in a syllabus, but
more important is teaching students how to make images that satisfy cognitively
and emotionally because the student photographer is learning to view the world
by means of visual ideas the medium makes possible (Richmond, 2004).
One of the great rewards of teaching
is seeing the emergence of good individual work, of something that surprises,
delights, and inspires the teacher and student. The student is getting the
knack of creative work – something similar to learning how and why of things,
but also, and more difficult, about finding ways to respond to and nurture the
student’s particular creative and aesthetic bent (Richmond, 2004, p. 116).
Statement
of the Project
The overall goal
of this Master’s project is designed to give educators of all disciplines an
opportunity to learn about the technical and aesthetic craft of photography as
a tool of personal engagement and conceptual understanding.
To accomplish this
endeavor, the course will provide:
§ hands-on
experience with digital camera equipment and photo editing software;
§ discussions
of photographic/photojournalism history and theory;
§ opportunities
for teachers of all subjects to create individualized lesson plans to utilize
with their own students;
§ a
better understanding of using visual literacy to inspire critical thinking and
learning;
§ a
basic knowledge of legal rights and ethical standards for photographers.
Ideally, the course should attract interdisciplinary teachers
who have some kind of responsibility or contact with student photographers, particularly
those who are considering using photography as a means of stimulating critical
thinking in the classroom, as exemplified by the Media-based Inquiry Project
(MIP) (see Appendix A for more information on the Media-based Inquiry Project).
The MIP involved a team of language arts, science, history, math and special
education teachers who used photography as a critical-thinking learning tool
(Kannel-Ray and Newlin-Haus, 2009).
Further research strengthens the argument that
media-literacy education and core academic subjects complement each other.
Sperry (2012) stated, that as a teacher, he feels he must tie his science
curriculum to students’ real-life experiences because they live and learn in a
media-saturated environment where information abounds. In a media-literacy
initiative called Project Look Sharp, Sperry noted most teachers had a concern
of taking time out of a science curriculum to incorporate critical thinking
through media literacy.
Although
most teachers had this concern, they also recognized they would be more
successful in teaching core content to more students if they could spark interest,
show the ways in which science connected to their students’ lives, and have
students apply scientific knowledge and principles to meaningful tasks (Sperry,
2012).
In this increasingly global society where students are
engaged with so much visual information on the Internet, Kannel-Ray &
Newlin-Haus (2009) reported it is imperative for all teachers to have an
instructional strategy that strengthens visual conceptual thinking while
actively engaging students on a personally meaningful level. Stanley (2003) also suggested that
engagement is a key to a more genuinely democratic education in which
photography plays a leading role.
Combining media literacy to rigid instruction is not a new
concept. American philosopher Dewey (1910) believed observation is an active
process that demands exploration and inquiry for the sake of discovering
something being needed in order to reach some end, practical or theoretical. “Material taught by teachers should be
supplied by way of stimulus, not dogmatic finality and rigidity” (Dewey, 1910,
pp. 198-199). Photography, though
highly technical, falls into this way of observational thinking. Photography and Web 2.0 tools, like
Facebook and blogs, enhance a student’s learning processes, potentially
inspiring students to examine their own lives and out-of-school experiences
through exploration and inquiry (Myers, 2009).
They
[students] have come to realize that by critically analyzing amateur work and
offering constructive criticism, they learn more about photography and
composition then they could ever learn from a textbook or by studying the work
of professional artists (Myers, 2009, p. 37).
The photography course curriculum will certainly include
rigid material, such as tutorials on how to operate a camera and edit photos
using Photoshop, but it will also encourage teachers to view photography as an
aesthetic way of critical thinking that can be achieved through individual
experiences with a camera.
Justification of the
Project
Though photography is not a required
subject of study, it is such a popular artistic means of expression that it
should not be ignored. Consider that the digital age has created an
indiscriminate and unlimited amount of photographic images (Robbie & Zeeng,
2008). In fact, it is estimated
that 2.2 million digital cameras were sold in 1999. In 2000, 85 billion physical photos were taken, and in 1996,
1.2 million digital cameras were sold. By 2011, 3.5 trillion photos were shot (Reference for
Business). Good (2011) estimated
that every two minutes today we snap as many photos as the whole of humanity
took in the 1800s. In fact, 10 percent of all the photos we have were taken in
the past 12 months. However, just
because lots of people have cameras does not mean they know how to use them;
and just because a teacher knows how to teach journalism doesn’t mean he knows
how to teach photojournalism. As with any subject, when photography teachers
have a background in basic photography, the students benefit.
Students of this generation deserve
to be engaged in ways that are pertinent to their futures, which in this day
and age includes teaching Web 2.0 technology, including social media (Myers,
2009). Because of the rapid speed of Web 2.0 technologies, like Flickr,
Facebook, blogs and Pinterest, it is critical for teachers to strengthen visual
conceptual thinking while actively engaging students on a personally meaningful
level (Kannel-Ray & Newlin-Haus, 2009). Engagement may be the key to a more
genuinely democratic education in which photography plays a leading role
(Stanley, 2003, p. 142).
Myers’ (2009) photography club
students use social media to document their own lives for their individual
blogs, which are linked to other schools from around the country so they can
critique each other’s photographs and learn from one another.
They have come to realize that by
critically analyzing amateur work and offering constructive criticism, they
learn more about photography and composition than they could ever learn from a
textbook or by studying the work of professional artists. I have learned that, when designed
thoughtfully, the blogging environment facilitates student-centered learning,
rewards student initiative, and encourages critical thinking (Myers, 2009).
Myers (2009) noted he provided his
students, who have gone on to earn degrees related to art and photography, with
tangible examples of real-world applications for the photographic skills he is
teaching. One of those skills is teaching students how to “see” and use a
camera creatively, as well as to think beyond the square, i.e. recreating the
3D world in a 2D space (Robbie & Zeeng, 2008).
Photography is also powerful visual
aid that helps promote media literacy.
Media literacy is a modern approach to education that provides a
framework to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and participate with messages
in a variety of forms, from print to video to the Internet. Media literacy builds an understanding
of the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and
self-expression for citizens of a democracy (CML, 2012).
Photography is not just about technique; it is about perception and
communication. Because the power of photography lies in its ability to
communicate our perceptions of the world, photography can intersect with many
areas of study. Thematic photography projects can impart an understanding of
the medium itself as well as reinforce studies in such disciplines as science,
social studies, English, and languages (Way, 2006).
This thought opens the door for
interdisciplinary interaction between the arts and traditional core subjects.
Brakel (2011) wrote that because time devoted to
the arts is limited, classroom teachers should integrate the arts into other
subjects; but only instruction by specialists, in collaboration with classroom
teachers, can give the arts their due as a core subject and achieve state
standards for academic content.
This kind of interdisciplinary
interaction is exhibited in the Media-based Inquiry Project in Kalamazoo, Mich.
(Kannel-Ray & Newlin-Haus, 2009).
The students used photography as the
tool to explore and think critically about profound, sometimes frightening
aspects of their lives, and together analyze and create community bulletin
boards (Kannel-Ray & Newlin-Haus, 2009).
Overall, Kannel-Ray & Newlin-Haus
(2009) stated the project helped to develop a communication ethos among the
students and teachers and increased academic learning.
Here are a few other reasons to
justify photography in the classroom:
1.
Developing students’ creativity and authentic
self-expression in all forms of social media (Hobbs, 2004);
2.
Exploring economic, political, cultural and social media
issues in contemporary society through visual literacy (Hobbs, 2004);
3.
Developing
character education that introduces students to learning the implications of ethical
standards [staging and manipulating photos], and legal rights [invading privacy
and copyright infringement] (M.
Hendricks, personal communication, Sept. 11, 2012);
4.
Viewing, discussing, and creating images can be a passage of
self-discovery that enhances self-esteem (C. Way, 2006).
Limitations of project
Project creation limitation. There are numerous photography course
syllabi to draw from to create this photography course for teachers, so
gathering the necessary elements, such as tutorials and lesson plans, for the
course was not a problem. However, this author had difficulty collecting
empirical and concrete research data proving two major concerns:
1.
yearbook, journalism, and art
teachers who lack photography education or experience are instructing and
managing student photographers;
2.
collecting an accurate count of
photography instructors who are actually English or non-photography
teachers.
The most accurate way to collect this type of data is to
administer a survey to local teachers, but this is not an option due to time
constraints. First, getting the
survey back in time from the Kent State University Institute Review Board (IRB)
prevents this from happening. Even
if the IRB expedites the survey approval, the next step of choosing a random
sample of teachers to fill it out and return it in a timely manner will be very
time-consuming. Survey
distribution and response collection for a Master’s project thesis needs to
begin at least three months before the project is due, and this project is due
in three weeks.
Attendance limitations.
The term visual arts casts a wide
net. Unfortunately, it is up to
each state, and even each particular school system, to decide whether
photography is included in a broad and eroding arts curriculum. Photography is
often included in a visual arts
program, but it is not always a part of a fine
arts curriculum. Simply put,
there is no federal or state mandate to include photography in an arts
curriculum. Therefore, the attendance of this proposed course could be low due
to lack of photography in the schools. However, encouraging teachers interested
in photography to consider it as an additional critical-thinking tool could
remedy this. Subject matter
should not be a deterrent for attendance.
There are
several ways to rectifying possible low attendance. One way is to offer the
course online. Another way is to create a traveling workshop that can be
presented to both the teachers and the students at individual schools during
the school year. As an incentive to get teachers to enroll in whatever format
the course is offered, they can earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs), which
are nationally
recognized units of measurement for participation in non-credit continuing
education programs.
Resource
limitations. (Way, 2006,
p. 28) stated, “The greatest
obstacle to art education is the financial cost of resources, materials, and
faculty.” Computer and
software accessibility in schools and home environments can be a problem,
particularly in low-income schools. Photo editing software, such as Photoshop,
Lightroom, Photo Mechanic, and Final Cut Pro for even minimum uploading and
editing workflow, is costly. Even
if a school system did have the necessary software and equipment, teachers
should know how to use and teach the tools, which tend to be complicated.
Another equipment concern is that not all teachers (nor many
students) have DSLR cameras, making it difficult to effectively illustrate the
equipment they are attempting to teach. Though cell phone cameras are more
accessible, allowing for cell phone photography to be on the rise, even these
small devices can be complicated and difficult to understand.
Methodology
A syllabus, lesson plans and homework assignments will be
developed in accordance with scholarly research and scholastic and photography
outlets, including, but not limited to, the ICP, The Poytner Institute, and the
National Press Photographers Association. The homework assignments will be
geared for teachers to use with their own students.
Though this Master’s project will not include a survey, it
would certainly be beneficial to utilize in further research and course
development.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The primary goal for creating this photography course as my
Master’s project is to give local teachers a hands-on approach to learning
about photography. As an
experienced photojournalist and community college photography adjunct
instructor, I understand how hard it is to fully comprehend camera controls,
reciprocity, composition, and image critiquing, let alone teach it. A classroom
setting with teachers who can share their experiences will ultimately benefit
the teachers and their students.
The intention is for this course to be taught at an accredited
higher education institution by Summer 2013. At this time, Ruth Foote, the photography director at
the Center for Fine and Performing Arts at Owens Community College, has
verbally approved the use of its facilities and available equipment. This includes classroom space, MAC
computers, and limited checkout of camera equipment. When the student manual is
designed and finalized, it will be submitted to OCC for course approval, and
then to the Continuing Education office for CEU credit.
References
ARTS
Education Partnership. (2012). Arts State Policy Database Support Generator.
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http://tinyurl.com/8cj4f3s
Brakel,
T. D., (2011, March 12) Training essential for art teachers. The Toledo Blade. Retrieved from http://www.toledoblade.com/Op-Ed-Columns/2011/03/13/Training-essential-for-art-teachers.html
Buchmann, M. (1984). The priority of knowledge and understanding in
teaching. J. Raths
& L. Katz (Eds.), Advances in teacher
education (Vol. 1, pp. 29-48). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Center
for Media Literacy. (2002-2011). Media
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Dewey,
J. (1910). How we think. Boston, New
York, Chicago: D.C. Heath & Co.
Eisele,
K. (2008, Spring). Art makes all things better. Teaching Tolerance. Retrieved
Good,
J. (2011, September 15). How many photos have ever been taken? [Web log post].
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Hobbs,
R. (2004). A Review of School-based Initiatives in Media Literacy Education. American Behavioral Scientist, 48(1), 42-59.
doi: 10.1177/0002764204267250
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N. and Newlin-Haus, E. (2009, November). Using
Media as Subject Matter to Teach
Thinking. Retrieved from http://tinyurl.com/8rmpj4g
Marino,
R. (2008, August 7). Help with
designing a high school photography curriculum? [Web log
post] Retrieved from http://photo.net/photography-education-forum/00QRBE
Myers,
E. (2009, March-April). Photography Education in a
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Appendix A
Media-based Inquiry Project
The
Media-based Project is a partnership between an interdisciplinary teaching team
at a Midwestern urban middle school sixth grade class and Western Michigan
University. It is formed through a federal Gaining Early Awareness and
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant.
Researchers
began this project as a way to engage students in meaningful activities that
required them to think critically and to solve problems. The students used
photography with a disposable camera to gather data collection, data analysis,
decision-making and writing while documenting each student’s own individual
social environment.
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