Curriculum Development for Digital Art & Media

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Traditional art education is primarily composed of art history, theory, studio work and critique. With the advent of digital tools and technology being used for creative expression, software instruction had to be added to the curriculum. In addition, the boundaries between different art disciplines are becoming blurred, and entirely new ones are being created, as technology becomes more widespread. Students are entering degree programs with advancing levels of digital literacy. Educational institutions have adapted to these changes in a variety of ways. Digital art classes have been added to traditional programs, and new programs focusing on digital media are being created. This presentation will explore how to develop curriculum for digital art and media, using a MFA Computer Art program as a case study. Solutions to the issues of digital literacy, the place of technology in the arts and future directions for art education will be discussed.

Stream: Art and Education

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Bruce Wands has been working in digital media and music for more than thirty years as an artist, musician, writer, and curator. He is the Chair of the MFA Computer Art Department and the Director of Computer Education at the School of Visual Arts in New York. His new book, Art of the Digital Age, was recently published by Thames & Hudson. He has lectured, performed, and exhibited his creative work internationally, including Electronics Alive IV, CHArt 2006, SIGGRAPH 2006, BUDI 2005 in Pusan, Korea, the First Beijing International New Media Arts Exhibition, and the SIGGRAPH 2003 Art Gallery and Traveling Art Show. Time Out New York named Bruce as one of the “99 People to Watch in 1999”. He is the Director of the New York Digital Salon, an international digital art organization that celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2003 (www.nydigitalsalon.org). His web site is www.brucewands.com.