Editor's Letter: Media Arts

This school year, the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) implemented a new policy on AI (artificial intelligence), developing guidelines and a rubric to help staff and students use AI responsibly in the classroom. The guidelines address respect for privacy, academic integrity, responsible use, critical analysis of AI, and reporting concerns about AI-generated material. I recognize that this rapidly evolving field is impacting the work we do as educators and how we engage with online content. Regardless, it is important to exercise a balance between AI and our teaching practice.

Opening the Doors to Creative Possibilities
Beyond AI, media arts integrate various forms of media, such as digital tools, video, and animation, into the curriculum. This includes setting clear expectations for how to use these tools effectively to create original works of art. Whether students work independently or collaboratively, itʼs essential to set the stage for success. Media arts open the door to endless creative possibilities and offer another way to engage students in learning while building conceptual and technical skills, adaptability to new technologies, visual communication, and storytelling.

In This Issue
Nowadays, it can be difficult to decipher what is real and what is artificially created. Regardless of our personal view on AI, it is important to educate ourselves and our students about the benefits, challenges, and ethical considerations of an AI-driven world, including copyright, fair use, and original content. Digital literacy is essential for understanding how we can use these tools to deliver authentic and meaningful visual communication and conversations.

In the elementary lesson “Painting with Pixels,” Leslie Marie Grace demonstrates how her students engage with technology using readily available tools, such as Google Suite. Even with technology limitations, she guides the creative process, helping her students design digital landscapes using Google Drawings.

Theresa McGee’s lesson, “Photographing Hidden Stories,” explores the idea that art is everywhere—inspiration can be experienced at any time if we open our eyes to our daily surroundings. Through multiple prompts, Theresaʼs students generate ideas, experiment with compositions, and develop the art of seeing, resulting in a collection of photos that are transformed into digital works of art.

At the high-school level, Kasmira Mohantyʼs “Design and Stitch” fosters a cross-disciplinary creative exchange between her Advanced Digital Design and Illustration class and the Advanced Fashion Design students. Paired together, students brainstorm and co-create fabric designs that are then used to construct one-of-a-kind garments. The final pieces are exhibited and modeled during a runway performance at a district art show.

I encourage educators to explore the use of media arts in the curriculum. This could be a brief introduction or a deeper exploration of a specific digital platform or tool. As educators, we are constantly learning, even if weʼre not sure weʼre doing it “right.” Leaning on your students’ digital knowledge and experience can be a great way to kickstart that learning process.