The Media Arts Issue, January/February 2026

Published on 1 January 2026

Description:

Art teachers integrate media arts to amplify student voice and foster connection. Young students build emotional literacy through stop-motion animations, elementary students use Adobe Express to create narrated stories expressing their perspectives on winter, middle-school art and STEM students collaborate on animated public service announcements, high-school Digital Design and Illustration students partner with Fashion Design students to develop custom garments, and more.

30 articles from this collection:

The Media Arts Issue, January/February 2026

Editor's Letter: Media Arts

Frank Juárez, SchoolArts editor-in-chief, reflects on digital literacy and invites teachers to explore media arts in their classrooms.

Co-Editor's Letter: Media Arts

Dr. Jane B. Montero defines media arts, shares how it fosters twenty-first century skills, and imagines where it could take us next.

Amaco Brent

AMACO (American Art Clay Company, Inc.) continues to be a leader and innovator for ceramics in the areas of art, technology, and education. Get ideas and inspiration for your next Lesson Plan project.

Table of Contents

Managing the Art Room: “I Think It’s Called ChatGPT?”

An arts educator and SEL coach invites teachers to reflect on AI and build a shared understanding of the technology with their students.

Media Arts Essentials from Davis

The new Media Arts Essentials program bundles Davis’s media arts resources with resources on how to facilitate successful implementation. Get sixteen hours of professional development with a wealth of lessons and support for educators across grades K–12.

Point of View: How Technology Strengthens Hands-On Creativity

A visual arts educator shares how to support students by integrating technology alongside traditional hands-on methods.

Advocacy: Digitally Presenting Student Work

An art teacher showcases student work in digital portfolios and virtual spaces, making it accessible to family, friends, and teachers.

Bailey

Bailey ceramic supplies and pottery equipment.

ClipCard: Winter Polar Bears

Young students create polar bears from basic shapes and add them to mixed-media backgrounds with oil pastel resist.

ClipCard: Homemade Paintbrushes

Elementary students make homemade paintbrushes from different materials and test them to evaluate performance.

ClipCard: Imaginative Foil Vehicles

Middle-school students explore the relationship between form and function by designing and sculpting imaginative vehicles.

ClipCard: Still-Life Self-Portraits

High-school students arrange and draw a still-life composition that communicates a self-portrait through symbolism.

Contemporary Art in Context: Momo Pixel

Multidisciplinary artist and game designer Momo Pixel uses vibrant color and storytelling to celebrate the shared experiences of Black women.

Design and Stitch

High-school Digital Design and Illustration students collaborate with Fashion Design students to develop original custom garments.

Blick Art Materials

As a leading art supply company, we provide artists, educators, students, and our associates with the tools, assistance, and training needed to grow, innovate, and reach their creative potential. BLICK Art Materials is family-owned and serving artists since 1911.

Animating the Seasons

Elementary students use Adobe Express’s AI tools to create narrated, animated stories expressing their unique perspectives on winter.

Mayco Colors

Mayco Colors has been helping art educators inspire creativity in the classroom since 1954. We provide high-quality ceramic products, along with ready-to-use lesson plans and educational resources designed specifically for the classroom.

Hidden Stories: Adventures in Photography

Middle-school students practice “the art of seeing,” exploring various locations for photographic potential and turning their images into digital art.

Animated eMotional Robots

Young students develop skills in digital media and emotional awareness as they create stop-motion animations.

NAEA National Convention 2026

Registration is open! Secure your spot now for the 2026 NAEA National Convention, taking place March 5-7 in Chicago, Illinois. Engage in premier professional learning and make meaningful connections at NAEA26. Join us and be inspired!

Painting with Pixels

Elementary students explore space, emotion, and identity while building digital fluency in this flexible digital landscape lesson.

Positive Actions with Stop-Motion Animations

Middle-school art and STEM students collaborate in defined roles to create public service announcement animations.

Skutt

The #1 kiln used in schools. Kids Need Clay helps schools start and sustain ceramics programs with full support.

Designing in the Real World

High-school students brainstorm, sketch, and design custom drink labels, taking ideas from concept to virtual and printed mockups.

Square 1 Art

Simple. Creative. Art Fundraiser. Celebrate your child‘s art on keepsakes and raise funds for your school!

Focus In: The Art of Welding

The Center for Visual Arts collaborates with welding students to transform its outdoor courtyard into an accessible, community-driven art space.

Media Arts Intensive from Davis

Get over 14 hours of professional development from wherever you are! This exciting virtual learning opportunity is the media arts content you have been looking for! Be inspired by 34 engaging sessions relevant to today’s classrooms. Learn at your own pace with access to all the content for one year.