PBS

My manager just forwarded me this link for the kid's section of PBS's website http://pbskids.org/bigbigworld/home.html . . . they have very nice web pages but the coloring activities . . . not so much! I mean all the activities are easy to understand and do, but they have a coloring activity that provides the kids with a basic color pallet that does not match the actual character from the shows the kids see on TV.
Yes, for some kids this would not matter (coloring on the computer is fun by itself), but I know a number of artistic kids who might find that frustrating.

CAC

I got to look at CAC's website and I think that it is another resource that I find to be very helpful, especially for teacher who are working with high school kids (in terms of showing kids Artist career resources). It has a lot to offer in terms of networking, and it is a good source for career development. The website itself is pretty simple, direct and easy to understand - I did not find anything that was vague within it.
Question(and we may have covered this in class before): Is there a website that collects information to all of these web-based resources so that Artists and Art educators (or people in general) can have access to one place where they can find all of this information?

3D beings

I think that in the past 4 days, i have somehow spend a good amount of time being a 3d character - there is some interesting stuff out there . . . sound weird? . . . c-y'all to night!

street-level

The content on the Street level web is pretty powerful - I often view teaching as a profession of inconvenient necessities, and the work that the artists and teachers are doing here is all about that (in my opinion). I also wanted to know the effect of the video letters that the kids made (between the 4 rival gangs).
I was not too crazy about the movement on the opening page because it made hard to select where I wanted to go on the website, but it's cool to see. I also got a little confused because I am used to seeing the mission statement under the "about us" tab, but right now "about us" looks more like the programs schedule and the mission and history are listed under a tiny tab on the side. i think that the info needs to switch over so that the mission and history shows up first first under the "about us" tab. That way people who visit the site are not overlooking the organization's mission and the story that started it all.

Masshall

I will admit; I first read Kattie M's blog about Mass Hall - and then I went to their web...there's LOT of stuff in there. But I like it, even though I first though it was alittle too busy. Their home page basically describes who and what they are about: everything is right there (Faqs, Calendar etc). And if the links are too much, there's a brief description (with pictures)of what they do and how they do it . Another reason why I think it is pretty easy to navigate is the fact that I am a visual learner- and they have a perfect mixture of text and visual-based information (i hope that makes sense). Both their home page and their "mapping" link include images that illustrate their information without using much text.
Big issues: i do not know if it was the computers i was using to look at their web, but the "Map" looked a bit pixilated (that's an illustrator/graphic designer being too picky). I also wanted to see their recent "messy Archives" but i couldn't get it (are they currently working on their archives?).
Over all, it's an informative (non-bureaucratic) organization, it also introduces a lot of other indi Art organizations within the city.
I have one question though . . . and this is just me being slow: what is an "501C3"?

Prosrts Arts

Pros Arts Studios seems to be really grounded on their community of focus (the Pilsen / Little Village neighborhoods). My thesis is based around this idea of integrating culture in a classroom (given the diversity of Chicago), so I think their program would be very useful as part of my research because they inter grade cultural celebrations into the arts. What I would like to know more about are their activities for middle to high school age kids (the kinds of art programs they have for these age groups).

CAD

I really like the set up for CAD, It would be a helpful resource to young and upcoming artists. I say this because as an undergrad student I was not exposed to enough online resources to explore options for exhibiting or showing my portfolio. CAD's web gallery links you directly to flicker and youtube - two FREE, user friendly resource that a starting artist can access through their website. The one thing I'm curious about, though, is the size their actual exhibition space it did not seem to be that much from their web photos.

Vid History

I like the idea behind the Video History project. i think of it in terms of finding early video clips from old documentaries by artists, news reports etc. I can also see something like that becoming an awesome resource for contemporary artists and teachers who want to use old videos for showing students interviews about what their predecessors thought about their times and their work.

Experimental Sound Studio

The Experimental Sound's web site is pretty direct and easy to use. I also got to talk a little with my sister in-law who actually used their studio a couple of times for some school projects (3 or 4 years ago), and she remembers that they were pretty helpful. Their services are expensive, though, especially when you are not a member or a student.

Web Crit

Dig. Literacy: The nice thing about this web is that they are not pointing out a problem, they also offer a solution in full detail, it sounds paranoid at times, but very informative and practical. For example they give info about how students can best use the images they find to illustrate text.

Stockyard: Stock yard is loaded with some worthwhile info and activities that really form a strong support for learning technology and art. Social activism in really embedded in their ideas and their work, and they seem to always work in connection to community life.

Bloggage

if you read these blogs: due to some internet "issue", they are not in sequence . . . as they should be, so bare with me (the following weeks will make more sense)

capeweb

One of things I like about CAPE is the easy access to the information that describes what they do, for example the "CAPE'S ARTIST IN THE CLASSROOM PACKAGE"(including prices). Nothing seemed abstract, it was easy to understand and direct to the point.

the portal

The portal has a lot of helpful and useful info, but there are times when it just rubs me the wrong way: for one changing my password - the help desk told me that I had to on campus in order to complete that simple task . . .I live on the North side of Chicago, so I do not think I should have to travel or wait until I am back on campus in order to access resources that I need for school work (homework etc.).
And this is not a big deal, but changing the way it looks might add something to it, right now it does not come across as an ART school site (to say the least).

arted20.ning.com

The Art Ed website is also cool, they have a lot of things that I could actually use right now, while in school (some info about ART21 series for example). But I also like knowing what I am getting into, I could not find anything deeper than the introductory paragraph they have up - and they want people to sign up right away . . .but then again I am paranoid on weekdays, so there's that . . . otherwise it seems to be simple and direct website (I just need to know who is behind it exactly, even Facebook has that part about who they are).

Poetry Jam

For anyone who is into Poetry check out this youtube link . . . i hope this works http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znIXyFh6dsI - the brother's name is Anis from Portland.

ARTSEDGE

Artsedge is . . .visually "not stimulating" (the homepage that is)but they have some cool and useful resource links, I was especially drawn to the Jazz page(that was the visually interesting part), although I think that they should have actual details for the C Parker and M Davis photo - it helps to have the info if you want to use the photo. I also think its cool that the "JazzKidz" tab is linked to the PBS "Kids GO!" page which has videos of Jazz lessons for kids.

communityarts.net

I think the CAN (http://www.communityarts.net/canabout.php) is a pretty cool and useful site for Artists / Art Educators who have a community development focus in their work. I also like the idea that it was founded by artists (if I'm not mistaking) who are actually in the field just as they are active in serving the community. What's also interesting is their connection of Spirituality - I personally feel that the two things (Spirituality and Art) are inseparable but somehow schools do not explore the "internal" side of the Arts (this just based on what i have seen so far).

Intros

Alright, soooo. . . it started huh? . . .
My naam is Luthando Mazibuko . . .spelled Loo - tah - ndo. I'm a second semester MAT dude . . . the only dude (trust me I checked, atleast in the past 2 dayz). . . class # 2 we shall also do art, ART! here in art school! VIVA revolution!