Visual Arts

This course enables students to create media art works by exploring new media, emerging technologies such as digital animation, and a variety of traditional art forms such as film, photography, video, and visual arts. Students will acquire communications skills that are transferable beyond the media arts classroom and develop an understanding of responsible practices related to the creative process. Students will develop the skills necessary to create and interpret media art works.

Overall Curriculum Expectations

CREATING AND PRESENTING

• The Creative Process: apply the creative process to create media art works, individually and/or collaboratively;
• The Principles of Media Arts: design and produce media art works, applying principles of media arts and using various elements from contributing arts (dance, drama, music, visual arts);
• Using Technologies, Tools, and Techniques: apply traditional and emerging technologies, tools, and techniques to produce and present media art works for a variety of audiences and purposes.

REFLECTING, RESPONDING, AND ANALYZING

• The Critical Analysis Process: demonstrate an understanding of the critical analysis process by examining, interpreting, assessing, and reflecting on media art works;
• Identity and Values: demonstrate an understanding of how media art works reflect personal and cultural identity, and affect personal, cultural, and community values and their awareness of those values;
• Connections beyond the Classroom: demonstrate an understanding of the types of knowledge and skills developed in media arts and how they can be used outside the media arts classroom.

FOUNDATIONS

• Terminology: demonstrate an understanding of, and use correct terminology when referring to, elements, principles, and other concepts relating to media arts;
• Contexts and Influences: demonstrate an understanding of the socio-cultural and historical contexts of media arts;
• Responsible Practices: demonstrate an understanding of responsible practices associated with producing, presenting, and experiencing media art works.

The arts curriculum is based on the premise that all students can be successful in arts learning. One of the keys to student success in mastering arts skills and knowledge is high-quality instruction.

Students learn best when they are engaged in a variety of ways of learning. Students learn best when they are engaged in a variety of ways of learning. Arts courses lend themselves to a wide range of approaches in that they require students to explore, to create their own works, and to interpret the works of others either individually or in a group. Teachers must provide a wide range of activities and assignments that encourage mastery of the basic fundamental concepts and development of inquiry and research skills. They also will provide on going feedback to students and frequent opportunities for students to rehearse, practise, and apply skills and strategies, and to make their own choices. To make the arts program interesting and relevant, teachers must also help students to relate the knowledge and skills gained to issues and situations connected to their own world.