Technology Essentials in Education Episode 20:
Art, Technology, and Student Voice in the Classroom

Hello there, my name is Monica Burns and welcome to Technology Essentials and Education.

Today I talk with Tim Needles all about art, technology, and student voice in the classroom.

We're going to dive into the intersection of art and innovation.

Tim is an educator with over two decades of experience and really understands how to bridge the gap between high-tech tools and creative thinking.

We talk about his book, STEAM Power, and he shares some super practical ideas for incorporating technology thoughtfully into any classroom environment, particularly when looking for a creative or arts connection.

Let's jump into the conversation.

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Welcome to the podcast. I am so excited today to talk about art, technology, and student voice in the classroom.

Can you share with listeners a bit about your role in education and what your day-to-day looks like?

I'm really an art teacher but currently a teacher on special assignment as a technology integration specialist for K-12.

My day-to-day is totally different every day, from helping teachers plan, co-teaching, doing professional development and training, to big picture ideas and problem solving.

It's exciting because after spending 25 years in the classroom, the change is kind of nice.

I imagine getting a window into all these other worlds in your school district is an awesome opportunity to talk about art education in addition to technology.

You really work at the intersection of art, design, and tech. How has that intersection changed in K-12 classrooms over the past decade?

It has shifted quite a bit. Technology plays a bigger part in every classroom, but notably in art, which was traditionally more hands-on.

For example, I used to teach an animation class where it took two weeks to do a two-minute animation, and now it takes two minutes.

AI has made a big impact there.

Some art teachers are still hesitant while others embrace it, so it's going through a big evolution.

I imagine you hear from both sides of the spectrum, from excitement to hesitation about technology in the arts.

People come to you with a variety of perspectives, and when we hear technology in the arts, sometimes the tools come first rather than the arts or design component.

How do you help teachers, whether excited or hesitant about tech or AI, think about purpose before platform?

That's essential. You can play with technology and it might lead you in unexpected directions, but the concept should come first.

I never wanted to teach tools because technology evolves too fast for that to be valid.

It has to be about the concept and what's the best tool to serve that concept, which often leads to unexpected magic moments.

Teachers need some tools in their tool belt but those tools are just to help make the thing happen, not the purpose itself.

How do digital tools change the creative process, especially for students who may not see themselves as artists?

The tools make it easier to enter the creative space, leading to a democracy of creativity.

Creativity requires bringing ideas to the tools; the tools don't create ideas for you.

For example, Francis Ford Coppola predicted a 12-year-old in Idaho would be able to make a feature film, and we're almost there.

Strengthening imagination, creativity, and collaboration is more important than just knowing the tools.

There is room to play in the arts and science, and tools evolve over time, changing what is accessible.

Science classrooms have changed dramatically with access to models and technology, and art classrooms focus on the creative process as a great starting point.

Democratizing the experience helps students who might not call themselves artists bring ideas to life using tools like generative AI image creation.

How do technology-rich art experiences support process skills like iteration, critique, and reflection?

Technology facilitates faster creation, allowing more iterations and better products.

It also allows for different levels of critique, such as comparing many artworks digitally on the same page.

These skills are valuable beyond art classes, as creativity plays a role regardless of what students do.

Skills like iteration, collaboration, feedback, and reflection translate into many professional experiences.

The faster pace of iteration and critique enabled by technology applies to many experiences outside art classrooms.

How can art and technology together support student voice, especially for learners who struggle with traditional assessment or written expression?

Arts provide tremendous freedom and support student voice through storytelling and advocacy.

Technology and art tools help students tell their story and advocate for their beliefs more powerfully.

Creative student advocacy sessions help students put powerful messages out there using visual thinking and storytelling.

Understanding how to share voice meaningfully in social media and other platforms is powerful for students.

Giving students skills and understanding to approach this empowers them to advocate for themselves and have a bigger voice.

Teachers want to be the microphone and hand it to students, which works wonders.

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Students consume many voices from other creators, so giving them strategies and enthusiasm to share their own voice is huge.

With your experience as an art educator, how do you decide when technology belongs in a lesson and when it doesn't?

It's good to have lessons without technology even if you love it; there's a place for both.

It's all about serving the learning and supporting the story or goal best.

Sometimes it's good to try a lesson both with and without technology to see how it works.

Technology has massively changed since I started teaching in 1999, and lots of different tools work for different situations.

It's important to bring a sense of play and focus on the message and main goal, as technology availability changes.

I've done the same lesson many different ways and gained wisdom over time to help younger teachers navigate tool choices.

Considering the student body is key because some students respond better to hands-on materials while others to technology.

Letting students have choice and opportunity in using technology is important.

As someone who loves digital tools, I know sometimes I choose formats like audio, Kindle, or paperback based on the moment and fit.

As an ISTE author, how do you see the arts supporting broader goals around creativity, design thinking, and digital citizenship?

Design thinking has always been natural as an art teacher, and I learned the name later.

Digital citizenship has become a bigger focus and is evolving, especially with media literacy.

It's helpful to have former students talk to current ones about media literacy because of how manipulated media can be.

I feel we should have a specific AI literacy class for incoming high school students because of its importance.

About 50% of what you see on social media is potentially fake, so investigating media is crucial.

Students as consumers and creators interact with AI tools and content produced by AI.

Is AI playing a big role in your work or is there something else you're watching closely?

AI is interesting but not there yet; people use it in interesting ways like the Museum of Modern Art creating a moving AI piece from their collection.

I'm also watching virtual reality because it allows more interesting experiences and awareness of technology.

I like having a video camera on my head to take pictures and video wherever I am.

I look at new tools through the lens of an artist to see what I can do with them, often using them in unexpected ways.

There's a movement towards installation and experiential art where you enter a transformed space, like Yayoi Kusama's rooms.

Once you have that experience, it's hard to go back to just flat drawing and painting because stepping into the artist's world is exciting.

I pay close attention to what's happening in these immersive art experiences.

When the camera was invented, people thought painting would die, but painting is doing fine.

Many artists are afraid of AI's impact because of its capabilities.

I couldn't send a student into graphic design or illustration now because those fields have been disrupted.

But technology also allows you to create in ways you never could before, so it's exciting and a fun time to watch, though a little scary.

Disruptive is a great word to sum it up, and I'm glad you mentioned AR and VR because AI gets a lot of attention but it's not the only exciting piece.

Last spring I went to MoMA in New York City and saw an AR installation where you use an iPad to look at different things.

There are many layers to thinking about moving and changing art experiences for students and educators.

AI might be part of it but not the only exciting piece.

Another exciting area is AI and fabrication like 3D printing or laser etching.

After writing my book, I connected with NASA and saw how they use AI to design space shuttle parts that look alien but are structurally sound and cost-efficient.

When 3D printing came out, many schools got MakerBots, but now there are many tools to 3D print in different materials.

It's wild to see how much has changed in 5, 10, or 20 years in these spaces, and there's more change on the horizon.

Tim, thank you so much for sharing your strategies and insights with listeners.

Where can people connect with you and learn more about your published work and daily work?

I'm on all social media at Tim Needles, have a website at tim-needles.com, and put out a weekly video during the school year about different technology on my YouTube page.

We'll link to all those so people can check out your work and follow along.

Thank you so much for your time today.

It was so much fun chatting with Tim Needles today.

Let's make ed tech easy with a few key points from the conversation.

Art education has shifted dramatically as technology, media arts, and AI have accelerated creative workflows.

Concepts should drive tool selection because tools change too quickly to teach in isolation.

Digital tools democratize creativity, making it easier for students who don't always see themselves as artists to enter the creative process.

Technology speeds up iteration and strengthens critique practices, helping students build skills they'll use far beyond art classrooms.

Thank you for tuning in to today's episode and this fantastic conversation with Tim Needles.

Check out his book and stay connected to learn about all the things he's working on.

A big thank you to Jotform, the presenter of today's episode.

To learn more about Jotform and how educational institutions can get a 30% discount on Jotform Enterprise, head to Jotform.com slash enterprise slash education.