FAQ
FAQ
WHAT IS MEDIA ARTS?
Media Arts is the creative use of technology through "digital arts" in these main forms: photography, imaging, sound, animation, video and film, web design, virtual design, interactive design, and 3D design. Various sub-forms include: graphic design, motion graphics, visual effects, e-journalism, music, sound design, app design, game design, wearable tech, architectural design, entertainment design, virtual and augmented reality, etc. as well as their combinations.
WHAT CAN STUDENTS PRODUCE AND DESIGN WITH MEDIA ARTS?
Anything imaginable! Students can produce any communication, expression or design they can imagine, from web sites, movies and sound productions, to 3D designs and games, as well as their combinations in "transmedia" productions across web broadcasting and social media. With advents in interactivity, virtual design and augmented reality, students can produce entire interactive worlds.
WHY DOES MEDIA ARTS ED NEED SUPPORT?
Media Arts is not an official subject area in K12 schools.
Because it is usually under Visual Arts, Career Tech Ed, or technology,
MEDIA ARTS HAS NO CREDENTIAL
NO COURSES
NO TEACHERS
NO TRAINING
NO PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION
MEDIA ARTS NEEDS TO BE SEPARATE FROM VISUAL ARTS
Prevalent in society
Complex, sophisticated, multimodal discipline
Requires specialized knowledge and skills
Recognized in industry, higher-education, culture
Diverse breadth of forms - video, anim, sound, graphics, 3D, virtual, interactive
Must not be constrained through another content or area (e.g. visual, CTE, tech)
Must be deliberately and specifically developed by media arts educators
As a whole, great potential and benefits for students, schools, communities
HOW IS MEDIA ARTS EDUCATION ESTABLISHED?
Public and educator demand.
A broad community of support is necessary to pressure districts and states to establish media arts instruction in all learning venues.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEDIA ARTS EDUCATION AND CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION?
There are great similarities and complements between CTE and K12 media arts at high school levels. These two programs are distinct and do not supplant the other. Both could even exist in one school at the same time. K12 media arts can prepare students for CTE programs. We encourage both groups to join this movement.
- Career Technical Education (CA-Arts Media and Entertainment or US-AV Tech) exists in select high schools and receives robust state and federal funding through meeting program criteria. It emphasizes true vocational preparation and has requirements for the instructors' own career experience, the use of "industry-standard" equipment, with real world learning conditions. Students can matriculate into entry level employment or further post-secondary technical training.
- Media Arts Education is a K12 subject area categorization, that is similar to the other Arts, English and Math and is proposed to be offered in all schools as a core offering. It is formed through distinct standards, frameworks, curricula and courses. It has much greater variability in teacher experience, forms, methods and interdisciplinary potentials. Its outcomes are more general to academic and artistic achievement, and in preparation for career, college and lifelong arts literacy.