CyberARTS

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CyberARTS is a multi-disciplinary, integrated six year arts and technology specialized program for Ontario students in grades 7 through 12, offered in only four schools, all in Toronto. The CyberARTS program has been honoured by Maclean's magazine as one of the best programs in Canada. Many international delegates come from places such as the UK, Spain, the USA, and even China to study the unique model of this highly successful program. In addition to learning art, design, and technology, the students are also taught about important skills such as organization, work ethic, presentation skills, professionalism, career building and post-secondary education planning.

Contents 1 History and Mandate 2 Staff 3 Students 4 Work 5 Courses 6 CyberART 7 CyberTECH 8 CyberGEOGRAPHY 9 CyberHISTORY 10 CyberCIVICS 11 CyberCAREERS 12 Emphasis 13 Locations 14 Requirements 15 References

[edit] History and Mandate

The program was created in 1995 by a group of dedicated educators who saw a need for enriched learning through the arts at the high school level. More specifically, educators saw the need to develop a program for students interested in specializing not in science and technology or in performing arts and art, but in a combination of the two areas.

With the dedicated support of Don Mills principal, Linda Newnham and Northview Heights Secondary School principal, Terry Wensley, and Mike Mori from North York Board of Education’s Computers in Education, the dream of “CyberARTS” was born.

The program was two years in planning before the doors opened on the first CyberARTS classes in September of 1995. It was a very long and hard pregnancy and labour, but the child within the dream began to develop. Important elements that were planned for this new educational model were:

Integration

CyberARTS is an integrated program in which students spend approximately one half of every day in academic core subjects and half the day in CyberARTS gaining credits in Comprehensive Art, Extended Media, Communications Technology, and Computer Science every year and Music, Drama, Dance, Media Studies and Co-op in some. In order to accommodate this intensive integrated curriculum, students stay for an extra period of class in an extended day, gaining an extra credit every year.

Student Centered

Curriculum in CyberARTS is designed so that the teacher is facilitator, manager, producer, and support, while students take an active role in problem solving the task at hand whether it be creating or publishing children’s books’ authoring interactive CD-ROMS, organizing a conference or creating a traditional portrait.

Project Driven

Each Lesson unit in CyberARTS integrates at least two of the main CyberARTS subject areas and results in the completion of a major project. Large time blocks, team teaching and team curriculum building have allowed for the development of 4-5 major projects in each year and some specialty units that address specific skills, leadership and presentation and performance instruction. Example major unit: Foot Fetish-from the dynamics of human form to the animated walk cycle, Talking Heads - from personal history and iconography to physical portrait and performance, Producing a conference.

Real World Connections

Educational Partners: Apple Canada, Kodak Canada, Alias/SGIWavefront, Rogers Communications, the Textile Museum of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Ontario College of Art and Design, and SoftImage, have provided software and hardware support as well as training and educational consulting and support for special projects and initiatives. Sheridan College and the University of Waterloo School of Architecture are educational partners as well. Staff and students at both levels work together on creating a seamless path for our students and giving them more knowledge with which to make important educational and vocational decisions.

CyberARTS is also committed to both formal and informal experiences in Cooperative education and seeks in the development of curriculum to provide “real world” projects that extend beyond the classroom.

Example: The Kodak Sponsored CyberARTS booth at Multimedia 96 provided with computers and software for demonstration from SKI /Alias and Apple.

Outcome based - not grade dependent - and open-ended

Although CyberARTS credits granted meet the Ministry Outcomes for each course delivered. Specific CyberARTS outcomes have also be developed as well as team curriculum development guidelines. The first two years of CyberARTS are grade 9 and 10 followed by two senior years, Year 1 and 2 to allow for entry of senior students into the program who may have grade 11 or higher at the appropriate entry level. CyberARTS ends with a full time co-op placement that may be waived in favor of the auditing of college or university level courses or pursuing a traditional academic track.

[edit] Staff

The staff are really what make CyberARTS unique. These dedicated individuals come with decades of experience and education. Many sit on advisory boards at Universities and Colleges. It has been said that you havn't experienced CyberARTS unless you've had Sharron Forrest as a teacher. Sharron, an educator at Don Mills Collegiate, has been called the 'mother' of CyberARTS, and her dedication and persistence has won her numerous awards in education. Past students of CyberARTS say that they would never have been where they are today if it wern't for Sharron.

[edit] Students

The students in CyberARTS come from around the city to take part in this prestigious program. Some students take hour-and-a-half long bus rides to school every day just to experience CyberARTS. These talented individuals have gained acceptance to the program through a successful audition, interview, and application package.

Many of the students later become well known artists, designers, and architects. Many win international awards even while still in CyberARTS. In fact, there are lists of the hundreds and hundreds of awards of which CyberARTS students and their work have won. Including the Toronto District School Board's logo design contest.

[edit] Work

Due to the fact that CyberARTS is a specialized program, the workload can be extremely intense. Students often spend sleepless nights finishing assignments for CyberARTS, or catching up on their other courses at school.

Students in or finished University often compare the workload of CyberARTS and University, with CyberARTS coming up ontop. Still however, these select individuals who take part in the program know they are extremely priviliedged to be a part of a prestigious organization.

Some however, drop out of the program at various levels because they find the workload too difficult.

[edit] Courses

CyberARTS Students at Don Mills Collegiate are required to complete the following CyberARTS courses in addition to their regular high school courses:

Grade 9 / Intermediate Year 1: CyberART, CyberTECH, CyberGEOGRAPHY

Grade 10 / Intermediate Year 2: CyberART, CyberTECH, CyberHISTORY, CyberCIVICS, CyberCAREERS

Grade 11 / Senior Year 1: CyberART, CyberTECH

Grade 12 / Senior Year 2: CyberART, CyberTECH

[edit] CyberART

Units of Study continue to build upon:
- Traditional studio art activities: 2D and 3D
- In depth Art History and Theory - Art analysis and appreciation
- Independent Study Project 
- Portfolio preparation
- Presentation skills
- Exhibition opportunities
- Leadership - Life drawing - Post Secondary, Scholarship and Career exploration - Co-Op

[edit] CyberTECH

- Animation 2D and 3D - Independent Study Project - Portfolio preparation
- Presentation skills
- Exhibition opportunities
- Leadership - Graphic design principles - Publishing: DTP and Web - Advertising - Ergonomic - Consumer behaviour - Colour theory

[edit] CyberGEOGRAPHY

Uses the project-based teaching style to promote creativity and use of learned skills throughout the CyberARTS program in a grade 9 geography curriculum.

[edit] CyberHISTORY

Uses the project-based teaching style to promote creativity and use of learned skills throughout the CyberARTS program in a grade 10 history curriculum.

[edit] CyberCIVICS

Uses the project-based teaching style to promote creativity and use of learned skills throughout the CyberARTS program in a grade 10 Canadian civics curriculum.

[edit] CyberCAREERS

Uses the project-based teaching style to promote creativity and use of learned skills throughout the CyberARTS program in a grade 10 career studies curriculum.

[edit] Emphasis

CyberARTS really is about the fusion of visual arts and communication technology while building other important skillsets, however some may argue that the program puts a slightly heavier emphasis on the fine arts component. Perhaps the program model believes that it's easier to learn the technology side than the art side, and therefore proper compensation should result within the organization.

[edit] Locations

CyberARTS is offered at the following middle and high schools:

• Don Mills Collegiate Institute
• Don Mills Middle School
• Northview Heights Secondary School
• Charles H. Best Middle School
• Western Technical-Commercial School
• Lakeshore Collegiate Institute

'Claude Watson Arts Program

Another prestigious program in Toronto, the Claude Watson Arts program is available at the Claude Watson School for the Arts (grades 4-8) and Earl Haig Secondary School (high school). This program has numerous 'majors' in which each student picks one of to focus on during their high school career. These majors are: Dance, Drama, Visual Arts, Music, and Screen Arts. Many teachers within the CyberARTS program have either taught previously in the Claude Watson program, and visa versa.

Although both programs are highly regarded across North America and even the world, the Claude Watson program is said to be more of a general arts program, and doesn't go as in depth as the CyberARTS program in terms of the skills obtained and the degree of focus on the arts. However, this is a controversial issue that must be further explored.

[edit] Requirements

Entry to the high school program is based on a successful audition, interview, and application package. The audition involves completing a creative activity, such as a still life drawing. The interview is a 15 minute face to face interview with two CyberARTS teachers, a senior CyberARTS student, and often a guest artist. A variety of questions are asked in this process, including open questions. (Example: what do you put on your toast?) The main purpose of this interview is to see what kind of a person this is. Can they think outside of the box? Do they have potential in this program? All of these questions and more are explored in this process. In addition, a portfolio and sketchbook is highly recommended during this stage. The last step in the application is the application package. This package includes a student information sheet, an interest and background form, two teacher reference forms, a creative writing piece, and a release of information form. Prospective students are required to have this package into the school of their choice by the beginning of January.

Within the program, students are required to maintain a grade of 70% (B–) in every class. However, more recently this is rarely enforced. Usually, many students can be seen in the lab before and after school working on projects, and are chronically the first to arrive and last to leave school during the year. As a fee, Parents are required to pay a $75.00 lab fee for grade 9, $80.00 lab fee for grades 10,11,12.

All CyberARTS students are expected to contribute to the program, school and/or greater community. These community hours will involve student application of their artistic, creative design and technological abilities in a variety of areas The following are a few examples: Graphic Design for the School Newspaper Graphic Design for the Year Book Environmental Design for the Science Program Fashion Design for DMCI Fashion Show Stage Design for the Drama and Music Program Web Design for Individual Programs at DMCI

Many CyberARTS students have hundreds, and some thousands of volunteer hours, participating in important CyberARTS events. It is expected that students take on leadership roles in these activities as part of the curriculum and skills training.

[edit] References

• Official site
• www.wtcs.ca