BUILDING ART ADVOCACY

Artistic Thinking
Building Art Advocacy with Digital Portfolios
Emily L. Pfaff
University of Missouri

BUILDING ART ADVOCACY

Introduction
Art teachers, often keep students art work in a portfolio. The portfolios are beneficial in many
ways. They can be used to hold artwork for an upcoming art show, keep artwork safe, and they
can be used as a reference when talking about students grades. The major downside to art
portfolios is that most of the students work stays at school until the end of the year. Due to the
lack of Art work going home; I have noticed that many parents at my school are unaware of what
their student is creating. One of the biggest ways to build Art advocacy is through parents seeing
first-hand what their child has created. By waiting until the end of the year to view students work
in the spring Art Show, the art room is often forgot about. Through this research proposal I would
like to look at how a digital portfolio could impact advocacy for Art education.
Research Questions
MRQ: How does the implementation of Virtual Portfolios advocate for visual arts program in the
community?
SRQ1: How does the implementation of a Virtual Portfolio affect Student growth?
Purpose
It is important to investigate the implementation of digital portfolios because our students are 21st
century learners, therefore they need to be connected globally, while practicing 21st century skils.
By using digital portfolios, it will inform parents about what their student is creating in the art
room. These digital portfolios will also inform the student of their own personal growth by the
student being able to reflect on what they have created. Through this study I will be looking at
SeeSaw as the platform for digital portfolios. At the completion of this study I will have learned
if SeeSaw is an effective platform for digital portfolios. I will also learn if digital portfolios help
to build art advocacy and affect student growth.

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Review
In the past couple of months, I have considered different digital portfolio platforms. SeeSaw is
approved by my district to be used. I have spent time researching SeeSaws website, reading Art
of Ed articles and talking to other teachers who use this platform. Last year my students used
Google slides as their digital portfolios. During a semester, I noticed the impact that it had on
students. The grades who used the digital portfolios on a regular basis looked forward to posting
and connecting with others. I also noticed a change in students critiquing skills.
I have read many books that support portfolios in the classroom. For example, on SRQ1, In the
book Ahead of the Curve we learn about the power of students tracking their own growth
using goal binders. Digital portfolios can act as an adapted goal binder. Asking students to keep
track of their scores on learning goals in this way provides them with a visual map of their
progress. It also allows for powerful discussion between teacher and students. (Marzano, R,
2007. P. 119) Through digital portfolios students, peers and parents can reflect on a students
artwork, helping transform the students learning. The art portfolio underscores to both
students and parents the importance of growth and development. Finally, the portfolio provides
an important tool for evaluating the curriculum and determining necessary changes. (Beattie,
1997, p.15) The digital portfolio can show parents the growth that their child is making. Artist
statements posted to the digital portfolios along with art can advocate for the knowledge that the
student is gaining.
Investigative Techniques
Data for this research project will be gathered in a variety of ways. SeeSaw tracks parent logins.
I will keep track of how many times parents login to the site, to keep track of, if it is being used
outside of school. As soon as a child post a piece of art, the parent gets a notification, and then

BUILDING ART ADVOCACY

has the option to comment on their childs work. I will also keep track of these post. By the
parents viewing and commenting on their childs art, it is building an authentic audience for the
child and creating advocacy for art. Surveys will be given to both parents and students. The
survey will ask parents for their overall thoughts about SeeSaw. The students Survey will ask the
student if they feel like they have grown as an artist. I will observe students progress using the
app and reflect on the artist statements, and work that the students are posting, to see if its
effecting the students learning growth. Interviews will be given to students asking questions like
How easy is SeeSaw to use? How has it helped you in your learning process?
Bias
One of the major Bias that I foresee is the lack of technology in some households. My school is a
Title One school and a lot of the students that attend my school come from low income families.
A barrier to using digital portfolios is that some parents will not have the technology or internet
to access these portfolios from home. When looking at the data of what families used SeeSaw it
will be important to keep in mind if the family had access to the technology that would allow
them to access the app. Due to this, in my survey it would be important to ask parents if they
have access to devices that could pull up SeeSaw. It is also important to remember that new
technology can be scary for people. Parents may be reluctant to use the digital portfolio because
of its unfamiliarity. To help resolve this issue, I can create a how to YouTube video, and a written
step by step instruction list with pictures.
Timeline
October- Introduce digital portfolios. Pass out all permission slips. Code permission slips by
teacher, to see what students can use SeeSaw.

BUILDING ART ADVOCACY

November- Demo how to use SeeSaw, review netiquette with students. As students finish up
projects they will begin to post to SeeSaw.
December- Talk to students about what an Artist statement is. Students will begin posting Artist
statements alongside their art work.
January- Invite parents to participate in SeeSaw. Have a classroom critique over a piece of art.
Then have students use the wowie and what if format to critique one another work on SeeSaw.
February- Send out a Survey to parents, and students checking for understanding of how to use
the app.
March- April- Observe students using the digital portfolio, begin interviewing students. In April
send out final survey to parents and students.
April- May Analyze information
June- Plans for findings
References
Beattie, D.K (1997). Assessment in art education. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications.
During the research study, I would like to further investigate this book. Starting on page 15
Beattie talks about the impact of portfolios in the art room. The following topics are looked at:
self-assessment, reflection, presentation, and researching. Researching would be used by
parents, students and the teacher to look at the students art and see what is happening
throughout the portfolio. What art misconceptions can be seen, or what is being done in a
successful manner.

Gooch, K., & Saine, P. (2011). Integration of the visual arts and web 2.0 technologies in
the classroom. NERA, 47(1), 92-100. Retrieved December 10, 2016. "Students learn to think
critically, analyze and interpret information. Creative thinking and arts based learning

BUILDING ART ADVOCACY

involves risk taking and creativity. Teaching students about the power and depth of
visual images and incorporation of technology could lead to better, more motivated
writers." (Gooch, Saine, p.92) By incorporating digital portfolios along with artist
statements, and works being posted online could lead to more motivated writers. This
quote helps to build the art advocacy portion of the research proposal.
Jones, R. H., & Hafner, C. A. (2012). Understanding digital literacies: A practical
introduction. London: Routledge. This book is field with digital vocabulary and ideas, it adds a
great foundation to the research proposal. The sections that I would like to focus on is Vlogging.
A video blog can take a form similar to a traditional blog, i.e. as a website with regular post that
readers can leave comments on. (Jones & Hafner, 2012. P 58) SeeSaw offeres a option where
students can record their voice instead of typing an artist statement. This would act as a great
accommodation for students who are not strong in written text.
Reeves, D. (2007). Ahead of the curve: The power of assessment to transform teaching
and learning. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. Reeves focuses on assessment in education. For
this research, I am looking at chapter five written by Marzano. Most administrates have heard
about Marzano. The focus of this chapter is on assessment and feedback. When talking about
student driven goal binders the following was written Asking students to keep track scores
learning goals in this way provides them with a visual map of their progress. It also allows for
powerful discussions between teachers and students. (Reeves, 2007,p.119) This quote directly
supports the need to track student learning, this can be done in the form of digital portfolios.
This helps support not only advocacy for art, but also builds a connection to how a digital
portfolio can support student growth.

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Using Digital and Traditional Portfolios as an Assessment Tool. (2013, September 27).
Retrieved December 10, 2016, from http://www.theartofed.com/2013/09/27/live-aoe-workshopin-progress/ Looks at using Digital portfolios as an Assessment. Balsley looks at using digital
portfolios for assessment, reflection, art advocacy, and student- parent communication. Balsley
also looks at different digital portfolio platforms.