ICT in art and design

ICT helps pupils learn in art and design by enabling them to develop their creativity and imagination through more sustained activities within the programmes of study.

Using ICT can help pupils to:

• access, select and interpret information

• recognise patterns, relationships and behaviours

• model, predict and hypothesise

• test reliability and accuracy

• review and modify their work to improve the quality

• communicate with others and present information

• evaluate their work

• improve efficiency

• be creative and take risks

• gain confidence and independence.

ICT makes it possible to include all pupils in visual research and gives them greater autonomy over the creative process. It provides more tools to help pupils learn about visual concepts and visual communication.

For example, ICT can help pupils:

• gain greater autonomy in the selection of materials

• speed up the process of visual exploration and facilitate more rapid development of ideas

• take risks and explore ideas more widely because they can save different versions of their work and undo actions very easily

• experiment extensively when working with traditional media, for example with image and colour options, reducing costs in time and resources

• increase their confidence and skills in using traditional materials and processes

• combine the sensory experiences of sound, image and movement, for example in creating popular media products such as video and animation

• collaborate on developing art and design work with a wider range of people

• offer new tools and new ways to publish, present and communicate meaning, for example by creating online galleries or graphics in computer games

• gain access to a wider range of artists, craftspeople and designers

• explore the nature and history of digital media.

Pupils should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capability through the use of ICT tools to support their learning. Here are the statutory requirements to use ICT in the art and design programme of study.

Key stage 1

There is no statutory requirement to teach the use of ICT.

Key stage 2

Breadth of study
5c: Pupils should be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through using a range of materials and processes, including ICT (for example, painting, collage, print making, digital media, textiles, sculpture).

Pupils should be given opportunities to apply and develop their ICT capability through the use of ICT tools to support their learning. Here are the opportunities to use ICT in the art and design programme of study.

Key stage 1

Knowledge and understanding
4a: Visual and tactile elements, including colour, pattern and texture, line and tone, shape, form and space.

• Pupils could use 'paint' software to explore shape, colour and pattern.

Key stage 2

Exploring and developing ideas
1c: Collect visual and other information (for example, images, materials) to help them develop their ideas, including using a sketchbook.

• Pupils could use digital and video cameras to record observations.

Investigating and making art, craft and design
2b: Apply their experience of materials and processes, including drawing, developing their control of tools and techniques.

• Pupils could use digital images as a starting point for creative textile work.

Evaluating and developing work
3a: Compare ideas, methods and approaches in their own and others' work and say what they think and feel about them.

• Pupils could develop their own class art gallery on the school website.

Breadth of study
5d: Pupils should be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through investigating art, craft and design in the locality and in a variety of genres, styles and traditions (for example, in original and reproduction form, during visits to museums, galleries and sites, on the internet).

Subject-specific software for art and design can range from painting programs to image editing programs, to animation programs and more complex 3D modelling programs, multimedia authoring and web design programs. There is no one piece of software that offers a complete solution for developing ideas and producing work in art and design.

Over a period of time teachers will probably find that they use a number of software packages for different purposes. Teachers often begin with their own area of interest be it painting, graphics, textiles etc and explore ways in which the computer can support teaching and learning in that area. Whatever the software used, the main question to ask is: Does using computer software enable the teaching objectives to be fulfilled or extend the art activity in an appropriate way?

The following hardware can help pupils' learning in art and design:

• computers with internet access

• interactive whiteboard to allow for direct interaction with information on screen, with a high brightness touch surface designed for data and video images

• data projector with built-in amplifier and loudspeaker for use with computer or video material

• digital cameras

• video cameras

• digital video editing hardware to digitise analogue images, edit projects, transfer to video

• graphics tablets - ergonomically designed tablets for drawing, handwriting, sketching, colouring and picture editing

• sound production and editing hardware

• scanners.

The following software can help pupils' learning in art and design:

• painting and retouching packages

• drawing packages

• graphics illustration programs

• selection of clip galleries, including clip art, sounds, movies, pictures, animation effects

• word-processing programs

• desktop-publishing software

• presentation packages

• databases

• multimedia/web-authoring software

• vector graphics software

• digital imaging software

• web design software.