Sampling the Image: Computers in Arts Education

Abstract

When computers first appeared in schools a few years ago, they were shepherded into the science and math classes; there, despite some false starts, they eventually found a number of promising applications. More recently, teachers of the humanities have begun to use some computers for word processing and data analysis. Still largely untouched, however, are the art and music departments. The time has come for teachers in these areas to consider carefully the use of computers in their curriculum. Computer hardware has undergone an enormous development during the past decade. Sophisticated machines with high-resolution screens and powerful sound-generating capabilities have become inexpensive and accessible. And the declining price and reduced size of these machines are just part of the story; just as important are the changes in how computers are used. Mainframe computers, the large and expensive machines that can be used by many people at once, are owned by institutions, and how they will be employed must be a matter of institutional policy. The inexpensive microcomputers, in contrast, are personal computers. They are used by just one person, and that person actually makes the decision about what to use that computer for, where to put it, and so on. The buying power of these individuals has created a demand for a new kind of computer software.