Art Education in the Future: An Unbalanced Picture
It’s hard to predict the future, but sometimes things are clearer than others. Let’s look out maybe 3-5 years or so. Just about every student has an iPad-like mobile device that’s pervasively connected to the Internet/cloud. Here are two possible sets of “class materials” for a typical art history major:
- Art History, Combined Volume by Marilyn Stokstad, Michael W. Cothren. List Price (current): $200.80. Weight: 9 pounds
- Janson’s History of Art: The Western Tradition by Penelope J.E. Davies, et. al. List Price (current): $190.00. Weight: 9 pounds
- Other similar books, for art and other classes. Cost: high. Weight: tremendous
- Pervasively-connected iPad-like mobile device. List Price (future): $200. Weight: 1-2 pounds
- Art Authority and other similar apps. List Price (current): $10. Weight: 0
- Advanced version of iBooks like “Exploring Art with Art Authority”. List Price (future): $10-$20. Weight: 0
- Khan Academy‘s Smarthistory and other similar videos. List Price: Free. Weight: 0
- Google Art Project and similar sites. List Price: Free. Weight: 0
- Other similar apps, iBooks and sites, for art and other classes. Cost: low. Weight: 0
A pretty unbalanced picture, huh? We’re very happy to be helping to make the lighter side a reality sooner rather than later.