Grant Name:  Digital Media Design Teacher Certification Planning Grant
Funded by:  Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Awarded:  December, 2011
Amount:  $96,500

This project involves the planning and research needed to create a proposal for a new teacher certification program in West Virginia.  Working in coordination with Mr. Jack Deskins, the Arts Coordinator for the Department of Education, the West Liberty University Arts and Education Center will take the lead role in the coordination of the needed research, teacher involvement, and community collaboration.  This work will coincide with the creation of the WV recognized common core standards in art.  Central to this partnership is the sponsorship, by the WL Center for Arts and Education, for a focused digital media summer institute.

As part of the goal to create a proposed certification program in digital media, the planning grant activities will involve:

• A needs survey of WV art teachers
• Research of other state certification options
• Research on higher education institutions in the region that offer digital media programs and the connections, if any, to art education programs
• Research on other state standards in art education and digital media
• Research on art and digital media design middle/high school course offering from other states (with particular emphasis in PA and OH)
• Meetings and visits with Career and Technical Education agencies
• Meetings and consultations with area teachers from around a tri-state area who currently employ best practices in digital media and design in course offerings
• Sponsorship of a summer institute to frame relevant professional development for in-service teachers in the arts around digital media content; the institute teachers would serve as reference points for the certification proposals and offer feedback on the nature and design of the relevant coursework