Computer art in an elementary school computer studio : how do students learn to develop computer art images?

This research was concerned with how grade four and five students developed original computer art images. I was the teacher-researcher, using action research to investigate my own interests within my classroom, and the District Computer Helping Teacher was my "critical friend". Twelve cycles of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting took place as data was gathered using qualitative data gathering techniques. Data was then analyzed and organized into two themes, Image Development and Cooperative Interactions. Though many guiding questions were used, three main research questions were focussed on. The secondary research question was how do students use cooperative interactions to develop individual and shared original computer art images? A key finding was that students exhibit more cooperative interactions with a partner when developing a shared image than when working on individual images. The primary research question was how does the student's original computer art change over the course of the study? A key finding was that when developing their images, students should be encouraged to do their own problem solving, but if they copy teachers should encourage them to extend the copied image. The overarching research question, How do students learn to develop original computer art images?, was ever present throughout the study. A significant finding was that students' use of boundaries, shape and size of image perimeter, for their computer images need to enhance their ideas for their image. The study concludes with questions for further research that the findings from this study uncovered.Education, Faculty ofCurriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department ofGraduat