My Take
I think this is a wonderful tool for art teachers. It compels students to extend their knowledge in art by not only watching what other kids in other cities are doing but by actually putting those concepts into their own art practice, curriculum and knowledge. Because this app can reach all students in the classroom, it differentiates critical thinking for the individual student thus putting every young artist on the same level and playing field. I would say the only cons of this app is that there is no parent or teacher feedback that can be emailed. However, this only promotes parents and teachers to have discussions and or watch the content with their student. This being the only con I would say this is a 5 star app for teachers and parents alike and I highly recommend using this at home and in the classroom.
How I Use It
This is a great app for grades 1-8! I use this app to show a lesson for art, introduce kids to art history, or show a cultural experience. The app allows kids to venture into the Metropolitan Museum of Art virtually and interactively. The app address is visual, auditory and interactive. Very little guide or instruction is needed to navigate the site, so I can assign kids homework for preparation for art discussions in a later class. My favorite way to use this app in my classroom is as a lesson demonstration or an introduction to a specific time period or particular artist and piece of art. It is much more interesting to the student to watch a video presentation than have me demonstrate every single time.