FAME – Art and Technology Learning Platform by the Vancouver Animation School

Reviewed!

FAME is an online Art and Technology Learning Platform developed by the Vancouver Animation School that pairs drawing lessons with a social media element to create a community of artists. When registered as a teacher, users can access the website’s features by clicking the “FAME” logo on the top left of the screen or with the menu on the left of the screen.

The “FAME Feed” option allows users to view, like, and comment on recent drawings posted by users. When users see artists whose work speaks to them, they can click the “Check” icon on the top right of the post to follow that artist.

The “Course Library” option contains over 100 courses that each focus on a different aspect of drawing. Users should note that some of the courses build on previous courses, so they may need to complete prerequisite courses before being able to access an advanced course. (All prerequisite courses are included in the Course Library.) When users find a course of interest, they can click it to access the course’s classes. The classes each have a specific learning outcome, and the content is provided through video-based instruction. There are assignments that connect to most classes, and workload estimates are provided for each class.

The “Students” option allows teacher users to see student profiles who are enrolled in FAME. The profile includes the students’ name, groups they belong to, their school level, program they have enrolled in, their activity status, if they use a license, the last time they logged in, progress they have made towards completing a program, the assessment type for the program, and if they have access to the full library. Teacher users can also click the name of a student to access additional information. Finally, if teacher users click the “Actions” button on the top of the screen, they can then access additional functionalities.

The “Community” feature allows users to see the profiles of other users and connect with them. Users can click the name of other users on their profiles to see more information. The “Message” option allows users to chat with other users.

The “FAME Board” feature allows users to see images posted by other users, and users can also share their own work, sort work by programs, view their own posts, and reset their search settings.

The “Submitted Assignments” option is a dropbox for where users can upload their assignments for a course. They can also use the buttons along the top for accessing any incomplete assignments and their grading history.

The “Exercise Files” option allows users to engage the files related to a program they selected.

Finally, the “Portfolio” option allows users to view their own analytics, including their number of followers, users who they are following, any answers they offered, and posts they have made.

Instructional Ideas for Using FAME

1. Teachers can have their students complete a course using FAME and track their progress. After completing the course, teachers can have students display their artwork both in the website and by posting it in the classroom. If posting in the classroom, teachers can ask students to include the name of the course they were enrolled in when they created the artwork.
2. Teachers can have students complete a minimum number of FAME courses during a specific amount of time (e.g., two courses during a month, five courses during a semester, etc.). At the end of the time period, teachers can ask students which courses they recommend and why. Teachers can then have students share their recommendations with each other, with the intent to inform future selections of courses.
3. After creating a drawing, students can post it for the FAME community to view. Teachers can also encourage students to comment on other students’ drawings and explain what “speaks to them” about the drawing.
4. Students can connect with artists from around the world and start chatting with them through FAME’s “message” feature. Students can share what inspires them and their goal for taking these classes while inquiring about the same topics to the other student.
5. After completing multiple courses, students can click the “Submitted Assignment” option to view all the work they have completed and see their progress. Teachers can have students present their work, in the form of a portfolio, to their peers to demonstrate their growth.

Screenshots of FAME

An Evaluation of FAME