Media Arts Cohorts Expand into a Second Year

November 25, 2024

In the 2024-2025 school year, the Perpich Media Arts Cohort program for teachers has returned for a second year. Now with Levels 1 and 2, this innovative program is going deeper to transform K-12 teaching and learning in media arts classrooms.

An example of Media Arts Level 1 participants exploring camera shots

At their first meeting this month on November 14th, participating teachers in Level 1 explored camera shots, browser tools, and storytelling. When asked about the best part of the day, one participant reflected, “The best part of the workshop for me was the community and all the great resources. Being able to discuss ideas and learn some of the lingo pertaining to media arts. Getting rubrics and the breakdown of standards, sharing lessons that work.” In the first meeting of the Level 2 cohort on November 21st, participants worked on expanding their skills and conceptual understandings in photography and animation.

Teachers in the 2024-2025 cohorts serve students at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels and are travelling to Perpich Center from as far away as Crookston, Duluth, Grove City, and Winona.

An example of Media Arts Level 2 participants expanding their skills and conceptual understandings in photography

The Media Arts Cohort program is facilitated by Jeremy Holien, the Visual and Media Arts Education Specialist at Perpich Center. Holien leads standards implementation, professional development, best-practice in curriculum and assessment strategies, arts teacher evaluation processes, and arts program development. He is responsible for professional learning, networks, and innovative initiatives in visual and media arts education. He regularly consults with school teacher and administrative teams, and works with post-secondary teacher preparation programs. Holien is a co-author of the National Core Arts Standards in Media Arts and co-author of both the 2018 & 2008 Minnesota Academic Standards in the Arts. He draws on his K-12 visual and media arts experience in the US while presenting at local, regional, national, and international conferences on topics that include: the cognitive value of arts education, artistic literacies, technology integration, curriculum/assessment, arts leadership, and professional learning. Holien is an esteemed visual and media artist and has been recognized for his arts education leadership with the 2015 Art Educators of Minnesota Distinguished Service Within the Profession Award, 2015 PBS Digital Innovator Award, and the 2006 TIES Exceptional Teacher Award. He has studied both visual and media arts at Minnesota State University Moorhead and Bemidji State University. He is a 2015 graduate of the School of Arts Leaders with the National Art Education Association. Holien served as the Director for the National Art Education Association’s Supervision and Administration Division from 2021-2023.