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A&HM 4029 Spring 2008 - Question #2
By jamesfrankel | February 7, 2008
How can technology specifically help you to become a better music educator?
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« How Many Credits? | Main | A&HM 4029 - Sping 2008 - Question #3 »
By jamesfrankel | February 7, 2008
How can technology specifically help you to become a better music educator?
Topics: Main Page |
February 8th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Technology assisted devices can be very powerful tools that help students to learn music. Nowadays, students can create a composition easily with software such as Sybellus, Finale and Garage Band. Technology can prove to be very effective supplements to teacher instruction in the field of music. Technology allows students to respond faster to assignments and have a wider array of opportunities with which to develop their musical skills. When it comes to technology, some students are more knowledgeable than their teachers. If a teacher can integrate technology into their lesson plans or classroom instruction, they can help bridge the gap between different generation when it comes to handling information and communication technologies. Teachers who use technology in their classrooms often help students relate to their own experiences outside of school, which in turn allows for students to become more familiar and therefore more involved in their music learning.
If a student is sick at home, a teacher can send the lesson and practice problems by email for the students to have and work on when he/she feels better. As a result, students are less likely to fall behind in the class. Another great technology in music education is some of the software that is available. Students can learn so much faster about the composition and theory of music with some the software programs available out on the market. Software such as “Encore” helps the students to understand the different pitches from high to low. As an educator it is very hard sometimes to explain the concept of high and low pitch. With the help of the programs such as Encore, students can now visualize the pitch with the pictures, and identify the pitch as the note moves on from one measure to another.
Another example would be the very popular iPod. Students can download hundreds of thousands of songs, movies, and other audio and visual data into a portable machine no bigger than the size of their palms. If a teacher is teaching a composition of Beethoven, he/she can assign classical music for students to listen to for homework and be ready to discuss during their next class session. Classical music is one of the hardest genres of music for students to get used to and understand. If a teacher assigns one particular classical music piece per week, that is fifty-two classical music pieces that they can learn as music student during the year. I hear all the time that students are downloading the lectures from the class onto their iPod to review the class materials. And if the iPod can be used to review the class materials as well as getting students prepared for next week’s lesson, a teacher should take advantage of what this little machine can do and use it to expand both the horizons of how the students learn and ho he/she teaches.
February 8th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I have visited different music classrooms in NYC, Westchester and Ct for my pre-service observation requirement and found that middle school and high school students seem less than thrilled with their general music, chorus, and band classes. Of course there were exceptions. Two out of fourteen of the schools I visited last semester had music labs with keyboards and sequencing equipment. What I witnessed in these two classes was an atmosphere of motivation and enthusiasm about composing as well as other tasks their instructor had given them.
I believe music technology offers students who are terrified of performance and composition a chance to dive into music in a way that seems as natural as listening to their Ipods. This does not mean that students should not learn to play instruments. It means an interest in music must exist before attempting to find comparisons between Bach and Rock. Their world is all about music. Why are they less than excited about music class and not interested in music ensembles?
I personally think music technology should be in every music class. I am very interested in using digital audio and midi as a tool for composition. I want my students to feel empowered enough to make the music they hear in their heads. Once they have explored their musicality we as teachers can deconstruct their pieces and compare them with music they may not be familiar with. Technology is a perfect entry point to make music class an exciting learning experience.
February 8th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I have always believed that no matter how knowledgeable I am in my subject area and no matter how enthusiastically and dynamically I deliver instruction, I will never truly reach my students unless I have made some connection with who they are and from where they are coming. In my opinion, this is specifically true during the middle school years. So, for me, technology is a very important tool to aid in making those connections with students. Because digital music, computers, and iPods are such a staple in their everyday life, I need to understand and relate to that aspect of who they are in order to fully connect with them musically. Technology might be an initial step of gaining their interest or forming a personal teacher/student connection or it may become an integral part of their musical experience. Either way, I believe my link to today’s adolescent students may very well be through the vein of technology. Not only can learning and using the technology available to me as a teacher vary my instruction, it can also greatly aid in connecting with my students. I see that as the most specific way in which technology can help me to become a better educator.
February 9th, 2008 at 6:14 am
As we have discussed in our last class, music technology is something which makes tasks easier for both teachers and students. By reviewing this statement, my assumption is that the technology would save sufficient amount of our time. For instance, we have talked about the examples on organizing rotating schedules for the band; not only was it an easy way to save our time, but most certainly, the organization skills hugely improved as it is critical skills for an educator. By electronically keeping the students’ records (as well as keeping the back-up data), teachers never have to lose student’s grade. Technology can also make connected communication; by having class web blog, the educators can make themselves more available to many students with their opinions. Hence, the community can bring themselves closer.
For music in particular, the technology is very useful for the showing musical examples as well. In fact, it began in much longer time period; when the recording system was first invented. In order for people to enjoy music, or to demonstrate music; people used to play them in chamber. However, nowadays, people can hear the great performances by recording, and that is also very significant in music-classes as well.
February 9th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I think music educators can use technology to help them teach in a more interesting way. Nowadays, children use computers all the time and they enjoy using computers. So when technology is incorporated in class, I think it automatically attracts students’ attention. If they can use computers for part of their music classes I think it will make them enjoy learning music more than not using computers. There is also music software that teachers can use to help their students reinforce materials taught in classes and I think students enjoy doing exercises on the computer than actually writing on paper because visually, everything looks more attractive. Also I think technology can allow teachers to enhance music productions in classes. Making the productions look more professional. Technology also helps teachers make musical experiences as real as possible such as playing a DVD of a concert or an opera etc so that the students can observe professional performances instead of actually having to go to the concert. This helps save money and time and the teachers can always stop or pause at any moment and explain what is going out during the performance and what they want students to look at specifically. One more thing is that technology makes searching or researching information more convenient and efficient for teachers. Sometimes when teachers cannot answer student’s question, they can find the answer within the shortest amount of time.
February 10th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Technology plays big role in 21st century in every field of our lives. We are consistently using technology and needed in our daily life. As an educator in field of music, technology is very useful to our teaching and also for students in learning basis.
I believe technology can offer students in different ways of learning music through programs that are out there. Students, who didn’t have any interests in learning instruments, can be fascinated by searching and learning from technology in theorically and performance aspects of music education. They could always explore the interest and hopefully learn an instrument from it. Learning music theory and sight singing, how intervals work by experiencing from technology programs can be helpful to understand it better for students. And for the teacher example, showing different culture music can be hard, but with technology, showing clips, pictures, and even recorded music from different parts of the world can make students to experience explore by just sitting in their classroom. Technology can be beneficial to both students and the teachers in field of education.
February 10th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I think that technology can help me in many ways. I agree with Mee Kyoung that it allows students to compose and arrange music. I think making your own music is very important part of music and it keeps them involved. As Diane said, the level of motivation and enthusiasm is much higher when technology is used to give students opportunity to do something that they may not be able to do without having the technology in a classroom. Young people, nowadays, are very much into technology and if that’s one way to get them involved in their music class, then it should be incorporated.
First, I was thinking more in terms of using technology for my own use. As Dr. Frankel demonstrated in the class and as Yoori mentioned in this blog, it would help me with organization. By electronically keeping records of everything from students’ info, grade, lesson plans, concert programs and newsletters, I don’t have to worry about forgetting what happened in the last lesson or what a student have learned already. It helps me become better teacher because I will be well prepared for my lessons. I can also use software like Sibelius or Finale to make my own tunes, exercises or worksheets that cater to each student’s need. I’m speaking more from private instructor’s perspective maybe because that’s what I do aside from teaching in a music school. Another way, as Kochu mentioned is to play a DVD clip of a performance or play music for students. I can send my student a mp3 and my student can listen to the music that he/she is playing to get better understanding of the piece.
Also, I think that it helps with communication between a teacher and students. Teachers can have a blog to communicate to their students outside the classroom. Further, it gives chance for students who may not had the chance to do so, to speak and share their opinions.
I think there are many great ways that technology can help. However, I don’t really know how it can actually be used in a classroom to actually help in “teaching” music itself. As I mentioned in my last blog, none of my music classes in the past utilized technology. I don’t really know what is available out there, software and equipment, etc., that can be used in a classroom to help with teaching music.
February 10th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Usually, I work with elementary-age children. Since real instruments and voices have wonderful overtones that are part of what makes music magical, I feel that it would be a deprivation for children to spend music class time on computers. It’s very much like making a “mess” with sand, water, or paint. Singing and drumming and dancing live music with others are important learning experiences in young children’s lives. I feel there is even a spiritual element in performing music live that, being omitted, might hurt children in the long term.
But, as far as teacher preparation goes, technology is a great invention. On Wednesday, I subbed for a music teacher, and I could quickly type out the words to some folk songs on Word, and photocopy them to hand out before I got to class. I also taught an African song I learned at a workshop over the weekend. The kids responded so well to this, that I’d love to find more: what faster way than the Internet? Last year, when I was a long-term orchestra sub, I wrote out a Hebrew melody for Hanukah, with different orchestra parts, on manuscript paper. It took such a long time, and I think it was a little hard for the children to read. It makes sense to print out music in an easy-to-read format for children.
. I know very little about world music, but I love it and kids love to sing it. Again, I think I can find what I need on the Internet. Also, I’ve found that music teachers are generous beyond belief with their knowledge. I’d like to look for lesson plans and teaching ideas with other music educators. From talking with music teachers, I’ve discovered that each believes that what he or she does is not being done anywhere else. I think that this myth comes from professional isolation, and I would like to use technology to keep connected with others in the field.
In Professor Pogonowski’s course last year, one of the students used technology to have older elementary-age students write their own songs for performance at various assemblies throughout the year. I think that this idea is worth looking into, especially if it makes children curious about different kinds of music.
February 10th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I’m pretty much in agreement with what’s been said so far here. Ai Kuroda-Khaliq makes great points about the virtues of educational technology and its usefulness as an organizational and communication tool for teachers; although I would like to take it a step further and address her question about whether technology can be used to actually teach music.
I also really like what Sarah has to say about technology being a way of connecting to students in their own world:
Sarah Gleason Says: February 8th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
…or me, technology is a very important tool to aid in making those connections with students. Because digital music, computers, and iPods are such a staple in their everyday life, I need to understand and relate to that aspect of who they are in order to fully connect with them musically.
In my experience, I can honestly say that technology and in particular, technology that has been designed for music education is absolutely essential to me as a music teacher. I would no sooner do without a chalk or dry-erase board than my a computer.
My own use of technology seems to break down into the following categories:
1. CLERICAL
These applications of technology help me get to the actual teaching part of my job faster by taking care of administrative tasks like grading, attendance, classroom management, and can reinforce and develop and track students skill development.
2.INSTRUCTIONAL
This application of technology usually takes the form of software. Although I stand before my students as a human being, and teach them like any other traditional teacher, I see a tremendous pedagogical advantage in the widespread detail and accuracy instructional software can bring to my students. For example, software designed to help teach and build theory skills takes the grunt work out of usually time-consuming pedagogical tasks such as grading and critiquing more difficult skills like harmonic analysis.
3. STUDENT ASSESSMENT
The more you know where your students are, and the more accurate your measurements and assessment of their knowledge is, the more you can tailor lessons to meet their needs. Databases like Excel or Numbers serve as a research tool that allows me me to keep track of my students’ progress, and modify my lesson plans to accommodate their needs.
4. DEMONSTRATION
The internet and searchable libraries provide myriad examples and real world demonstrations and access to real-world professionals. It also allows some of the more traditional topics in music education to be demonstrated in a new, fresh and immediate way
5. FEEDBACK
Ease of digital recording creates an efficient and objective feedback loop for student self-evaluation.
Software gives students feedback on their work faster, speeding up the learning process. The speed of that feedback loop effects a student’s learning pace.
6.ACCESS
Technology provides access to creative roles which were previously limited to specially trained people, and provides new ways to meet the needs of diverse populations, and caters to a wider range of learning styles.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
There are three main categorical ways in which technology can positively affect ones role in music education. The first would center on improving organization and communication whether it be through emails, newsletters, or scheduling. The second would fall upon enhancing the students’ intrigue through their ability to compose, stay connected with their current musical interests, as well as enhance your own understanding of what musical tools are most effective. Lastly, it is important not just as a musician but as an educator to stay with the developing resources that technology continues to provide. It is clear by now that technology waves the future, meaning an enhanced level of understanding is necessary for improvement.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Chris has said it all! Technology will give me an opportunity to meet the needs of students. As any educator knows, there isn’t only one way to reach a student, and the more ways you try, the more likely you will succeed. So far, I haven’t used technology enough to meet the needs of this generation that has been raised on computers and television, as we have discussed in class and on blogs. I plan on using technology to:
* Create a website and post assignments, course information, student achievement news, trips, concerts, etc.
* Keep in touch with alumni by creating a network/ forum (other than facebook!) to keep everyone connected.
* Use power-point in the classroom
* Set up a keyboard station! Start small, and set up one computer with a keyboard and gradually add on, to encourage student composition.
* Music theory and history websites
* Utilize the website my students are already use, like U-Tube, to show examples and supplement my teaching
* Put my rehearsals on pod-cast, or record parts and send to the students to make them more accountable for learning their music!
* As was mentioned before, putting my grades online
* Posting updates regarding calendar changes and rehearsals for parents
And a zillion other ways I can’t think of yet, because I’ve been limiting myself on “traditional” teaching tools.
I’m very excited, especially when I am sitting in this class! I can’t wait to start incorporating technology into my classroom!!
February 10th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
As a band director technology is always used whether you are aware or not. From my experience I have taped record the band and then have the students listen to the recording so they can hear how they sound. Also I used it for myself as well. I would listen to the band and study the music they were playing to see if I was missing parts, certain sections were playing wrong notes or out of tune. These are things that sometimes we miss because we are not aware of it at the time. Also writing out parts or short exercises for the students is quicker than handwriting everything. I believe that technology should only be used as a aid to help students understand concepts. As a music teacher I would use it for students to understand music theory.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I believe that technology can aid me in my own instruction, and allow my students to take part in their own hands-on discovery. I use my ipod almost every day, and it allows me to have music at my fingertips without fumbling with cds or tapes, and saving me precious minutes with my students. It can also help to keep me organized and prepared for my students by allowing me to keep and save administrative papers, lesson plans, etc making them easily accessible and available when needed. I can also introduce my students to a whole new world of music through their own connections with technology and music. I can teach a concept and allow a student to have a hands-on, visual, and aural experience. It can reach kids of all different abilities and learning styles, all through the use of technology, giving me an automatic (almost!) differentiated lesson.
February 10th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I think that as music educators we have an obligation to keep renewing ourselves in ways that expand our “bag of tricks.” In the age that we live in technology is an integral part of our everyday lives. So it seems only fitting to take this technology into the classroom and expose children in new ways of using what they already are familiar with. I think that technology can bridge the gap between our students and us as teachers. Technology provides a way of connecting to our students which is very real and relatable to their world. I use technology in my classroom through my band website, connecting kids with internet based research projects, and having students using computer notation software. But I know that this is only the tip of the iceberg for what can be done to enhance the way that we interact and experience music. I am very excited about how new advances in technology will help us as music educators reach our students.
February 11th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Technology can help me to become a better music educator in two ways. The first way is by helping me to save materials for teaching and profiles of students. It is difficult for any teacher to memorize all of this information. Since I have to prepare new units, or improve old units for students each year, my teaching material increases every year. Technology makes it easier to organize teaching content rather than just writing it down on paper. In addition, technology helps me build profiles of students and record each student’s individual progress. Spreadsheets and graphs are very useful in determining which units presented difficulty for students.
The second way technology can help me to become a better music educator is by attracting the attention of students, which in turn helps make my teaching more effective. Students are always impressed by interesting learning materials. Technology can make my teaching material not only colorful but also clear. For example, when I teach music history, I can use PowerPoint to exhibit the profile of the composer and connect the profile to musical works of that composer. This visual display is far better than lecturing to students. Another example is when I teach music composition. I can use technology to record students’ works and play these works back for the students to hear. I believe that playing their own work can increase their interest in composition. Therefore, I feel strongly that technology is very beneficial for teachers and students alike.
February 11th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
The technology will maje me a better music educator by offering me access to vast number of musical pieces which can be played in the classroom for pedagogical purposes. The technology will enhance my students’ creativity by allowing them to experiment with music electronically.
February 11th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Technology in the Music classroom can be a powerful tool for learning. However, it can in no way replace the skills of an experienced educator. What it can do is enhance the classroom experience. As we discussed in class last week a fully equipped music technology lab is useless without a skilled and creative educator to bridge the gap between the technology and the student.