Module 7

I found this week's module I was excited to have found the most useful  software called, Planning Center. This software acts as an on-line organizer. The administrator can upload PDFs, MP3s, chord charts, schedules and live notes! I was completely intrigued by the capabilities of the software.    I have tweeted about it and have shared it in our Digital Musiking group, however, I really do find it worth mentioning yet again. Although this site has described its services as a means for worship planning services for church music directors, I completely believe that most directors can benefit from the program.  I do think that there is a price attached to how many people you add to your network, however, even a marching band director with responsible section leaders could use this successfully with a large group.  I am currently looking into the possibility of purchasing this service for my program.  Click here to go directly to the Planning Center site and view its features.

This week's reading helped to reiterate the importance of assessment in the classroom. The review of formative vs summative assessment was a useful review. A few weeks ago I went to a SMART board training. Prior to the training I had only used the SMART board as a projector. I did not utilize it's many interactive technological features. Inside SMART Notebook is a tab called Lesson Activity Toolkit 2.0.  It includes multiple choice, matching and sorting styled assessments that I plan on using in class. In addition, it is possible to import mp3s into the files for SMART board. This is the feature that I look forward to employing the most.   My favorite aspect of the SMART Notebook is that it is an interactive technology tool for use in the classroom. My plans range from creating assessments covering intervalic relationships to providing correct solutions to sight-singing examples.  Currently, I use technology to help keep my student's parents informed. My school provides access to Class Jump for each teacher. On the chorus site I include fundraising information, ensemble information, the weekly parent letter and the YouTube video of the week.

Professionally, I use a grading system called Infinite Campus to import grades. Parents and students are allowed access to this site through a separate portal. I look forward to adding at least a couple of the mini-projects to my Rolodex of professional technology.  This week I felt that Google offered good material through Google Drive such as, templates for presentations, newsletters, and calendars.

Module 6

The reading of Module 6 was perhaps one of the more engaging activities this week for me.  Copyright Laws, Assistive Technologies, Creative Commons, Sequence of Backwards Design and National Education Technology Standards for Students were among the most stand-out topics for me.  Since  copyright issues being handled in the courtroom is a common practice, I always thought that there had to be some form of official documentation to prove ownership of copyright.  However, according to the reading this week, when you create a work you automatically own the copyright to it.  I learned that the range of assistive technologies extends from "low tech" to "high tech" and both can be used with students who have disabilities and that the intricacies surrounding the legalities and structure of creative works meant to be used and shared was interesting, especially following the copyright section. After reading the sequence of Backwards Design I realized that this is the way I was taught to design lessons and I did not realize there was anything "backwards" about it.  Most thought provoking in the text for me however was the NETS-S position on music education that just using technology in the classroom is not enough.  They state that students need to use the technology to analyze, evaluate and explore.  Though we are discussing the possibilities of including technology in the classroom, I can honestly say that I have not thought about the National standards for technology as a subject area.  This leads me back on the fence about having separate music technology classes so that all standards can be addressed.

This week, we were also challenged to propose an outline for a WebQuest Project. I decided that the title of my WebQuest Project will be “Careers in the Modern World of Music”. The setting will be for a general music classroom and the intended grade level is 8^th grade students. Students will give a live report of five careers available in the current music industry for the evening news.  They will be instructed to not include the careers of an actual performer (singer or musician).  Students will have three days of class time to complete the tasks.  Students will be arranged in research groups of four.  They will be referred to as, “the music news crew” and will have the task of reporting live
 on the evening news regarding the current job opportunities in the music industry.  The first part of the project will be centered on accumulation of knowledge.  The second part will be focused on assembling the information acquired individually and arranging it together in a logical order as a team. The final part of the project will be to compose the paper and “sketch” the final presentation.

A couple of weeks ago, I came across an article regarding new music technology that was very interesting and I would like to share it this week in my blog. Just click on the link below to read the article.

 "A piece of technolgy that Makes Listening to Jazz Better"

Module 5

Admittedly, prior to this year I have not placed as much emphasis on incorporating technology in my class as I probably should. However, this year I am at a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) school. We encourage our students to bring their electronic devices to school and we find ways to incorporate them into the curriculum. That being said, this year I have used YouTube a great  deal. Two ways that I use it is for modeling and for evaluations. We recently went to large group performance evaluations where we were adjudicated in several areas including sight singing. When I began to introduce the concept to them, I realized that they did not understand basic differences between concepts like pitch, intonation and blend. In order to demonstrate this I would find choirs that were modeling both good and bad examples of each. Afterwards, we discussed the differences between the good and bad examples. One clip used in particular was one of Rosie O'Donell singing the national anthem. Of course they understood that it was a bad performance but we then discussed that her tone was the main issue. Next, we defined tone. This took us on a journey to discovery that culminated in the students evaluating other choirs using the judges score sheets in all categories. 

This week I enjoyed the instructional software review as it is always beneficial to come across useful tools. The readings on p.35-39 gave a guide for selecting appropriate instructional software and the various forms the software can come in.  The title of my selected software for review was Rhythm Training (Sight Reading) HD-for iPad/Rhythm Training (Sight Reading)-for iPhone. The publisher of the software is Lei Chi Tak. This is an Apple mobile application that is in the Apple App Store and can also be found at the website, http://www.distimo.com/iq/publisher/apple-app-store/lei-chi-tak. The copyright date is April 29, 2012. The platform is Macintosh, iOS 4.0 and later. There are no peripherals (keyboards, microphones, etc.) needed or that can be used with the software. The specified age group is four years old through adult, although I would use this application for grades 4-8. If the updated version is purchased, then it could be used for high school students as well. This app could be useful in general music, chorus, band, orchestra, and music theory.

The specific musical content addressed is rhythmic sight-reading in simple meter using whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, dotted notes and rests. The music standards that could be addressed through this software are: 

National Music Standard:

#5. Reading and notating music.

Georgia Performance Standards:
M6GM.3 – Reading and notating music 

a. Recognize standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression.

b. Read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, dotted notes and rests in simple meters.

The learning approaches utilized are not appropriate for the indicated developmental level of the targeted students, but are appropriate for my suggested grade levels. Instructions and feedback (text, audio) within 
the program are clear. The only item that may cause confusion if not addressed prior to using the software is the guide used for correctly playing the rhythms. In this application, a yellow dot moves with the correct answer while the students playing is indicated by the red dot. This is the only method of feedback given to the students. The program’s interface is of good quality. Is it not cluttered and is user-friendly. One item that is very distracting to is the broken English and typos that periodically appear. I am not sure if the software was translated from an original version whose instructions were in another language or not but having these errors present make me hesitate using the application in the classroom. The fonts are large enough to be easily read and the quality of graphics and audio used is good. The interface does serve to motivate the user. The application is a practice program structure. It is free-ware software. The sequence of material is good. The free version goes to level 10, while the upgraded version goes up to level 20. The pace of instruction is good. Additionally, students can alter the pace by slowing or increasing the tempo of the metronome. The quality of interaction is good. The motivation for students is good. Perhaps an idea that would increase motivation is creating a point system for correct examples.

Lastly, through the social bookmarking assignment I can across a most useful site for building sight reading skills. The is website, https://sightreadingfactory.com.  The purpose of the resource is to have provide practice sight reading in and outside of the music classroom. This resource covers sight reading and acts as a practice type of software (different versions are available as software).  I plan on using this site for instructional use in the classroom and for outside practice for students seeking extra help.

Module 4

Module 4 is concentrated on music performance and technology. There was a new audio recording and editing software introduced called, Soundation.Technologically speaking, the software was adequate. n the first project we had in Soundation we were asked to modify the mix by using effects such as, cutting, amplification, and fade out.  For this activity, Soundation was great!  The editing process was easier to use for altering existing tracks than it was for creating and arranging.   When it came to the second project that required more composition, I felt that Soundation wasn't as user-friendly.For example, other audio programs such as Garageband have several shortcuts and commands that could be used. I am not saying that this program was difficult to use, only that there are probably some that would be easier to use. This is especially important when considering student use.  One feature that I did enjoy was how easily the "select" tool lined up the edited selection with the correct ticker mark.  If I wanted to copy or paste a track further down in the overall piece, all I had to do was get in the relative area of the desired location and the program auto-adjusted everything to fit the new track.  This is not the case in some programs like Logic. Overall, it is pretty user friendly although, it probably would be better if it were upgraded or updated.

The reading assignment discussed practicing and using technology in the practicing situation. Although the text makes a point to see the performance aspect in practice, I feel all performers would agree that there is a difference between the two. Still, if we encourage our students to think of their practice sessions as preparation for their actual performance, perhaps they would rehearse using a different mindset. The use of technology such as Smartmusic in rehearsal is very beneficial for many reasons. The most important of them in my opinion is the potential of renewed interest in the rehearsal process and the use of technology to expound on and fine tune specific music skills. As a choral director I have looked into purchasing the software for my students. There are not as many useful applications for voice as there are for instrumental music, however, one particular aspect of the software that is of interest to me is the application for voice pitch recognition. To me, this means that my students could actually sing a melody and be able to have a visual representation of their sound! Personally, I have utilized many methods to help students understand the concept of intonation but to have the ability for them to see when they are out of tune would be priceless! Additionally, there is a feature that would allow me to add up to three microphones to this application. They would also be able to visually have the software indicate pitches sung incorrectly in imported lines of music.
Another area discussed is the use of the internet in rehearsal. I try to use YouTube frequently to show examples (both good and bad) of studied concepts. This helps me with modeling for the students.  However, another way that I use the internet in rehearsal is to review and re-enforce skills.  I personally recommend www.musictechteacher.com. Not only are there many interactive games on rhythm, pitch, vocabulary and composers but there are also worksheets, printable quizzes and sample lessons. Many times I will use one of these games, like Rhythm Billionaire, as an activity before or after rehearsal. Sometimes I use it in the middle of  tough rehearsals to divert their mental energy while keeping them engaged in the musical process.
Since I have read and have experienced so many benefits to these technological integrations, I have a hard time finding constraints. Using these methods would certainly improve a rehearsal experience. 

Module 3

This week’s module was centered on music technology that can be effectively implemented in the classroom and performance ensemble.  There was a special emphasis placed on another compositional software, Soundation. Honestly, I feel that non-traditional music classes are the wave of the future.  I recall an open discussion in one of my undergraduate music education courses where we were strategizing on how to convince students on the relevance of music programs in the public school. The bottom line was that most students today feel disconnected from the traditional forms of music programs such as band, chorus and orchestra.  This is evident by numbers in music programs across the nation which are often considered in government and in legislation.  I remember hearing the statistic that classical music accounts for less than 2% of concert ticket sales nationally.  All the while, reality music television shows and commercial popular music is on the rise.  If our objective is to truly reach the student of today, we have to be willing to meet them where they are and be able to educate them in the world we live in.  I am not suggesting replacing Brahms with the commercial flavor of the month, however, I am saying that if we don't figure out a way to make music education appealing to the aspiring musicians of today, then we are going to miss out on a group of gifted individuals.  These various classes are a way to reach out to them and allow them the benefit of learning music in a way that is relevant to them.

The main constraint to these sorts of programs will probably be lack of financial support.  Another concern that was realized through one of my classmate’s discussion posts, is the lack of the performance element. A solution to the latter may be remembering to give students an opportunity to have their musical works heard and possibly performed by others.  This could also serve as a great collaboration opportunity between performing ensembles and non-traditional music courses. Researching grant programs and utilizing social sites like, Donors Choose could help ease the financial burden often associated with these ventures as well.

The NTMs (non-traditional music students) account for a significant percentage of students today.  Even those who enjoy performing in an ensemble could benefit from some of these courses.  The reading this week were more of a review of materials and information that I was already familiar with, however, the discussion of the performance ensembles and how technology can be successfully integrated into them was helpful.  Practical ideas such as using tuners ad metronomes in student practice was helpful.  I personally liked the suggestion of Smart Music as I have been trying to get this software in my school since the beginning of the year. I particularly enjoyed the reading the following profiles on www.musiccreativity.org this week:

 http://www.musiccreativity.org/profiles_ntm_schools_in_act/oak-hills-high-school-cinci.html

http://www.musiccreativity.org/profiles_ntm_schools_in_act/adrian-high-school-adrian-m.html

http://www.musiccreativity.org/profiles_ntm_schools_in_act/stuart_country_day_school_o_2.html

The second profile was my favorite and most closely resembled the type of course I would like to build specifically because of the film scoring aspect.  Using programs such as Donors Choose, I could acquire the computers and software needed for the course. It included:

• Software Used: Garage band,  Reason,  Logic Express
• Hardware Used: iMacs
• Class NTM Activities:  Classes are primarily composition based although the beginning class is open to all students.  Students have a variety of simple composition projects (usually weekly) that includes composing for certain aspects of media. ( ex. jingles for commercials, video games, audio books, etc. ). These projects progress in length and complexity all the way up to composing music and creating Foley for film scoring.

The third profile was least like what I would desire in my course.  Many of the programs were designed as clubs rather than courses since they constructed instruments like dulcimers and used them in their programs.  This profile included:

• Software Used: Finale, Practica Musica, GarageBand
• Hardware Used: Guitars, dulcimer kits, smartboards, projectors, cameras, clavinovas, handbells.

• Class NTM Activities:  Stuart has a very unusual and restrictive schedule as far as the arts are concerned.  Most of what we offer, except Honors/AP, is more of a club than a class.  When I finally accepted this, then the program took off.  I planned for what WOULD work and did not whine about what would not.

 
I was excited to explore Soundation for two main reasons: it is free and it is assessable through most any web browser. This means that I could actually assign my students technology projects that they could work on at home!  This is exciting news for educators because one of the main reasons music educators give for not giving technology assignments is that is takes up rehearsal time.  With this program, students could actually demonstrate their knowledge of music standards addressed in the classroom.  Overall, I would say the Soundation project was a successful learning experience for me.  I did not experience very many challenges with Soundation, mainly because it is so similar to Garageband and most of my recording experience comes from using that software.  One particular technology point that slowed me down a bit is the precision of placement for the loops and tracks.  If they are placed even slightly to the left or the right, the software will read the placement as an intentional compositional choice. This doesn’t happen as often with Garageband because there are ways to magnify the individual tracks so that the ticker marks are highly visible for correct placement.  Additionally, one can add copy multiple tracks in Garaband and paste them at a quicker rate.  I did not find this feature in Soundation or at least I have not figured it out yet.