Blog Carnival

With the internet being a facilitator to so much information, sometimes it can get so overwhelming with where to find what we need. The Music Education Blog carnival is a collaboration, updated monthly, of various blogs, articles etc. dealing with music  technology and education, and everything in between. I found it to be a really interesting tool for consolidating resources in these fields.

http://mustech.net/2011/10/online-music-education-news-magazine/

Final Project. Technological Adaptations to Better Understand Reading Music

My matrix was based around a lesson plan that would be for teaching students the beginning steps in reading music. When starting a lesson such as this, it is important that the students can observe and have access to a staff easily. A traditional chalkboard can suffice but many times students can get lost or unfocused when only one staff is provided for an entire class, so instead I have arranged this lesson to be completed in a computer lab equipped with music notation software on each computer as well as a midi keyboard and midi software on each as well. Each computer will be prepared with a set of headphones and speakers to facilitate individual work when needed.

For the first portion of the lesson, students will be required to listen to a brief lecture explaining the staff and the order of the notes on the staff. At this point, each computer will be using the music notation software to facilitate a staff using the treble clef with each note-head and letter name corresponding to it so the students may observe, more closely and intimately, this concept. The teacher’s computer will also be hooked up to a projector so the students can make sure they are on track with their computers and software (or if any unforeseen technological difficulties arise, students will still have access to see the software in use and familiarize themselves with it). It is also important to note that each note on the staff can be clicked with the cursor to play it, so not only will speakers have to be provided for each computer, but the room itself must be equipped with a set of multimedia speakers for the teacher to model various sounds to the entire class.

The next portion of the lesson is dedicated towards analyzing how the notes work and relate with each other and how they operate on the piano and Orff instruments. Students will work in groups or pairs for this portion so they can acquaint themselves with the notes on the midi instruments (virtual instruments via Max MSP software will be available for students with any disabilities rendering them unable to use the midi instruments) with where they lie on the staff. A group discussion of this concept will follow so the teacher may assess that the students understand the relationship.

Finally, the last portion of the lesson will revolve around individual understanding and application of the concept. Students will be required to perform a C scale on their midi or virtual instruments with their headphones in, and students showing exceptional work may be recorded and modeled for the class (similar to the lesson in my last interactivity). The last few minutes of class, or even for homework if time does not permit, each student will have to create their own mnemonic sentence for the order of notes on the staff. The students can pick whether they want to create one giant sentence that includes the actual order of notes (EFGABCDEF), or if they’d rather create two separate sentences, one for lined notes (EGBDF), and one for spaced noted (FACE). These sentences will be typed in the provided text-editing program that is on the computer (more than likely Microsoft Word, Text Edit, or Pages) and print it for the teacher.

The technology in this lesson plan turns a beginning learning process of music into a collaborative and media friendly environment. Not only are the students learning to read music, but also they are indirectly learning how to work with computer software and technologies, like the midi instruments. To take the learning experience even further, students are also required to acquaint themselves with simple computer functionality such as opening up and navigating programs, using headphones, and powering up and shutting down the computer. Although the computer-centered learning is not the main goal of the lesson, it becomes an acquired knowledge in the end if these technologies are used with a plan of continuity.  Students are also faced with more decision-making and independence in this type of atmosphere. Because each student is equipped to individually view the content on their own computer, and it is also projected for the class to see, students can make the decision to follow along precisely with the teacher, or to learn independently on their own computer. This also facilitates students that may be ahead of the class as they can choose to explore the next level of the lesson. Students may also have the choice if they want to use the midi instruments or the virtual instruments (although ideally the virtual instruments should be more for students who are physically unable to coordinate their fingers on the midi instruments).

The technological adaptations to this lesson make the classroom a well-rounded learning environment as well as create a more democratic atmosphere for the students. It is often forgotten that curricula should cross-reference multiple literacies, including technology and media literacies, so they can relate to a wide variety of contexts. 

My Matrix

Is Face Recognition an Invasion of Privacy

Recently more and more corporate giants of the internet have been implementing face recognition options into their picture settings. They constantly emphasize how privacy issues should be no concern as it is completely safe and optional. However, I can't help but feel that the more public everyones' lives become, the less privacy is valued. Years ago taking a picture with someone meant that only a select few people would see it as it was just a picture, now we have come to accept that now a picture means that hundreds of thousands of people can have access to seeing us (whether we are tagged or not). I'm interested to know how other people view the devaluing of privacy due to these corporations, or if you feel that privacy has the same meaning as it did years ago.Here's the article for more info

Social Networks Recognizing Cried For Help.

Recently sites like Facebook have realized the need to recognize suicidal tendencies online and to take action with offering help. With cyber-bulying becoming such an epidemic I think it's great that Facebook and Google have implemented steps to recognize cries for help since these cries are often posted online in some way. This CNN article goes into detail about some of the things these corporations are doing to recognize and help those in distress and showing threats of suicide.http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/13/tech/web/facebook-google-suicide/index.html

A helpful site

I thought the videos we watched were really helpful as far as how copyright laws effect us as educators. I did find this site that breaks down copyright laws for music in general and also thought it was really informative without being overly wordy and hard to read (which I find most informational texts to be). This site is just an excerpt from an entire audio book but it really gives some good pointers and I think looking into the audio book in it's entirety may be of interest to any musician out there ESPECIALLY anyone interested in writing and performing music of any kind. I'm sure there are tons more site and resources like this too so if anyone wants to share, please do

http://www.legaljungleguide.com/resourc/musician/articles/musiccopyright.htm

Interactivity 5--Copyright and Fair Use

To start this activity, I did have to make a few changes to my original spreadsheet before I began the actual 5th interactivity which included actually explaining how the technologies would be used to facilitate learning in the class (as opposed to just having the technologies listed like I did before). Specifying these uses of technology actually made it easier and a smoother transition to start the ideas on fair use because once the intent of the use of technology is laid out in front of you, it's pretty easy to find out if fair use applies. For example, instead of just saying that a "recording of a piece using question and answer form will be played." under the technologies section, I specified that it would be played BECAUSE the students need to hear an example of the task they are being asked to complete. Now that the intent is clear, it's also clear to see that Fair Use applies to the task. As I continued to incorporate my new ideas into the spreadsheet, I realized that it's nice to know that there are still some things in place, like Fair Use, that are meant to help teachers teach. There are so many restrictions put on education that we should really appreciate every little thing in favor of us and our purpose. For the lesson plan I picked however, Fair Use would not protect a teacher to use most of the copyrighted technologies listed. For example, MIDI software and notation software (like Sibelius) is generally made to be used in schools and would thus not fall under fair use. Each computer in this lesson plan would have to have a legitimate subscription to these softwares. However, many manufacturers of these softwares will cut a teacher or a school a deal when purchasing in bulk, so it's not all bad news. There are free programs that exist that would serve these purposes but there may be a catch to them and must be watched closely. For example, Garage Band is a "free" software....sometimes. Garage Band is only free with a subscription of iLife, which happens to be free on most newer Apple computers. However, on an Apple computer without iLife (mostly older generations) Garage Band is not so free. It would not be acceptable to try to obtain a copy of Garage Band for free to put on an older Mac computer so that your students can use it. If a teacher did so desire to use Garage Band for free on a computer without iLife, they would have to contact Apple for permission. The same concept applies when a new version of Garage Band is created. As mentioned before, the only copyrighted technology that was completely protected in the plan was the portion of the recording that should be played for the students. I did not specify which piece to use because that part should be up to the individual teacher, but it would not matter. Fair Use protects a teacher so that he or she can use a portion of a piece for educational purposes, and since composing such a phrase is the point of the lesson, it falls well within the fair use guidelines, as does the time length needed since question and answer phrases are rarely longer than 30 seconds or 10% of an entire piece. I still think this lesson plan was a good one to pick, even though Fair Use didn't protect much of it. 

SpreadSheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Akf4uVeNWvtrdG0tcjQtQktfYTdSdEx2c0ZMQTVlUVE&hl=en_US&pli=1#gid=0

Technology in Opera

This isn't really new since it was over a year ago, but I just discovered this incredibly cool opera that MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) put on involving all sorts of outrageous music objects (including singing robots!!). The story line involves the antagonist, an inventor, essentially downloading himself into the physical world, and once that happens he is not seen anymore in the opera, but he is present in the objects he inhabits. I think this is a really abstract idea, not only because it uses all sorts of unheard of technologies that are incorporated into the opera, but the idea of one's self living on in physical objects is something I found interesting. Since this opera has been out for some time, I'm wondering if anyone has actually seen the opera, and if so, I'm curious to know if the technology they use actually serves a purpose to the opera and the story line itself or if it's really "gimmicky" and unnecessary.

 "Disembodied Performance"

Interactivity #4, Lesson Plan Analysis

The lesson plan I chose to analyze was from the same class I just recently posted about in my blog. The author, Ms. Garrett, is a music tech teacher and extends her classes and lessons with the website Musictechteacher.com. I chose this lesson because I am amazed by how the use of technology (like the Midi keyboards and use of Sibelius) can make a lesson, which might otherwise seem a bit bland to students, into a fun and engaging activity. The use of technology, although not necessary to teach the overall skill of composing a phrase, also enables this lesson to reach more students at once and may even help some students understand the topic more. I also really liked the implantation of group work with composing phrases as well as the idea of recording individual students to model for the rest of the class. One thing I think would need to be addressed that was not mentioned in the lesson plan, however, is the use of scale degree names. The worksheet that this lesson uses (which is available for download on the same website) mentions the words tonic and dominate in reference to the 1^st scale degree and the 5^th. I think it might benefit the class for the teacher to take even just a few minutes after going over this sheet to explain to the students about these terms (or have scale numbers and corresponding degree names on the overhead). I also think maybe the teacher could compose a phrase with the class before having them compose their own, so they have an idea of what they are doing. As far as gaps between the curriculum goals and the strategies and technologies; I think this lesson plan does a good job of not having any, and I think that the school is extremely fortunate that they have access to this technology to do so. I think this lesson plan had just the right amount of lecturing to educate the students on the building blocks of the lesson, individual work for them to become better acquainted with these skills, and group/partner work to implement what they have learned on a larger scale and to assess and be assessed with and by their peers.

Here is the link to the lesson plan

Here is the link to my spreadsheet

How Cool is This?!

To further continue some cool things I found regarding using technology in music classes, I found this site which is an extension of a music technoloy class in Alabama. What I found interesting was the entire set up of the class and how young the students are. The students this class teaches are from 2-5 grade and have a general music class as well as a muic technology class. How awesome is that?! My elementary schools or high school had absolutely nothing dealing with music technology so I find it amazing that these studetns are being exposed to it at such a young age. If you further read through the site, the teacher mentions that many students take the mnusic technology class because the school does not have the funding to have many students take band (not enough instruments, etc). I think it's great that there is an alternative for these students because I know in many schools, if students can't take band there is no other realy music class other than the general music classroom. This still allows students to further their knowledge of music and I find that inspiring!

Here's the Link!

Using YouTube in Formal music Education.

I found this really great article in a magazine called School Band Orchestra about using YouTube as a tool to enhance music teaching. Maybe it's a little redundant to post about because I feel like most students do this already and it's old news but I still found it interesting that using YouTube as a means for education is becoming more legitimized all the time. It talks about using the site in a number of ways such as extra lessons for students to look up, to learning yourself (as a teacher) in a scenario that calls for you to teach an instrument you may not remember how to play. There's actually a lot of really cool articles in this magazine other than the YouTube one, this one just caught my eye. The site I got it from lets you look at the virtual magazine (which I also thought was really neat) so I think you guys should check it out and let me know what you think!

Click here to go to the virtual copy of the magazine!

Music Technologies (Interactivity 3)

 Normally, I hate group projects because I usually end up doing most of the work and put everyones' name on the finished result. However, the people in my group amazed me at how proficient they all were together. The spreadsheet was already made and shared before I had a chance to do anything myself and there were so many contributions on the spreadsheet. I also thought that the way we could share the spreadsheet through google accounts was really neat! As far as the technologies listed, my mind is in awe. There are so many that allow music education to be brought to new levels, and most of the ones listed, I've never heard of, or have heard of but have never used. I think this list can definitely have an impact in our CURR 314 class because many of these technologies can be used for assessment purposes. For example, someone put music theory websites on our document and that may be one way to assess what students are taking from a theory class. Max/MSP is also a great program mentioned because you can create almost anything you want if you're advanced enough with it. Creating a virtual assessment tool is completely within the means of this program if you're willing to be creative and put in enough time. As far as how it can help with our READ 411 class, well that's a tough one! I am honestly unsure of how I would use these technologies to help students become better readers in a literal sense, however, taking the READ-411 class has made me realize that identifying struggles with reading actual text is extremely similar to identifying struggles with reading music. One example (and there are many) I can think of is how a struggling reader of text will not use context clues to make inferences about a text. This made me think of how a struggling reader of music may struggle to read or play something because they are unaware or unfamiliar with a key or scale, therefore they are prone to making more mistakes since music is based off of scales/keys. So, although it may be a stretch from what the assignment was actually asking, I think using the strategies we learned in Read-411 can help us identify struggling readers of music and most of these technologies can assist us with fixing those struggles (any of the music notating softwares, the music theory websites, Max/MSP, etc.). The possibilities are endless!

Influential Technology

I would say the most influential technology in the video for my content area was the radio they showed being used to broadcast music education programs. Many people believe that musical talent or appreciation is something that someone either has or does not have. I think that is completely false, I believe that musical talent and especially music appreciation is something that everyone has the ability to have, but must be exposed to the right atmosphere of it. I picked the radio because using it in classrooms helped improve the musicality of those who may not have had access to things like learning an instrument, studying privately, or going to performances. The radio, in a sense, provided some of the atmosphere needed to become a better musician, or to have a greater appreciation of music…or both!
            I believe the one technology that has had the most impact on schooling in my content area is the phonograph. This device was the first practical device used to record and playback sound and was most often used for music recording and playing. The phonograph, invented in 1877, gave a new meaning to listening to music. It was no longer required to be at a live performance to experience the music. Although phonographs were used in schools for subjects other than music, I believe it’s impacted music education the most since it made music accessible anywhere that had electricity. It was used in many music classes as a music appreciation tool or an instructional tool. Another reason I believe the phonograph is significant is because it is the father technology to most of the music recording/playing technologies we know today such as the radio, CD, MP3 players, etc. These devices are used endlessly in music education because it brings a world of music to our fingertips. Whether it’s listening to a composition a class is learning so they can experience a finished result, listening to examples of music theory in use, recording one’s self or a class to improve their performance, or exploring musics from other parts of the world, music educators rely on these devices. Without them, music would not be an easy thing to access and much of it would sadly be confined to its origin. With the invention of the phonograph, the concept of music changed and was brought home to countless amounts of people and schools that may have otherwise never been able to experience it.

Music At Your Fingertips

It's easy to forget how fascinating it really is to be able to listen to all the music we want, anywhere, anytime.

Photo Link
http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt6n.asp?un=2&pg=1&krequest=subjects+contains+Jason+Lee+Junior+High+School+and+Tacoma+&stemming=&phonic=&fuzzy=&maxfiles=

Should Teachers be Required to Learn New Technologies for the Classroom?

I was reading a news article about how a university just installed various types of technologies in 31 different classrooms but are having problems getting professors to use them. The article explained how the school has a number of different workshops and teams dedicated to helping professors learn how to use and incorporate these technologies in the classroom, however there are many professors that claim they don't have the time to do this. Other professors have a type of "if it's not broken, don't fix it" kind of attitude, meaning, they don't see anything wrong with the way they've conducted their classes so far, so why change it by using additional technology? I personally feel this is an ignorant approach to technology because, as we've been posting about, technology can really enhance the way we teach and learn. As many of us have also mentioned, when a professor is horribly disconnected from technology, it leads the students to be disconnected from the professor. I'm wondering what other people think about this subject, I personally think it might be a good idea for this university to implement some sort of requirement for professors to attend at least one workshop on the new technologies they have access to. I just feel it's absurd to not utilize the recourses provided by the university just because someone may not know how to use them, so I think a requirement like that may help improve that issue.


Here is the link to the article:
http://dailytrojan.com/2011/09/29/professors-still-adapting-to-classroom-renovations/

Interactivity #1

1.     How, if at all, have any of the three technologies impacted the ways in which you learn new information?

I think the technology that helps me learn new information the most is the first of my choices (music recorders and/or players). Any technology related to these things has helped me learn and advance so much not just with specific songs or pieces, but also with also with things like how music works, the fundamentals, how it’s created, how to recreate it and so on. Learning through music this way has also helped me learn a variety of historical aspects of music as well since having actual examples of history to experience does so much more for the mind than just reading a text about it. Sure, I love my computer as much as the next person and it certainly has helped me learn in other ways, but I think my computer is more of a device that helps me expand upon things that I have already learned elsewhere (unless, of course, I am actually listening to a recording on my computer). For example, I use my computer to write my papers, but I did not learn to write from my computer, I just use it to facilitate my writing. As for my phone, I really only use that for personal conversation whether it be text messaging someone or actually speaking to them on the phone (and maybe the occasional level or two or angry birds).

1.     What are the similarities and differences between your uses of those 3 most influential technologies as compared to the uses of technologies among the young people from these 2 videos?

During these two videos I found quite a few similarities between the student speakers and myself.  One major connection I felt was from the first video with Olivia and how she would create MySpace’s for her friends that did not know how to make them. This reminded me very much of myself when I was younger as I often teaching myself how to make intricate profiles on different networking sites, and was often asked by friends to make theirs for them.  Not surprisingly, I also felt a connection with all the students that mentioned how music and technology related to it (i.e. the student who wanted his iPod glued to him, and the student who was experimenting with music recording) because I also integrate music in all technologies I own. 

      Some things I feel are different between my connection to technologies and the students that were in these videos is the idea that the things I love would cease to continue if my technologies were to disappear. Although I would be completely devastated (for a while anyway) if someone were to rip everything from me, O believe in my heart that I would manage to continue on with music and other hobbies that I enjoy. I completely condone using technology to its full advantage in any context, but I don’t think anyone who has a passion for something should ever see technology as the life support for that hobby.