Blog Assignment #6
Please respond to the following question asked by "Joe Parent," regarding his son, Joe Jr.:
I think that all this use of technology is taking away from the human side of teaching. All Joe Jr. does is sit in front of the computer with headphones on while the teacher walks around the room! How is technology actually improving my son's knowledge of music? How is he being held accountable for his work?
* please include specific software examples and features as well as curriculum-based reasoning in your response
18 comments:
Joe Parent,
Technology is a supplement to expanding one’s musical knowledge. It is in no way is replacing the human and emotional element of music. While we use technology in the classroom, it is meant to help improve the students’ knowledge and supplement their playing alone and in ensembles.
The students are being held accountable for their work by submitting their assignments to the teacher via blog posts, box.net, etc. We also use technology to monitor progress in the practice room. For instance, I require all of the students to keep a digital “practice journal” via Garage Band, which is an easy way for students to monitor their progress. They upload an audio recording of their practice every week. This way I can follow who is practicing, and what specifically needs work throughout the class. This eliminates taking up valuable class time listening to every individual student while the others wait around.
I also use technology such as Smart Music to correct pitch and intonation problems. This is a great instant analysis of a student’s performance that can greatly improve his ear and technique over time.
I will never completely replace the human elements of music with technology. My class spends most of the time rehearsing as an ensemble. I am a firm believer that technology, when used correctly, will surely enhance everything I have to offer in the classroom.
Mr. Joe,
I appreciate your concern. The human and social aspects of music making and listening are what, I believe, make it so important and meaningful. Technology and computer use in the classroom, I assure you, offers your son opportunities to explore music, be fairly evaluated while he still gets human interaction, perspective, feedback, and evaluation.
Music programs like Smart Music allow students to play with pre-recorded accompaniment (that actually plays with the performer by speeding up and slowing down to the performer’s speed). This way, the student can work on the excerpt with the accompaniment without needing to pay (or schedule with them) accompanists.
This program can also evaluate a students’ performance by counting missed pitches, rhythms, or articulations, in a set piece of music. This helps me assign skill-appropriate challenges to each student to work on, while I monitor each student, and give feed back.
For the younger students, I have Groovybox, a program that allows them to play musical games and explore composition by arranging and layering instruments and musical thoughts. This is something I use to supplement singing and movement activities.
I do give your son personal attention in rehearsal and while he works on his assignments alone. While the computer helps me keep all the students on task, I remain highly in-touch and engaged in each student’s music education.
Sincerely,
Michael
Joe Parent,
In our general music classroom, we do indeed use technology to enhance students' learning. Technology is very important to our music classroom because it allows students to work and explore at their own pace. On our Groovy Software, they can create their own compositions and discover all the different aspects of music aurally. This is important because music is made of sound, and we cannot fully understand and experience it without listening to examples of it. With the computer, we can plug in headphones and students can listen at their own pace. We have them work individually because if they need to go back and listen again, they can. If they understand immediately, they can move on to something else. This avoids the situation in which some students are bored and others are left behind.
Creation of music is stated in the National Standards for Music Education, and is enabled through the Groovy Software. Students are given guidelines from the teacher on composition creation, then left to explore all the Software offers. Without technology, we would never be able to accomplish this level of composition creation. Students are held accountable for their work by the quizzes they complete on our Groovy Software. Again, these access the students’ aural understanding of music, which is inherent in the subject matter. The teacher can grade the quizzes as an assessment tool, and students, again, get to work at their own pace. Overall, technology allows students to explore music through composition and enhance creative thinking by using music creation tools to compose.
I understand your concern Mr. Parent. It seems like there is more technology in the world being used for entertainment than for education. I have issues with my own children when they are at the computer at home and it appears that they are plying games when they are really doing their homework. That is why I really want to be careful when I use computers in the classroom. I don’t want to employ a piece of technology just for technology’s sake. Many times technology can actually make some things more difficult for me, especially if I already have a way to do something that works well. That is why I am using software that I have taken the time to understand how it works. If you only partially understand a piece of technology it may cause more grief than if you didn’t use it. Lets take a look at some of the work that your wunderkind son Joe Jr. is working on currently. A few weeks ago I passed out a written quiz on note reading, clef identification and rhythms and Joe had a difficult time. I directed Joe to a few programs on the computer. One is called Clef Notes. Clef Notes is a fun skill building program for note & clef identification that I can keep records of every student’s progress, all at my desk on one computer.
Note identification games are fun, but do they really work when Joe takes out his horn and starts to play? One way we can use technology to tell if Joe is getting better as a performer is through a program called Smart Music. The software is able to record and analyze Joe’s horn solo when he plays in the practice room here at school, and it can tell Joe exactly how he can play it better. I have noticed on Smart Music that his note reading has improved since he has been using Clef Note, and his practice time after school has doubled because of Smart Music. He really likes using the program to practice. The two programs that I have just mentioned are not free, but there are some that are free that you can use on your computer at home. One free site I like to recommend is http://www.good-ear.com/ for ear training if you don’t feel comfortable downloading software onto your computer. If you are still unsure about your son using computers in music class, why don’t you come to my special ‘hands on’ music software demo night next Thursday from 6 to 8 P.M. where you can get an idea of what is happening in the classroom. Hope to see you there.
Mr. Joe Parent,
I understand your concerns and am very happy that you are engaged in your son's educational process. While I do see where you are coming from, let me try to ease your concern and present my curricular ideas that I believe positively improve your sons knowledge of music.
The technology we are using in class not only makes it easier to assess students work, but also provides many opportunities for music projects once not possible. For example our children are using Finale to create and arrange music. They are learning to compose and can have their music instantly played back so they can hear their entire work. They can also personally format these files into files on the internet i.e Box.net,so that I may look and grade them. They can also share their music through podcasts and Gcast account.
He is also learning new ways to improve his practicing and performance of music through programs like SmartMusic which allows him to play along with a track and then instantly find out what rhythms and notes he played incorrectly. I understand that music is an old art but as we constantly are bombarded with new technology it is important that children learn early and quickly how to operate on a proficient level with computers.
I also want to caution the idea that we are only using computers in the classroom. This is just one other way to explore music that we are incorporating into young joe's curriculum. If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact me again.
Thank you,
Mr. Campos
Technology is only being used as supplemental learning tools to aide and reinforce what is being taught by the teacher in the classroom setting. The technology being used such as Music Ace, Groovy Music, Garage Band, and Musictheory.net give the students more individual reinforcement on a daily basis than what the director can offer to the individual student on a daily basis in a large ensemble setting. Also the music creation software like garageband and groovy allow for more exploration in music creation than would allow in class time in a large group setting.
Practice software such as smart music allows for students to have more direct feedback of correct and incorrect notes. It also aides in keeping the student's practicing focused on problem areas instead of playing through a piece and going on when they will learn mistake.
Dear Mr. Parent,
I fully understand your concern of technology taking away the value and importance of human teaching, and I thank you for your involvement in your student's education.
While I wish to reassure you and tell you that technology will never completely replace human teaching, I simply cannot make such a generalization or blatant claim. I can tell you that you can continue to give your student an education with music educators who care about the integration and exchange of human teaching along with technology.
While many people would argue that technology is, and will continue to be, a detriment to certain art disciplines like music, many would argue that technology is helping us to bridge certain gaps in music-making, notating, recording, listening to, etc., by giving us the technological literacy and opportunity to further many students' education.
Let me tell you about a couple things that your student can do with technology in our classroom.
With notation software programs such as Finale, Sibelius, Garageband, and Audacity, we can do classroom activities, both group and individual, including but not limited to, notation, altering of music, arranging of music, and doing fun things like making podcasts.
Please be aware that using technology in my classroom is frequently a tool for reinforcing what I have already humanly taught.
With a plug-in for Finale, called SmartMusic, your student can sing or play their instrument into the microphone on the computer for independent practice, and this program will dictate whatever it hears, so that it can correct pitch, rhythm, and intonation problems.
These are just several things we can conquer using technology in our classroom, and I hope that you can continue to understand and support our journey onward into the land where human teaching and teaching with technology can live in harmony.
Dear Parent,
I too believe that the issue you raise it a present one in today's society. As a teacher I do not wish to distance myself from the student then necessary, interaction between student and teacher is key and a computer cannot replace that. However, to deny a student all the technological resources available would be just as much of an injustice. With programs such as Smart Music, Groovy Music, Finale, and a multitude of online resources can really enhance the learning experience. They offer program, activities, tool, etc. on an individual level that a single teacher could never offer each student. Technology allows a student's education to be more specialized and be the best fit for the student whether they are struggling or excelling at a given topic. Through this we strive for students to be at a high musical level, which is inarguably the desired goal.
Just as with most things in life, technology in the classroom is all about balance. Human interaction in with students is imperative, but so is the wealth of resources different softwares and the internet can provide. It is at this point that one must have faith that the teacher designs his or her lessons/classroom to benefit the students.
Dear Mr. Joe Parent,
I can understand your concerns and greatly appreciate you bringing them to the floor. We now live in a world that is very technologically advanced; much more than it was just few generations ago. Therefore, some of us haven't quite gotten a great understanding of it's abilities, especially when it comes to music classes. I want you to be assured that Joe Jr. is getting just as much, if not more, out of the music technology incorporated in our classroom.
For my classroom setting I use a variety of programs. To complement our lessons and the activities of the technology programs, I often use some websites that further develop my students musicianship.
The first program I include into my curriculum is called groovy music. I use this for the youngest students. The Groovy series is divided into three programs designed for a specific age group. The first, Groovy shapes, is for children 5 and up. Once the students turn 7, they will advance to Groovy Jungle. The last program of the series, Groovy City, is used by the students when they reach age 9. This program allows the students to play around with different musical sounds. It also introduces them to many different instruments; allowing them to at these instruments look like, but also how they sound.
This program allows the students creativity to achieve it's highest potential and really flourish. The students compose their own mini pieces based off the different instruments they learn. This series also has the students go through mini quizzes to make sure that they are learning everything they are being taught. These quizzes, if answered correctly, give the students rewards within the program. This gives them positive reinforcement and provides an incentive to successfully learn what the program is teaching them.
For the older students, I involve a few online activities. Examples of this is teoria.com and musictheory.net. These are excellent for developing the musicianship skills of the students, both in theory and aurally. These websites assess the students by showing the percentage of correct answers as the test themselves. This is where I walk around the room to see where everyone is, and what we should go over in future classes. These can also be done at home for extra practice.
I hope this has given you a better understanding of how beneficial it is for Joe Jr. to have this technology in the classroom.
Ms. Christina
Joe Parent.
I appreciate that you are taking an active role in your son’s education, and I understand your concern. However, I feel you are not quite understanding everything that technology allows your son to do that he could not have otherwise. All the students start using Groovy Jungle in kindergarten because I it teaches musical concepts and ideas in a fun and entertaining manner. Joe is able to hear examples of all the instruments, learn how to read rhythms, and get a basis for musical understanding and theory. Each student has their own account that they log into and each “game” they play is actually a music lesson such as reading rhythms. When Joe completes a lesson he receives some sort of prize to be used in his jungle. I am able to check in on his account and see that he is doing the work and learning. The other part of Groovy Jungle is the jungle itself where Joe can compose his own music using the prizes he has earned from the lessons. Without this technology Joe would need to take years of music theory before being able to compose his own music. Now he can jump right in at an early age with a simplified way of composing, but it opens new horizons to him and gets him excited about music. This also follows the National Standards for Music Education of listening to and analyzing music, arranging and composing music. Finally, each student is able to learn and work with the program individually while I go around and help them and check on them. This way Joe can get individual attention if he needs to, but without taking away from the instruction of other students. We can even export the composed songs and post them online so you can listen at home with Joe. I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much he can do.
Hello Joe Sr.,
I'm glad you've voiced your concerns to the school. As an educator trying to keep up in this ever-expanding world of technology, sometimes it can seem like the technology is taking away any human elements left in teaching. I would like to take this opportunity to tell you, however, that when used correctly, this is not the case at all.
In my classroom, technology is ONLY used as a supplement, and it never entirely replaces what I have to say. For example, I'm still giving your daughter lessons every week, but I only see her for a half hour every seven days. As you can imagine, this isn't really sufficient time to aid her in her musical growth and to assess her progress. For this reason, I have the students perform there music from the lessons into the Smart Music program, that way I can see how she is doing without actually having to see her. This allows me to give more individualized attention to each student without actually blocking out an extra half hour to see all fifty of them.
While I do indeed believe some teachers may use technology as a crutch, taking the human side out of the equation, I also believe these teachers are the minority. In classrooms such as mine, technology only helps me to do what I can't do on my own, giving your children a more fulfilling music experience.
Mr. Parent,
I understand your concerns. I at first was skeptical as well that technology would become an overwhelming presence in my class, but I have been able to find a way to let technology enhance what I am teaching. We have been using the compositional program Finale in class as a way to reinforce the theory concepts taught. Finale allows students, and your son, to practice what they have learned, and also create their own compositions without having to worry about not being able to play it back on the piano. I have used this program in depth and am working with the students to perfect their compositions.
Your son Joe is not only in my theory class but also my band class. We are using Smart Music in that class which offers your son a fun way to practice and also allows me a real time way to assess his progress. Joe can record himself on your computer, and then send that recording to me so I can see how he is doing and what he needs help with. He can also see where he makes mistakes when he plays and play the recording back so he knows exactly what he needs to improve. You should ask your son if you can try it yourself, it is actually a lot of fun, and I have found that it gets students more excited about practicing and leads to an overall better sounding ensemble.
I hope that I have addressed your concerns, if you have any other questions do not hesitate to call or email me.
Sincerely,
Michael Cochran
Joe Parent,
I completely understand where you are coming from and I am happy to alleviate your worries about Joe Jr.'s music education.
I too believe that teaching is a very personal humanistic form of interaction. Computers and technology, I assure you, are only instruments that help to further cultivate Joe Jr.'s -and all other students' - understanding of music when they are playing by themselves and too further explore their own creativity.
For example, my students-including Joe Jr- are currently working on a project using Finale software to create a group composition. At the end of the project him and his group will perform their piece for the rest of the class in a more or less informal classroom recital. The students are able to demonstrate their creative works, thoughts, and support each other in their own musical endeavors. It also goes without saying that because it is a group project they are able to interact personally and musically with one another - as well as with me for any questions, concerns, etc.
In addition,Joe is able to practice the saxophone with our software Smart Music when he is not with the ensemble. The software actually allows for for Joe to take his own tempo and the pre-recorded track will follow with him depending on how fast or slow he decides to take it. This program helps Joe Jr. be accountable because it counts the number of notes -pitches and rhythms- that he missed while playing.
These are just a few of the things that Joe Jr. can do with the help of technology. Remember too that technology is a supplemental material that enables the students to access and understand music differently (and sometimes easier).
If you have any other questions or concerns feel free to contact me.
J. Alfredo Guerrero
Just because a student is sitting in front of a computer does not mean they are not engaging in a human side of music. Quite the opposite in fact. If properly integrated, programs like smart music can actually help bring out the human element in a musician's playing. This is partially because of recording and note recognition software which will not only help the student place the correct notes in the correct place, but also give them a recording of themself to listen to and reflect on their performance. Composition is also a great form of musical expression. However, this may be difficult for a student if they cannot hear the notes as they scribe them on paper. This is where music notation software is key. Here a student can not only hear the notes they input as they are being input, but listen to the entire piece as performed by a series of pre-recorded instruments. Perhaps one of the greatest tools available is the combination of these two ideas. A student would be able to compose a piece for, as an example, brass quintet. They can input all the parts to their liking and then export this piece to smartmusic. Here, the pre-recorded instruments will play along with the student through smart music as the music he has just written appears on the screen. He could even go as far as to mute a selected track. For example, if he is wishing to play trumpet along with his recording, he can mute the trumpet part in smart music so he is the only trumpet part playing and in a sense has created his own chamber music. This in itself is an incredibly enriching experience as the students can go from composition all the way through recorded performance and reflection all from behind a computer screen.
Blog Assignment #6
Please respond to the following question asked by "Joe Parent," regarding his son, Joe Jr.:
I think that all this use of technology is taking away from the human side of teaching. All Joe Jr. does is sit in front of the computer with headphones on while the teacher walks around the room! How is technology actually improving my son's knowledge of music? How is he being held accountable for his work?
* please include specific software examples and features as well as curriculum-based reasoning in your response
Joe Parent,
I am glad that you are concerned about Joe as a student and how he is learning. I would like to first explain to you what types of programs we have and how Joe is learning from them.
Music software programs allow students to create their own music in a fun and enjoyable way. Although it looks like Joe is just sitting at a computer with headphones, he is actually learning a lot more than what you think.
One program we have called Audacity, allows you to import recordings into the system and they can alter the sound in so many different ways. For a student like Joe who is just learning his instrument, this gives him an opportunity to be more creative without worrying about the notes.
Another program, Finale allows you to compose your own music and also listen to what you compose. This program also gives Joe the opportunity to be very creative and listen to the other students works as well. He does not have to just focus on learning his own instrument and the hard techniques that come with that.
I hope this has convinced you that technology is not an escape to teach the class but it gives the students an opportunity to create music in a fun and enjoyable way.
Ms. Tyus
Dear Joe Parent,
Thank you for your questions and concerns regarding the use of technology in the music classroom. I would like to address your questions from the perspective of a teacher who has only recently understood the power and value of incorporating technology into the music curriculum.
Nothing will ever replace the need to understand music is created and performed on acoustic instruments without the aid of technology. However, the amount of time and research put into music technology in recent years has provided the music educator with countless tools to enhance learning experiences for students today.
Music programs such as Auralia, MusicAce, and Midisaurus allow students to develop knowledge in the areas of ear training, music notation, and listening. Use of this technology improves your son’s knowledge of music through guided instruction, intuitive practice opportunities, and instant feedback on progress and areas that need more practice. Technology in the classroom setting offers students one on one feedback as they complete their work. They do not need to wait for the instructor to grade their papers and hand them back; the learning process goes full circle as they interact with the technology.
Accountability is one of the most important assets of music technology. As students complete practice exercises and tests, the information is automatically forwarded to the teacher for review and grading. This built in assessment feature keeps everyone honest and saves hours of bookkeeping time.
The number one reason to incorporate music technology into the music curriculum is motivation. When students are motivated, learning and practicing feel fun and easy. SmartMusic is a program, which acts as a practice partner, providing listening examples for emulation, a metronome, tuner, and instant feedback about how they are growing as a performer. GarageBand is another program that motivates students with the click of a mouse.
The list of interesting and intuitive tools for use through music technology is endless. I hope that your concerns for Joe student are at ease knowing the practical, fun, and motivational ways technology is used in the music classroom.
Sincerely,
Joe Teacher
I believe that all teaching needs to be personal. The teacher should not just plop his sutdents in front of computers. The teacher would have intelligently made some pedagogical decisions based on such issues as: What do I want technology to do? What skills am I wanting the students to develop through this computer use? Will this software be age appropiate, cater to students' different learning styles? Will there be flexibility so that they can control how they progress in the program? Can they transfer ideas of one musical concept to another? Will they enjoy the use of technology or will they be intimidated by it? The teacher would judiciously decide to use the computer only after he has understood these issues and the needs of his class.
Having given such serious thought, the teacher would then use appropriate computer programs for specific musical goals he has. He would continue to be the teacher, never abandoning the students, but only using the technology to enhance his teaching.
As to what the student is learning through the computer, the answer is "myriads of things!" He can learn basic music theory and ear training through such software as MiDisaurus and Music Ace. He can be drilled on those skills through Aurelia Musition3, continue to practice them through MacGamut. And there are fun games such as Musicus that is similar to Tetris.
Furthermore, the student can acquire a taste for claslical music as he listens to guided listening experiences through the Carnegie Hall Listening Adventure or the New York Philharmonic Kidzone! Still, the student can create his own music through Groovy Jungle, Groovy City or Makaign Music; he can get harmonization to his music through Band In a Box, and can get feedback on his performance through SmartMusic.
By the way, the above mentioned programs, in general, all offer immediate feedback and provide ways that students can progress at their own levels.
Therefore, the teacher will never detract from his original role to encourage, challenge and intruct the students. His job would be billions of times more effective, fun, and creative because of it.
Dear Mr. Parent,
While I do see your point of view that using technology to educate our children does take away from the direct human interaction, there are positive aspects of such teaching that I believe can truly benefit our children.
In class, we were using a program called MiBAC Music Lessons. This program allows Joe to hear musical examples through his headphones and attempt to assess them. This helps him to begin the process of learning the basics of music. This is an extremely difficult area for children to learn and through the use of this program, they are able to assess their progress without their classmates knowing when they are right or wrong. I believe this goes a long way in building a sense of what I call "musical self-confidence."
At the end of each unit in the software, there is an assessment test. This test does not allow students to fix their work, and thus I can legitimately study their results and find where they are succeeding and struggling.
Thank you very much for your concern and any further input is truly appreciated. Thank you.
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