In Bauer's Music Learning Today, Project-Based Learning is "...an approach to instructional design that operationalizes contemporary learning theories...". He further explains this through 8 elements.
1) focus on significant content that is derived from the standards and other concepts that are central to a discipline 2) develop 21st century skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration 3) engage students in in-depth learning where they ask questions, utilize pertinent resources, and ultimately come to conclusions 4) are organized around an essential question, which is often ill-structured and open-ended 5) motivate by helping students understand their need to have the knowledge, concepts, and skills that will be necessary to complete the project 6) allow students freedom to make choices in how they approach the project, an element that will vary according to the developmental level of the students and their previous experience with PBL 7) include opportunities for students to receive feedback in order to revise and reflect on what is being learned 8) present students to an audience beyond classmates and the teacher These 8 points are very important because as a teacher you always want your students to stay engaged and excited in and outside of the classroom. Backward Design is a teaching tactic that when you start a concept you have the end in mind. Bauer mentions the three stages of backward design. 1) learning outcomes 2) means of assessment 3) activities and structural procedures I find this useful as an educator because it is important that I view my students as individuals rather than a group. Each student will have individual needs and if you plan ahead then you should be more efficient. Technology differentiates students paths to success. Differentiation helps students have a more individualized and personalized path. In a performance ensemble differentiation can help bring different expressive elements to the creative process when figuring out the emotion of a piece. In an innovative music learning setting differentiation can help students and teachers learn from each other from different viewpoints and possibly different ways of looking at things. Learning is defined by Bauer to be contextual, active, social, and reflective. Learning is contextual as stated by Bauer: "Students make sense of new material in terms of the context within which it is presented, which is informed by their prior knowledge of the topic." (147) The most important part is that they have prior knowledge. Learning is active because people learn by creating and making their own ideas.. Learning is social because you can talk to your professor or colleagues. Learning is most effective in the transactional rather than linear model; instead of being lectured at, having a conversation about the topic. Learning is reflective because once you reflect on a topic you can begin to apply it.
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Bledsoe, R. N. (2015). Music Education for All?. General Music Today, 28(2), 18-22.
Summary In this article, Bledsoe, writes about his own experiences in high school as a saxophonist. He talks about how he valued large ensembles and all that entailed in current public music education. Bledsoe also recognizes that not everyone gets the same satisfaction or meaning out of the current music education programs offered in public education. He talks about how public education hasn't changed in many many years. Bledsoe brings up three other people who have excelled in music after secondary education. These three people are unique because none of them actively participated in an ensemble in high school for more than a year. These three people focused on electric guitar, voice (rockstar), and piano. All of these professions are not offered a place in the current curriculum. Yet all three of the students attended college with a focus in music. Bledsoe tells us that as music educators we need to be versatile in the genres of music we teach. He tells us of the instrument that no one wants to call an instrument, the computer. He also tells us that getting rid of large ensembles isn't the answer. Adding options and opening more opportunities is the best way to expand the music curriculum. Thoughts I agree that our current music curriculum is very westernized and narrowed. I stray from the fact that music teachers should be teaching multiple genres based purely on students interests. I think that if we cater to every students individual needs, a sense of curriculum will disappear. I think a better solution would be to have more electives that focus on things like making music through computers and how to excel on non westernized instruments. I think that Bledsoe was on the right track that we need to broaden, but I think broaden and expand is a better use of words. Music education needs to expand to the needs of the students. Music education needs to expand, not band specifically. When we look for the source of our problem in music education, its lack of funding programs. Why don't we hire rock singers, and electric guitar teachers. I don't necessarily think its because we don't think of them as musicians. I think its more because schools don't have the funding or opportunity to hire them. I understand that enrollment is down, but I don't think it directly links only to the lack of inclusion of all instruments. A lot of the time a decrease in enrollment is due to the style of teaching and the goals that teachers make for their programs. It the whole ego vs experiences problem. Students can learn more in a grade 2 piece than a grad 6 if you focus on the experience and not your own ego. The whole purpose of band is to come together and make music. When we lose sight of that and begin to put our own ego first, band becomes less fun. Questions What are some examples of ways we can include rock/hip-hop (non-"band") music in the classroom? What are some ways we can prepare future teachers to be versatile enough to be able to teach multiple genres? I believe that public education should function within a democracy to give all children the same opportunities. This may mean that we need to create a more individualized education to give students what they need. In music education standards are very difficult to regulate. Some band programs are only able to play Grade 3 repertoire, while others are sight-reading through Grad 6 rep. A big problem right now is VBODA state assessment. Many of the bands in the Northern Virginia section feel as if judges adjudicate more aggressively than in other parts of VA. There are 2 solutions to this problem. The first solution is to get rid of the name "State" assessment and individualize it by the band. The second solution is to have every band perform for the same judges. These solutions while seem extreme are the only possibilities that will fulfill a resolution. Special education is a program in which students who have learning disabilities are able to learn in individualized learning environments. Full inclusion of students is a current struggle due to the lack of professionals as well financial requirements. Even more so, standardized test begin to label students as a test grade rather than a percentage number. In small rural counties, public schools do not get the same amount of funding as schools located in urban areas. This gives the urban area kids with disabilities an unfair advantage with a better funded and better quality school. Public funding effect students directly by the amount of extra curricular activities and quality of lessons. Raising a child with a disability can be a very difficult task. The social aspects of making sure they aren't being taken advantage of are a job in itself. The five disability categories are cognition, communication, receptive and expressive languages, language and culture, behavioral, and emotional. Cognition is the ability for students to receive, interpret, and memorize information. Communication is pretty simple, it includes the ways people communicate with others. Receptive and Expressive languages is a disability in which people may be unable to express their thoughts due to the limits of their knowledge of language. Language and Culture is a disability in which a student may be unable to interpret a teacher because of their own upbringing. Behavioral disabilities include inappropriate behavior at wrong times, the inability to process and make decisions on how to act in the current environment. Emotional disabilities include depression, inability to socialize and form. relationships, and inappropriate behavior. A label-free approach to music education is a difficult task. I should preface this by saying I'm honestly still a tad confused on what it actually is. I think individualizing students learning is very important and it is important to understand and see the "labels" that students have. I think when you start calling students by their labels is when issues arise. I think that treating all students the same will definitely eliminate all labels but will also hurt the classroom vibe. Acknowledging that students all have different ways of learning, treating them all the same will prolong progress and may ultimately individualize and point out others inabilities. Lastly I think it is important to recognize individuals labels, but don't ever let their labels constrain what you think their potential is.
I was assigned to complete a reading by Ethan Hein entitled Playing (in) The Digital Studio.
Hein, E. (2017). Playing in the digital studio. In S. A. Ruthmannm & R. Mantie (Eds.). Oxford Handbook of Technology and Music Education (pp. 383-395). New York: Oxford University Press. While reading this article about how music teachers use technological innovations and appliances in the classroom, I found myself criticizing my current and previous music teachers. Hein speaks to the fact that there is a disconect between the classroom and modern culture. Most classically trained musicians view pop music as not "real" or not requiring talent because of autotune and other "natural" effects. I agree with Hein in that the only way music will progress is if we embrace the future and apply technology in youth from the start. He also points out that it is important to embrace pop culture as it does directly affect our lives in terms of advancements, civil rights, and other issues around the world. These topics listed above are outlets and reasons that we preform music. He talks a lot about the specifics of how studio recording has changed and how its abilities have merged into one responsibility and other tasks are now to be taken on. In 2011 "Marrington draws a contrast between the computer as a musical tool and the computer as a musical medium". A great example of this is using samples versus just using it to print and write out sheet music. "There's joy in repetition" stood out to me not only visually but philosophically in that I thought copy and paste was just very simple and to be honest, stupid. When in actuality it includes looping and creating very helpful playback tracks that can be incorporated in any level of classroom or any style of music. "Purchasers of computers are purchasers of an education" (Bell) While I think this is true I don't think that it is the only way you can educate yourself or the only way to advance in music. Overall this article really taught me to imagine and pursue beyond the limits of traditional use of technology in the music classroom and has expanded my knowledge of how computers can be useful in and outside of the classroom. Garageband iOS
Presumptions: Basic Understanding or appreciation/exposure to music Privileges: Create or program pre-recorded loops. Layer loops to create a jam/groove. Provisions: Special effects, EQ, reverb, splitting tracks, recording at different times, jam sessions Protections: Basic understanding or chord structure and harmony. Preventions: Staffed music AUMI
Presumptions: how to move your device
Privileges: you choose random rhythms and improvising Provisions: input midi, wide variety of musical instruments to choose from Protections: knowing what angle to hold your phone at Preventions: multiple notes at the same time, a selection of notes more than 5. Google Classroom
https://www.google.com/edu/products/productivity-tools/classroom/?utm_referrer=https:%2F%2Fclassroom.google.com%2Fineligible Google Classroom is a software similar to Canvas and Fairfax County's Blackboard programs. Google Classroom would allow me to upload sheet music, post assignments, have students submit audio and video recording playing tests so I wouldn't have to waste time testing. The resource is used by schools world wide and is sponsored by google. This would be used more as a communicative resource and educational assignment (grade book). This program has many positive reviews and while there are other programs that are similar, most people have a gmail and could just log on through that instead of creating a new account. The program is regularly updated and is very versatile and almost compatible with any type of computer. Depending on what you use the program for you may need microphones and video cameras that can hook up to the computer. This software is suited for any subject. All of the instructional information is located online but most of the program is self explanatory. nafme.org http://www.nafme.org/?s=technology This website could be very useful into searching into how music is evolving in education and how it will continue to help students grow and open new opportunities. nafme is a website that is constantly updated and serves as National Association for Music Education. nafme is controlled by many people and many different articles are uploaded by various authors. nafme will continue to evolve and branch out to more technological areas of the music world. This would be helpful to keep students interested in the evolution of music and different ways music affects peoples lives. Musescore https://musescore.com Musescore is a great reliable tool that allows students to create music of their own or to learn how to notate pop melodies. Musescore is a music software that allows for direct notation. Musescore would be used in my classroom for projects such as notating pop music, simplifying parts, and arranging for stand band. Musescore is also helpful for rewriting parts for special needs students. Because of the great band program I went through in high school I was given accesses to and used many different programs such as; Sibelius, Finale, Midi files, Wav Files, mp3 files, and Charms. Personally I've also used aiff files and different converters to lower the amount of space the file takes up.
I would like to know more about Sibelius and faster ways of inputing music. I would also like to learn more about the different technologies, (specifically makeymakey) and other soundboard and recording techniques. I would like to know if makeymakey could help with special ed students. When converting files is there a specific program to use other than audacity? |
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