PLN (week 15)

Last PLN of the semester!

Apollo's Fire, the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra! Next week they begin a series of concerts - Praetorius Christmas Vespers. I highly recommend checking it out. This is the third time Apollo's Fire has performed this really awesome program (yes, I'm biased... I get to sing in it!)

Getting to work with Apollo's Fire in high school and college has been a really important part of my experience as a musician. It's given me a greater appreciation for early music and the art of performance.

PLN (week 14)

Sorry it's a few days late... Thanksgiving and work have slowed me down!

I actually discovered this over Thanksgiving when we were visiting my aunt and uncle. My uncle helped develop the Morrison Digital Trumpet (or MDT), a brass-style MIDI wind controller invented and designed by Steve Marshall with the Australian instrumentalist James. Morrison.

Morrison Digital Trumpet info

My uncle playing the EVI.

Week 13 PLN

Interesting article... 10 Things Parents Don't Tell Teachers.

Looks like kind of a cool website too: TheApple - Where Teachers Meet and Learn.

Response to Assistive Technology

As future music educators, we need to have a knowledge of assistive technology, both music-related and non-musical. Technology like SoundBeam has amazing possibilities for all students - with or without disabilities. Something that especially appeals to me about SoundBeam is that it provides the opportunity for all students to create music in the same way - through motion. Diverse groups of students (including students with and without disabilities) could work together to create music in this unconventional and very creative way.

Week 12 PLN

Music Publishers' Association of the United States.

Relating to my other post about copyright and fair use, here's a link to the website for the Music Publishers' Association, including a Copyright Resource Center.

Response to Copyright reading

Wow. Copyright and fair use protections are tricky. I always knew they were, but I've never actually seen it laid out as comprehensively as this (and it wasn't even that comprehensive). The reading, Copyright and Fair Use in the Classroom, on the Internet, and the World Wide Web, gives introduction to copyright, fair use, and educational multimedia guidelines.

After reading this, I'm reasonably sure that many of my teachers (a particular history teacher's class leaps to mind) may have not been technically following the guidelines for copyright and fair use strictly to the letter. From what I can understand, using something for educational purposes doesn't necessarily make it okay.

As a future educator, I expect that the issue of copyright and fair use will come up over and over again. This article gives me a little bit of a better idea of what is and is not ethical... however, it even states that nothing is exactly black and white (obviously taking someone else's words and claiming them as your own is plagiarism, but fair use is something else altogether). Even still, it's probably better to be safe than sorry...

Week 11 PLN

Here's a neat little website aimed at the "global choral community." It looks like there's tons of resources available without any sort of subscription or anything.

ChoralNet: The Global Choral Community.

Response to "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants"

I just finished reading "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants" by Marc Prensky. For me, it raises a lot of questions, not all of which may have answers.

First of all, where do I fit? Am I a digital native or a digital immigrant? I'm inclined to say digital native, but computers, cell phones, and such haven't always been such an integral part of my life as they are today. I didn't grow up with my own computer or cell phone (as elementary and middle school children today have). I remember when if you wanted to reach someone, you called their house - now it's not at all uncommon for people not even to have home phone lines. I'm very attached to newspapers - printed newspapers, and I dislike doing reading online - if I have an article to read for class, I much prefer to print it out where I can physically interact with the text using a pen or pencil.

Secondly - is it better to be one or the other? Prensky explains both concepts, but I feel like he attaches a stodginess to the digital immigrant - like all digital immigrants are somehow caught in the past, nostalgic for the "good old days." I don't believe that's the case of all digital immigrants, only some. Obviously, someone who has grown up with the "new" technology is going to have different skill sets than someone who hasn't, but that doesn't mean that their skills should be devalued.

I dislike the concept that, as a digital native, I am somehow "unreachable" unless someone is flashing a computer screen in front of my face. I still read books for pleasure (when I'm not doing homework...). I understand how "reading, writing, arithmetic, logical thinking, [and] understanding the writings of the past" could be considered "legacy" content, but to discount all of these subjects as "important, but from a different era" and imply that they are less interesting to "todays students" simply because they are not new is unfair to todays students and assumes that we all place a) equal importance on technology and b) place technology at a level of importance above other things.

I am not anti-technology - far from it. I email daily, use Facebook, instant message, call and text people on my cell phone, listen to music on my MP3 player, etc. However, I think that Prensky is right in wanting to expand the educational use of technology, rather than just switch entirely to a technology-based educational system. We are in a position as educators to hand-pick technologies that we feel can enhance our students learning experiences and increase our ability to facilitate those experiences.

PLN (Week 10... seriously? It's week 10 already?!)

Senuti! (is iTunes spelled backwards!)

I decided to do a PLN on Senuti because I ran into Dr. Horvath this morning when I was signing up for an advising appointment and she was wondering if there was any way to get songs off your iPod onto your computer. In fact, there is! I'm always surprised that more people don't know about this application, as it's really handy and (from what I can tell, as long as you're only using it to move music that you own) legal!

Here's a link to the Wikipedia page about Senuti. If you use iTunes and have an iPod, it's pretty cool - and a useful tool to have if your computer should ever crash and you need to get your music back on from your iPod!

Response to Multimedia Basics

Wow. That was a LOT of information. Multimedia 101 in 4 articles or less...

Ok, so... do I now feel like I can go out and create fabulous Multimedia presentations/websites/anything I set my heart on?! Kind of. As I've learned in Vocal Methods and Pedagogy this semester, knowing how something works or knowing how to do something doesn't actually mean you're able to do it. However, I think I'm much better prepared to begin working with these components (text, pictures, sound, and video).

I found "Multimedia Basics: Understanding Moving Images" to be especially helpful. Digital video has always been something of a huge mystery to me and I feel like I understand it a little better now. I wish they had gone more into the different file formants, because that's what I really struggle with most. What's the difference between an .avi and a .wmv? A .mp4 and an .mpg? Why are some so much bigger than others? Why can I only edit some and not others?

I think this information will be useful to me as an educator should I ever want to put websites together. Also I bet it will be helpful for when I work more on my ePortfolio...

Response to Wiki videos

Wikis seem to be really, really useful. Having only used Wikipedia.org myself, I was previously ignorant of all the other Wiki options. I had encountered other Wiki websites (like Wiktionary), but I didn't realize that I could make my own Wiki. The videos were very easy to follow and helpful - I especially like the Wikis in Plain English video (from commoncraft).

Both Wikis and social networking sites (such as delicious) are extremely effective and concise ways of distributing information. I can personally think of several ways in which I could use Wikis at my current job (where I work with many volunteers and often encounter long, complicated chains of emails). I think one stumbling block for using Wikis efficiently is the problem of getting people into the idea of using them. It can be hard to convince people that using a Wiki would really be that much more efficient than email, but I truly believe that it can be. The other question is getting them to check the Wiki regularly - you could send an email reminder, but then that also raises the question "Well, why bother with Wikis if you have to send an email anyway?"

That being said, with groups where each member will be an active participant (or at least view it regularly) in the creation and modification of the Wiki, I think they could be really useful and save time. I could see a use for Wikis in the classroom - for helping distribute information to and from students and parents. Also, students could create their own Wikis when working on group projects (or the project itself could be to create a Wiki) - this might help solve the problem of one student getting stuck doing all the work because you can easily tell who has altered the Wiki and in what way.

This is technology I definitely see myself using. Delicious is neat, but I'm not sure how much I will use it... I may be proven entirely wrong there, but I'm just not certain.

PLN (Week 9)

I found another blog!

Bluebird's Classroom

"Musings and rants of a middle school teacher out to save the world, one student at a time..."

It seems to be pretty good - generally positive and upbeat, but still somewhat realistic. I think these teacher blogs are cool because it gives teachers an opportunity to express their frustrations and triumphs. It also gives other people (i.e. future teachers like me!) insight into their experiences and what it might be like to be a teacher.

Response to weekly readings (week 8)

I realized today that, for all the times I've seen Smart Boards in classrooms and such, I've never actually used one myself (or if I have, I haven't realized it). After reading these articles, I'm really curious... I'm going to have to find one and use it to see what it's like. I can imagine that they would be really useful - both the articles regarding interactive white boards suggested a multitude of uses for them.

I also thought the article on automatic accompaniment generators was really interesting. I've heard a lot about Band in a Box, but I've never used it. I'll have to ask my uncle about it - he works with MIDI and electronic wind controllers (his website if you're curious). I have used Smart Music before, and I think it's pretty cool. I definitely see uses for a it in Music Education - author John Kuzmich lists many such as accountability in practice and performance, instant feedback for students to improve their own practice, and students recording themselves in their home practice sessions and then being able to email them to instructors. One of the trickiest parts of Music Education is the evaluation component, and I'm generally in favor or anything that facilitates that process, such as Smart Music.

"One computer CAN deliver whole-class instruction" was another good article this week. It is important to remember there is plenty that can be done with a single computer, but I think Kassner makes having computers for every student almost sound like a disadvantage. I don't know that it would really present such a "perplexing array of pedagogical problems" as he says. Yes, having those resources takes different planning and a different skill set, but it can offer a different set of opportunities. Also, having a computer available for every student doesn't mean that you HAVE to use them all the time. I think that can be a problem - that teachers feel pressured to always use computers simply because they are there. That being said, I'm sure there IS pressure to use whatever technology is available because time and money was spent obtaining it (as Kassner mentions in the article). Hopefully it's possible to find a balance between the two extremes.

PLN (Week 7)

I found this blog through "So You Want To Teach." It's another blog of a young teacher that started out about how she wanted to quit, but after a while she learned she didn't want to quit after all. I haven't read too much of it, but I think I like it. She seems pretty positive, which is awesome.

Teacher, I Don't Get It

Response to "Picture This"

This article could not have come at a better time for me - I've been working recently on trying to figure out how to improve my breath management and support while singing. I decided after last week's class to try recording myself in Garage Band just to see if I could figure anything out by listening to a recording of my practice. What I discovered was amazing. Differences I couldn't HEAR while I was practicing between supported and unsupported sound were visually extraordinarily different. The waveform display on an unsupported phrase looked drastically different than when I was trying to support my sound better. It was the most encouraging breakthrough I've had as a musician personally in a while. Not being able to hear the difference between correct and... less correct is so frustrating. Discovering this tool was so helpful for me, I can't imagine NOT using it in an educational setting in the future.

Watson is very clear in his descriptions of waveform editing software and its uses. He suggests several different types of software available at different levels of detail, price, etc. and many different options for using it. I especially liked his idea of "letting your concert band hear what their seemingly innocent chatter sounds like each time you stop to work on something." I think recording students is really good motivation for focus and is so extremely helpful in working toward improvement.

"Sequence-stration" article response

This article was a little difficult to get through. It was full of technical information about the art of using sequencing software to create pleasing, musical sounds. And it really is an art, it seems. As someone with essentially no knowledge of how to use a sequencing program, it was a little too specific. I think it would be more helpful once I have a better sense of what I want to use sequencing software for. It sounds pretty amazing - using different synthesized sounds to create other specific sounds.

Before reading this article, I only had a vague concept of to what extent one can really manipulate the 128 General MIDI sounds to create or complement other sounds. Especially interesting was the concept of doubling parts an octave above or below what is written to reinforce the second partial - creating a specific acoustic that would not have been present otherwise in a synthesized representation.

I'm excited to learn more about synthesizing software - I think it could be so useful to me as an educator and in my personal practice. The idea of creating relatively realistic-sounding accompaniments that can be manipulated at will is pretty fantastic. As the author points out, having a MIDI/digital audio recording of accompaniments allows a classroom teacher to focus on something other than playing the piano (not that piano skills should be underemphasized - I still think that the ability to play the piano reasonably well is extremely important).

Something else from this article that appealed to me was the fact that MIDI data doesn't take up much space, so one can "create lots of tracks without needing the latest, fastest computer." That feature also makes it easier to post MIDI accompaniments online for students to practice with, something that I've personally found helpful. As far as music education in general, the possibilities are endless - it seems like sequencing software could be used in so many capacities and in virtually every music class imaginable. Something else that just occurred to me - rehearsal time is almost always lost when a music teacher has to be absent from class for some reason or another. Pre-recorded MIDI accompaniments combined with any number of other technological capabilities could enable a substitute with little or no musical training to help a group rehearse.

iTunes "Music and the Brain" (PLN)

This just popped up on my Facebook feed - it looks pretty cool!

"The Library's [Library of Congress] Music and the Brain events offer lectures, conversations, and symposia about the explosion of new research at the intersection of cognitive neuroscience and music. Project chair Kay Redfield Jamison convenes scientists and scholars, composers, performers, theorists, physicians, psychologists, and other experts at the Library for a compelling 2-year series, with generous support from the Dana Foundation."

Here's a link to this particular lecture series which you can download for free as mp3 files.

This is part of the iTunes U section of the iTunes story (which can be accessed through iTunes).

"iTunes U is a part of the iTunes Store featuring free lectures, language lessons, audiobooks, and more, that you can enjoy on your iPod, iPhone, Mac or PC. Explore over 200,000 educational audio and video files from top universities, museums and public media organizations from around the world. With iTunes U, there's no end to what or where you can learn." Learn more about iTunes U

Response to MIDI articles

I've only had a general idea of what MIDI was for some time now... I have a MIDI keyboard which connects to my computer through a MIDI cable (which I have not yet used), I've encountered MIDI files, etc. This article was helpful in deciphering what MIDI actually is, especially the comparison to a piano roll.

"MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a digital, non-proprietary hardware and software protocol for data communications among electronic musical instruments and computers."

"A common analogy is the player piano. The piano roll contains a description of the musical performance which is transmitted to the player piano through a mechanical process. The actual sound is created by the piano not the piano roll. Similarly, MIDI data produces no sound by itself. Instead MIDI data, like the piano roll, contains a description of the musical performance which, when received by a synthesizer, can be rendered as sound."

Dr. Estrella also includes a glossary, which I am certain I will refer to in the future (especially the near future of Music Technology class). Also helpful is the key may of general MIDI drums - something which any MIDI keyboard owner will probably find useful.

(quotations taken from the article, "Dr. Estrella's Incredibly Abridged Guide to MIDI")

In "The MIDI-Digital Audio Shuffle," article's authors debate the pros and cons of MIDI versus digital audio. They explain the difference between the two (MIDI is not actually a form of audio, but rather a set of instructions that allows hardware and software to communicate).

Both these articles would be helpful to music educators further exploring sequencing and recording technology. As a student only beginning to explore both facets, it's very helpful to have an explanation of what MIDI is, how it functions, and how it compares to digital audio, as well as a useful, brief reference guide. I feel like the more I work with MIDI, the better I will be able to utilize it in the classroom, as right now my understanding of the system is still much more theoretical than practical. It seems like there's so much you can do with it.

"This is a pen" PLN #4

I was checking out the cool PBS website - Music Instinct, and I found this activity, which I've done before as a game for theater arts or music camps (as a counselor and a participant). I taught a "rhythm week" of music classes at a theater camp where I worked this summer and I used this activity. The kids love it because it's challenging, sounds cool, and is just competitive enough to keep them interested, but not so hard that each person can succeed individually. Check it out!

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/musicinstinct/education/lesson-plan-2-weve-got-rhythm/introductory-activity/110/

Response to "Creative Thinking and Music Technology"

This article was informative and upbeat; author Peter Webster offers a multitude of useful ways to use technology creatively in the classroom.

Some of the ideas he presented I thought would be particularly useful, such as using ear training software during class or rehearsal. Ear training is extremely important and something I wish I (and my classmates) would have had more training in during high school. Pulling individual students out to work with these programs takes minutes each day, but I would imagine the rewards for additional ear training are enormous.

Another technology Webster mentions which I have personally found to be helpful is accompaniment software online - used for posting MIDI files on a website. I have used this with Case Concert Choir and it has been very helpful for songs or passages needing additional work outside of class. For a high school or middle school level ensemble, this could be an invaluable resource for students and a huge time-saving tool for teachers.

The second half of the article discusses technological outlets for creative thinking for students, such as etude/scale construction, writing a rap, scoring a film, creating musical toys, multimedia presentations, and writing listening blogs. I especially like the rap-writing and film-scoring ideas, because I think it would attract a different genre of typically under-served student musicians (especially those also less interested in performing).

I really appreciated the stress Webster places on the importance of using technology creatively. I know I've said this before and it's been echoed by my classmates, but the use of technology does not always make a lesson better. Very often, it can make it worse. It is so important for those using technology in education that we understand thoroughly how to use it, can troubleshoot basic problems, and use it only when it can enhance or facilitate the learning process. A poorly planned/executed lesson that utilizes technology is still a poorly planned/executed lesson.

This article was a refreshing, optimistic look at many of the positive effects the use of technology in music education can have.

Mozart Effect (PLN)

Here's another interesting article from Music Matters: A blog on music cognition.

New evidence for the Mozart effect?

This post is about a study published online which provides evidence "that music exposure facilitates neuroplasticity in rats." Basically, that "enriched sound environment" (i.e. music) helps aid recovery from brain damage. Unfortunately, there's no way to test this without first damaging the brains of the rats, which I'm still not sure how I feel about...

Everything I learn about music and the brain fascinates me. I wish I had time to learn more about it (maybe a topic for research in later study?) because I think it's extremely important. Music is so much more than entertainment, something all musicians already know, but studies like this one help give empirical evidence which proves this fact.

Personal Learning Network - Music Matters

While perusing Google Reader again this evening, I took a look at a blog, "Music Matters - A blog on music cognition." I found this entry containing a video of Oliver Sacks (neurologist, anthropologist and author of "Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain") on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart talking about why musical training should be part of early education.

Check out the blog entry which includes the video here.

I think it's awesome that this topic is being discussed (even in a lighthearted manner) on a popular television show. I haven't read "Musicophilia" yet, but I bet it would be a great resource as well, maybe even for the support of music programs in school.

Response to Notation Software Article

Having just read "Notation Software: A Versatile Tool for Music Educators" by C. Floyd Richmond, I now have a greater understanding of how notation software can be used in the classroom. Richmond describes 6 ways that notation software can be directly applied to educational settings: arranging projects, composition projects, analysis of existing pieces, listening activities, testing, and performance practice. I personally have used notation software for arranging, composition, and performance practice. With regard to performance practice, I have used SmartMusic, which is a great tool for performers to use for practice when an accompanist is not available.

I think that this article presents very clearly and coprehensively a multitude of uses for notation software, many of which I hadn't ever heard about or thought of. Using notation software for testing seems especially innovative. Anything that gets students more actively involved with the subject matter, even in testing their knowledge, I think is a good thing. Something else that occurred to me while reading the testing section - music notation software and other technologies open up a world of possibilities for students with physical disabilities.

I definitely plan on investigating the Classical Archives website Richmond mentions several times throughout the article. I haven't had much time to explore it yet, but just perusing it briefly, it looks pretty cool.

By outlining a multitude of specific uses for music notation software, this article is a great starting point for educators looking to begin using notation software themselves and in their classrooms. I want to try to fully utilize all technology available to me when I begin teaching and this article is full of great ideas for just that.

Noteflight - Bicycle Built for Two

Here's my most recent assignment - entering "Bicycle Built for Two" into Noteflight, a free music notation program at www.noteflight.com.

Bicycle Built for Two

Harry Dacre

Sorry I can't seem to make it any faster... it feel slow at this tempo.

BUT...

Noteflight is absolutely fantastic! It's an amazing tool for anybody - music educators, performers, composers, etc. It's so easy to enter music, edit it, listen to it, reorganize, add lyrics or additional notation. Students could use Noteflight to compose or arrange music (among other things). It is also a very useful tool for a Music Theory class. I know I'll personally be using it in my theory classes in the future.

Exploring my Personal Learning Network!

I was perusing my Google Reader page when I came across this post from the blog "So You Want To Teach?"

But Wait, That Wasn't In My Job Description

http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com/but-wait-that-wasnt-in-my-job-description/

Take a moment to read it. It's definitely worth it.

We are often told that, as beginning teachers, we have to take what we can get, as far as positions are concerned. The more well-prepared you are, the better, sure, but even the most talented, well-educated, inspired teacher can get stuck in a less than ideal situation.

This article responds to an email from a "First year who was hired as a part-time choral director" who "really didn't want to start out in inner-city education, but it was all that was available." Again, less than ideal. The author of the blog, Joel (a band teacher) offers insightful and useful advice. He doesn't say that working in that situation will be easy, because it's not. But he does offer constructive ways to move the students and the program forward. The most important theme seems to be remembering to take baby steps, and to respect your students' abilities as well as your own.

This is a resource I would use as a first year teacher. I'm interested in reading more of this blog.

Reaction to A Conceptual Framework for Technology - Assisted Music Learning

My reaction to "A Conceptual Framework for Technology - Assisted Music Learning" by Dr. William I. Bauer.

Technology (especially the Internet and, of course, computers) is obviously an extremely important part of our everyday lives... as is evidenced by the fact that I am writing this blog, and you are reading it.

Something that frustrates me in the integration of "technology" into the classroom is that so often if feels forced. I strongly agree with Dr. Bauer in that "technological approaches... should only be incorporated when there is clear benefit to learning" (10). How many mindlessly dull Powerpoint presentations have we all sat through under the guise of "learning through technology?"

In order to utilize technology effectively in the classroom, the instructor must have a expert understanding of his or her subject (pedagogical content knowledge) as well as a functional knowledge of the technology, and, finally, an ability to create an educational relationship between pedagogical content knowledge and the technological approaches.

I appreciated how this article was able to help me understand why it's so important not only for me as a student to learn about technology in music, but as an educator to learn how to effectively use that technology for the betterment of my students AND how to instruct the students themselves in the use of that technology (notation software, music production, etc.).

I learned a new acronym today too! TPACK - Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge. TPACK is a sophisticated representation of all the possible combinations of the 3 different "types" of knowledge: technological, pedagogical, and content. By understanding how each "type" of knowledge interacts with the others, educators can more effectively select technology, pedagogical technique, and content for themselves and their students.

It seems a little confusing right now, but I understand the gist of it, and I am rapidly beginning to appreciate the skill and planning it takes to incorporate all three aspects into a lesson. I think part of my confusion stems from an initial inability to really comprehend how this will affect me as an educator, but part of the goal of this class (Technology-Assisted Music Teaching and Learning) is to give me a better understanding of just that. I know this information will help me enormously, I just don't have a concrete idea of how yet...