Matt has a point... iphones and conclusions

Matt has a point...
Matt and I are both music students studying instrumental music method as well as classroom music method. On his most recent blog, Matt mentioned that he had bought an iphone. He remarked that some of the applications are very useful for learning things like aural training in music. I too have an iphone and I have found that also to be the case.
One of the incredibly important aspects of the iphone is its immediacy; its accessibility. Personally speaking, since having the iphone I have made use of the applications such as 'music theory pro' to keep my aural skills (requirement for musicians and music teachers alike) up to scratch (it takes practice - for me anyway). This is a fantastic application which allows people to practice their aural skills such as recognition of intervals, chords and scales - building blocks of music theory. These days, a lot of students actually have iphones, ipads or access to them which means that the learning task of aural theory (which can often be seen as boring and tedious) can become more engaging for them. Infact Often the aural training within the subject of music can seem quite daunting. Programs such as 'music theory pro' make these skills more accessible - it turns the learning in to a kind of a game. This is another example of how ICT can become part and parcel of learning rather than an isolated 'subject to cover'.

In some of John's very first lectures during this semester of ICT, he spoke about the importance and the relevance of integrating ICT into learning rather than relegating it to a subject on its own. John spoke about working through ICT in order to learn. Indeed my conclusion in reflecting on the course this semester is just that: rather than boxing it in to a corner, the use of ICT should be integrated within the subjects taught. Perhaps in some ways its position is kind of like that of written and aural literacy, in that we are taught that all teachers are teachers of literacy, not just english or language teachers.  For example in every subject, a student is expected to write a report/essay/composition/some kind of assessment etc. Literacy skills are used for each one of those. The teachers responsibility is to recognise their role in developing the students literacy in these contexts. The way that ICT is similar is that it can be used through out any or every subject taught at school. So something else that I have learnt is that there are a plethora of programs, blogs, sites etc which educators are able to use to teach or help teach their subject area. If teachers allow their students the chance to use ICT to learn/complete assignments etc, they are a) Giving the student an alternative way of learning (which may suit different intelligences of students idea of Howard Gardner) b) Developing a students ICT skill level - highly relevant in 21st century work places c) Helping students to explore the VELS ICT for Visual thinking, ICT for Creating and ICT for Communication.

Comment on Sam's blog : http://samantha-gonzales-ict.blogspot.com/
 

Hi Sam,

I was really interested in what you were saying about ICT being an ‘un-confrontational’ way of taking important risks in the learning process. I can definitely relate to that in the music class. As I mentioned on my blog, there are music programs on the computer that really lend itself to risk taking – essential for creative development of musical ideas. The fact that the students are able to use composition software that allows them to trial things, then delete is an important element of the learning process.

What I’d particularly love to discuss here is your idea of getting the students to create their own blog, using stories and images. It is a deceptively simple idea, but one which I think would be very effective. What you are doing by setting this task is allowing the students to connect with the new information they’ve learnt in a ‘personal ‘way – they get to create their own page and hence connect it to their own identity, likes and dislikes. The language which you introduce to students in your classes opens up a new world for them. Music is often thought of as a ‘language’ as well, which also opens a whole new world to students.

It is important for students in this day and age to begin a ‘relationship’ with the computer, so that they may eventually use music composing software etc. In order to get students interested in the subject of music, they need to personally connect with the subject.  In the music class the way I would approach it is to ask the students to create a blog with perhaps some of their favourite youtube clips of songs, lyrics, profiles of their favourite musicians. This would help to galvanise their involvement in the world of music, and hence keep them engaged to learn more - hopefully!

check out how science teacher used a music track to teach about scientific method

I was searching around on the net, and I found this awesome homemade video filmed in a classroom... The soundtrack to the video has been created by the science teacher, 'Mr Duey'. He wrote and produced a rap and track about the scientific method. Its really catchy (in my opinion :). He talks about what the scientific method, and then gives an example of the scientific method by proving that using a music track helps students to learn. Its awesome.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWpJOVcHFrI&feature=related

VELS and ICT - my experience...

From Assignment 1, statement 1:
ICT provides a rich and flexible learner-centred environment in which students can experiment and take risks when developing new understanding.

I have chosen the above statement because I believe it is pertinant to my experience within the realm of teaching one of my methods i.e. classroom music. I have found the use of technology in the classroom particularly relevant for teaching the subject of composition and so I would like to reflect on this while relating my experience to the above statement as well as all three dimensions of ICT in VELS two of which I have stated and commented on below (The words relating directly to the statement on VELS used from the Assignment 1 for ICT, I have put in bold).

2 of the dimensions of ICT in VELS from the DEECD website:
1) In ICT for visualising thinking, learners use ICT to represent their thinking visually, helping them clarify ideas, make connections, identify patterns and reflect on their thinking in all areas of the curriculum."
The above statement is very true for my experience in teaching elements of composition to year nine students. One element of composition, is the concept of 'layers of sound'. This is particularly relevant to modern day sound scape type compositions, pop music and to all composition styles. I found  the use of a music program such as garage band highly productive in enabling students to get an understanding of this concept. For example in one lesson, I played a relevant piece of music to them and asked them to tell me the layers they heard within the piece, while a student wrote the responses on the board in the form of a kind of grid. My questions were what instrument played first, next etc? How many layers/instruments were playing at once etc. The next task was to the idea of layers of sound, while at the same time exploring garage band. Garage band is particularly good for this exploration because it allows the student to have a visual representation of the layers of music as it is being constructed. It relates directly to the ICT for Visual thinking dimension. Also because of the nature of the program on the computer, the students are able to trial ideas and take risks, then delete the ideas if they are not happy with what they have created. This relates directly to the heading statement of this post (taking risks in learning) and is invaluable for a learning student, especially within the creative arts area, where its all about being able to explore, experiment and create (Exploring and responding - one of the dimension in 'the Arts' VELS). Students must be able to take risks while in the learning stage of composition, and as well as while learning to use a program such as garage band.

2) In ICT for Creating, ICT environments, tools, functions and techniques add new possibilities for learning as learners use ICT to solve problems and create information products across all VELS levels and domains.
It is my experience that the use of programs such as garage band, opens up the concept of 'layers of sound' to the student and hence one of the fundamental concepts for composition to the student, in a way that only a computer program like that can do. As stated in previous paragraph, it allows the student to see the concept in front of their very eyes (a visual representation), and by making this concept accessible to the student, it consequently opens the student to an understanding of the concept of layers within other genres of music, not just the one that they may have been exploring in. It can act, amongst other things, as a bridge to learning and solving problems within the genre, which they may not have had prior to using such technology. A program such as garage band, is student centred because it allows the student to approach composition from a simple concept in a genre relevant to their age group using technology which they are familiar with or at least seem to learn with easily.

I found the use of a program such as 'garage band' invaluable in teaching fundamental concepts of composition. It allowed the students to understand a somewhat abstract idea, in a helpful visual way, and it gave the students the room to experiment and learn through trial and error by taking risks which is part and parcel of the creative process anyway. Technology in this case, served  the purpose of not only fulfilling ICT dimensions but also the dimensions within the VELS of the Arts.

References:

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development website -
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/teachingresources/ict/default.htm
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/teachingresources/ict/visualising/default.htm
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/teachingresources/ict/creating/default.htm
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/teachingresources/ict/communicating/default.htm

Victorian Essential Learning standards website-
http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/arts/structure.html



NB. The third dimension stated in ICT VELS is:
3) In ICT for Communicating, students use online environments and tools to locate relevant, reliable information to support their learning and inquiry across VELS domains. They build, communicate and share information and knowledge through ICT and the internet.
Learners also develop and implement effective protocols and ways of communicating online for different purposes and audiences. They learn to collaborate and build knowledge in teams in contemporary, connected learning environments, including globally.

Interactive white boards

Its a revolution!! Finally a chance to 'physicalise' learning and teaching. I think this way of physically interacting with the technology is particularly appealing to my certain method of learning. I'm pretty much a kinesthetic learner and so to be able to interact so directly using the body (not just the fingers) and the mind is exciting. I think the benefits of the whiteboard for students learning are high.

Photoshop

Its obviously very beneficial to have a really good grip on using photoshop. For teaching purposes, it can allow one to present topics in an imaginative and creative way, as well as organised and inspiring way for students. It also allows students to engage with the subject area through a different medium. To engage with the subject through many different mediums which may be familiar with student (eg photoshop), and via many different perspectives can allow student to truly take ownership of the subject being studied.

Block Placement

During my block placement I have seen that information technology is used mainly for composition For example students are given the opportunity to explore music programs such as Sibelius, to help with composition and notation literacy. In my last school, the computer was used a lot during 'normal classroom' teaching. For example, myself and other teachers would show Youtube video clips, or use laptops to play pieces to the students which they would then use for analysis etc. In this placement, I have not witnessed any use of Information technology within those classes that are not specifically for 'composition'.

week 3 - Creating video presentations

This was an interesting week for me. We have been given many examples within our music method class, about how useful video can be for our subject for example in areas of composition or performance. I.E It is useful for students to be able to create works and record works, but it is also very useful for the teacher  for the purposes of assessment. I find it a bit frustrating to not be able to use the mac computer, but then I am also grateful for the opportunity to learn on the PC because there are many schools out there that use PC - so I should be able to navigate my way around them.

week 2...

Week number 2...

This week we were shown how to use the movie maker in the tutorial. Taking in to consideration what John said in his lecture about different styles of learning, I ask myself - what is my style of learning? What is my favourite style of 'expression'. These two styles are linked surely? Do they have a direct correlation? Also, does my style of learning gel with the way that I am using computers at the moment?

While interacting with movie maker, I started to realise that I may enjoy the process of learning more about using this medium because I often relate to visual communication/visual aids for learning and so,  engaging with the visual video medium may help me to express something in a way that I haven't yet been able to express.

However I find the details of learning the program a little bit frustrating i.e. you learn how to do one thing but immediatly after that you start struggling with the next thing that just 'wont work'! For example I learnt how to drag a photo into movie maker but then struggled with finding a way of shortening the length of the clips.

Some points from John's 2nd lecture:

• The only thing worse would be to make technology "invisible," preventing children from even being aware of their ignorance." Monke, L. W. (2006)  - i.e. not about integrating technology - that can make it invisible - piano/car example
• "If I don't 'integrate' a computer in things I do outside the classroom, but I do 'integrate' it inside one, then whatever I am doing with it there is probably not authentic".
• "...there exists a multitude of intelligences, quite independent of each other; that each intelligence has its own strengths and constraints; that the mind is far from unencumbered at birth; and that it is unexpectedly difficult to teach things that go against early 'naive' theories that challenge the natural lines of force within an intelligence and its matching domains."
•  "The point about all this is that computers can often cater for all sorts of intellectual styles and approaches to thinking - at least, expressions of thought. (VELS: Visualising thinking??) That's the individual angle - computers usually offer everyone a starting point that suits their cognitive leanings."
• Riding, with collaborators who include Cheema and Raynor, considers that there are two independent 'dimensions' to the way people think and make sense of the world: Wholist-Analytic and Verbal-Imagery
• John says this is one of the scariest things a teacher can be faced with, because it is a graphical (and graphic!) reminder that all the kids in their class have minds that work in different ways and along different paths. And as a teacher you have to allow for that, and use it.
• "Work expressed in words is almost always valued over work expressed in pictures. All qualities of an Analytic-Verbaliser mind." 
• "...in Lecture One I suggested that making a film required a very wide range indeed of abilities and interests. It also requires a wide mix of Cognitive Styles and Intelligences."
• "...And understanding your audience begins with an understanding of how they best learn."
• "ICT won't solve your educational problems, but it can help broaden the ways in which your students can learn and live and invent and create and cooperate and publish."

Welcome! First lesson...

My first day of blogging has been a fun challenge. I have to admit though, I feel a bit behind other students. "Surely I'm supposed to know how to blog and how to use powerpoint magnificantly, by now", I ask my self? I mean, I have already completed a degree and I have been using the computer for quite a few years. However, today was the first day I had ever tried to set up a blog. I felt a sense of achievement even though the task was pretty simple. Sense of achievement, is good!
What I've realised is that I need to keep alert in the classes, so as not to miss a thing the tutor is saying (In this first lesson every now and then I lapsed in to my own thoughts and then found myself back in the class but two steps behind...this was not condusive to good learning).
I understand that I will need to catch up on quite a bit of knowledge in order to be able to utilise the technology to its potential (as much as that is possible) for my subject area -music. I was really  impressed by one of the guest lecturers for music, who showed us many ways that technology can be used within the music classroom. One of those tools, was the chance for students to set up blogs and post video presentations about certain musical subjects, rather than having to write an essay or present in class. The lecturer had explained that the student was 'anti-class presentation', and yet he excelled in the blog presentation.Ultimately I would like to be able to offer my students a variety of ways for them to present their work and their understanding of topics. The more I know about the technology and what it can offer, the more opportunity I can give to my students to learn in a way that is best suited to them individually.
First things first -get comfortable with the blog and powerpoint medium. The only way that happens is to just 'get in there' and try things out.