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!
