Week 2 Discussion Deeper - Podcasts in Education

There are quite a few podcasts, I browse through. The content has given my personal information in my own education and a lot can be passed on to either colleagues or students depending on the lessons. Podcasts are also a great addition to texts and can enhance reading assignments. Here are some of my subscriptions:

Live in Concert from All Songs Considered: http://www.npr.org/templates/rss/podlayer.php?id=1039

Ok, NPR does offer positive programming. If only they would do this in the morning. (refer to my blog about waking to NPR) What a source to add to your music collection as well. Sounds and sights of live performances from a variety of music styles. I use this tool in songwriting courses, music theory and appreciation as it is a free source of music discussed in these classes. 

Instructional Design Network: feed://feeds.feedburner.com/idnetwork

Also found in the iTunes store, this is a great source of things we have learned here at Full Sail. Dr. Deason’s screen flow videos and tutorials are easy to follow and a great qucik reference of how to use the tools we need in the classroom. 

Music and the Brain: http://www.loc.gov/podcasts/musicandthebrain/index.html

I used this as a source for my thesis. I also recommend browsing this site as there are great sources for all subjects and topics in the Library of Congress Podcasts. 

NOLO: http://www.nolocast.com/

I have used topics in NOLO’s podcast for a number of issues. Some in training new officers of my Local to what some of the labor laws are. I have also used them for copyright information and other basic legal information I was looking for. 

Week 2 Response to Jedi Master Cindi

I often forget about the parenting role teachers often take. I think this happens more for those of us that coach or run extra curricular activities. I often call my students, my kids. This idea you bring up resonates with me and is an aspect I often put on the back burner. It relates to Zander’s story of the girl throwing the starfish back. We also have to remember at times that we can’t save them all but should revel in the moments we have. 

Rule #6 has always been with you, even in those trying times with outside forces. It is the realization to put it into practice that is the challenge. So, from now on, quit breaking the rules. 

Cindi Jobe: Week 2 - Contribution, Leading and Rule #6

Coaching Soccer - Leading, Contributing and of course, Rule #6!

How much greatness are we willing to grant? How will I contribute? What will my commitment be to the task at hand? How seriously should I take myself? Can I laugh at myself and can I admit my mistakes? These are a few of the questions that Zander brings up and these are questions that I have asked myself on more than one occasion as an art teacher or coach, but also as a parent. Many times in my life these roles have intertwined and overlapped because kids need parenting whether they are yours or not. 

I do know that things change and meaning is made when we care enough to invest ourselves in the process at hand. When we trust in the people with whom we are working, teaching or coaching, we often gain more than what we invested. I find, like Benjamin Zander that it also helps to put yourself aside sometimes and just concentrate on the task at hand. Don’t try to lead, just try to make the opportunity available, be supportive, and see what happens. Usually, amazing things happen when we least expect them because we aren’t being super-critical, super-sensitive, or hyper-vigilant.

I really like Zander’s Rule #6: Don’t take yourself so goddamn seriously! I wish that I had know about this rule when I was younger and would ride the volleyball referee when I was coaching, or couldn’t let of go of a bad loss when I was a head women’s soccer coach, or when my son, daughter or husband would do something I disliked.

As a woman of over 45, I now “get” this rule, and find myself living within my emotional means more often than being too serious. I always assumed that this “enlightenment” came with age and that the “zen” attitude I had fostered in my midlife was something I had grown into. Now that I think about it, although this observation is somewhat true, I am finding that I have learned Rule #6 from other great people in my life who have modeled it for me. 

Week 2 Reading Reflections - Leading from Any Chair and Rule #6

What a pleasure it is to have this book remind me of the things I have learned as a musician, and band leader. My first full time teaching job was to build a music program. I entered this first year with five students enrolled in the program. This includes band, chorus, and the general music classes. I knew the challenge I had ahead of me, and embraced this challenge. Three yeas into the program I was able to grow a non-existent program into a small, talented one. This third year I was given the challenge of taking the performing groups to a graded festival. A graded festival (for the non-music teachers in the crowd) is where the group performs in front of a panel and the performance is graded based on a variety of standards. I reluctantly caved to the pressure of taking my young groups to this festival but needed to make the best of it. Here are stories I could add to the chapters. 

Story number one comes from the jazz band. As a band leader I would often perform with my students. My philosophy is, and has been, teach by example as often as possible. This also made for a team effort in my jazz band. Every student would take a solo and have say in the overall sound of the group. Since instructors are not permitted to perform in the festivals there were two things that needed to take place. I needed to reassign my instrument parts so the music was covered, and I needed to lead the group in a different way. The reassigning of parts took time, leading was easy. As the leader, I kept the same style as I did when playing with the group. I counted off he start of the song, then got out of the way so the players could be musicians. The first remark given to the jazz band from the adjudicator was, “Thank your director, he gets out of your way and lets you play”. The rest of the comments went to the students and the soloists when they took their turn to lead the group musically. 

The second story is from the same experience except with my concert band. The concert band I had at the time was smaller than an average jazz big band. There were 18 students in my concert band. In order to get the sound out of the band I needed, I spent time arranging parts to the player I had so all of the important aspects of the music were covered. I then had the challenge of balancing the sound. One of my players was a very strong clarinet player. The problem was he would overpower the rest  of the woodwind players as he was the strongest. He approached me looking for ways to help boost confidence in the other players and asked how he could tone down to blend. I moved his spot from the traditional first chair to somewhere in the middle of the band as though he would be a third part section player. The student who was the weaker player then took that first chair part. I also did this with the rest of the band. This physical arrangement put my strongest players right next to my weakest ones and the level of the weaker players rose because of this inner-group leadership. The player who now sat in the traditional  first chair spot became the band leader of sorts in the traditional ways of the group. This led to successes of the group that I did not think were possible. 

Imagine if all leaders would just get out of the way for a moment. Let those who are working under them to let their talents shine through and help the large group succeed. What if the quietest person became the leader of aspects? Moving the leaders to different sections or even changing the leaders and roles will add a whole new dynamic to a group, a class, or a corporate team. 

Those that know me, know I live by Rule #6. A past student of mine, who is now teaching, asked me recently if it was ok to crack up laughing when a student of hers did something really silly that made the class laugh. I asked her how many times we laughed in the classes she took of mine and she came back with lots of stories and remembering things learned in that atmosphere. Yes, things get rough at times. I always go by the case of what is the worse that can happen. Then I just laugh because most of what I stress out about, really isn’t all that important in the larger scheme of things. I’m glad we had the opportunity to be reminded of these things at a stressful time. 

Photos from: http://www.musicgraphicsgalore.net

Week 2 Discussion Post #2 - New CD Technology

The first question for this post is one I really want to answer but really can’t remember the first song that touched me on an emotional level. Maybe there have been, or are too many. 

I do remember when CDs were introduced and the price difference. The story was that CDs were just going to be a fad and not last long. The price dropped slightly, but we really need to take in account inflation to really figure that out in exact numbers. There are a few CDs I have purchased that are the same albums I have on vinyl or cassette. I have not purchased music I own on CD in mp3 format though and have not had to purchase the same song more than once. I actually end up downloading full albums when I have the chance. 

My funny story with the change to digital is with my first original recording experience. My band at the time spent a few months in the studio to release our debut album. At the time, cassettes were what was being made. Once we completed our sessions, spliced tape, and sent it off for duplication, the studio we recorded use the money to buy digital recording equipment. I spent a few days playing with this new technology, then had to listen to my cassettes. At least we don’t have to splice tape anymore. 

Week 2 Wimba - Wimbas are cool, archives are a let down

The topic of group collaboration is what really makes a Wimba Session. Watching the archive is a great way to get the information covered, but it is like watching your friends play outside from your bedroom window while you are in bed sick. I really did miss the chat and banter as I went through the archive and thought about just typing all of my comments and having everyone guess where the conversations were. 

Anyway, I did gain a sense of relief (sort of) through the session. Completing 75% of the media project by Monday the 22nd doesn’t seem so bad. I even scheduled how to get it done. Now I just need to figure out the thesis paper aspect. I really wish our class would get a bit of a break and this paper would be due on the 28th instead. Especially since we missed the month 9 introduction of getting the media project done. At least I can dream. 

One question that came up as I watched was, what are the other 2 things that the review panel looks at? Joe said there were 4 and mentioned the thesis paper and the media project. My guess is one s the content proposal, is the 4th the presentation? I guess we will learn all about it next month. I did like the brief passing statement of blogging v writing a paper, I need to pass this along to a somewhat hesitant English teacher. 

Some of the other things of note took place within the context of the conversations. I really need to get Donna’s eye strain exercises as the strain is an issue for me these past few days. I really appreciate the listing of the proposal due date and find it really funny that a lot of people misread it. “Due the next tomorrow” This is going to be a line I use often. It works well on an A/B schedule. It is sad that the copyright sessions are not happening. I have a lot of experience with the law and still learned quite a bit in the sessions last month. I highly recommend going through the website to my classmates as it is pulled together in plain English and highly organized. 

Just to push the buttons, I often like to with the classmates, I’ll end by saying Joe’s shirt was cool.

Week 2 Project - Content Proposal

I. THESIS ABSTRACT

Abstract

Literacy is a common foundation and goal throughout all subject areas of education; it is also a skill in which most music students are deficient. Sight reading standard musical notation is a skill in which every musician must become proficient should they wish to further their career opportunities. By comparing how students learn language, and how to read that language to learning music and how to read music, music educators can develop ways to help their students become better sight-readers. Along with some traditional practice techniques, music educators can use technologies available to help students work on their rudimentary skills. Ideas educators can explore are the use of networking, social media, and games that can help students develop their skills.

II. Introduction

            The incorporation of music training, from preschool through postsecondary education, is common in most nations because it is considered a fundamental component of human culture and behavior (Yudkin, 2008). Music education develops fine motor skills in students who play instruments, and it also expands cognitive development through recognition and interpretation of musical notation. This education takes place in classes and in individual, life-long learning contexts. Amateur musicians typically take lessons to learn rudiments and skills from a beginning through intermediate level. Professional musicians continue their education in order to keep their knowledge and technique of these rudiments fresh. 

            Many formal and informal methodologies have been developed through time in order to help teach these techniques and rudimentary skills to various levels and ages of students. Each method has its own approach to reach the common goal of instrument technique and basic understanding of the language of music. Recent cuts in funding for music programs in the schools have left most students on their own to learn basic skills. Although the methods and lesson books allow for this type of self-education, music students trying to turn music into a career are struggling in the work field due to the lack of time spent on basic music literacy skills.

Problem Addressed

            Music educators must provide a way for students of all levels and abilities to achieve the goal of literacy. Although each instrument involves unique techniques to acquire sound, each instrument’s sound is represented in the same standard written language. Some of our modern and more popular instruments can be learned through a variation of standard notation. These variations are instrument-specific, and students who only learn under these variations run into difficulty communicating musical ideas with other instruments that cannot function under these variations.

            Educators need to look at ways to motivate students of modern instruments to practice this skill by altering methods traditionally used with other instruments. Incorporating traditional practice techniques with new technologies, music educators can help students develop their skills and keep live music working conditions in the future. This media project will demonstrate lessons using these technologies for one instrument, and offer a template for similar lessons and tools to be used for all instruments.

Target Audience

Students of musical instruments may begin their education at any age; this needs to be considered when teaching and developing programs. A thirty-year-old student may be at the same musical level as a seven-year-old; these two students essentially have the same desire and goal to achieve on their instrument, but their developmental levels also need to be considered. These two students also are learning the same rudiments of music, but there needs to be a variety of ways to present these based on the student’s developmental level.

            This project is designed to offer interactive lessons for music students of all ages and abilities, with the goal of improving their music reading skills. The majority of the lessons offered will be aimed specifically at guitar students, but will offer a template of lessons to be created for other instrumental students as well. The introduction of the tools through this project is aimed toward other educators as an aid in planning ways to reach their students through the use of technology.

Sharing the project

Lessons are created with Udutu, Flash, iMovie, Garage Band, iWeb, and the Ning Social Network. My plan to share the project is to build a web site to either hold or launch the lessons depending on the format created. Each lesson will have its own dedicated page with an explanation of the lesson. Each page will also embed the lesson or have a hyper-link to where the created lesson exists.

III. Goals and Objectives

Instructional Goal

            The goal of this project is to offer a variety of lessons for students to develop basic music skills necessary to become proficient sight-readers of standard notation. Students will build upon their basic skills in rhythm recognition, performance, and composition; instrument-specific techniques; melodic composition and performance; and harmonic composition and performance. Instructors will also be able to use this project to enhance their lessons and build upon the templates demonstrated for other instruments. The focus on standard notation in the lessons given will aide in reducing the deficiency in the skill of sight reading most beginning and intermediate students demonstrate.

Learning Domain

            This instruction fits into the cognitive and psychomotor learning domains. The cognitive aspects of the lessons are the retention of the musical symbols, understanding of the meaning and function of each symbol, knowledge of where notes are located on the instrument, and how to put all of these basic skills together. The dexterity and physical demands of a musical instrument fall under the psychomotor domain. The practice exercises of this project will require a combination of both domains.

Learning Objectives

            As a result of the lessons in this project, students will be able to identify musical symbols written in standard notation. Students will also be able to recall the location of notes on their instrument. Through composition exercises, students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of musical symbols and transcribe them in writing. Through the sharing in the social networks, students will also be able to read and perform the compositions of others. Students will be able to perform basic skills on their instrument as a result of the practice exercises in the lessons. Instructors will be able to include these online tools in their traditional classroom or private teaching studio. Instructors will also be able to expand the lessons within the social networking aspects of the project to fit the needs of their students and adapt the concepts of other lessons to their specific instrument.  

IV. Presentation 

Instructional Approach

            Music instruction naturally follows Constructivist theory. Every skill and lesson in music is based off of the previous skills developed in prior lessons. This theory is applied in this media project through the sequence of lessons. Once a student becomes proficient in one skill set, that knowledge will be used to learn the next set of skills needed. Through the set up of this project, students will have opportunity to review concepts and skills needed in order to move forward. Even though students can also move forward through the lessons to preview the content, it will be difficult for them to use the higher level lessons without having a solid foundation of the information presented in earlier lessons.

            Saxon (2009) boldly states, “Sight reading cannot be taught” (p. 23). If this is the case, how do we solve the issue of deficient readers in the field of music? Although this particular skill may not be taught directly, Saxon and others give strategies to use to enhance all of the skills used for sight reading and encourage the practice of reading for students. The basic tips Saxon gives for students are to keep eyes on the page, count out loud, keep going, read by intervals, do not correct mistakes, and perform an effective visual preview of the music. He also recommends that students use chunking. Jensen (2000) and Levitin (2006) also describe the idea of chunking in their respective writings.             Stauffer’s (2005) tips involve the development of the rudiments and basic elements as the solution to students becoming better readers. Stauffer stresses the need for student musicians to learn the physical responses to music notation before they can become fluent readers.  Richardson (2004) gives the same tips of playing nonstop through a piece and learning the elements of music in order to achieve reading proficiency. Richardson’s (2004) solution to the deficiency in sight reading skills is that music instructors need to teach music as language teachers teach language.

            Any solution to helping students overcome their deficiency in sight reading must be active, relevant to their goals and style, and keep with the notion that they need to build upon the vocabulary of music discussed by Richardson (2004). The platforms used must reach musical, linguistic, bodily-kinesthetic, and spatial intelligences as defined by Gardner (1999). Students are more likely to learn and practice these skills in platforms they enjoy. This would include a wide range of musical styles.

Lesson Structure

            The first page of the website is an introduction to the lessons provided on the following pages. The site will also allows users to navigate to various lessons out of sequence in order to review concepts or pick up where they left off from previous lessons. Since rhythm is the basic foundation to music, the first lesson is rhythm based. The concept of steady beat is explained and demonstrated through a combination of video and sound. Exercises are then given to students to perform a steady beat using Garage Band. The subsequent lessons introduce various note values and follow the same sequence of the steady beat lesson. Students also are given an exercise where they create their own rhythm examples and share them on the site for other students to practice and perform.

             The next lesson is an introductory lesson to the guitar. Students are presented with the parts of the guitar through flash player and will gain an understanding of the working of the instrument. This lesson also includes notes on the neck of the guitar and is presented through a lesson created in Udutu.

            The next series of lessons focuses on the rhythm playing aspect of guitar. Chords, fingerings, and names are introduced as well as basic progressions using these chords. Students are required to identify the chords by sight and demonstrate an understanding of basic progressions. Students will also perform these progressions with a play-along video that includes the written progression. This lesson is expanded to harder levels of chords using the same format. These lessons are all developed with Udutu.

            A web quest is presented for the last part of the lesson. This quest has students explore the history of music in order to write and perform new music. This lesson reinforces student knowledge of notation through the writing, sharing, and performing of original work.  

            The last page of the website includes a trailer of a newly created game made for music students. The focus of the game is a gateway to create music and collaborate with other players in order to achieve the goal of the game. This page also includes a conclusion to the lessons and offers instructors ideas on how and where to create content specific to other instruments.

V. Evaluation

            There are a number of assessments throughout the lessons that measure the learning of students. Each Udutu lesson incorporates assessment quizzes based on the content covered. Instructors can also assess the learning of students through the submission of work of the rhythm exercises and web quest activity. These assessments are also available to the creator of the lessons, so continued development and improvement of the project can take place.

            Instructors who incorporate these online lessons in their classroom or studio will also be able to individually assess student learning through live performance. This assessment would need to take place for the performance aspects of the lessons incorporated into the project.

            In order to get a full evaluation of the lessons incorporated, a student and instructor survey will be attached to the final page of the website. Feedback from users of the project will enable the growth and redesign of the project in order to keep the content up to date and to meet the needs of both students and instructors. This survey will cover the content of the lessons as well as the usability of the platform.

            One way to continue through the evaluation process is to offer a place within the platform for students or instructors to upload videos of the performance aspects of the lesson. Through these performances, the basic skills learned will be demonstrated and can be evaluated by the creator. This offers first-hand insight to which skills are being enhanced and which ones still need work. New or reworked lessons can be developed based on the results of the evaluations of these submissions.

            Once the lessons are developed and assessments meet the needs of the students and instructors, this project can be developed further by creating the same platform for a variety of instruments. By including other instruments into this project, the lessons reach a wider audience. This platform is also open to adding a variety of skills for these instruments.

VI. References

Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: multiple intelligences for the 21^st century. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Hayward, C., & Gromko, J. (2009, April). Relationships among music sight reading and

technical proficiency, spatial visualization, and aural discrimination. Journal of Research in Music Education, 57(1), 26-36. Retrieved July 31, 2009, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=37830197&site=ehost-live

Jensen, E. (2000). Music with the brain in mind. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store, Inc.

Leavitt, W. (1969). Melodic rhythms for guitar. Boston, MA: Berklee Press Publications.

Levitin, D. (2006). This is your brain on music: The science of a human obsession. New             York,NY: Plume.

McGann, J. (2009). Tablature vs. standard notation. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from             http://www.johnmcgann.com/tab.html

Richardson, S. (2004, June). Music as language. American Music Teacher, 53(6), 21-25.

Retrieved July 10, 2009, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspxdirect=true&db=aph&AN=13584284&site=ehost-live

Saxon, K. (2009, June/July). The science of sight reading, American Music Teacher,58(6), 22-25, Retrieved, July10,2009 from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=41333516&site=ehost-live

Stauffer, D. (2005, September) Idea bank. Music Educators Journal, 92(1), 21-22.

Retrieved July 10, 2009, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=1902978&site=ehost-live

Szymczak, M.T. (1982). Reading contemporary guitar rhythms. Boston, MA: Berklee Press Publications.

Yudkin, J. (2008). Understanding music. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Week 2 Discussion Post Topic #1 - Music in My Personal Life

My answer to the questions for this post is yes. One thing that is left out of this topic is “do you perform music?” Most of you know me after these past ten months together and my answer is still yes. Not only do I play music for my livelihood, it is a constant means of therapy for me. When I pick up my instrument and begin to make music, the rest of the world seems to melt away for that moment. When I am done, I often have a clearer sense of what is going on around me. As far as listening goes, I am an active listener and collector of music. I own too many CDs to count and always pick up more. My cassette collection is only a few short in number to my CD collection with a few duplications of titles. Something also left out of the mix here is vinyl. I am the proud owner of a large collection of original album covers. There is something about the sound of jazz songs on vinyl that just can’t be replicated with a CD or mp3. The addition of cover art adds to the experience. This is not to say I don’t have a full iPod and an iTunes library that holds most of what I mention above. I have always enjoyed Pandora and recently have become addicted to iLike. I can’t explain the joy I have discovering new artists and music through this platform. Hi, my name is Bob....... I’m addicted to music and have no plans to do anything about it besides continuing to feed my addiction. 

Photos Retrieved from: http://www.musicgraphicsgalore.net