Article Review: Mobile Technology Goes to School

In the article, Technology Goes to School, by Cara Bafile, the 5th graders at Trinity Meadow Intermediate School piloted a program where each student got a cell phone to use throughout their school day. This took place in 2007/8 when 1:1 technology was the newest advancement to technology in the classroom. The phones were provided by HTC, Verizon provided the service, and Microsoft Mobile helped with any software issues. "The fifth grade teacher and his students are exploring the educational uses of cell phones, which Cook believes in the long run will become the cheapest way to do one-to-one computing. The portability and mobility of cell phones make them an ideal teaching tool, toting the classroom anywhere, anytime."

The thing that really stuck out to me about this article was not the use of 1:1 technology, but how they made parents take part in the use of this technology. One of the parents at the school, who was on the district technology committee, and made sure that parents were a part of this implementation every step of the way, from the preparation, activation, engagement, and deployment. "Regular workshops for parents have been held, including a recent mid-term update in March. Parents have expressed their chief concern that the cell phone activity must be used to enhance and not detract from the mastery of traditional content." 

By making parents not only aware of the technology, but also be coached in how to use the technology on the regular bases, that is a key element missing in a lot of implementation programs we currently have. If we plan to continue educating our students through the use of technology, parents also need the skills to help support their children thrive and understand what they are learning when they are at home. 

iPad App: GroupMaker

As the school year is about to begin, I have stumbled upon this app that I am really excited to use in my class. It is called GroupMaker. GroupMaker is an app that allows you to plug in all your different classes and students, and it will create groups for you. I absolutely love the fact that this app allows you not only to create the groups, but also will do all of the following:

• Plug in students' ethnicity, gender, & other information, and will accommodate for that
• Randomly select groups to present their information
• Choose the number of students in each group
• Account for absences
• Detect the noise level for the room
• And finally allows you to set a basic timer for the students

This app has a lot of potential in the classroom, especial for specials teachers who have a lot of students, but not enough time to divi them up into groups. It did take me a few hours to plug in all of the student information, but now that it is in, I will be using this app a ton this school year! 

Article Review: Google Classroom

Nagel, D. (2014). Google’s Free LMS ‘Classroom’ Goes Live. THE Journal. Received from http://thejournal.com/articles/2014/08/12/googles-free-lms-classroom-goes-live.aspx

Nagel (2014) explained that Google Classroom “allows teachers to create assignments directly within Google's apps, which students can then complete in Google Docs and turn them in through a one-click process”. Other features in Google Classroom include the following: “grading, real-time feedback on student work, real-time questions, commenting, homework collection and organization within Google Drive, commenting, and announcements” (Nagel, 2014). Teachers also have the ability to collaborate with students online while they are working on their assignments. (Nagel, 2014)

Incorporating a tool like this in my music class would be outstanding! Just like listed above, Google Classroom features a variety of abilities that allow students to access music class outside the music classroom. Not only do I see this as a great idea for academic collaboration, but I also thought it would really set up a community for the students.

I also see this as saving me a large chunk of time in the classroom. Instead of having the students watch a 5 minute video in class, they could do this simple activity at home, and when they come to class, we can deepen the meaning and understanding of the point of that video. I could even give students websites that foster the growth of music composition. Students could work in class, but could also work at home with their assignment. When they finish their composition, they could share a web-link to in onto a class Google Doc so we could listen and discuss it the next time in class.

I do see this potentially not going over well with students to begin with because what elementary music teacher gives students homework? But I could combat this in ways that make the learning very individualized, fun, and lasting for no more than 10 minutes when they first start working outside the classroom. Even though I am nervous about first implementing these resources with the kids, I know that this is meaningful integration of technology, and the pros definitely out weight the cons.

Article Review: On Using Google Forms

Mallette, M., & Barone, D. (2013). On Using Google Forms. Reading Teacher, 66(8), 625-630.

 "Google Forms is a free and easy web-based application for collecting information through online surveys and forms. Responses are sent directly to a spreadsheet, which is set up for easy analysis, and automatically saved and stored on your Google drive" (Mallette & Barone, 2013). This article is a great resource in terms of giving teachers 8 ways to easily incorporate Google Forms into the classroom. The list consists of the following: Library Book Check Out, Online Reading Records, Reading Journals, Collaborating on Definitions, Student Notes, Playing Jeopardy with a Survey Form as the "Buzzer", Get Feedback from Parent, & Stimulating Staff Meeting Debate (Mallette & Barone, 2013).

Out of all of these different ways to bring Google Forms into the classroom, Student Notes and Get Feedback from Parents are the two tools I could see myself using as an elementary general music teacher. Student Notes allows for students to give their peers feedback on their assignments in real time, while on the other hand, Getting Feedback from Parents gives teachers an alternative way to community and interact with their students' families. (Mallette & Barone, 2013)

 By allowing students to take notes about their classmate's work, the teacher is integrating a type of learning culture in the building that encourages student collaboration and reflection. In this type of learning environment, students are invited to use technology in a personal way to them. In music, I could have students share their compositions with the class. After the students share, each student has the opportunity to express what they liked about the composition and why. This would challenge students to understand how to give appropriate feedback while also allowing building each other up with positive words of encouragement.

 By getting feedback from parents, this is a great anonymous way for parents to share their thoughts, while also getting specific information you are asking for. You could use this feature of Google Forms to also ask for parent volunteers, invite them to the classroom, and register students for an ensemble. For this next year, I will be starting the first elementary choir at my building. I have already found after school performance opportunities for the students, and by creating a Google Form that allows parents the ability to sign up their child for any of these opportunities is more convenient for everyone, and less paperwork to have to deal with. That alone is why Google Forms could be a great resource in my classroom.

Article Review: Music Education for All?

Bledsoe, R. N. (2015). Music Education for All?. General Music Today,28(2), 18-22.

Bledsoe's (2015) article entitled "Music Education for All?" addresses the issue of are we really teaching music to benefit every type of student that comes through our classroom, or only the students that enjoy ensemble based classrooms? He argues that "the large performance ensemble was established as the model for music education during the early 1900s and has remained relatively unchanged for a century". Based on this model alone, he wonders if that is why there is a low enrollment in music classes. He then asks the reader what more we could offer students beyond the traditional large ensemble experience? (Bledsoe, 2015)

To discuss this idea further, Bledsoe looks at the population of students who's musical careers did not extend beyond elementary general music, and maybe a short experience in a middle or high school ensemble before dropping. He took three students specifically and discovered that though these students did not partake in school music ensembles, it was not because they lacked a passion for understanding music, but instead they we not given opportunities to learn the music that they wanted. Therefore, each student found an alternative form for learning music outside of school, whether self-taught or by a knowledgable peer. Later in the article, we discover that though these students were not given opportunities they wished they had in the school music programs, they still went off to college to major in music in some manner. Interestingly enough, the music that they did study in college, revolved around electronic and digital music making skills. (Bledsoe, 2015)

Bledsoe then wonders what if school music programs offered more electronic and digital music making opportunities? "If technology is already changing the way our students think, what are we doing musically as music educators to attend to this?" Even though all three of the students consider themselves now composers, one of the students was hesitant on labeling themselves as one because of their lack in note reading pitches on the staff. Yet the composition job he has does not require note reading skills. It is on this note that Bledsoe makes his final statement that whether there is a use of technology in the music classroom or not, teachers have to be aware of the subtle messages they are sharing indirectly to their students. (Bledsoe, 2015)

This article really resonated with me on a personal level beyond the use of technology in music education. I appreciate the fact that Bledsoe does address the need in our schools to teach current outlets of technology in music, but what I appreciate more so is his final statements about the indirect attitudes we express to students on the regular basis. I believe this can do more in the classroom than anything else. Let us say that a teacher does decide to incorporate electronic music into the curriculum. If that teacher does it, but has a negative attitude toward it, so will the students. But if a teacher instead addresses it with the attitude of everyone is a learner, and has the ability to understand all the tools this could offer, then the students will also see the benefits of working with that type of technology.

It is sad that our curriculum in music education does push toward the students who will more likely join band, orchestra, or choir someday. I believe we should not completely leave the idea of teaching in a large ensemble format, but as technology and digital music jobs are expanding, it is essential that music educators take the initiative to teach students the same curricular concepts they were teaching before, just instruct it on a variety of different platforms. As much as we are afraid of incorporating digital technology into the classroom for students to work with, we also have to remember Bledsoe's (2015) question he asks, "If technology is already changing the way our students think, what are we doing musically as music educators to attend to this?"

Launchpad Minis with Ableton Live 9

When thinking about how to use the Launchpad Mini with Ableton Live 9 in the classroom, I made 3 sample lessons I would have the students use. There are also ways I can personally use the device in my instruction, but these are the ways in which I would allow my 3rd-5th grade students to work independently on them in groups of 2. I also have a plan of how I would even get these devices for the students and make this an option. If you are interested to see what I would do, here is a rough draft of 3 lesson ideas.

Finance/Set-up:

Cost is $100 per Launchpad Mini with Ableton Live Software

Get a total of 13 devices ($1500 plus tax & shipping)

One device for every two students

Music Boosters, PTO, donorschoose, etc., are the routes in which I plan to pursue these devices

Use a district administered account to register all devices on at http://us.novationmusic.com/

Download Ableton Live onto 13 lab computers and 13 extra computers

The license allows the ability to download the software onto two computers per device, with the policy that one computer is used at a time

Article Review: "How Music Teachers Got Their Groove Back: Music Instruction Goes Digital"

Demski, J. (2010). How Music Teachers Got Their Groove Back: Music Instruction Goes Digital. THE Journal. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/10/01/How-Music-Teachers-Got-Their-Groove-Back-Music-Instruction-Goes-Digital.aspx?Page=1

Carol Boos is a 4th-8th grade music teacher, and is determined to connect with the 80 percent of students who are not enrolled in band, orchestra, or choir. She is innovating the music programs by challenging the traditional classroom style that music is taught. Often times music is taught in such a way that the educator is standing behind a podium, telling the students what and how to play, but without allowing wiggle room for students to have a say in their musical education. (Demski)

Instead, Carol Boos is allowing her students to have more musical freedom. She allows for her students to create their own music, which naturally applies the fundamental concepts that are normally taught in the old educational lecture model such as rhythm, melody, harmony, etc. By using this approach, she is engaging students who are not taking part in band, orchestra, or choir, and who never want to be. We live in a digital age, where students have the ability to create music digitally at home, but as educators, we are not meeting them where they are at. (Demski)

First, Carol Boos used the technology already in her school's computer lab to create an electronic music lab. In her lab, she used a variety of Avid Technology to allow a way for students to input audio through a MIDI device, and used the programs such as Apple's Garageband and Logic Pro to create and compile the music. It is through this technology that she was able to build a music curriculum that incorporated these devices. (Demski)

Ever since allowing these courses as options for students, she has found an increase in student involvement in the music programs. Let's say a sophomore boy with no ensemble experience takes the electronic music class offered, there is a good chance that student might sign up for band, orchestra, or choir the next year. She has also discovered that a high percentage of students who do get involved in electronic music at younger ages, are more likely to go into the careers of music production or engineering. Because we live in a society that musicians can become famous by having little to no musical experience, but by making electronic music for themselves at home, more students are regularly drawn to this form of education. (Demski)

It is articles like these that challenge me to make opportunities like this possible for K-5 music students. I watch music interviews often, and I always find it fascinating that there are a large majority of contemporary music artists that were not involved or just did not like their own school music programs growing up. Yet these are the musicians that my students are listening to daily. As a K-5 General Music teacher, I also find it important to reach out to those students who decide they don't want to do band, orchestra, or choir, and let them know there are still musical opportunities out there for them. We are often told that as educators, we are preparing students for jobs that may not even be in existence yet. When I look at the music industry, I especially see that prevalent. If I knew there were so many jobs in music today than there were 10 years ago, I may have not decided to become a music educator.

The way I see my role as a K-5 General Music teacher is to give my students a "general" idea of all that they can do in the world of music. Yes, we learn the fundamental elements of music, but those elements are accompanied with real-world application. This last year, I introduced my 4th grade students to the Launchpad S paired with Ableton Live. The only experience I had with the software was during a 10 week Electronic Music Seminar during my undergrad. I only got two Launchpads for the students, and I allowed students to voluntarily sign up to work with the device a maximum of 3 times per student during the last two months of school. I pretty much told the kids that I had an idea of how to use these next year when they were in 5th grade, but that I needed their help to show me what they could do with them. Out of 50 4th graders, I had 40 sign up to come to my classroom outside of school. It was amazing! By doing this voluntary activity with the students, they actually taught me how to use the device in ways that I didn't know were possible!

By using the Launchpad S paired with Ableton Live, the students were able to loop a variety of tracks, upload prerecorded music to change in Ableton, record and loop their voice, record and loop the MIDI controller using any instrument sound of their choosing, add special effects to the audio and MIDI files, and put it all together to record and then export the file into an mp3 format. I could not believe they figured all of this out on their own! But it was allowing the students this freedom that they were applying and learning musical concepts that we were covering in the traditional general music class. Beyond even learning music skills, students were allowed to put their creativity and imagination into the music they creating on their own. Having an opportunity like this is not only something that they will remember, but is something that could change their life.