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What is a MOOC? If you've missed the movement, it's a Massive Open Online Course, and I've been studying one these last few weeks. We've been set a few questions this week and I'm finding it tricky to tie them all together, so here they are as individual points. - In the MOOC, we were introduced to the Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) or sequencer, which apparently were different things but now are basically the same. Notation software and its capabilities were also discussed. I have a lot of experience with Sibelius (notation software), Garageband, and have also used Soundation in schools that didn't have suitable software available. These are such fabulous tools, especially Sibelius, which is my number one in music technology. - We've also had a few videos throughout the MOOC trying to convince us that DJ-producers have "an awful lot of sophisticated musical skills", which they do. 0've chatted with a few colleagues about this who have pointed out that DJ-producers 'produce' music from pre-existing music and my limited experience with DJ-producers is that they are trained at places like artschools or DIY rather than conservatoriums. Regardless of the debate, I am considering buying a Launchpad just to see what it's all about - my kids also like the look of it. See the video below for an example. - In this week's MOOC, we were also introduced to David Price and his insight into the future of education. I was lucky to hear him back in 2007 when my old employer, the Music Council of Australia, began to work with him and his 'Musical Futures' project is now widely used in Australia. In the MOOC video, Price points out that open learning, where amateurs and experts share knowledge via online environments such as YouTube, is not a future but is something that has already been. I know I've relied on expert/amateur online advice, most recently when I had to remove over 20 'Molly Bolts' from our lounge room walls. I didn't even know the plugs I needed to remove were called molly bolts until I found the videos! I've seen open learning happen a lot in my own studio, where students bring in something they've learnt via YouTube videos, and I also encourage them to share their own performances online. Other open learning happens via places such as this MOOC's Coursera, where top universities can be accessed for free by anyone who has a computer and access to the internet. Some examples of open learning in music include:
- how to play a basic samba - too many tutorials of how to play on the guitar 'Love Yourself' by Justin Beiber - how to conduct a choir And the page I will need when I buy a Launchpad... http://www.musictech.net/2015/06/ableton-live-tutorial-using-novation-launch-control/ In this exciting environment, one of our main jobs now as teachers is to help students develop quality filtering skills so that they recognise a good course or video when they see one. - My final point for this post concerns PBL or project-based learning. This type of learning already exists in music as students often undertake large-scale projects when composing, performing, or researching. These are real-life musical activities that require individuality and initiative to succeed. Musicians also work together and learn from each other so are used to solving problems from several different angles. However, the online environment offers so many option for worldwide collaboration across classrooms and technology allows for efficiency in completing projects. Musical projects such as the Virtual Choir demonstrate just how successful the blend of these can be and are leading examples for other subject areas.
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 There’s a perception that classical musicians are different to pop musicians. On some level, this is true when it comes to learning experiences, and as teachers, we need to choose the right pedagogy for the style being studied. However, there are some similarities across all styles of music and we can use these similarities to bring relevance to new music when expanding student musical horizons. So what types of experiences can we give students?
In the classroom, we can start with these common music-making skills that exist across genres and use these to create relevance for the student from known music to the unknown. This way, we can create a balance between what is seen as 'classical' and what is seen as 'pop'. From here, we can then hone in on specific pedagogies to learn specific styles. Music pedagogy, for ourselves as musicians, and for our students, need to authentically align with the musical style we are studying. We need to model ourselves as 21st-century musicians and interact with music in a musical way, not merely a historical and theoretical way, in order to remain relevant. More reading
 Technology has always influenced the musical world and redefined parameters for composition, both in the electronic and acoustic music. A simple example within my own world can be seen with keyboard instruments where the smallest harpsichord had 48 keys while the modern piano has 88 keys, widening the range of notes that can be used in a keyboard composition. There is a parallel with this in new technology and much music-making is now easily created using computers and software. As teachers, we can create new opportunities for musical learning through technology and in teacher-speak, the TPACK framework helps us to understand how to incorporate this into the classroom environment. In his book Music Technology and Education: Amplifying Musicality (2015), Andrew Brown discusses three metaphors of technology in music education that fall into the TPACK model:- 'technology as a musical tool'; 'technology as a musical medium'; and 'technology as a musical instrument'. ‘Technology as a musical tool’ is easily implemented and already widely used in music classrooms across the world. In my own teaching, I've used programs such as Auralia which mimic and extend traditional aural exercises help to increase a student's musical understanding and musical intelligence. ‘Technology as a musical medium’ refers to the type of technology which enables an activity and sometimes has more capability, depending on the student, to capture and convey musical ideas. An example of this is composition which, in Western music, is traditionally notated on paper, but now can be easily (and some say, easier) notated using software such as Sibelius. I prefer pencil and paper but regularly use Sibelius and find that students can get a result quickly with this software. Both of these metaphors have enhanced music education. In the video below, Stephen Heppell discusses the creative ways that technology has been incorporated into the classroom. Although these are not music-specific, it does give the feeling that anything is possible. David Price below discusses the way technology empowers learning, including music-specific examples such as collaborating online, creating works for high visibility and removing the 'middle-man', which has had a large impact on the music industry. Anyway, back to Amplifying Musicality...
Of Brown's three metaphors, ‘technology as a musical instrument’ is the most controversial for me, requiring a change in definition as to what makes a musician. Traditional music requires skilled, practised musicians to play on musical instruments of quality, conveying sound that sits within a pre-determined scale system. There is an argument that the same can be achieved using digital technology, even though 'immediate gratification with little effort is possible' (Brown, 2015). Technology can create new opportunities but these opportunities are not necessarily the most artistic or true to the Western music tradition. For me, the issue in re-defining technology as a musical instrument, capable of artistic expression, is that it can remove the idea of the live musician who uses body movement to produce an expressive, accurately-rendered, personally-interpreted performance taken from a rich range of repertoire. Most digital music is created pre-performance not in a live situation and therefore is composed not performed. Easy way outs such as replacing orchestral accompaniment with digital orchestras for theatrical shows lack musical collaboration (and joy) and favours efficiency. In the context of a curriculum, if definitions of music-making are to be broadened to include digital music-making, it must include the experience of a musician as a live performer within the digital music context. In this way, ‘technology as a musical tool’ types of software like Auralia and ‘technology as a musical medium’ types of software like Sibelius also remain relevant, because it develops the necessary musicianship skills needed for live musical performances. In my ideal world, teaching music students to value live performance should then hopefully translate into adults who value the richness of live performance.
Today, I've begun another Coursera course, this time run by James Humberstone from the Con (USyd), on technology in music education. Technology is the vehicle by which I'm even able to undertake this course, so I'm already a convert of sorts. It's great being able to study while doing mundane activities like cooking and driving. I love that my paella can continue to simmer while I listen to Dr Humberstone's slickly-produced exploration into three Sydney schools' attitudes towards technology and pedagogy, though I'm not sure if I'm wearing Fair Trade clothing or not (sorry Dr Humberstone). I'm looking forward to the next module in the course. For Dr Humberstone's course, go to https://www.coursera.org/learn/music-education/home/welcome For more Coursera courses, go to www.coursera.org For my obligatory video, here's how to make paella. Here's a link to my review on Griffin's Learning Strategies for Musical Success as published in The Studio (MTA NSW). I highly recommend the MTA and encourage serious instrumental teachers to join it: www.musicnsw.com.au
Currently in Australia, not every student has access to quality music education in schools, which is outrageous. A lack of teacher-training, resources, management of curriculum demands, have contributed to this problem. To solve this, music specialists need to be put in every school in Australia. If you're not sure why this is important, please have a look at my earlier blogs, or read about the benefits of music education here. The newly-established 'Music Trust' has put together a campaign to petition government for a better music education in schools. Details of the campaign can be found at http://thefulldeal.com.au - the stats on this site are alarming. Please sign the petition, and push for more music in schools so that all of our children can benefit.
I'm currently studying MTeach in secondary school teaching and have put together a number of webpages to meet assignment/prac requirements. These pages have resources, presentations, and online activities that both students and teachers can use. Please contact me if you want to use any of the quizzes as I will have to alter them to make it work for you. Here is a list of these resources which I'll keep updating.
Topics: 19th Century Music Classical Music Music of Africa Music of the Baroque period: keyboard instruments Music of a Culture: Jewish music Music of a Culture: Yolngu music Music of a Culture: Balinese Gamelan music Music for Multimedia: Gaming Music Music for Radio, Television, Film and Multimedia: Advertising Music Music for Radio, Television, Film and Multimedia: Music for Film Music and Technology: Electronic Music Music and Technology: Minimalism Popular Music: Soul Music Popular Music: Australian Rock Music Theatre Music Exams: Music 2, Year 12 Aural Exam (created by R.Hocking) Music Skills: Rhythm: triple time  The uni class I attended tonight was a great example of learning through observation rather than being *told* what should be learnt. The lecture was mostly in silence except for music which was created through demonstration/imitation, and the result was musically-meaningful performance/improvisation by students of differing musical ability. Our lecturer Nick Lane used Orff methods which not only taught us how to improvise with a piece of music (in this case, one of Nick's arrangements) but also demonstrated how to teach our own students to do this. It just goes to show how the Orff method can be used in any educational setting - in this case, teacher training, serving two purposes at once. Nick also used 'antennas beaters stance' when not playing, must be a standard Orff thing to do - comforting to see as I use that too! (Well, in one primary school we used 'unicorn beaters stance' as each student only had access to one beater each). Looking forward to next week's lecture.
Here's an interesting article from today's paper. The Teach for Australia program runs six weeks of training for academically-capable postgrads, then sends them to a disadvantaged school while continuing their training.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/teach-for-australia-fastracks-new-breed-in-classrooms-20130901-2sycc.html |
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