Module 5: Responding to Music with Technology

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Spotify playlist with scanning code.
This week we explored how music technologies can be utilized in responding to music. We explored this by creating a Spotify playlist, exploring the software program Music Ace, creating a Diigo account and reviewing online resources and learning how to look at music software with a critical eye.

Music listening is the most common way people interact with music (Bauer, 2014). Through the teaching of listening, not simply hearing music, we can help develop students into lifelong music listeners (Bauer, 2014). Our musical background and experience determine how we respond to music and what music we prefer listening to. Since people generally enjoy music they are familiar with, we have a special job during early elementary and middle school years as music teachers. These are the ages when students are the most open-eared towards new music (Bauer, 2014). Music teachers must help students develop the language to describe what they are hearing, relate it to other music and give them a wide variety of music to listen to. Bauer (2014), give some other suggestions to develop music listening skills:

1)     Balance intuitive and formal listening processes.
2)     Have students listen to a wide range of musical styles and genres, including musics from cultures throughout the world
3)     Allow students some choice in the music they listen to.
4)     Repeated listening is important to gain familiarity with musical styles, genres, and specific musical compositions.
5)     Scaffold listening experiences for complex music.
6)     Assist students in developing a musical vocabulary so they can describe the music they listen to, which may also deepen their musical understanding.
7)     Utilize call charts, listening maps, and similar teaching approaches to help students better understand musical form and structures over time.
8)     Movement can help connect listening experiences to music’s expressive qualities.
9)     People like to share and discuss music. Teachers should consider how these social elements can be incorporated into school curricula.

Technology can be helpful in these steps. Instead of carrying around CDs and player or not having the right music on hand when needed, playlists can be created and shared easily on any device. Students can even share music from their phones or iPod. Call charts and listening maps can be created by teachers or students on computers. There are also digital call charts available to show students as they are guided through a listening activity. I have included a listening map from YouTube as well as a photo of a listening map created by a 4th grader for Kangaroo by Saint-Seans. YouTube can be utilized to show music from around the globe in authentic ways. The Smithsonian Folkways website is full of standard-based content from around the world. Lesson plans are designed for every age and high-quality recordings and videos are linked to each lesson. These resources can help students experience global music that is not a part of their everyday listening experience.


4th Grade Listening Map




Helping students develop their musical knowledge and build their musical skills can also be aided by technology. Programs such as Music Ace, musictheory.net or Mac Gamut can give students the opportunity to practice their skills outside of the classroom. These programs can give feedback to students and supplement what they are learning in the classroom. These programs should not make up for one on one time with a teacher who will give more individual attention and advice to the student.

There is a wide variety of music software available today to learn everything from music theory to music history and ear training. These programs may be free or quite costly. It is important to look at each program carefully before using it in the classroom. Not all programs are created equally. Some programs, such as Music Ace, have been around for many years and have managed to stay relevant. I myself used this program with my elementary piano teacher and enjoyed the games and motivating format of the program. Music First is a website that promotes several different software programs including: PracticeFirst, Sight Reading Factory, Noteflight, Focus on Sound, Auralia, Musition, O-Generator, SoundTrap, Soundation4Education, Cut Time and Groovy Music. You can click below to watch an overview of the Music First Classroom. 




This week I reviewed a software program called Musictheory.net. I already utilize this program in my classroom, but I found this assignment to be very helpful and one I will use in the future. While I have found this website to be very user-friendly and solid in theory and ear training knowledge, it does have some drawbacks. The site does not any creative component. Students do not have the opportunity to create examples themselves or have any flexibility in how the program works. They also have no way to use their new knowledge in a creative way. For instance, using the note names they just learned to write a short melody and hear it played back. The other aspect that came to my attention was that students’ progress is not monitored over time and can not be saved. I think programs that save data over time and encourage students to strive towards the next goal would be a good advancement. If I were looking at another program to start using one of the main elements I would look at would be the sequence of materials. I noticed on Musictheory.net that they do not say a quarter note is 1 beat and a half note is 2 beats. This aligns with how I teach rhythm as well. I use beat, divided beat, subdivided beat and elongated beat. I would not want to use a program that promoted a quarter note always getting 1 beat.

Internet resources are a huge step in the world of education. Modeling is aided by the internet. As a female vocalist, I need to find videos of male singers for my men.  I have included a video below of a male vocal warm up. These resources can help students hear and see what a male voice can sound like. Modeling good choral singing or recorder technique can also be found online resources. No longer do we have to order a CD or DVD of a choir for our students to watch or listen to. We simply have to use YouTube with discretion to find quality performances and examples for our students to watch. Music history can come alive with sites such as HyperHistory Online. We also have easy access to video or audio record students for critique or assessment. With instant feedback our student can be fully engaged in their own music-making and find ownership.



Resource: 

Bauer, William I. (2014). Music Learning Today. New York. Oxford University Press.

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