Teacher Cast

TeacherCast.net is a really great site and resource for all teachers and future educators. Teachers are welcome to contribute to the site and it is a completely free and reliable site. You can learn about all of the new and latest educational technologies on it. It has many different podcasts, app reviews, videos, blogs, a job center,m mobile applications, videos, media and so much more. Teachers in any content area can use this site as a resource and to keep up with new and upcoming technology information in education. It also has links to email, facebook, twitter, google plus, linkedin, tumblr, and youtube so it is a great way to network. I think everything on this site is really useful and it teaches you about many helpful things you can use to teach with or in your classroom. We as future educators should definitely bookmark this site, it will definitely come in handy down the road. 

Final Project: Reading music with technological help

My lesson plan is teaching students how to read music. Along with just teaching in a more “traditional” based way with a chalkboard, I designed this lesson to incorporate a lot of technology within it in order to help the students learn and understand how to read music. I could still use the chalkboard for this lesson, but in order to incorporate a more technological approach to teaching I will put the students in a computer technology lab so that they can use specific music notation type systems in the learning process. The lab will also have midi keyboards, software, headphones and speakers at each computer so the students could use them during the lesson when needed.

To begin my lesson, I would start by explaining the staff and note names and where each note goes on the staff. While giving this lecture type of introduction to the lesson, I would have several different self made posters of: the music staff labeled staff, the treble clef and bass clef, the treble clef on a staff with the notes, and one of a bass clef on the staff with the bass notes around the main projector as an additional visual aid. Along with the posters, I will have the students computers set up with a music notation software system open in order to facilitate the staff using the treble clef. The treble clef will have each note labeled on the staff (Since they are just learning the staff and notes for the first time, I will teach them about the bass clef and the bass clef notes in another lesson). The notation software on the computers will be going at the same pace as I would be teaching because the lab computers are hooked up to my computer, which is on the projector as well. This will ensure that the students will be on task with me during the lesson because the information is both on their computers and on the projector.

After we covered the beginning basics to the staff and notes, I would teach the students a way to remember the music notes in the staff using mnemonics. For example, on the treble clef I would teach them that the notes in the spaces made the word “FACE” and the notes on the lines could make up something like “Every Good Boy Does Fine.” I would have the students work in small groups of two or three to start to think of their own mnemonic devices to remember the lines and spaces, but for the time being they would reference the example I gave them during class. They will finish making up their own mnemonic devices for the notes on the staff for homework. The students will have the option of working in their groups or making up their own as a part of the homework assignment.

Next, in the student groups of two to three I would have them take the basic notes they just learned and put them in relation to notes on the midi keyboard. This will help the students become more familiar with the notes because not only are they reading the notes, they are now playing them and seeing how it all ties together. Depending on time, after the students have a good understanding of the notes and where they are on the staff, they will be given a piece of sheet music that has a C scale on it on treble clef. The C scale has no sharps or flats in it and uses only the white keys on the keyboard. The students will use their headphones, the sheet music, and midi keyboards to learn the C scale. If they feel really confident with their notes and C scale they could play it for the class or even record themselves to show to their friends and family.To further the lesson as a continuation for the next class I may also let the students experiment with different midi instruments to further learn the notes on the staff and the names of the notes.

I chose the technology adaptations in this lesson as a benefit to the students. The technology adaptations in this lesson make it more understandable and more well-rounded learning environment. By incorporating the technologies I did, it allows the students to learn both the music staff and the notes and note names on it along with indirectly learning how to use computer software, a midi keyboard and notation technologies.

Matrix

TED-Ed

I just stumbled upon this pretty awesome article that talks about a recently new thing for all teachers. It's something all teachers can use and benefit from. It has a lot of great lessons and it has its own youtube channel. It is a part of the youtube/edu channels on youtube and it's videos cover a lot of great information in a short amount of time. It is up to date with new videos added each week, and before the videos are added they are checked out to ensure they are good enough and legit. This is something that is great for both students and teachers all over the world, and is more geared for high school and college level students and teachers. SInce we are future educators, this is definitely something I think we all should check out.


The link to the article is: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/introducing-ted-ed-uniting-the-worlds-great-teachers-and-animators-to-spread-lessons-beyond-the-classroom-142280635.html

Different music blogs

There are hundreds of blogs out there now a days for basically anything you could need or use. While looking at different music blogs, I stumbled across a lot that I think are very useful for musicians, music educators or anyone involved in music. Although a lot of them all have great information, to be more specific The Musician's Way Blog is one of those many music blogs that are really great and useful. The musician's way blog gives it's readers inspiration, practice & performance tips, career advise and a lot more. The blog is attached to their website called Musiciansway. Both the blog and the website are great for aiding to musicianship.

MusTec.net

Mustec.net is a great website filled with a lot of useful information. It has up to date and updated articles, which cover aspects of music technology. It also has different sections on it for music education, music technology, music advocacy, general education, software discussions, hardware discussions, and more. There are so many different parts of this website, it has a lot to offer. I has lists of current live streams that pertain to music technology.  It also has a lot of sites for the collection of freeware, which is pretty awesome. Overall, it is a really awesome site with a ton of information that you should definitely check out, and definitely bookmark for future use. 

Ipad in the classroom

The topic of using ipad's in a classroom is becoming a more thought of and talked about topic today. I found an article/presentation that goes through 102 different ways to incorporate and use the Ipad in a classroom. I think that this is a really great article and it has a lot of different ways to use the ipad in a classroom setting, which shows a more positive outlook on the ipad in a class. I like how every subject can successfully use the ipad in their classroom, so it isn't just for one specific type of  classroom. I like how it talks about music applications and how there are many your students could use to make music, like virtuoso (which is a large keyboard). I think it names a lot of useful applications on it that anyone could really use, or can check out to get for their own personal use also. 

102 ways to use the IPAD in a classroom

Theta Music Trainer

I found a really great music site called Theta Music Trainer. This site is great for music educators, people who want to learn music, incorporating it in a music classroom or for anyone really who wants to check it out in general. This site is definitely a great tool to incorporate in a music classroom because of how much information it has and how much your students can really learn from it. This is a great way to integrate music technology in your classroom. This site helps expand skills in both music theory and aural skills and so much more. It covers fundamental areas in music that are melody, harmony, rhythm, and sound. This site puts learning and training in all musical areas by using game-based approaches, which are both fun and effective. By having a game aspect to this learning it definitely keeps students attention and would make it easy for them to learn these skills. The games also are in different difficulty levels so it's good for really any age. It also has courses in sound & audio, music theory and basic ear training within the site that have different sessions and training courses. It is all free, but if you are a music teacher and want a special music teacher plan which has a lot of stuff in it you can join and there's a fee for those. But, if not there is still the entire site with all of it's offerings for free. 

The music education blog carnival

I stumbled upon a pretty useful online source the other day called the Blog carnival. This is a useful site that many people can use, especially educators in any subject. Being a music education major, I looked for their music education blog. The Music Education Blog Carnival  is a useful blog that has a good amount of posts that have a variety of information and articles within them all pertaining to music. It has things like music in general, music technology, music education, and more. I think it's a good resource to have if you want to look up information and know of different resources within music or other fields. 

Interactivity #5

For my teacher interview, I interviewed a high school (grades 9-12) music teacher who teaches concert band and marching band. He was unaware of what both the NETS-S and the NETS-T. In my follow up e-mail I sent him the information of what they both were and I also put a link to a site that tells him what they are and for further information on it. After he was more familiar with both the NETS-T and NETS-S, he told me that he wasn’t sure why both his district and himself were unaware of these. He said how the school is not very technology savvy nor do they really utilize or encompass really any technology in it. As far as the music curriculum is concerned, the only technologies being utilized are a television, vhs/dvd player, CD player with surround sound, electronic tuners, Dr.Beat metronome, loud speakers, audio systems (used for marching band), and an intercom system. For performances, they use a microphone, soundboard and recording device used for prevention of feedback and to assist with clarity.

            He continued to tell me how he wasn’t sure if or when the school was going to integrate more technology in general in their school or programs. The teacher said how it’s hard to always incorporate technology in a music classroom, especially one for band and marching band. It would be easier to do so in a music technology class or a music appreciation class. He said some technology at times is good to have for a music class, but overall it’s hard to utilize it on a daily or constant basis, especially in his school with they programs they don’t have. The teacher I interviewed said how it would be more beneficial to incorporate technology in a homework setting, and how it is something he had thought of possibly doing prior to this year. Overall, he said how he would like to add more technology in his program eventually, he just isn’t sure when and if it would ever happen.

            After talking to this high school teacher, I wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t heard of NET-S or NET-T. I also wasn’t really surprised about any of his responses. Since I am very familiar of this district, I knew that this was going to be the type of response I would get. I also figured this because Professor Domine stated how most teachers are not trained or are unfamiliar with the NETS. Since I became more familiar with the NETS-S and NETS-T, it makes me want to reach out and try to get more schools in on it because technology is a very important part of education. I definitely think that more schools should familiarize themselves with the NETS.

            As a future educator, I would inform other teachers about NET-T and NET-S through email, speaking to my colleagues, talking to the principals and deans about it and furthering myself to talking to the board of education in the town to make them both familiar and hopefully proactive about NETS. 

Spreadsheet: 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkuZwWHCq6ZKdGo5OWJjZi1PdEd3ZkRhc2lfby0yRVE

Great site for teachers and students: Edmodo

Even though its not music related, I found a great technology resource that looks ideal for teachers and students to use. There is a website called Edmodo that allows teaching, connecting, collaborating, and learning. This site is a great tool for extra help for students with things like projects, assignments, or anything really. It's great because it is a resource for them to go to outside of school if they need additional help before something is due or in general. This site is secure and used by many educators and students around the world. There is so much that this site has to offer and it has so many features within it that it makes it very helpful.

             Another great thing about Edmodo is that the students on it love it and they find it extremely easy to use. It says how they really like the ability to post messages to everyone or directly to the teacher if they have a question. I like the fact that students can help each other. Edmodo is safe, secure and doesn't require any student emails. I feel that it is a great mix of social media and a student management system. I think it seems great how useful and beneficial it is to both the student and teacher.

            After looking at features in this site and reading about it, I think that it is a great reference for future educators to sue in any curriculum and it is something I definitely think I could use in my future classroom. Definitely check out this site, it’s a great educational technology resource. You can read about it and all even if you don’t sign up, it is free so if you like it maybe make an account too.

The link for the site it: http://www.edmodo.com/

Interactivity #4

The reason why I chose this lesson on sound waves was because it looks like it is a good lesson overall. It also incorporates a lot technology within it like, computers, notation systems, digital keyboards, computer microphone, and other related material. Since it uses a lot of technologies within it, it could help my students attain knowledge of how to use these in their musical studies, or for anything else. This lesson also utilized several NJCCS music standards.

Although this lesson plan was well thought out, I think there were some small gaps within it. When the teacher is teaching about sound waves, I feel that it would be helpful to play examples of different sound waves after explaining what it is. By playing different examples, it allows the students to hear what a sound wave is so that they can understand what and how it sounds. For composing, I think that it should have a lower minimum then in the lesson. Originally, the students were asked to compose for 48-60 measures, I changed that to 36-60 measures, which allows them to feel less pressured when composing and for them to have even measures per section. Also by demonstrating how to do things first for the students it helps them when they do it themselves. Recording their work helps the students critique it or listen back to it at a different time.

The curriculum goal for this lesson is to learn how to use a sound wave and to apply prior knowledge of composition through technology. The technologies used for this lesson are essential because you need the computer to be able to learn about sound waves and to apply composition to it. It also helps the students hear their compositions so they get a better understanding of what it sounds like.

Here is the link to my spreadsheet:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkuZwWHCq6ZKdGo5OWJjZi1PdEd3ZkRhc2lfby0yRVE

Interactivity #3: Generating a State of the Art Inventory

When I first started adding my technologies to the spreadsheet, I knew that whoever had gone before me probably already chose to use some of the sites/resources I was thinking of. Since we are all music majors and we use a lot of the same programs, or know about a lot of the same programs, it was obvious that we would have used one another's at some point. In terms of this group project being authentic collaborative, I think it was really useful and interesting to see what other members of my group found. I also thought that this was a good group project because the way it was organized made it easy to work with one another efficiently. This assignment also made it useful to learn about and discover new technologies.

         Overall I felt like the final inventory we came up with was pretty good. For the most part, everything within it was what I consider to be technology for music. There were some things on it that were other spreadsheets, documents, places to order instruments and things of that nature. To me, I don’t know if I would consider the things like that to be technology, but I see how those things could be useful in general and could be somewhat technological due to the fact it is offline.

This technology inventory could serve a purpose this semester in future projects or assignments regarding any technology, which focuses in my content area. 

Interactivity #2: phonograph's influence in music

The phonograph is a very important, possibly the greatest technological invention in the history of music. During the late 19th century is when the phonograph was first invented, at that time there were several people experimenting with musical recording devices and ways to record things. The person who is credited for inventing/ who invented the first phonograph was Thomas Edison in 1877. His phonograph was a huge break through in the music and recording world. It was able to both record and play back the recordings, so it was an even greater invention at the time then what people expected.

Phonographs had such an impact at the time it came out that it was used in schools, especially in music education classrooms. This is a very good thing because it allows music classrooms to listen to music from orchestras and such to familiarize themselves with the music. It also is good because music classrooms can utilize it to record their own rehearsals or performances and then listen back to them to learn, critique and grow from hearing it first hand.

Since the phonograph came out to what it has advanced to today is truly a remarkable thing. It went from a phonograph to a record, to tapes, to CDs, to handheld recording devices (for just the recording aspect), to what we have today with ipods. The radio and computer could also arguably be thrown into the mix because you could use the radio to hear the music that was recorded and you could use the computer/laptop to both hear and record music.

To play devils advocate for a moment on the phonograph, people may argue that it was a bad invention and it isn't good for music or music education. People will find ways to take advantage of having this type of technology, for example a student can abuse their privileges with recordings and listen to things that aren't necessarily part of what you're doing in your class, they use it for their own personal luxuries. Students also can illegally download music to listen to rather then purchasing the required music if needed for their music classes, which isn't good at all. It also gives students an "easier" way to hear music or hear great performances, like the NY Philharmonic. Rather then actually going to see the NY Phil, they can just buy music or download music they they've played and listen to it. This in itself isn't good because they are not truly getting the experience of seeing the orchestra and you miss a lot when you just listen to the recording rather then seeing it live and full of expressions right in front of you.

As i've said, the phonograph is a very large part of music education that has technologically impacted it. The phonograph gave us the first way to both record and playback the recording's you made. The phonograph and the technology from it has greatly impacted the way we view/listen to music today. The phonograph is a large part of music education.

Interactivity #2 picture

            From Phonographs to ipods... how music is heard through time.

Interactivity #1: Technology as Autobiography.

-The three most influential communication technologies in my life up to this point are:

1. My Macbook
2. My Blackberry
3. My ipod

-Based on the "Olivia Story," it shows us how Olivia is like most of the teenagers growing up today. Even though she does not have a personal computer of her own or at her home, she still has access to a computer and Internet through places like school and her friends house. Olivia has her own Myspace page, a cell phone, and an ipod. Olivia is very attached to her cellphone and ipod and says how she doesn't go anywhere without them. Like most students in urban districts in NJ, they don't have "luxuries" like computers, internet and some cellular phones. Olivia is very interested in learning new information and new things about technology and the computer. She also teaches herself new things on the computer, and how to do things her teacher may not be able to. It is important for me, as a future educator, to know about Olivia's relationship and usage of technology (just like I will know for my future students) because it shows me from her perspective how much she can advance and learn from technology and also how much she uses her technology. Olivia is a prime example of how much technology draws in the students of her generation and how quickly they learn it. By incorporating technology in the classroom it gives the students a chance to use something they love and excel on, while grabbing their attention from an educators standpoint. 


-In the "Learning to Change, Changing to Learn" video, the students use technology for things like:

• music
• film 
• gaming
• twitter
• reading/writing
• music
• pictures
• social networking

Along with several other things.


1. My Macbook:
      I use my laptop all of the time. I am on it checking e-mails, doing homework, doing research, and for leisure. My Macbook helps me learn new information by simply typing something I want to know, or know more of into Google and reading articles, going to different sites that pop up, and looking at pictures of whatever I am searching. My Macbook helps me acquire new information quickly and easily, it helps me search through google to find information, or go to something like dictionary.com, looking at videos for music classes or leisure on youtube helps me learn new things also. I also can see the weather via online or catch up on the news. I can also go on my Facebook to learn about my friends or talk to them, and find out some news through peoples statuses (like they say, word of mouth definitely travels faster). 


2. My Blackberry:
      My cellphone is good for internet access on the go if I ever need it. I use it for my e-mails from school to receive them both to my cellphone and on my computer. By having my e-mails also sent to my cellphone, it allows me to see what I need to know or do sooner then if I was on my computer so I can always be on top of things like my assignments or things for work. I also use my cellphone to communicate with my family, friends, and coworkers (if I need to cover a shift for someone or what not) through text messaging and/or physically calling them. 


3. My ipod:
      My ipod keeps me happy because it has all of my music on it. My music allows me to kick back and relax, or have something to listen to on the go. I also listen to music for some music classes on it, and it helps me learn pieces or music in general better. 


For the most part, I use my macbook, cellphone and ipod just like the students in the videos. I use technology to get new information, to talk to friends, to do homework/assignments, to research, to play games, listen to music, and things of that nature just like the students in the videos. Also like the students in the video, I always have my cell phone on me, "like a third hand". I use my computer just like I stated before, which is just like the students in the video (I think they probably go on their computers way more then I do). I also listen to music a good amount, but not as much or as excessively as the students did in the video, I listen to it the most in my car. 

First post!

Hey all,

I'm Tricia. I am just posting this to see how it works and to see what it looks like on my blogger =]