INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY

INTO MUSIC EDUCATION

By Melissa Mulder

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 3 – Will Technology Transform Music

Education? By David Beckstead Page 5 - Personal Reflection Page 6 – Citation Page 7 – Tune in to Technology by Patricia Bissell Page 9 – Personal Reflection Page 10 – Citation Page 11 – Music Technology Helps Students

Succeed by Joyce Forest Page 13 – Personal Reflection Page 14 – Citation Page15 - Conclusion

WILL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORM MUSIC EDUCATION?

BY DAVID BECKSTEAD This article is mainly concerned with one aspect of music education: composition.

First the author briefly discusses the history of music education starting over one thousand years ago and ends with comparing modern music education in Britain, Canada, and the United States.

Composition in public schools was absent for a very long time. Making it seem as though only the highly gifted or privileged could study this form of music. Also, schools mostly emphasize the performance aspect of music.

Composition was redefined in two ways: intellectual and technological.

The intellectual way consisted of musicians and educators rethinking how music and composition should be taught in the classroom.

“The interest in composition as a classroom activity was not due to the rise of a sudden well-educated student populace who was mastering concert instruments and…notation and harmony. Rather, it was the result of a rethinking of notion s about music as a written artifact, as well as an attempt to shift “away from the image of a composer and concentrate more on the process of composition.”

-The technological way involves the use of new technological devices to enhance the way music is taught.

-Beckstead quotes Lon S. Berry as saying, “The implications of using synthesizers and computers for music education are enormous. Students and create, edit, and hear their own compositions by just pushing a button.”

-The use of technological devices in the music classrooms brings about the debate as to whether they should be used for amplicative or transformational purposes.

-Amplicative involves using the technology as a way of being more efficient in composing music.

-Transformation involves using the technology to change how we make, think , act, and react to music.

PERSONAL REFLECTION I believe that technology should definitely be

integrated into the classroom to further the education of composition.

I remember being bored in my required keyboard class in elementary school because I wasn’t very good at it. We were not allowed to compose anything on our own and I think that if we were I would have enjoyed it much more because it would have shown me another way to think and be creative.

Reflecting on the last part of the article concerning amplicative or transformational uses of technology: I believe that it should be used in both ways to further students’ musical understanding and creativity.

CITATION

David Beckstead, Will Technology Transform Music Education?. Music Educators Journal, Vol. 87, No. 6 (May, 2001), pp. 44-49 Published by: MENC: The National Association for Music Education.

TUNE INTO TECHNOLOGYBY PATRICIA BISSELL

This article is about incorporating technology into K-8 classrooms.

The author starts off with listing all of the things that can be accomplished by students with new music technological devices.

“…students learn how to obtain information, accomplish tasks, and solve problems using higher-order thinking skills, which expand their capacity to consider differing viewpoints and make judgments.”

The author discusses how a teacher can incorporate software into their music program.

She also discusses how a teacher can structure their class periods to incorporate the different technologies and even gives sample projects for grades K-8.

Lastly, Bissell discusses ways that a teacher can improve their classroom.

The first way is to be creative when coming up with ways to finance these technological devices. She suggests writing to companies to request that equipment be donated and to apply for grants.

The second suggestion for improving the class is by joining a local music technology organization to get feedback and ideas from other educators.

PERSONAL REFLECTION I was most struck by the quote that I

incorporated into a previous slide; that a student can learn how to think differently and have a more open mind because of music and technology.

I liked the author’s suggestion to request companies to donate needed equipment. I am not going to be a music teacher, but I’m sure there will be times that I may employ this method of obtaining supplies.

I also liked her suggestion of joining an organization for educators in my subject.

CITATION

Patricia M. Bissell, Tune in to Technology. Music Educators Journal, Vol. 85, No. 2 (Sep., 1998), pp. 36-41 Published by: MENC: The National Association for Music Education.

MUSIC TECHNOLOGY HELPS STUDENTS SUCCEED

BY JOYCE FOREST This article focuses on the impact that music technology has had on an elementary school in Texas that is 70% Hispanic and 30% black with 90% receiving free or reduced lunches.

This elementary school received a three year grant to restructure its education. It did this by heavily focusing on the arts including music.

“The evolving music curriculum is preparing the students to be the musicians of their digital electronic generation.”

-The article describes in detail the different ways that they teach the different grades music incorporating technology in most of these practices.

-The school’s goal was for all students to show a 15% increase over a three year period on standardized test scores. The students exceeded that goal in the second year of the program and their achievements continued to increase.

-Musically, the students are achieving much more than they had in previous years. They understanding rhythmic reading and having better pitch accuracy.

- The students are very proud of their musical abilities and enjoy showing their talents to others, which shows an increase in confidence as well as musical ability.

PERSONAL REFLECTION I was very impressed with the study

described in this article. The fact that students’ scores on standardized tests increased dramatically due to art programs makes me feel happy that art can do this, but also sad because these programs are usually the first the get cut from a school when funds are low.

CITATION

Music Technology Helps Students Succeed Joyce Forest, Music technology helps students succeed. Music Educators Journal, Vol. 81, No. 5 (Mar., 1995), pp. 35-38+48 Published by: MENC: The National Association for Music Education.

CONCLUSION After reading these articles I have

concluded that music is very important in a child education.

Music can affect so many different aspects of a child’s life and academic achievement.

Many school districts, educators, and parents do not consider music or any other type of art education as a serious field of study. I think that if they did students across the board would be more successful and confident.