"Utilizing Technology for Optimum Learning Opportunities”

 Problems in Choral Music

Purpose:

1.  To provide information to help teachers utilize technology more efficiently to cover the areas that they do not have time to do during the regular classroom hours. Technology could be the method to get around to covering all of the National Standards for Music Education. *Standards 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 were listed most often as areas teachers wanted to cover but did not have time or methods for covering.  I believe that through the use of a well planned webpage students can have access to more learning opportunities designated by their teacher. The page can become an automated teacher’s assistant by answering questions, providing resources for extra help and sending students to safe links for research and musical exploration.  Examples include links to sound files of the pieces students are learning, practice webpages for theory and music history, diction and translation web pages for help with foreign language texts and for the teacher lesson/program planning pages.  Information for parents can also be posted and readily available especially for the parents who never seem to receive the letters and newsletters that are sent home with the student.  Teachers can assign “homework”  (especially web quests) for their student’s self study in rhythm reading, part learning and listening to examples of pieces by a particular composer.  Students who plan to study music in college can become proficient in basic theory skills and can find recommended repertoire and audition requirements.  For those with web pages I hope to give you a few ideas about ways you can improve on or add a unique element to your present page.  For those of you without webpages we will look at setting up an easy to maintain page.  This page could also be utilized to provide learner specific assignments and help the choral music teacher to provide more learning opportunities in those areas they want their students to be more proficient in before leaving their programs.  Two of the members of the class were asked to share the links to their school web pages. They are  included in the presentation.

2.  In the process of searching for materials and links teachers could use for students I also found information that could be valuable to members of the class as graduate students preparing for research projects, orals and the next classes in their rotation. These same materials can be used later via technology to fill in the gaps that you have or those you have with your students.  The information can be posted as links on your webpage and then assignments for students can be developed.  For example, assign your students to visit a page about the composer you’re featuring on your next concert or lesson and they can report formally or informally on what they read and experienced. 

Method:

Questions:

a.       What should be included in a webpage?

b.      What areas of concern did teachers have that could be addressed by using a web page?

 Review of Literature:

To gain more insight in Choral Music Webpage development, I read Garrison’s Thesis. She surveyed websites and asked questions about what should be included in a Choral Music Program Website in order to help her as she designed a college web page.  From her survey, the following items were identified as being necessary components of a Choral Music webpage:

a.       information about the program,

b.      ensembles,

c.       auditions,

d.      performance schedules,

e.       the Booster or support organization(s),

f.       scholarship opportunities,

g.      biography of the conductor(s)

h.      Motto of the school or program

 She looked at a number of Choral Music web pages from other universities and compared the use of things like audio, graphics and even the effect of color schemes.  She used that information to develop the Choral Music Program site for Kent State University.  

Discussion: 

My informal survey for this presentation revealed a number of areas teachers were concerned about covering with their students.  Some teachers had web pages that were designed professionally and maintained by the school district.  Other teachers were on-their- own or had not developed a site. 

Appendix A

Lockhart’s Survey of Graduate Student’s Use of School Web Pages

Eight people took the survey. Note:  The responses showed a wide variety of concerns and usage of web pages for dissemination of information.The questions and a summary of responses randomly recorded without identifiers follows:

1. What is the subject or area that you never get to  cover with your students? (Or seldom get to cover)

a .Improvising,

b. Technology,

c. Orff instruments and practical classroom and performance uses of Orff instruments, d. Theory

e. Music History

f. Style or expression.

g. Composition

2. What do you feel is your strongest teaching area?  Answers varied by teaching areas some answers were duplicated.

a.  Early Childhood,

b. Diction,

c.  I teach music literacy very well (I have some tried and true methods for teaching rhythms, melodies, pitches, etc.) 

d.  I really relate well to the kids and I feel that I let them have enough say  so that they feel involved, but not so much that they feel that they run the show. 

e.  Keeping excitement in my program

f.  Rhythm

g. Behavior, Plans/ Pacing

h. Picking Good Music for Performance/Learning Experiences

3. What would you like your students to know more about and be proficient in by the time they leave you?

a. Music Theory, Vocal Production (2)

b.  to be more able to critically analyze other choral performances

c.       to have sight reading skills.

d.      It’s my ultimate goal to have every student that is in choir for four years to be able to read any music they can pick up.  I would also really love for my students to know that it’s okay to sing.  So many of them get nervous or won’t sing because it’s not the “cool” thing all the time.

e.       #1 a love for singing  #2 basic music reading and vocal production

f.       Reading Music (treble and bass clef ) 

g.      I would like my students to be better with intervals, scale degrees.

4. How do you address teaching about the background and composer of the pieces you study?

1. We have a “composer of the month” time at the end of each class period (3^rd through 5^th grade).  I tell them facts about the composer and we listen to various
   pieces.
2. Ask the kids what time period they think it’s from first and go from there.

c.   I usually touch on this during the introduction of a new piece --- for elementary –

       I use maps, photos, story books etc……

d.   I bring it up in conversation and ask the students what they might know.  I also try

      to relate it to other classes or something else that they may be able to relate to.

e.   I usually do this at the beginning of my lessons covering a piece of music

f.   I do teach the background of pieces I do, but it is always within “the box” of that

      particular piece.  I have difficulty connecting this information to the broader  

     picture.

g.   I don’t address it.

h.   We briefly discuss it or we don’t get to it.

5. How do you communicate with your parents ( PTA or boosters) and community?

a.       Telephone and email

b.      mostly by letters, but sometimes I will make a phone
call...email some too

c.       Newsletter, Flyers with performance info., e-mail, phone, parent conferences, Informational parent meetings, Concerts….

d.      We have a website and we send a lot of notices through students.

     e.   Booster program, internet site, phone calls, letters/notes home

     f.    Our school and music department has a website; we also have an email list-serve    

           and  send home physical handwritten notes.  When necessary, we make phone

           calls or go visit our community partners.

h.      By mail.

6. Do you have a webpage or site?    No  ___3      Yes __4_ (Required   2 )      Can post on School Web Page.
7. Does your district or school provide help with developing or maintaining a page?  No  2   Yes 4   

NO, (3^rd with comment) they offer hosting space but I am responsible for developing the page

YES, (4^th with comment) They provide the software but I have to do the page.

8. If you have a site what areas do you include on your page? Check all that apply below:  + utilized by respondent   -  respondent would like to use

     ___ School Syllabus +6     (On school homepage)+2

     ___ Assignments /Class projects /study materials +3 -1

     ___Booster or PTA contacts  -1  +3

     ___Office Hours +3          

     ___News +4

     ___ Calendar/Schedule +7

     ___ Photos (posted with permission) +3 -2

     ___ Sound Files of Concert/Performances -3 +1 (Legality?)

     ___ Links to other webpages +  6  

     ___Wish list +1  -1

     ___Information about Requirements for Festivals or Performances+3

    ____Do you offer something that is unique on your page?

a.We take polls about recent events.  We also have music quotes all over the page.

b.Forms for parents to download

Examples of choral music webpages

https://medlock30033.tripod.com/  See Page for Music Teachers and Graduate Students  links to sites for Orals Review, Special Student Enrichment Projects

Nadaburg ElemntarySchool Site with excellent teaching areas.  See General Music and Curriculum Links. 

Collegiate Level 

Stand alone pages with links to Department Web pages

http://www.uchoir.harvard.edu/

http://music.berkeley.edu/chchorus.html

http://music.indiana.edu/ Excellent use of listening examples for each department

http://dept.kent.edu/music/choral/  The site begun by Garrison 6 Years later….

Bibliography:

Garrison, N (2000) Designing and Implementing an Effective Web Side: A Case Study and Project for the Choral Music Program at Kent State University OH.

Links to Web Pages on the World Wide Web.   All Links were verified July 3, 2006.

The National Music Education Standards

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
*5. Reading and notating music.

*6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
*7. Evaluating music and music performances.
*8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
*9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Web links for teachers to incorporate more teaching opportunities follow on the page "Graduate Project Links 2007".