Vermont MIDI Program Thoughts

The Vermont MIDI program is a program designed to assist the growth of composing and arranging skills for students between the grades of 2 and 12.  This is done thanks to the usage of playback and MIDI capabilities found in most notation software.  Students also receive streamlined feedback on their works from their teachers, peers, and professional composers thanks to online distribution.  Selected compositions are then performed annually by real musicians for a live audience.  The goal is, of course, not the concert, but the growth of musicality in the students.

I wish that a program like this existed back when I went to primary school.  It would have been so much help for me to be able to have assisted learning in composing and arranging (especially considering I regularly have to arrange now).  It is so difficult to come up with programs that teach students how to write music, especially at such a young age.  This program not only seems effective, but has results to back it up.  The technology clearly has a place too; the students get to see the correlation between writing a piece and then hearing what their work sounds like.  It encourages sensitivity and thought while writing music.

However, this program is not without its limitations.  Specifically, it seems really expensive to keep a program like the Vermont MIDI program working.  Firstly, one needs a full computer lab, and notation software such as Sibelius or Finale for each computer.  Next, one needs to be able to find teachers and composers willing to work for the program as well as pay them the stipend.  And lastly there's the cost of putting on an annual performance showcasing the results of this program.  While this is a very exciting concept, and I wish that people could have access to a program such as this, I know that the schools I've attended prior to Case could not support something as large as this.  

Regardless, this is still an exciting concept.  Composition and arranging are valuable skills on their own.  In addition, they add a lot to one's musicality, as the article astutely points out.  If this program could expand beyond the reaches of Vermont, I'd imagine we'd see a lot more aspiring musicians around the world.

11 Inovative Uses For Notation Software Thoughts

Despite my trepidation with music technology, a lot of positive things can be said of notation software.  It's relatively easy to use (once you learn shortcuts), easy to read, and makes distribution easier (especially with pdfs and programs like Noteflight).  So it's nice to see such a creative look at all of the potential uses for a program like Sibelius or Finale.  We tend to think of these programs as rather simple or one-dimensional, but there are a lot of applications beyond just writing out music.

The first bullet point, explaining sequencing and playback, is the one which I like the most, and one which I have used in my own musical career.  I am currently the music director of Case In Point, an acapella group on Case's campus.  As director, I am responsible for both teaching the music and arranging the pieces we want to sing.  However, I cannot help teach my peers outside of rehearsals.  Using playback is a tool which corrects this issue.  What I've done is put some arrangements on Noteflight and had everyone in CIP join.  If anyone is having trouble learning their part, they can go to the online score and play back their part, either in isolation by highlighting their part or as a whole.

Some of the other ideas are a bit more creative.  The idea of exporting graphics for the sake of having musical images in a non-musical program is an interesting one, and it doesn't sound very complicated to do (at least for Finale).  Creating drills exercises is another fun idea that isn't inherently thought of when thinking of notation software.  And the biggest/most obvious thing one can do with notation software that holds relevance is digital distribution.  For students who have e-mail, it is so useful to be able to write scores or exercises and be able to send them digitally.  It saves paper, doesn't get lost, and can be printed into a physical copy.

When one thinks of music technology, notation software is the best example of what one can do thanks to the addition of computers.  However, there are a lot of uses for the software beyond the obvious applications.  The 11 uses discussed in the article are a good eye-opener, and hopefully will make you start to think of even more uses for a program like Sibelius or Finale.

PLN Addition #1

The first link I have on my PLN is http://www.soyouwanttoteach.com. It was one of the links given to MUED 320 students by Mr. Bauer in his PLN-Professional Development article. The website discusses some of the common issues that occur in most teachers' lives. However, rather than being done formally, the information is presented in casual speech, making the information much more accessible. A lot of issues are discussed on this website, and there are a LOT of ideas that can be picked up from reading a few posts. It's an excellent tool with which to pick up/compare ideas.

Bicycle Built For Two

http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/a6558fdbea5b1ce53711f57722f1fe5646f0f523

This is my copy of "A Bicycle Built For Two" made using noteflight.com. I like this program a lot, as it fulfills a great deal of services. Firstly, it's a decent notation software. Second, it has MIDI playback capabilities. And last, and most important, it can be used on any computer for free. For students learning to notate music but who may not be able to get expensive notation software like Finale or Sibelius, this is a great alternative. It can also be used by students to hear what they write down as played back to them.

TPACK Thoughts

At this point in my musical career, I don't tend to think much about technology's place in music education. While I understand some of the basic uses of technology for music teachers (Powerpoints, sheet music software, digital audio clips, etc.), I'm not at the point where I see technology as a major asset or necessity for music teachers. The TPACK article didn't quite change my mind on the matter, but it did help make the argument of technology's place in music more clear to me.

The article begins with a discussion of technology's growth in modern society and how it is being used as a tool for teaching and globalization. The writer is quick to point out, however, that most music teachers do not use technology regularly in their profession. Considering the vast spread of technology in today's age, it was surprising to hear such low figures for the usage of computers in the classroom and out. One thing that is touched on briefly, but I find extremely important, is that technology should only be incorporated into the classroom if it benefits the class. Simply having it there for being "cool" or just to be there isn't a good reason to utilize technology.

The model of combining teaching and technology is called "Technological Pedogogical and Content Knowledge" (TPACK). At it's core, TPACK says that having a comprehensive knowledge of technology is not sufficient to utilize it in practice. One must also know how to combine knowledge of technology with one's pedagogical techniques so as to best utilize the technology. This is divided into three categories which are combined into TPACK: Technology, Content, and Pedagogy. One must be have a comprehensive grasp on all three of these subjects, and be able to mix then in any combination before TPACK is achieved. The end result is that technology can be incorporated into the classroom more easily, and more options are given as to how you can present ideas to a student.

Overall, while I still don't have the desire to utilise technology as a teacher beyond when it's neccessary, I see the applications. TPACK makes a convincing case as to why we should care about technology: it will better ourselves as teachers and give us more options in the classroom without hampering our current ways of teaching. It's an interesting theory, and one that I'll have to keep in my mind as I continue studying technology's place in music.