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.
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I agree that it's silly to use technology in the classroom just because it's fancy and flashy. It's easy to get caught up in the wow factor of an application without seeing the true value (or lack of) to learning. However, I have personally found that there are ways that these resources may be used to greatly enhance student learning and interest in music education. I will be interested to see if your opinions on technology use in the music classroom change throughout the semester.
ReplyDeleteI kind of agree with you about the desire to use technology not being particularly great. I think it was impacted by my own experiences in classrooms where various technologies were used without thought just because they were available and were pretty much a waste of time. My best classes, throughout my academic career, tended to be those that were most tradition. They were taught by old, but gifted teachers who had built up skill through years of experience. Could these teachers have incorporated more modern technology effective? I would have higher hopes for them, but for much of my time as a student, technology in the classroom was associated in my mind with diversions and a hollow substitute for effective teaching.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think you don't yet have a desire to embrace technology, besides its most obvious and utilitarian uses?
Hi Greg,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your honest reaction to the TPACK article. I agree that music teachers should be careful to not rely on technology to make up for a lack of pedagogical skill. I still don't think that we can assume that all of our future students will have computers or the internet at home. It is certainly rare today to find a household without a computer, but many urban communities still cannot afford them. Similarly, school districts may not be willing to provide software packages useful for their music teachers, particularly with budget cuts being made around the nation. However, the article did make it clear that technology can make incredible contributions to all types of music classrooms. We should try to keep a very open mind as we go through this class.