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Music Tech Blog Post Week 2

Once again, I enjoyed this week's reading and lecture. This is partially because I am simply excited to be taking this course. I also enjoyed it because I am passionate about teaching composition within my classes. However, I am still working on the best way to integrate it into my ensembles without taking away from concert preparation.

Last year at my previous school, I utilized Noteflight and MuseScore within my school's subscription to MusicFirst. However, I did not get as in depth with the MuseScore software that was presented in the new tutorials. I simply had surface knowledge. Looking back, I should have utilized them as I would have spent less time on imputing examples from the band & choir curricula. I hope, as I move forward with my new position, I will be able to get another subscription to MusicFirst so I can continue improving my knowledge of Noteflight and MuseScore along with integrating them into compositional lessons.

If you are unfamiliar with MusicFirst, it is a cloud-based music software similar to SmartMusic. You can find their website here. I highly encourage you to explore what they have to offer. They have resources for K-12, which are simply amazing if you have a content and pedagogical purpose for them. This might be a great tool for you. I chose MusicFirst over SmartMusic for two main reasons: cost and the cloud-based technology. Cloud-based technology moves me into my discussion about Noteflight and its classroom application.

My previous school is 1:1 with technology. Junior High students have an iPad, and High School students have a SurfacePro. During class, students would bring their technology and be able to work on their assignments without having to have the software downloaded onto their computer. Through the classrooms set up in MusicFirst, there was a full subscription to Noteflight, I was able to assign composition exercises, and I could go and look at each of their individual and group compositions. With it being cloud-based, students could continue working at home from any device that had an internet connection. I found all three of those aspects to be invaluable, and more engaging for my students.

Comments

  1. Angel ColónNovember 4, 2017 at 6:56 PM

    I love how passionate you are about composing and feel so comfortable with the software to do it. In my district we have the technology available with site licenses to Sibelius and Finale but I have a hard time getting any time with a lab. I see that you are on a 1:1 ratio with technology and the district just north of use moved to that. I have heard both positives and negatives about this model. Do you feel there are more problems with the 1:1 in the classroom or does it enhance your instruction?

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    Replies
    1. UnknownNovember 8, 2017 at 7:01 AM

      I'm not necessarily sure there are more problems with a 1:1 ratio. There definitely are more problems when students have never been 1:1. However, I believe it is our job to teach them how to properly use their technology. When students understand expectations with the technology and proper consequences are in place/utilized, I find that there are few problems. It seems to me that when positive uses are put in place that there are fewer opportunities for technology to be used negatively (with exceptions of students who will make poor choices no matter the situation).

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