Week 1 - Project Posting- Content Proposal

For my masters program we had to create a thesis and a media project to accompany the thesis. We wrote a content proposal of what our media project will contain. The content proposal definitely helped me organize my thoughts, and made me think about what I wanted to do. I had to think about whether my ideas were truly going to work. The following is my content proposal that I wrote for the media project:

I. THESIS ABSTRACT

School music programs are being threatened today as budget cuts loom. Music teachers do not know how to advocate their programs, and therefore, are losing their jobs.

Teachers must learn the facts about music and its effect on brain, mind, and body. Music helps develop the brain and educate about feelings. It also can increase the heartbeat and encourage other body reactions. Music is an intelligence that is a vital part of education. Technology can be used as a tool to communicate with parents and the community. By using Web 2.0 tools as well as a website and videos, teachers can educate parents about the value of music, and when budget cuts come up, music will not be an option.

II. Introduction

Problem Addressed

Today music programs are being threatened due to the large budget cuts that American schools are facing. Music teachers are facing loss of jobs, and the students are facing the prospect of having no music program within their school. The situation is dire, especially considering the following facts about music. Jensen (2008) informs us that music has many effects on the mind and body which include relieving fatigue, stimulating creativity and thinking, increasing muscular and molecular energy, and much more. Music is a powerful tool in education, and something that students of today need, and yet its presence is being threatened. Due to these facts, music teachers must learn how to properly advocate their music programs, and must discover ways to reach the community they teach in.

Through the use of Web 2.0 tools and a website, the music teacher can communicate with parents and the community. Web 2.0 offers a network for parents, students, and teachers to team up. Keyser (2006) speaks about making parents your partners. She states, “When families and teachers truly team up, it can provide benefits for everyone: children, parents, teachers, and the program” (pg. 4). Web 2.0 tools offer a platform for making this happen. A website is an excellent platform for communicating information through. On this website, parents and the community can learn about music and be updated on what is happening in the local music program.

Target Audience

This website and various Web 2.0 tools will be designed for parents and middle school orchestra students. More specifically this media project will be designed for Bell Middle School orchestra students and parents in Golden, Colorado. They will both be learners and participants. They will be learning facts about music and its value, and they also will be participants in reaching the community, and showing all the value of music programs.

Sharing the project

This media project will be shared with the Bell Middle School orchestra students and parents. The website will be created using iWeb. The website will be a communication tool. It will communicate to the parents what is happening in the Bell Middle School orchestra program. Ning will also be used for this media project. Ning will be a platform for parents, the orchestra teacher, and students to interact, and will contain many videos and links to places to help the students and parents learn the value of music advocacy.

III. Goals and Objectives

Instructional Goal

The subject of the media project is music advocacy. The audience and learners of this project are seventh and eighth grade orchestra students and the orchestra parents. They will acquire knowledge about music and what it does for students, and its impact on mind, brain, and body. This will teach the students and parents the value of music, and teach them why the music program is vital in education. The outcome of this project is creating a community that supports music.

Learning Domain

This media project fits into one main learning domain, which is that of cognitive. The parents and students are learning music facts. They are being filled with knowledge that they did not have before. The outcome is that this knowledge will become affective in their feelings about music, but the main goal of this media projects addresses the cognitive learning domain.

Learning Objectives

The Bell Middle School orchestra students and parents will be able to list how music affects the mind, body, and brain.

The Bell Middle School orchestra students and parents will be able to communicate to the community the value of music.

The Bell Middle School orchestra students and parents will be able to communicate to family and community what is happening in the Bell Middle School orchestra.

IV. Presentation

Instructional Approach

The learning theory being used in this media project is that of cognitive and constructivist. The learners will be taking in cognitive facts about music. They will actively be participating in the learning through blogs, and learning from each other. When all of these different people buy into the music program, then teaching can be truly effective. Students are excited about learning. The music teacher must find the way to help students decide to engage in learning. Making them part of the music advocacy process, will help them decide to engage. Pletka (2007) states, “Instructional technology is a powerful way to engage students and increase participation in collaborative learning in a variety of social contexts important for student learning” (pg. 70). Also, Solomon & Schrum (2007) inform us of this:

Young people in the developed parts of the globe are very aware of the new tools at their disposal and many of them spend hours online using these tools. Because these new technologies and new capabilities engage and motivate students, we can use them to educate. (pg. 9)

Twenty-first century students love the new technology tools out there, and by inviting the student to be part of the music advocacy process through these technologies, music teachers will effectively engage their students. This has special significance for all music teachers here in the United States, where music programs are being threatened, and even globally.

According to Campbell (1997) students who sing or play an instrument can score up to fifty-one points higher on the SAT than the national average of other students. Facts such as this can aid the music teacher in advocating the music program, and facts such as this will be included in the website for parents and students to see.

Hammann & Gillespie (2004) offer ideas on how to advocate music to the community. Their ideas include involving five pillars. These five pillars are as follows: inform and educate those in power about the values of orchestra programs, be a good string teacher, identify and emulate model orchestra programs, gather data and use if effectively, and lastly organize support. A teacher can inform and educate those in power by performing frequently for them and inviting them into your classroom. Being a good teacher involves understanding pedagogy, and planning effectively, and being able to demonstrate excellent musicianship. Identifying and modeling other programs involves getting involved in other programs and seeing what works well. Gathering data involves using all the research out there and letting the community know about those numbers. And lastly organizing support involves parents supporting the music program, as administrators do listen to parent voices.

Lesson Structure

The main part of the media project will begin with the website. The website will contain all of the information about what is pertinent to the Bell Middle School orchestra community. It will give a taste of music advocacy. There will then be a link to the Bell Middle School orchestra Ning site. Within this site will be the education of music. This site will contain educational videos and a Udutu educating parents and students about the value of music. It is here that the community will be able to communicate. The Udutu will be the conclusion of the project, and will contain closing music advocacy comments, and a few quiz questions about music advocacy. Presented this way, the information will be organized in a clear and visually stimulating structure.

V. Evaluation

This evaluation for the project will be mainly formative. The Bell Middle School community will be looking over the website and Ning and adding to it, and advising on what else the media project could contain. There will be some summative learning, as the Udutu will contain a few quiz questions on music. The project will have addressed the goals, when the community is actively using the websites and informing others about it.

Ongoing evaluation

Learners should be able to inform others of the value of music programs. They should also be able to share with others what is happening in the Bell Middle School orchestra program. Simply communicating with the community about what they think of the media project will inform of the success of it. The learners can inform of what more the project needs, and what further steps can be taken to promote music advocacy.

VI. References

Campbell, D. (1997). The Mozart effect: Tapping the power of music to heal the body,

strengthen the mind, and unlock the creative spirit. New York: Avon Books.

Edwards, L. (1990). Affective development and the creative arts: A process approach to

early childhood education. Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing Company.

Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21^st century.

New York: Basic Books.

Hamann, D.L., & Gillespie, R. (2004). Strategies for teaching strings: Building a

successful string and orchestra program. New York: Oxford University Press.

Jensen, E. (2008). Brain-based learning: The new paradigm of teaching. Thousand

Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Jourdain, R. (1997). Music, the brain, and ecstasy: How music captures our

imagination. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc.

Keyser, J. (2006). From parents to partners: Building a family-centered early childhood

program. Saint Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Pletka, B. (2007). Educating the net generation: How to engage students in the 21^st

century. Santa Monica, CA: Santa Monica Press LLC.

Reimer, B. (2003). A philosophy of music education: Advancing the vision. (3^rd ed.).

Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Solomon, G. & Schrum, L. (2007). Web 2.0: New Tools, new schools. Washington, DC:

International Society for Technology in Education.

Wk 1 Comments - Response to Richard Hinkle

Richard Hinke's post:
Let me first say that I don’t care for the term measurement when it comes to people. To me a measure is a basis for comparison regarding weights and size, or the music between two bar lines, as in a measure of music. The idea that we are taking a standard and using it to compare students or ourselves against others is ludicrous. I can see taking a stone and saying that it is a unit of weight for all things. A stone of chicken will be the same as a stone of wheat. However, the concept of creating a standard for comparison of what must be taught, or how one is doing based on all other populations, places, cultures, backgrounds, beliefs and experience just makes no sense.


Yet, I am a total victim of doing just that. In The Art of Possibility (2000) The Zander’s say that in order to understand, comprehend and see where we are or need to go we compare ourselves and our associations with others (p.19). This is complete measurement and exactly what I do. Do I have enough education, is this the best material for the subject, what are others writing about, will it get me a good grade? And so it goes. Some of this pressure comes from the outside sources. For instance the state places measurement on my performance as a teacher based on the measurement of my students using NCLB testing. Tell me that isn’t confusing, using one measurement to create another.


Since some of the measurements in my life are imposed by outside forces and are, at this point, it becomes difficult to ask the question presented on page 23. I know how, but I can not stop these measurements from influencing my thoughts and actions if I want to keep my job. The point I think that the Zander’s are trying to make here is that you can’t let these measurements rule your life. By understanding they are there, and that they are not truly tangible, but they do not control your attitude. You can still be happy, productive, creative and produce unique work in spite of them if you chose to do so.


Zander, R. S., & Zander, B. (2000). The art of possibility (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

My comments:
Everyone hates to think that they "measure people up" so to speak. We like to think that we are open and do not judge others. And yet, like you said, as much as we hate to admit it, everyone does it. It is a necessary thing in order to function in this society. If we did not measure others we would not be able to function. Yet this cannot be an excuse. So many would use this as an excuse for measuring people harshly. This goes along with giving everyone an A. Giving everyone an A allows for generosity in measuring others, and helps others to succeed. It does not allow for measuring others in harsh terms. And good point at the end. None of this stops us from being happy and positive. Giving the A will help that in our interaction with students and others. Interesting thoughts!! Thanks!

Sources:

http://thehinklerreport.blogspot.com/2010/03/let-me-first-say-that-i-dont-care-for.html

Wk 1 Free Choice Post - Technology in the Music Classroom

The following video is the basis for my discussion on technology in the music classroom. The video may be considered a bit "cheesy," but is a good starting point for critical though among peers.



Technology is something that is talked about in many circles. Yes, we do need technology in the classrooms. But so often music teachers think of this as something the other teachers must do. There is so much the music teacher can do!! Podcasts, recording music, social networks, etc. are all wonderful for the music classroom. Technology is something that is overtaking the music world, and it is important that the music teacher also keep up with that.

Music teachers so often concentrate on the performance aspect of music. We come together, tune up the instruments, rehearse, and then perform the music at a concert. There is so many other things that can be incorporated. Programs such as Finale, Smart Music, music games, videos, etc. can be used in the music classroom. These would help in engaging the students, as well as educating the students about how music is created and recorded. Programs such as Smart Music could help motivate the students to practice more, which would help the performance side of the program. MENC (Music Educators Association) has many wonderful tips on incorporating technology into the classroom. The video shows what the classroom could like like now as opposed to many years ago, and the same is true for the music classroom. We could incorporate our rehearsal area with keyboards and computers and recording areas. As music teachers we need to dream big, and find ways to better educate out students about music.

Wk1 Reading - "Playing Second Fiddle"

The textbook, "The Art of Possibility" is a fascinating and enlightening read. It addresses the fact that we measure and compare everything. The author encourages everyone to realize this fact, and think critically about what we are doing. How are we measuring this thought, and what thoughts are coming from assumptions? How can we think outside the box?

I enjoyed the author's music comparisons. The author encouraged the students to not think of themselves as "second fiddle." As a director of an orchestra, I see this in my students all the time. They do not believe that they are a huge contributing factor to the group, and therefore, not important. They then quit trying. I do this myself all the time. I need to find a way to help my students think outside the box, and not assume that what they have to offer does not matter.

Giving the "A" is an interesting thought. This could be a great discussion starter in class. I wish to have this in my orchestra. I would like to start it with a discussion of what giving an A means, and how this would impact the orchestra. Having everyone take ownership of what they are learning, and thinking of themselves as a valuable member of the orchestra, would change the dynamics of the orchestra. This would include valuing what everyone has to offer and what everyone has to say, and would force everyone to think outside the box, and possibly invent an entire new orchestra, and an entire new learning environment.

Reading from The Art of Possibility, chapters 1-3

Image from Microsoft Clip Art