Technology in the Classroom Reflection

Technology is a very useful tool for educators and for use in the instruction of curriculum to students. Tools such as digital instruments, notation software, computers, iPads, and smartboards, are just a few resources available to educators who seek an innovative and technologically inclusive classroom. Advances in technology throughout the years have allowed students to become very hands-on and actively involved in their education, but many educators do not use the technologies available to them in the most advantageous ways for music instruction (Bauer, 2014, p. 9).

Many teachers simply do not have the budget or facilities to incorporate technological tools in their classroom. Others, however, do not effectively use technology because it is too simple of a tool or is overwhelmingly complex for them to understand. Thus, the major concern is that teachers do not have the amount of professional development and knowledge they need to use technology creatively in their classrooms. When an educator is provided any technological tool, whether it is the simplest or the most complex, he will need to be educated on the best practices to maximize student learning. Too often an educator will be provided a tool and will not be shown how to use it productively in his classroom instruction. Fortunately, Bauer (2014) states "Music Learning Today," will help "teachers develop the ability to understand the dynamics of using technology effectively for music learning" by giving insight on how to use technology. He states that "pedagogical approaches that align technologies with specific curricular outcomes" will also be provided (p. xii). These statements are very encouraging to an educator eager to learn more.

As an educator who has a classroom computer, smartboard, synthesizer, digital recorder, and notation and recording software, I thought I used technology very effectively in my classroom. However, I realized a few things about my methods:

1. I do not frequently use everything that I have available.
2. I am not familiar with the potential of the technological tools I do have.
3. I am unfamiliar with various useful and educational programs/opportunities in regard to technology. 

My favorite technological tool is a digital recorder, and I use this tool in many educational ways. I have my students record themselves for a grade, and I have found that they tend to reflect more on the quality of their efforts when they know their performance will be played back. Often times, students will respond to this by practicing more, focusing on their weaknesses, and making an effort to do their best on the performance at hand. Fortunately, this technology is readily available to students with today's smartphones, iPads, and laptops, and together with my feedback, they can be led to higher levels of achievement.

  I use audio and video devices to record rehearsals and performances as well. I will use these recordings to review what went well and what will need to be improved on at the next rehearsal. These recordings are beneficial to the educational process and are a timely way to assess students. Likewise, the recordings are also a perfect way to assess and reflect on my performance as an educator. I have also found that students like to watch and critique their performances when they are played back on the smartboard. Watching a marching band performance on the smartboard is a very educational way to show students the positive and negative moments in their performance. I will pause the video at transition points in the show, and students will see spacing errors, poor marching technique, and missed visuals from an audience member's perspective. Students will take the knowledge they gained from breaking down the performance and will apply it to their next performance.

I record my students playing audition material and then use Audacity to splice together their best recordings of each excerpt and will give the student their own personal file. This gives them something they can keep and feel proud of and will allow them to think positively of the recording experience. I also recorded two vocal ensembles performing the same tune and entered the multiple recordings into GarageBand so the groups could hear what their combined voices sounded like together. This has proved to be a fun activity, but I did not realize that something like this could be a much bigger project!

I am unfamiliar with programs such as "Rock Our Work, Google Lit Trips, and Music-Comp: Music Composition Online Mentoring Program" (Bauer, 2014, p. 7) which allows students to use technology, such as recordings and GarageBand, to collaborate and work on a common project with musicians from around the world. Knowledge of these organizations and programs provides exciting possibilities for both my students and me, but I will definitely need to become more technologically savvy and familiar with the programs available to a music educator who is interested in creating an interactive classroom. Fortunately, with apps and websites like Twitter, Facebook, and Feedly.com, resources for professional development can be brought to my immediate attention with the simple click of a button!!


As I have become curious to what can be done with the technology available to me, I found a Youtube video about an interactive classroom in Ireland that I thought was worth sharing. I think an interactive classroom environment like this would be very enjoyable for students of all ages, and likely an opportunity for students to show their teachers something new about technology!



References:
Bauer, W. (2014). Music Learning Today: Digital Pedagogy for Creating, Performing, and
        Responding to Music. Oxford University Press: New York.

E. (2015). Interactive classroom: ICT in the music classroom, Ireland. Retrieved July 06, 2016, from

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccyDRguJf3c