Module Eight: Reflect on the idea that tests are the only objective assessments of student learning.

I don’t believe that tests per se (written questions to be answered), are the only objective way to assess student learning. As a musician and music teacher, I suppose the performances of my students could be called tests for both the students and my instructional technique, but I prefer to think of them as an alternative assessment. When we perform, it is either considered particular levels of “correct,” or “incorrect.” Though it is a concrete assessment of whether or not we perform “well,” the further listening by a musician or an adjudicator would reveal the more subjective aspects of the performance.

                As a final reflection, I think that all assessments are really tests of one sort or another. If we assess knowledge, techniques and execution in any aspect of school or life, I think we are really testing. Even when the doctor looks in my mouth with a tongue depressor, he is making an assessment of what he sees based on knowledge he or she has gained over the career, and thus they are performing a test of sorts. This is an interesting topic to explore, and I think I will need to research this topic more, and further develop my opinion on this matter. Thank you for reading!

                                                Don Pearce

What would my technology infused classroom look like?

My technology infused classroom would like a music room on steroids, combining the traditional rehearsal space with 21^st-century technology. I would have the traditional placement of risers for choral music, and the semi-circular formation for band. From there, I would add computer stations on one side of the classroom. Each of these stations would be used for practice and the learning of music notation and theory, and also be networked and internet capable for research, with a printer attached. This would allow students to be continually rotating through rehearsal, theory knowledge acquisition, and recording technology.

In addition, I would add computers in a practice room that would usable as digital audio workstations for students to record projects, and produce recordings of our concerts. Finally, I would include video capability for the class to be filmed, and have microphones in the room for recording rehearsals. There would a document camera so students could diagram and teach, explore, and create musical lessons for their peers, and have older students tutor younger singers and players.

How visual literacy and use of the internet impact the classroom, stategies I want to use, and internet use in my classroom

      Visual literacy impacts the classroom through stimulating the students in ways that they have now become used to. With the advent of so much personal technology in student’s hands, they look for visual impact in their lives, and with so much time spent in classrooms, the internet can provide great learning opportunities to promote visual literacy.

       Strategies I would like to use in my classroom include images that promote musical styling. By that I mean showing images that will promote thinking about how to play and sign various pieces of music I am teaching in class. Images can give the players and singers ideas on the use of phrasing, dynamic contrast, articulation and tempo.

       I love the idea of using the internet in my classroom. There are so many recordings and videos available now for my music students to study, we could almost watch something viable and worthwhile for half or each class session. The thing I use and like the most are videos on YouTube of music we are presently learning and/or performing. Many of these recordings were not available when I started teaching 28 years ago, and now my students benefit from seeing and hearing that music.

Prompt: Describe the importance of the using a variety of instructional strategies and the value they add to education of students in the 21st Century. Evaluate the role technology plays in the implementation of various instructional strategies. How will this impact your teaching of students?

By using a wider variety of instructional strategies, my students will learn more in my classroom on a daily basis. When I get away from the “normal” way of teaching I have used over the 27 years of my career, my students will benefit in the following ways:

·         not being bored with being taught in the same old fashion;

·         learning new ways of gaining musical knowledge; and

·         becoming more than just a singer or instrumentalist, but a musician.

Technology assists this new adventure in the following ways: the computer lab can be used by musicians learning music (not just downloading or playing it); students can be individually engaged , not just participants in rote teaching in choir or listening to the director dictate style and technique in band; and learning to create music written form. 

Instead of using the computer as a means of retrieving music, students will learn how to notate music through learning the various signs and symbols that are used, and by listening to the sounds such notation produces. 

Students will be individually engaged by using their own station as they learn these musical concepts while still learning their music in group fashion in band and choir rehearsals. Instead of just going to daily rehearsal, there will be separate times to learn the art of music notation through technology. 

Students will also be able to create their own compositions as they notate music, hear it played back, refine it, and even print publisher quality copies and post them on the internet.

Welcome!

This is Don Pearce's Blog for his TEC 538 class at Grand Canyon University! Check back for future posts of classroom assignments and thoughts!