VELS and ICT

This post is directly linked to the following statement:

ICT provides a rich and flexible learner-centred environment in which students can experiment and take risks when developing new understanding.

As a subject, music has a history of being one of the most boring, “bludge” subjects that exists in some schools. I know that the school I went to it was exactly the same. Music in years nine and ten were where you spent your electives time if you didn’t want to do much. But as ICT grows and becomes more readily available in schools, there is the opportunity for students to learn a great deal in music and do it in a fun, hands on approach. With things starting as simply as having the ability to share a website on a projector screen or Interactive Whiteboard, to having digital instruments that link to computer programs and the internet! There are now endless possibilities in the music classroom through ICT.

A standard music assignment is to write a melody and an accompanying bass line. For many years the only way to hear that melody was to have it played on the piano. To make changes, it was back to the paper copy with an eraser. Now, with music programs such as Sibelius and Finale, with just a few clicks of the mouse, you can hear it played, make instant changes then hear it again. These programs are simple to use and the students have the ability to produce their assignments in a way that is comparable to industry standards.

There is the ability for students to download programs to teach them to play instruments such as the guitar. There are also numerous CD’s and DVD’s also available to learn almost any instrument. An entire class can learn to play the guitar at their own pace, able to cater to the learning needs of each individual student, yet also being able to pay music as a whole class in an ensemble situation with all students involved.

There are also institutions that have set up ICT access for those students who are in schools that don’t have the funding to be able to implement large scale ICT programs. Places such as The Soundhouse have studios with digital drum kits and keyboards that allow for the hands on, student based learner. For more info see their website http://www.soundhouse.com.au/

The Arts Centre also has music education programs that vary from learning about the orchestra to their new Digital Learning Hub Music Technology & New Media. Taken from the Arts Centre website, “this exciting venue boasts high tech learning labs, world class vocal booths and recording studios, a full video editing suite and green screen capability.”  For more on the Arts Centre Hub see their website http://www.theartscentre.com.au/discover/education/digital-learning-hub.aspx

Through projects such as these, the students can take not only risks in their learning, but also greater control of their learning in a practical approach through the use of ICT.

Facebook and social networking in a school environment.

 I heard on the radio the other day that there was a couple in Egypt who had named their newborn child, Facebook. This prompted a major discussion on the social networking site that has taken over the world. The website's membership was initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and Stanford University. It gradually added support for students at various other universities before opening to high school students, and, finally, to anyone aged 13 and over. The information that was originally designed to be shared between university students, is very different to the information that is now being shared through Facebook, with an audience of followers that now varies in age from 13 (and younger for those who lie about their age…) to those who are old enough to be my grandparents. What are our students risking but putting their personal information on such a social networking site? What are we risking by having our own personal Facebook (or other social networking site) accounts as teachers? Do we really want to allow our students even the remotest possibility of being able to access our personal information?

Then I began thinking about some of the endless possibilities that could come from tapping into the generation that learn to be tech savvy by the age of three. What if you set up a separate Facebook page that is designed for school purposes? Use your teaching name, and allow the kids to add you as a friend. You can then use this as a tool to communicate with them in a way that is familiar and comfortable with them. Create events for homework assignments. Send them a message to remind them that their project is due in two days. This would also allow teachers access to their Facebook profiles. Is it an invasion of their privacy if this happens? Or does it allow another form of supervision and the possibility to prevent and monitor cyber-bullying? By having this second created page, are the kids going to be less likely to go looking for your private page, satisfied that you are already ‘friends’ with them on Facebook?

While setting up something like this would need to be approved by the powers to be in schools, I honestly believe that there could be some good come from the evils that are so commonly associated with social networking sites.