11.03.08
Posted in Technology at 11:32 am by Abby
My dream classroom settup would include a SmartBoard, Clickers, and PowerPoint. Especially for use in the general music classes, though not exclusively to them. But in reality, I’ll be lucky if I have a projector system even set up in the music room if I’m lucky enough to even have a music room. (I remember having music class in the ’storage’ room during my early grade school years until the first school addition, and in Jr. High and early High School we had band and choir on the gymnasium stage until the HS addition.) This has brought up my thoughts on how to achieve my ideal classroom dream. Where would I start to begin building up my technological ‘repertoire’ for the classroom? Projector would obviously be the first thing on my list of desires, but after that? Would I go for the Clickers, which are more affordable but after awhile have a rather limited potential for enhancing learning, or would I go for the far more expensive, but almost limit-less possibilities of the SmartBoard?
No matter how I would approach the matter, I’d need to do a LOT of research on all the possiblitiies, and come up with a pretty good demonstration on why a music classroom (as poorly viewed as these seem to be these days) is worthy of having something expensive for use.
So, I did a bit of searching on using technology in the classroom, and found a site that talks about the benefits of integrating technology into a classroom setting using the frame of mind that the school they are going to deal with has little to no technology in it yet. It has all kinds of information about various things. But it also listed more affordable technology gizmos (even mentioning the use of Sticky-Notes in a classroom!) as well, and also has some excellent statements on why technology is useful (and really quite necessary) in today’s classroom environment. The place also had quite a few links to other sites for furthering your technological exploration for the classroom.
Without further ado, I provide to you a link to the Star Tech Program.
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10.27.08
Posted in Technology at 7:23 pm by Abby
Until my Technology class, I’ll admit I had no idea that these things even existed. But ever since my introduction to them, I’ve come to adore the possibilities that these Smart Boards are capable of doing.
On the Smart Board website, (which is the link provided above) the majority of the examples that they provide are for the business world, but of course my interest is in regards to the classroom use. With the programs possible on this, I could have students easily compose their own works, have interactive ‘worksheets’ and quizzes. I could have them create their own quiz as a quiz! I like the site, though, because it gives examples of a lot of the various possibilities that exist, as well as prices, designs, company names, and other good things to know.
If ever I was to have my dream classroom come true, having a Smart Board with all of the nifty programs for it is one of the top things on my list to have!
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10.08.08
Posted in Music, Technology at 6:44 pm by Abby
In today’s world, it is almost impossible to not find some form of technology in any sort of classroom, music included. At the least, the teacher will have a CD player of some sort, most now have white boards which, in their own way, are also a form of technology since they are more advanced than the chalk board.
In the student teaching that I am doing in my Methods class, I have several times found myself wondering on which way is better: To use a more traditional method or use technology? The specific event that I will bring up this evening, is on what students should read off of when not using their books.
In the classroom that I am at, we spent a day singing along with popular songs. The teacher handed out an individual piece of paper to each student which held the lyrics on it, then they passed them down to return to her as she handed out the next paper for the next song. I had a thought that it would be much faster, and would save trees, if it was set up on a PowerPoint and shown on the projector. Just click next and you’re ready to go without hassle unless your computer should randomly explode.
But then I began to think. With the paper, the kids were seated rather lazily, some facing towards the front, some a bit to the side, looking down and singing rather comfortably. With a projector, the kids would have to all be staring at the same spot on the wall at the same time. The upwards angle would be no better for their posture (or their throats) than being hunched down. And while, yes, you’d be able to see rather clearly if anyone isn’t really paying attention since they would probably not be looking at the words, would it really be better for the kids? What about those with vision difficulties? Should you hand out a piece of paper to them? Which will make other kids want to read off of paper, and by the time all of that is sorted out you might as well stay with handing out papers to all of the kids.
So, when is it truly best to upgrade to a more modern use of technology (such as putting the lyrics to songs on the projector), and when is it best to stay ‘old fashioned’ (just handing out pieces of paper to the students to read off of individually)?
And is there really any sort of definite answer to it?
Adding Technology to the Music Classroom
I found this site (or specifically, the PDF) to have an interesting and useful list of technological things that could be added to a music classroom. If I actually happened to find myself at a school able to afford them and genuinely concerned about the wellfare of its music program.
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