EDCI 56900 – Introduction to E-Learning
Artifact – EDCI 56900 – Paper Prototype – Music Theory – The Basics
- Communicates effectively in oral and written formats
A good opportunity to meet this competency presented itself when I was given the chance to explore support tools for my eLearning module. With the ultimate goal of creating a website that presents an interactive lesson to teach the basics of Music theory, I described in detail the components involved to transfer such knowledge in this artifact. I also presented a video critique of the software used to create the music clips within the lesson and what elements may have worked better if available. Additionally, describing limitations of an application alone are not nearly as effective as guiding a learner through the motions of why and how they may be improved.
- Effectively communicates content through the design and delivery of teaching/learning activities that integrate content and pedagogy
The prototype included in the artifact elaborated examples of teaching methods from the past and aspects of a given pedagogy that exhibited opportunities for improvement. For instance, choir students often require a piece of music to be played for them as they sing to it at the same time in order to memorize it. However, most teachers agree that sight reading is a highly important skill and very few of them reveal they have a systematic way to address it (Hardy, 1998). I felt it was important to mention that a need for an instructional technique integrated into a school setting may be be used to supplement teaching music. Hence, the proposition for interactive instruction that includes progressing fundamentals was demonstrated in the artifact. A major challenge in the creation of this artifact was determining how to integrate an live/animated portrayal of musical notes as they were played. I was able to overcome this obstacle after discovering an available tool on the Internet called Noteflight (“Noteflight – Online Music Notation Software”), that suited this need, and could also be embedded into a custom website. I would have preferred to use an application that would allow the participant to play their own notes along with the scales and pieces that enforced the goals of each respective lesson. For the purposes of the module however, I felt this application was effective and easy to integrate.
- Demonstrates the ability to adapt instruction and assessment techniques to the needs of diverse learners
Perhaps the one element of the program that I was most proud of was the introduction of the Kodály Method (Choksy, 1999). This bonus lesson indicated how musical scales and individual notes could be demonstrated without the notes even being played or heard. Thus, indicating how this instruction can be adapted to a wider audience of learners, even children who are deaf. I wish this lesson could have been included within the progressive steps of the rest of the lesson, and that the option to follow the lessons in any order was made more clear. However, because certain elements of the bonus lesson may require a learner to possess more advanced music experience, I took it out of the chronological order of the lessons. One benefit to this decision is that I was able to refer to the bonus activity as a stand alone activity. Therefore, novice learners have the option of going through all of the lessons while more experienced learners can go straight to the Kodály bonus activity.
References:
Hardy, Dianne (May 1, 1998), “Teaching Sight-Reading at the Piano: Methodology and Significance”, Piano Pedagogy Forum (Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina School of Music) 1 (2). http://sightreadingmastery.com/dianne-hardy- teaching-sight-reading-at-the-piano/home.htm
Choksy, L. (1999). The Kodály method I: Comprehensive music education. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.
Noteflight – Online Music Notation Software. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2014, from http://www.noteflight.com/