Reflection to reading - Music Technology Week 2

This week’s reading focuses on the “creating” process of music, particularly improvisation. Reading this portion of chapter three opened a window of opportunity for me. This past winter, I exposed my junior high choir students to some jazz music. As we all are aware, improvisation is embedded heavily in jazz. Next year, I plan on incorporating more jazz repertoire in my curriculum both in chorus and general music. The one element that I decided to spend the least amount of time on is improvisation. Bauer (p. 55) explains that the use of certain technology programs can provide accompaniments for the students to explore improvisation as well as record themselves to listen back. Through reading this text, I have discovered that technology can help to enhance students’ abilities and confidence with improvisation. Using this technology could expose my students to a whole new world of creativity. I appreciate how Bauer explains the seven steps for the process of learning to improvise as well.

The use of this technology is very valuable to music education. As stated in the reading from last week, students can take ownership of their own learning. Granted, teachers will need to be there to facilitate and answer any questions, but students can learn to improvise, record, critique, and revise on their own. Trying to get students to excel in creativity and critical thinking has become very important and this technology can assist students in developing those processes.  

One trend that I have found in my teaching is that a lot of my general music students do not particularly care to learn how to read, and write music, or study about the life and music of Mozart. However, most of them spend much of their time at home listening to music. At the beginning of chapter three, Bauer (p. 45) mentions a teacher who teaches the students how to take music and manipulate through the use of technology. I would like to look into these types of programs to see if perhaps I can connect with more of my students. My goal is to not train to students to become professional musicians, but to appreciate music in all of its forms. The use of this technology can help to engage students even more in the classroom and explore their creative potential.

I have heard of certain programs like SmartMusic, Sibelius, and Finale when I was working on undergraduate work, but I never imagined that these programs would be accessible for students that are still in elementary or high school. After reading these chapters and listening to the online videos, I have found that a lot of these programs can be used at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels. Bauer explains that a lot of these programs can and should be used in the music classroom pre-college because of the benefits that they haves on the education of students. It has never occurred that these programs would benefit the students that simply love music as a hobby, not as a career. I am beginning to see more and more the value of these technologies in education and how they can enhance the learning capabilities of students.

Reference list

Bauer, W. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York, NY: Oxford University Press