Saturday, April 28, 2012
Blog Reflection 13
Friday was our last class of the semester. We were fortunate to have Mrs. Riley come to speak to us about SMART Board technology. She began by showing us the basic features of a SMART Board and the SMART software. Mrs. Riley showed us how to use images already in the gallery of the program and also how to add images into the program. After she showed us the basic functions of the SMART Board, Mrs. Riley explained to us how SMART software can be used to create lessons. She showed us a few games that she had made herself. I find it extremely useful to be able to edit the games that are preexisting in the SMART software to make games that are relevant to the subject you are teaching.
I sincerely hope that the classroom I find myself teaching in has a SMART Board. Each time I learn more about the technology I think of more and more uses for it in my lessons. I hope that in the coming years I continue to learn more about how the software and its seemingly infinite uses. I only hope we could have spent a bit more time on this in our class.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Blog Reflection 12
This week in class we began by discussing how videos can be used in the classroom because some people expressed that they didn't feel it was necessary. We viewed some online video channels of different music educators. The next thing we talked about were podcasts. Podcasts are video or audio from a specific group or person that others can subscribe to. We were then assigned a project to do an interview and make it a podcast on podomatic.
I think that podcasts are an avenue that can be used execute the idea that I presented in last week's blog post. Last week I expressed that it may be useful to make videos interviewing students about what they are learning so that their parents can view them. The best way to show them to parents is to have them subscribe to your podcast. This makes it easier for parents to see what is going on in their children's lives at school. This idea isn't limited to the music classroom. I do feel that it is most useful for the music classroom, though, because the credibility of music classes is questioned more often than that of other academic classes.
I think that podcasts are an avenue that can be used execute the idea that I presented in last week's blog post. Last week I expressed that it may be useful to make videos interviewing students about what they are learning so that their parents can view them. The best way to show them to parents is to have them subscribe to your podcast. This makes it easier for parents to see what is going on in their children's lives at school. This idea isn't limited to the music classroom. I do feel that it is most useful for the music classroom, though, because the credibility of music classes is questioned more often than that of other academic classes.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Blog Reflection 11
Friday's class was devoted to video recording and editing. The program that we focused on using was iMovie. Professor Riley recorded a short interview with a student for material to use to demonstrate how to use iMovie. We learned about b-roll, which is footage that is shown while audio from another video is being played. Professor Riley went through the process of editing the video that he had taped in class so that we understood what to do for our own assignment.
After class I began thinking of practical applications for filming videos in a classroom. I came up with a couple of options. First, I thought it could be used as a way to inform parents of what has been going on in the class. The students would be interviewed about what they have been learning and the video could be posted online for their parents to see. Another idea that I had was music videos. There are many opportunities for composition in a middle school classroom, and it would be even more exciting for the students if they were able to add their own video.
I did think, though, that it may have been a little more useful to cover at least some of Windows Movie Maker. I do understand that our computers in the lab are Macs and do not have this program. That being said, I feel that more classrooms are equipped with PCs than Macs and it may have been worthwhile to cover the use of a different program.
After class I began thinking of practical applications for filming videos in a classroom. I came up with a couple of options. First, I thought it could be used as a way to inform parents of what has been going on in the class. The students would be interviewed about what they have been learning and the video could be posted online for their parents to see. Another idea that I had was music videos. There are many opportunities for composition in a middle school classroom, and it would be even more exciting for the students if they were able to add their own video.
I did think, though, that it may have been a little more useful to cover at least some of Windows Movie Maker. I do understand that our computers in the lab are Macs and do not have this program. That being said, I feel that more classrooms are equipped with PCs than Macs and it may have been worthwhile to cover the use of a different program.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Blog Reflection 10
Today's class was taught by Dr. Ryan. He explained to us all about Smart Music. This is a program that I was vaguely familiar with before today's class, but I learned much more about it's useful features. The only encounter I had with Smart Music in the past was in elementary school. We used Smart Music with examples from our methods books so we could see what we were doing wrong. I was unaware that Smart Music had an accompaniment feature, since I had not used it. I find this to be extremely helpful, especially since you can get the accompaniment to follow the player.
Another useful feature of Smart Music that I found is the ability to loop certain parts of the music so that one section can be practiced over and over again. This would be especially helpful for pieces of music where a group was having trouble with one passage. If each student had access to Smart Music, they could review their part many times on their own with the program, and then be able to play it more successfully with the group.
The third feature that I liked about Smart Music is the ability to import Finale files into Smart Music. This is useful for pieces that aren't in the Smart Music library or audiation exercises. Smart Music is a great tool, and I'm glad that it is so affordable and easy to obtain. Since I only had limited knowledge of this program, today's class was extremely useful. I may have otherwise dismissed Smart Music because I wasn't aware of all of it's features. I will now consider it as a tool in my future classroom(s).
Another useful feature of Smart Music that I found is the ability to loop certain parts of the music so that one section can be practiced over and over again. This would be especially helpful for pieces of music where a group was having trouble with one passage. If each student had access to Smart Music, they could review their part many times on their own with the program, and then be able to play it more successfully with the group.
The third feature that I liked about Smart Music is the ability to import Finale files into Smart Music. This is useful for pieces that aren't in the Smart Music library or audiation exercises. Smart Music is a great tool, and I'm glad that it is so affordable and easy to obtain. Since I only had limited knowledge of this program, today's class was extremely useful. I may have otherwise dismissed Smart Music because I wasn't aware of all of it's features. I will now consider it as a tool in my future classroom(s).
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Blog Reflection 9
The topic that most interested me in class this week was gamification. This term means taking mundane tasks and making them game-like in order to create more interest and motivation. There are many places where gamification can be useful. We are, obviously, most interested in its effect on education. Using games as a part of teaching helps students to view what they are learning as fun, and not as work. Games also give students a chance to try over and over again to better grasp a concept, it gives them a chance to learn at their own pace.
Gamification is also used in fitness. The Nintendo Wii and the X-Box Kinect have released countless games that make working out playful. Instead of doing a boring routine, players can compete against each other to exciting music. Some of these games are aimed at exercise, such as Zumba or Wii Fitness, but others just seem to be games that are unrelated to exercise, but are still physically demanding.
A third place where gamification is used is in marketing. Companies use "games" to keep their customers coming back. One example of this is punch cards. Many businesses have punch cards that reward the customer for each new purchase they make. This causes the customer to keep returning because when they reach a certain number of punches, they usually get something for free. Some companies have competitions that give out prizes, or certain percentage discount. These competitions usually take place online, so there is an influx of traffic onto such company's website. I feel that these methods are extremely effective. People are always looking to better themselves, and competition and gamification plays to that fact, and other benefits come of its use.
Gamification is also used in fitness. The Nintendo Wii and the X-Box Kinect have released countless games that make working out playful. Instead of doing a boring routine, players can compete against each other to exciting music. Some of these games are aimed at exercise, such as Zumba or Wii Fitness, but others just seem to be games that are unrelated to exercise, but are still physically demanding.
A third place where gamification is used is in marketing. Companies use "games" to keep their customers coming back. One example of this is punch cards. Many businesses have punch cards that reward the customer for each new purchase they make. This causes the customer to keep returning because when they reach a certain number of punches, they usually get something for free. Some companies have competitions that give out prizes, or certain percentage discount. These competitions usually take place online, so there is an influx of traffic onto such company's website. I feel that these methods are extremely effective. People are always looking to better themselves, and competition and gamification plays to that fact, and other benefits come of its use.
Friday, March 16, 2012
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