First a provocation…now a manifesto. I didn't realize how radical this MOOC was going to be!
Well, this week I'm going to heed the instructions and keep this succinct. In fact, I'll paste the questions below and address each in turn. You were introduced to the DAW (or sequencer), the step sequencer, and a range of notation software. Do you feel you would like to explore any of these technologies further? These are pretty important cornerstones of my music technology classes. So, obviously I'll continue using the ones we currently employ in our curriculum, and will be exploring new programs as they are developed. I'm particularly looking forward to trying out the newest competitor in the notation market…Dorico…later this year. Have you been persuaded that the DJ-producer does have an awful lot of sophisticated musical skills? Absolutely not. As much as Dr. Humberstone seems to want us to believe that DJs are high-functioning musicians that have a wide breadth of knowledge in a variety of musical disciplines, the simple fact is that the software takes care of nearly all of those skills in a highly automated way. So much so that one barely needs to be aware of them. Now, I'm not saying that there aren't some very competent musicians who use DJ-related software and gear. I'm just saying that to do what was shown in the example video does not require a knowledge of all of those skills listed in this week's rather wishfully-thinking quiz. But don't take my word for it. Here is a very persuasive argument…and another…(actually from DJs) about how mind-bogglingly easy the software makes it to produce dance music routines: Do you agree with David Price that learning has gone "OPEN"? Sure. It's pretty much been like that since mainstream embrace of the Internet. Price, in way, is probably preaching to the choir (music teachers) about this rather obvious fact. BUT, I don't think it means that a teacher that occupies the same space as the student and gives formalized lessons or lectures is obsolete by any means. A student might view a YouTube tutorial, but the uploader of that tutorial doesn't monitor the student's progress, provide suggestions beyond the video, or assess student learning. These are things that, when we try to teach ourselves, we must then do for ourselves. And that can be challenging. There's a lot to be said for the motivation of preparing an assignment for a mentor on a weekly basis. What were the best examples of OPEN learning that you found either in the course content, in your own searching, or the work of your peers? I really like Justin Sandercoe's guitar site. I've never studied guitar formally, but I love to zip around his amazing archive of lessons. I always learn something new with each viewing. And I recently subscribed to macProVideo. It's more technically-oriented with many music production courses, but there're also short courses on music fundamentals and theory (as well as extra-musical topics). What does Project Based Learning (or the other BLs) have to offer Music Education? And what does Music Education have to offer Project Based Learning in the 21st Century? In music classes and lessons, it's all pretty much PBL. Even in my theory classes I require an end-of-semester creative composition. I agree with Dr. Humberstone that we, as music educators, have a lot to offer other disciplines in hands-on project-based learning. And I loved how the final lecture video ended. The music…the floating titles…and the call to arms for music education to be the model on which all BLs should be modeled!
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