UDL Discussion

I agree that curriculum can be disabled/disabling. Often, when most people think of teaching music, or the music classes they had growing up, they think about learning to read music. Unless you are going to be a musician, it is not at all relevant to any one's every day life. However, in many music classrooms, it is the main focus. There are actually many musicians that function perfectly well without reading a note. So, instead of focusing on the parts of music that students can relate to, enjoy, and use and understand in their everyday life, they are taught that the quarter note gets one beat. No one cares. It is absolutely useless unless it can be applied. Often times, focusing on music notation alienates students at an early age and cause them to avoid going into higher level music programs. Teachers become so focused on getting that part of the curriculum ingrained that it is automatic when they have their curriculum tests. The problem is that students end up  not understanding it, and having no clue how to apply it. Knowing how many beats the quarter note gets you know where unless students are applying it to an instrument. I do teach music notation, partly because I have to, but partly because many students need a basic understanding of it to function in band, orchestra and choir. However, I make sure to apply to a specific instrument so that students can experience the notation, not just memorize it.

    If we analyze the curriculum and figure out how we can teach it so everyone learns, we are not asking students to step outside of who they are in order to understand concepts. I am not saying we should not challenge students. Of course we need them to push beyond their own boundaries, but we also need to give them the opportunity to develop, appreciate and use their strengths. *HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION * At some point, in order to teach melody, someone decided they were going to draw a picture of the melody they were using. It was a simple shape that moved up when the music went up, and down when the music went down. This started because there was a learner who needed a better visual demonstration to learn. Instead of telling the student “your voice needs to be higher,” they are able to show them which direction the voice needs to go. So, seeing how well it worked with one student who was having trouble, the teacher decided to try it with all of his/her students. Lo and behold, many of the students in the class benefited from this visual demonstration. By finding a way to better teach the curriculum to one student, it helped all of the students. Another advantage is that the student who is having trouble is not singled out with a separate activity or assessment. The challenge is that sometimes it can be easier to change something for one or two people than rewriting a lesson or curriculum.

PART A - Description of Need or opportunity

Tai Kimmerly

Tammy Maginity

CEP-812 - Apply Educational Technology to Practice

07/15/11

PART A - Description of Need or opportunity

My wicked problem is assessments in the music classroom. It is not focused on the actual assessments, but the recording and management of the assessment results. Up until now, I have been using a paper based system. Paper is my enemy. It is easy to lose, misfile, or misplace. My idea for solving this problem is the implementation of a tablet pc.

Most of my seating charts and plans are created on the computer, but I don’t have quick access to them from where I teach, or access to students where I would like to record assessments. The most helpful thing would be to carry my computer and take quick notes on it throughout the day. For instance, if I notice that Johnny is having trouble keeping a steady beat, I could simply write that in my file for that class and it would be saved in one spot. Then, when grading and planning, I can refer to that file for more accurate grades and more effective lessons. To implement this plan, I will need to shop around for a tablet pc. Several things must be kept in mind. First, I must be able to afford it. Second, it has to be able to take hand written notes. Third, it must be either very durable, or be supplemented with a very durable casing. While this system is much more costly than a simple paper and pencil system that I have been using, the organizational possibilities far outweigh the cost. By having one place where I keep seating charts, assessments and lesson plans, it eliminates the need for countless binders and sheets of paper which inevitably overcome my organizational capabilities.

This will be used in the music classroom, mainly during assessments, both formal and informal, depending on the situation. It will also be used for seating charts and to store lesson plans for quick reference. I can simply pull up my lesson plans for the day and have them waiting in case I need to refer to them. I will be the only one using this object since it will be a storage place for grades and notes regarding student assessments.

Having chosen this topic before researching it, I did not expect to find many resources. However, after typing “tablet pc for assessments and seating charts” into Google, the first hit was “Using Tablet PC's in Music Education.” While that seems to be the only one so far regarding music education, it offers ideas on how tablets can be used in every level. To my surprise, this article was written in 2005. I am still looking for cases where tablets may have actually been used for similar purposes to mine, but have not yet found any.

Regarding planning, I can use the class lists I currently have access to, to create a grade book in excel that my seating charts will link to. Though I can practice this ahead of time, the linking system will have to be created after the seating charts, since I generally let students choose their own seats. I am hoping to create a system of links that will automatically transfer the grades I enter into an excel grade book type file so I can have quick access to a class or individuals grades and get a better overall picture of how they are doing.

            I will probably have to train myself. The files I would need can probably be created on any computer, so I can start that now. However, I would like to borrow a tablet before purchasing one to be sure the files will work. This may be difficult, since no one I know owns one. I will also need to write out a lesson I already have, but including this piece of technology to test how it will work. For the most part, I need to tackle this project during this course so that when school starts I can begin testing it immediately. After this course is over, I will have to add names of last minute additions to classes, create seating charts with the students, and finalize the linking system so that the grades actually transfer on their own.

This project will be successful if I can get the seating charts and their corresponding grades to link to a grade book file. If that does not work, I will have to manually transfer them which could defeat the purpose of the whole project.

MERLOT Evaluation

MERLOT Evaluation

I decided to evaluate Noteflight because I have actually used it in class. It is a cloud based music notation software, which means I can write out music and store it on the internet. So, I can have access to these files at any of my buildings.

Quality of Content:

This software is one way to write out music. It is as correct as any notation software can be. However, it does not have the bells and whistles that make the full versions of software worth their price tags. However, it allows me to quickly input student composition so that they may take it with them at the end of class. They leave with a professional looking copy of music with their name on it as the composer.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool:

As I said before, this software works well as a teaching tool. I can and have created sample music for use in class and on worksheets. I have also inputted student compositions to print so they could have an authentic and professional piece of music that they wrote. It is incredibly powerful to have a piece of music in your hand with your name on it. It shows students that composers are/were real people, just like them. While I have never had students use this program, I imagine that it would be difficult from a compositional standpoint. Often times, when composing, students create music of a higher degree of difficulty than they would be able to notate. If you put them in front of a computer and tell them to compose something with notation software, it often times lacks quality and does not make sense. The process becomes more about how it looks, rather than how it sounds. However, older students may be able to use this to notate a composition after they have created it with teacher assistance. While the software may not improve learning, it adds a level of authenticity to the lesson that cannot be created elsewhere.

Ease of Use:

This software is incredibly easy to use, if you have experience with notation software. Most musicians and music teachers would have a very easy time with it. However, when using the product with students, unless they have a very strong understanding of music notation, it may be quite difficult without direct supervision. To use this product alone, students may need to be in a high school music theory so they understand all of the symbols and how they should be applied.

Wicked Problem Audio

https://www.msu.edu/~kimmerl5/CEP811/wickedproblemproposaltai.mp3

Personal introduction 812 tai kimmerly

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Personal Technology Plan

Tai Kimmerly

Carolyn McCarthy and Dr. Sandra Plair

CEP-810 Teaching for Understanding with Computers

06/26/11

Personal Technology Plan

            As I continue on in my academic life, I would like to incorporate technology into my own education, my classroom and my daily routine. In a classroom, technology has great possibilities. For example, we can use the internet as a tool to access other cultures. It can also make lessons more engaging and provide access to a plethora of student examples in every subject. Many schools around the world post examples of student work in programs like VoiceThread and Google Docs. The down sides to these programs are far outweighed by the things that they offer.

Since many schools have blocked email access to students in some way, and many students depend on emailing files to themselves for access, they may not be able to work on files both at home and at school. “The prohibition of email use by students has become a problem for teachers and students. Teachers want to send assignments and other messages to students via email and students want to send assignments to themselves so they can work on them and print them at school.” (Jensen par. 1) Cloud computing programs such as Google Docs offer this possibility. They store all of your files online, giving you access anywhere there is internet available. However, in working with this program, one thing worries me. Google Docs, does not allow for nearly as much formatting as Microsoft Word, which many people are used to working with. At least for me, these formatting limitations make it a very frustrating program. When using Zoho, many of the same formatting options are still available.

            Currently, there are several ways that I include technology in my every day classroom. When I use the computer lab, my students are able to access a program called Super Duper Music Looper. Although this program has recently been discontinued, it is a highly engaging program that allows me to assess several musical concepts. The problem I have encountered is that I often do not have access to the lab, and we have a limited number of copies of the program. While it is still possible to work on this program as a group, I am only able to use it as a group assessment instead of an individual one.

In addition to this program, I have also used a PowerPoint Jeopardy game that assesses student knowledge of music notation. This tool quickly informs me of how much the students understand. It is used in conjunction with a clicker system for students to input answers. Unfortunately, the version of PowerPoint I have access to is not compatible with the school’s CPS (clicker system), resulting in a delayed and slightly disjoined experience when playing this game. While the evolution of technology has done many important things for our society, I have found, as it is the case with the previous example, that some technologies are not compatible resulting in more frustration than advancement. In cases when technology is compatible, it may be too costly to replace, as with Microsoft Office.

Another way technology can be added into my classroom is through the use of a blog. Though I have not done this yet, I plan on implementing it in the fall. I plan to attach the link to my school website and post information for students and parents. They will then have quick and easy access to the content we are working on in class, concert schedules, or websites that may be useful. One downside of this is that families may not have internet access. We are living in a very transitional time where schools have access to new software and technology that our students’ families may not. As schools gain access to new technology it is no doubt that families will, too. However, the rate at which they can access the same technology may never be consistent.

The form of technology I use most with my classes is recorded music. Being an elementary music teacher, we listen to music quite often. When I started teaching, my first school had a stack of records and a record player. This was in 2008. While in 2008 records may have been outdated, they were once the height of recording technology. They are still preferred by many music lovers today. Before records, the radio was the only way to hear music unless you went to a live show. Since records, recording technology has included 8-tracks, cassettes, compact discs (CDs), and is now in the form of MP3. While CDs are still widely used, 8-tracks are mainly found in antique stores and specialty shops. In 2010, the last cars were produced with factory installed cassette players. “According to experts who monitor the automotive market, the last new car to be factory-equipped with a cassette deck in the dashboard was a 2010 Lexus.” (Williams par. 1) Now tape decks must be specially ordered. “Audio seers say that the CD, too, will eventually fade away.” (Williams par. 7)  More and more cars are coming equipped with MP3 player hookups. Eventually, the CD will be as obsolete as the 8-track, and the MP3 player will be replaced with a technology we cannot yet fathom. While I still have a cassette player in my car, I only use it for my one Billy Joel cassette and audio books, and those are also being phased out from many stores and libraries. Mainly, my cassette player is used as an adapter for my portable CD player, or my MP3 player.

Until recently, most of my school music collection has been on CDs. I had to take them with me to all of my schools. I decided to leave my CDs at one school and take my MP3 player with me to the others. It worked well until I started forgetting the MP3 player. It did not take long for me to realize that this system would not work for me. I was thinking of burning copies of all of my CDs when I learned of the new music clouds being produced by several different companies. Now, the new thing in music technology is being able to listen to your music collection from anywhere you have internet access. These days, for most people, that is everywhere. However, if you don’t have access to the internet where you want to listen to your music, the cloud may not be for you. Another problem is the cost. While there are free versions of these programs, they do not offer much storage space. You may not be able to store all of your music unless you upgrade your service.

Through this class, I have found many ways that I can increase technology both in my classroom, my everyday life, and in regards to professional development. I have learned how to use many programs that put new technologies at my fingertips. Through my RSS feed, I have learned of the new music cloud programs being offered by several different companies. Through twitter, I have learned of job openings, conferences and other professional development opportunities. Regarding my own learning, I plan on continuing by working toward a master’s in the MAET program. I also plan on using the new programs and websites that we have learned about to stay up to date on the latest developments in technology and how it could be applied to a music classroom.

In regards to my everyday life, it is difficult to separate from my education and teaching. I have added things to my RSS feed which I find interesting, but may or may not have a bearing on my profession. I find myself listening to music on my cloud account because it is easy to access and maneuver. Also, I started working out while listening to my MP3 player, which I now know how to use. Once you start adding technology to one part of your life, it sneaks in and makes the other parts a little bit easier and more fun. Just don’t forget your password.

Works Cited

Jensen, Tori. “No Student Email at School? Google Docs to the Rescue!”  Library Media Connection. Web. Worthington: May/Jun 2010. Vol. 28, Iss. 6; p. 52

<https://angel.msu.edu/AngelUploads/Content/US11-CEP-810-731-949530-EL-14-204/_assoc/9D55BFADBA264B0F8DDD781C8E174530/50728727.pdf>

Williams, Stephen. "For Car Cassette Decks, Play Time Is Over - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. N.p., 4 Feb. 2011. Web. 1 July 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/automobiles/06AUDIO.html>

Personal Learning Reflection

Tai Kimmerly

Carolyn McCarthy and Dr. Sandra Plair

CEP-810 Teaching for Understanding with Computers

06/30/11

Personal Learning Reflection

In my personal learning reflection, I had two teaching goals. They were incorporating technology to aide engagement and assessment and to become a technology source for the other teachers within my building. Throughout this course, I have discovered several ways of using different forms of technology for assessment. For instance, VoiceThread can be used to share and comment on student compositions. I have also recently learned to use Jing, which I can use to make tutorials for any programs that my colleagues and I might need to use. Before this class, I was not aware that these programs existed.

In regards to becoming a technology source for other teachers in my building, I have started conversations with my mentor, school media specialist, and several other colleagues about different programs that I have learned about in this class. My mentor, a learning specialist, plans to use VoiceThread to model good reading to her students. Our media specialist is excited to start using Google Docs as a publishing venue for students. Another music teacher and I plan to start sharing student compositions this fall. In addition to becoming a technology source for teachers in my school I have also started to share what I have learned with friends and colleagues outside of work.

As far as my skills with technology are concerned, I set out to improve my abilities with mp3 player. In addition to spending time uploading music and getting to know my mp3 player, I finally received my invitation to Music Beta, Google’s new music cloud service. I currently have a similar Amazon account, but the Google version appears to hold more music. I learned about these programs through my Google Reader page.

The assignment that best represents good teaching and technology is the SIG project. This assignment not only made me consider technologies that I could use in my classroom, but also helped me to think about how I would teach similar lessons or use similar projects with my own students in the future. Along with classmates I experienced working with group members in an online setting so that I can help my own students do the same thing in the future.

My new goals are on a broader scale. I would like to actively search out new technology opportunities on a regular basis. Thanks to my new RSS feed, twitter, and various other accounts that I have started in the past few weeks, I have access to more information about technology and music than I knew was available. I would also like to continue to find more methods of incorporating technology into assessment. I would like to be the person who helps others to discover new ways to reach their students through the use of technology.

VoiceThread Presentation

Learning Styles

In my experience, strategies that involved problem solving and applying knowledge to physical problems work best for my learning. Lecture based teaching was never very effective for me, because I have a tendency to space out, no matter how hard I concentrate. This point was proven yet again today in church when I sat through three catholic masses and have very little recollection of what the sermons were about. However, when combined with something physical, like taking notes, my concentration improves exponentially. Things that also help me are drawing, doodling, or simply playing with something in my hands. I think a lot of times, people think of the things that help learners like me concentrate as distractions and require them to stop. What is the result? By the end of the lecture, or sermon, I am kicking myself because somewhere along the line, I started thinking about flying airplanes. I am not joking.

Also, being able to apply what I have learned as soon as possible after learning it is crucial. Even for this class, I occasionally read a lecture and then wait a couple of days to do the assignment. By then, I have to re-read everything because I didn't have anything to connect the information to in my head, and it didn't stick. While we can't teach every lesson according the all learning styles, we can try to include as many as possible and vary them. Even if a student is excellent in a lecture setting and can remember everything spoken out loud, it couldn't hurt to take notes, or apply the information soon after the lecture to a project. It is not redundant, but reinforcement. Even if a given learning style isn't the best for a student, that doesn't mean it can't help in some way.

Creative Commons Lab

Photo Attribution:
Original Image: "The Sign"
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3192472818_1c7446454b.jpg
By: Ethan Hein
Released under an Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) License

I frequently use images in my curriculum, whether they are computer generated, photographs, or things I have to create. For instance, notation is very visual. It has to either be created by me, downloaded, or displayed from an image someone else has created. There are also visual representations of music that I create myself, by hand and on the computer, so that students may connect what they are hearing to something visual. For example, the image I have embedded and linked to my Picasa account below, is an image for the melody of a song called "Five Kites." I use it and many visuals like it every year with kindergarten and other grade levels. While the image is quite simple and took me all of thirty seconds to make, it is an incredibly powerful visual tool.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tXN4lT77R-IEKmIpY4o5CH0lzNkzZl-GeQQp7IVjXJc?feat=directlink

Also in my Picasa account is my drumming photo from my blog. It was automatically put there because both Blogger and Picasa are google accounts, but I don't know why it added twenty copies of the photo.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/v7NdSAMIhLeCNi2cMAEjHqyVSjbH5KayKq8g1fPjRh8?feat=directlink

Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

PC Maintenance and Security

The first tutorial I watched in the System Maintenance and Security section was the second underneath the “Clean Up and Speed Up Your PC” heading. I did not choose the first video, because I know how to add/remove programs. I chose this section because I am always complaining about the speed of my computer, even though I know it improves substantially if I just shut it down. I chose “Using the Disk Cleanup utility in Windows” because I had never heard of it. If my computer is working slowly, I usually run the defragmenter and hope it helps. That was really my only tool before today. I had to restart it after a while, but that was because I had started several other things at the same time. This also probably contributes to my computer’s lack of speed. (I am restarting this utility for the third time after writing this entire post. I hope it actually runs all of the way through.)

The second tutorial I chose was the first one on the list. I figured if I didn’t know about the Disk Cleanup, there might be something in the first tutorial I did not know either. Actually, I did pretty much know how to do this. The problem is that I don’t know what everything does. I do not want to remove programs that are essential. I did remove the “Bing Toolbar” program, though. It is not needed.

The third video I watched was “Using Windows Cleanup!” It freed up 2.1GB of space on my hard drive. I am amazed. Even though the demo said it would remove 6, I am still happy having that space back. Hopefully it will improve my laptop’s speed.

After learning so much in the first three tutorials, I decided to watch the fourth as well. I have always been scared of “msconfig.” After disabling a few startup lines, something did alarm me a bit. There was something listed in the startup files called “winampa,” and when I searched it on the “Startup Programs and Executables Listing,” it said it was a Trojan! Upon further reading, it stated that it was only a Trojan if it was in the system folder, not if it was in the Winamp folder. I was quite relieved. However, I also learned that I have no idea how to uninstall Winamp from my computer. It does not come up on my add/remove programs list and has no uninstall option in the folder. It also claimed my google update was a virus. There were two entries on the site, one claimed Trojan, and the other claimed it was legit. I am going to go with legit on that one.

I would happily share the Windows Cleanup! with others. I found it to be a very useful and easy to use tool. Learning about msconfig was also very helpful and took some of the scariness out of “messing” with my computer. I am unimpressed with the Disc Cleanup utility, mostly because it has yet to finish running after a third start.

Getting Things Done

When I started reading the Getting Things Done section, I thought, "This is exactly what I need!" I am an incredibly disorganized person. My dream for years has been to become hyper organized. My disorganization has become much worse this school year since I am at four different buildings. To do lists are constantly going through my head, but only the things that need to be accomplished somewhere else. When I do write down the lists, they often migrate and disappear. I don't know that I have ever seen a finished to do list. Right now, my apartment is a wreck and I am having trouble wrapping my head around all of the things I have to do to make it presentable.

First, I started writing everything I had to do in a zoho doc and quickly realized that it was not going to work. It would soon get cluttered and I would never look at it again. So, I downloaded ToDoList from the list of websites on the GTD learn session. I basically looked for the one with the highest rating. I then added all of the things that I needed to accomplish. The more I typed, the more I remembered. I came up with 18 different things that I would need/want to do in order to maintain sanity. The process step was a little confusing to me. I am not going to put anything on a list that I cannot do. However, I do frequently put things on lists that do not need to go on lists, just so I have things to mark off. It makes me feel more productive. For instance, I frequently put things like "eat lunch" or "watch The Office" on my to-do lists. I know it is ridiculous for many reasons, but mainly because I am not the type of person who generally forgets to eat. 

The organize step was very helpful. I ended up organizing most things by place. It mostly consists of things to do at/regarding home, and things to do at/regarding school. My current categories are home, school, professional, and home non-cleaning. I have to separate the cleaning from everything else. While it is the longest list, if I had to combine home and home non-cleaning, I would never want to go home. I know he listed other organization categories, but I didn't think they would work for me. So I made up my own! I really do like the 43 folders concept. I could see that being my main way of doing this if I had somewhere to put 43 folders. 

In ToDoList, I was able to prioritize how badly events needed to be completed and when. It kind of combined the review and organize portions. However, in the future, I will be able to just look and know which thing needs to be done soonest. For instance, my living room needs to be cleaned TODAY. It has been on the back burner for far too long.

I am working on the DO portion of my list right now. "Finish GTD Lab" was on my list. Soon, it will be done. Then I will move onto the living room. There are a lot of things that I like about Getting Things Done. However, I think I need to read the whole book to get a better feel for how it works. For now, to get me started, I will stick with ToDoList. The main problem I see with ToDoList is that it is not portable. I don't know if it has mobile applications, but I don't have mobile capabilities, so it doesn't really matter. So far, it is a tremendously helpful tool. I will need to supplement it with a small notebook that I can keep with me and then update my list every evening. So yes, I believe this system will help me. At least, I think my own concoction of this system can help me. It has already helped me calm down a little today! I know I am not going to forget to call the department of education tomorrow, or schedule my last concert of the year on Tuesday. If I can get the part of my life organized that takes place outside of my home, who knows. Maybe the living room is next...

Social Networking

While working through this lab, I discovered that there are huge professional development opportunities that I am missing. There was a music technology conference last fall that took place online. It was even free! I had no idea this was happening. Maybe if I had known the advantages of social networking, I could have taken part. It will also be great as a professional development tool itself. I can have access to what other music teachers are saying on my Music Ed widget that is embedded on my blog. Also, I can pass this information onto my music colleagues, who like me two weeks ago, may be oblivious to these professional development opportunities.

As for Facebook, I have been a member for years. Although it is a quick and easy way to contact almost all of my friends, we rarely use it for professional purposes. It is more of a “look who had a baby” tool. For the most part, I think this is how students use it, too. Ok, maybe not for BABIES, but for social news, and that’s ok. We, as adults, sometimes need to keep our social and professional lives separate. The same can be true for students with their personal and school lives.

RSS Reflection and Screenshots

5/15/11

This is the first chance I have had to check my reader since I created the page. There are LOTS of new things. I just added my group’s Diigo account to my RSS reader, so I will know pretty quickly if my group member has added anything. EduTech is posting about MACUL, the certificate program, and 21^st Century Learning. Also, Jodi Spicer posted about an ipod application for people who have trouble speaking. A student in one of my classes uses one. It can say “hello Miss Kimmerly.” I also have added a job postings feed. While I would not be able to teach technology yet, it is very exciting to know that people advertise job openings on RSS feeds, twitter and blog posts. I also just added my local representative to my RSS feed so I can be sure to have the most recent updates on the state budget.

5/20/11

The music teacher jobs feed is very helpful, but does not have an influence in my teaching. There are sites that have not updated at all in the past few days, which disappoints me a little. There is nothing new from Music Machinery; the International Society for Music Education; Music, Education and Technology; or Webblog-ed. MUSTech.net updated, but is simply advertising it’s program with CHASE. NPR seems to update regularly, but it's articles haven't really applied to my classroom yet. On Tech Learning, an article about Common Core caught my eye because I believe our district is moving in that direction. However, I don't believe that there is a music component to Common Core.

There were quick reviews of programs called SHMOOP and HearBuilder, but I couldn't find any immediate classroom uses for them either. It will probably take more investigation. There is legislation happening regarding assessment and rubrics in Kentucky. That scares me a little because most of my family lives there and relocation is a big possibility. An article about QR codes was quite interesting. I read it because I had recently seen these codes on real estate listings in Illinois. If you scanned them with your smartphone, you would get the details of the listing. An article about twitter for educators lists 5 ways it could be helpful. While there were a few interesting things that caught my eye on this day, there wasn't anything that I could really take back to the classroom.

5/21/11

Since I just checked yesterday, there aren’t many new posts. The ones that are new aren’t all that exciting or applicable, either. Getting Things Done has an article about a mom who has used GTD to get her life in order. She is now taking on more and getting even more done.

5/22/11
Again, since I am checking on consecutive days, there is not much to report. There is one job posting and one thing from Techlearning about Monica's Gang visiting Brazil. It mentioned music twice, but for the most part was not helpful. It could be a great tool for a social studies or geography unit, though.

RSS Reflection

The first time I checked my reader, I had many new things to read! I checked again about five days later, and again, there were many things to read! Then, I checked it again the next day, and very few sites had updated. I have added lots of different feeds to my reader, including EduTech Newsletter; Elementary Music Teacher Jobs; GTD Times; International Society for Music Education; ISTE Connects; MENC- The National Association for Music Education; Music Machinery; Music, Education, and Technology; Music, Technology and Education; and Rep Jim Townsend. Most of these are obviously related to education or music or both, but some are not. Even though I feel like I have added many feeds, I don't feel as though it is producing information that I could apply in my teaching.

There was one very helpful thing I learned about through my RSS and it was Google’s new music locker(5/15). It seemed like it would be a great tool for me, but after Blogger went down last week and took all of my updates with it, I wasn't trusting enough to store my music online. However, I recently found myself downloading an album on Amazon, and they offered to load my purchase straight onto my cloud account. The benefit suddenly struck me. As a teacher at four different buildings, this tool would allow me access to all necessary music files for my job. All I need is internet access. I probably would not have started my music locker account if I had not read the music cloud article last week. I am quite excited to try out the google locker which allows up to 20,000 songs for free, as opposed to Amazon's 5GB.

I think my RSS is geared toward my own needs pretty well, but could be more effective if I add more subscriptions. While there are many sites that update often, they don't necessarily apply to my field. The ones that do apply to music education don't update very often, but when they do, they often suggest very interesting programs or advertise great PD opportunities. If I add more feeds, maybe I will find more entries that are applicable to my classroom needs.

Here are my two screen shots.

 The shot above is of my Google Reader page.

This shot is of the comment I made to http://musicmachinery.com/. It is a blog that talks about current music software available on the internet.

Personal Growth Plan

Tai Kimmerly

Carolyn McCarthy, Dr. Sandra Plair, and Jodi Spicer

CEP-810 Teaching for Understanding with Computers

05/04/11

Personal Growth Plan

As a music teacher, there are many forms of technology that can benefit my classroom. There are several reasons I would like access to this technology. The first being engagement. My subject lends to engaging children, but the level always increases when I add some sort of technology component. For instance, I once lost my voice and walked around all day with a wireless keyboard on a string hanging around my neck. The computer was connected to the television, so everything I said showed up in text on the screen. They were mesmerized.

My second goal is assessment. Often times, assessment needs to be a one on one thing in a music classroom. I would like to explore ways of involving technology to do this more efficiently. I developed a Jeopardy game that should work with our school’s clicker system (CPS), but the two software versions are not compatible. The project has been pushed to the side until I can either figure out how to make them work together, or until I find software or technology more suited to the task.

Another goal is to become a technology source for my building. We were discussing the new publishing center that is a big hit in our school’s media center. The main goal of the center is to get students excited about writing and increase quality. Anyone can see work published in the library. The drawback is that there is not enough space. Maybe I could propose a similar project using Google Docs. The students would still be publishing their work for others to see, but on a much larger scale.

There are many ways I would like to increase my skills with technology. First, I know very little about how to work my mp3 player. This could be a tremendously helpful, time saving thing for me to understand and use. I would also like to increase my knowledge of music programs that are available for free online. Often times, only smaller versions of the software I need are available via the internet. For instance, a great program for music classes is Super Duper Music Looper. An express version is available online, but with reduced features, including the inability to save a project.

That being said, my knowledge and use of technology is constantly growing. When I was searching for notation software online, I came across Noteflight. It is basically a music notation cloud computing program. I had completely forgotten about it until today when a student made up a melody on the keyboard. We wrote it down and entered it into the program. He had a printed, professional copy of the music he wrote before he left the classroom. These are the things I would like to do on a regular basis, involving situations and programs that I have not even thought of yet.