Online Teaching for Music Technology

Chris Hodge, Glyndwr University, Wrexham. UK

Contents

Introduction Section One What Constitutes Good Teaching Section Two What is Online Teaching Section Three Can Online Teaching be Applicable to Music Technology Practical Microphone Placements for a Drum Kit Theoretical Music Notation Section Four Evaluation References Appendix 1 Appendix 2

3 4 6 8 8 9 11 12 13 14

Introduction
With many differing ways of learning and gaining qualifications, its important to seek many ways of including new methods to teaching. Music technology is no exception, and new technologies can be utilized to better enhance learning. An interest in online teaching, how online teaching can be used and subject specifics within music technology form the basis of interest to produce this paper. The outcomes of this paper are: 1. Review of literature of what is good teaching, what it is and its good and effective features 2. Review of literature of what constitutes online learning and if it appears 3. An analysis of the practical application of online learning within two music technology disciplines compared with features of good teaching 4. An evaluation of the possible application of online learning to music technology is it any good. This paper will investigate if disciplines from the music technology syllabus can be taught purely online. Section one will addressed what constitutes good teaching, this will be done by reviewing literature written on the subject of good teaching. Many authors will need to be read to find a personal understanding of good teaching. Section two will then move onto teaching online, what it entails and if a good teaching can be achieved through this method of delivery. Again literature reviews will determine these outcomes for online learning. Section three will explore if online learning can be adapted to two subjects in the music technology syllabus, one practical and one theoretical. Section four will aim to evaluate and for a conclusion to the previous sections information, to determine if music technology subjects can be taught online. A proposed answer at this stage of the paper is some disciplines may be fine but others not.

Section One What Constitutes Good Teaching

There is a wealth of information containing what constitutes good teaching. Right from the start of the literature reviewed it is evident that good teaching is about the learner. Many documents failed to address teaching as such and merely mention how to increase learning. Things a good teacher may wish to encourage is a learning environment with plenty of resources, an articulation of content, tasks and assessments that are applicable to study, collaborative learning, social negotiating with opportunities for learning and active student engagement (Salter 2003:140). This would mean that good teachers must be planning and preparing for lessons well in advance of delivery. Teachers cannot assume that students will take what they have learned into new situations (Woolfolk, 1995) meaning students often dont use what they have learned unless practicing it in the classroom, and thus not having an automatic knowledge transfer. This statement would suggest that good teaching must also allow time for students to engage in tasks that demonstrate new knowledge in context of application. It also suggests that through applying new knowledge to such scenarios that the transition from knowledge to practice and memory will be easier. From reviewed papers its also evident that dialogue in learning is important. Meaning that a teacher needs to encourage dialogue rather to having a teacher led monologue. Ramsay & Fitzgibbons (2005:337) suggest that not every class session be filled with nothing but being moments. None of our classes are totally being ones. What their paper suggests is that good teaching can be achieved when teaching is sometimes done through a teacher promoting learning through learning with the learner, and both can gain knowledge. Ramsay and Fitzgibbons also say that this can never happen during all sessions but at times during all sessions.

5 A good teacher must keep current with teaching developments of content and its delivery. The characteristics of a good teacher tend to follow and change with the dominant teaching perception or model (Gossman 2011:4). Gossman (2011:4) says that Cattell, in 1931 refined and presented the most important characteristics of a good teacher. The top six, in rank order were: personality and will; intelligence; sympathy and tact; open-mindedness; a sense of humour and idealism. This finding in literature can relate to Ramsay and Fitzgibbons (2010) views of how being in the classroom can enhance teaching. Teachers having to keep current with teaching practice is nothing new. Rugg (1917) wrote saying how education was developing to becoming a more scientific profession and that it had been recognized that the success of the teacher is determined by how much they kept in touch with the quantitative tools. Of course teaching has dramatically changed since the early 1900s but the statement still holds true. With the reviewed literature about what constitutes good teaching, many things can be taken into consideration. The fact its not just subject knowledge and one method of delivery, but rather a vast array of techniques to enable learning. Judging from the literature it is also evident that good teaching extends to how a teacher is towards the learner. The learner seemed to recall their best teacher as being a caring one (Gossman, 2011:4). So what is actually taken from the literature is that good teaching is a practitioner that looks to differentiate content for learners needs, keeps current with literature, has a caring personality, collaborates, assesses applicable to content, makes use of content to support knowledge, plans and prepares content and at times becomes one of the learners.

Section Two What is Online Teaching

Online learning is an alternative mode of teaching and learning and substantial supplement to traditional teaching. A massive 90% of institutions offering a 2year offered distant learning courses, in academic year 2000 2001 (TallentRunnels et al, 2006:93). During some online courses learners can be online at the same time and study together, other courses allow learners to log on and learn at any time (asynchronous). This offers great advantages to flexible learning and learners that may not have the time for scheduled lectures. Like traditional teaching there are a range of strategies that need to be applied for successful online learning. Such strategies include providing content in multiple formats, allow for individual locus of control and to encourage active and collaborative interaction. Multiple Formats: Accomplished through various communication techniques. PowerPoint and audio-streams can be synchronized for use in lectures. Outside web links to coursework can enable learners to work through tasks at any time, and discuss work with other learners. Individual locus of control: Learners can access their work from anywhere and at any time. This can be achieved with use of a virtual learning environment (VLE). This means learners can have their own control on how much time it takes to complete a course. Encourage active and collaborative interaction: Each course should contain activities that are individual and group-based. Virtual teams, where learners work together to solve problems and analyse work (Zapalska & Brozik, 2006:330) According to Burd and Buchanan (2004:407) both the learner and teacher must have a good Internet connection. They also say both parties require basic computer technology knowledge in order for file management, sending and receiving files and chat using a virtual learning environment (VLE). This could be

7 seen as a barrier to learning, or a great excuse for those that may not be so engaged in the content. New developments in information and communication technologies have opened up some of the most promising possibilities yet available for overcoming barriers to learning experience by disabled people. Paradoxically, the technology which offers this potential can also become a barrier and limit access to the World Wide Web (Eisenstadt & Vincent, 2000: 30) Online courses tend to be text-based. Another possible barrier to learning, as some learners may prefer this way of learning, but it does not suit all (Zapalska & Bronzik, 2006:328). A problem but many courses offer other material to suit other styles of learning. Such styles are auditory, visual, read / write learners. The type of learners it would seem online learning fails at times to include are kinesthetic learners. Appendix 1 produced by Zapalska & Bronzik (2006:329) states the typical characteristics of each learning style. Within the table it says teaching styles for kinesthetic learners are, but not limited to; ask questions on physical interactions with objects; field trips; direct contact; simulation and experiential learning. Teaching styles that are hard to achieve during an online session. From the information gathered during a literature review about online learning it would be fair to say it has its pros and cons. A great advantage is being able to learn asynchronously from anywhere, anytime. Online learning can be very beneficial to most styles of learners but it seems that kinesthetic learning may be harder to teach in this medium. Learners have no direct physical interaction with peers or teacher and some students in distance learning programs and courses report feelings of isolation, lack of self-direction and management, and eventual decrease in motivation levels (Ludwig-Hardman & Dunlap, 2003:1) It is interesting to see that 90% of institutes now offer online learning as part of distance learning. Distance education is distinguished from online education by the fact that online education includes courses delivered completely via the Internet, where as

8 distance education is instruction delivered through various forms of electronic media (videotapes, interactive television, television, Internet), as well as by faculty who travel to sites away from campus (Tallant-Runnels et al, 2006:113).

Section Three Can Online Teaching be Applicable to Music Technology

This section aims to seek if it is possible to apply online teaching to music technology subjects, and if it promotes good generic teaching. Music technology is the study of music and the technologies that are used to record, replicate, and manipulate sound or music. There are many subjects within a typical music technology syllabus. These can be practical, such as live performances or theoretical, such as music theory. To try to identify if online learning can be used for music technology this paper will compare one from each, practical and theoretical.

Practical Microphone Placements for a Drum Kit

One of the main subjects in a music technology syllabus is recording audio. To record audio effectively many skills must be learned to capture the desired sound. Microphone placements for a drum kit for instance, is a task that is considered one of the most difficult skills to teach students, this is due to the practice it takes to perfect. Can these techniques be taught online? Or more to the point assessed? In a classroom, a microphone placement session will usually be delivered in a PowerPoint presentation with a handout (see Appendix 2) and a practical task to follow. This allows the learner to reflect on the session and perhaps put prior and new knowledge into practice. Students will then apply the knowledge to a recording project and document how they recorded the drum kit on paper, as a summative assessment.

9 Online teaching as such for this subject has not been found. However, there is a wealth of information from e-zines (online magazines) including Sound On Sound, which has an article of recording drums, and other related subjects. Most music technologists state Sound On Sound as the most reliable source for information. Teaching the correct microphone placements online may be able to be done, but it does lack the essence of teaching a student how to identify what to listen out for. Descriptive terms can only lead so far, and practical application is far more accurate. It would seem that a practical subject (such as microphone placement on a drum kit) could be taught online but it seems to lack some elements of good generic teaching. However, there does not seem to be a great amount of varying methods of delivery, and as there is not a guarantee a learner may have physical elements required, its hard to assess if the learner can put knowledge into practice. There are too many cons for online teaching and assessment of this practical subject to be viable for serious qualification.

Theoretical Music Notation

Music theory investigates, arranges, and explains the working material of the composer (Hindesmith & Mendel 1944:20). Music notation is usually combined with music theory. It is the arrangement of musical notes that a musician can read in order to play a piece of music. The main method for teaching in a classroom environment is to teach through text and visual / auditory aids, such as handouts and audio playback. Students are usually given instruction as to what each symbol and notes mean and how a trained musician would read them, whilst playing. It is usually a slow process to mastering the art of reading an arrangement. To enhance learning teachers get students to write out an arrangement using the knowledge learned during classes.

10 Teaching music notation online is done in a similar way. The only way it differs is the use of computers is used instead of handouts and paper. However, during an online course learners can pick and choose when to study and set their own pace, this has major advantages than in college tuition. For this subject there is also ways to suit a kinesthetic learner. A kinesthetic learner could learn how each note is related to a sound by playing a tune using a virtual instrument. Multiple resources can be supplied, such as visual representations of each note and symbols, text-based descriptions of content and handouts that a teacher in a classroom can offer. Upon researching this topic a website (Alison.com) was discovered that offered a free online course in music theory. On further inspection it was found that the course could be a viable means to gain and assess knowledge of the subject. The website offers a range of free online courses and charges if the learner would like a certificate. This is useful for those who wish to learn to continually professionally develop without taking time from work. From the analysis of this theoretical subject, it could be applied to online learning. It would be interesting for educators to use this as an approach to combined learning for music studies. There could however be a barrier to learning if a students IT literacy is poor.

11

Section Four Evaluation

It is evident that online learning is becoming an increasing tool for teaching and by this study that it can be applicable to some subjects. The study has shown that there are good generic teaching strategies but they are not all set in stone and mainly focus on what is current literature. It is fair to say this paper has addressed those that would be of the ones that are not likely to change. Good teachers are ones that continually research new methods and execute some of them. For this reason it is difficult to state what online learning may accomplish in the future. For now online learning, for music technology subjects seems to be more applicable to theoretical study. Practical subjects on the other hand do not effectively apply themselves to online learning as yet. This may change in time, with new technologies or an extensive use of resources available online. Such resources may include multiple audio recordings and demonstrations that the learner can apply in the real world, but this still poses a few problems. Assessment would prove hard for a practical subject. Video evidence may be a possibility of demonstrating knowledge to some subjects, but this incurs extra cost to the student and additional technical skills. This paper has indicated that different music technology subjects require different methods for delivery online. The paper has discovered what constitutes good teaching and if there is good teaching online. The findings suggest that subjects without physical elements can be taught online with keeping most of what is good teaching. The main thing that online teaching does not include is physical interaction and this can create barriers, including students not feeling they are valued or cared for.

12

References
Broening, A (1939) General Methods of Teaching, Review of Educational Research, Vol.9, No.3, Psychology of Learning. Pp. 295-302, American Educational Research Association Burd, B. & Buchanan, L. (2004) Teaching the Teachers: Teaching and Learning Online, Reference Services Review Volume 32 Number 4 2004 pp. 404-412 Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Eisenstadt, M & Vincent, T. (2000) The Knowledge Web, Learning and Collaborating on the Net, Kogan Page Limited, London

Gehrkens, K. (1920) School Music Teaching, The School Review, Vol.28, No. 5, pp.391-392, The University of Chicago Press
Gossman,P (2011) My Best Teacher, Tean Journal 4 (1) Available at: http://194.81.189.19/ojs/index.php/TEAN/issue/current (Accessed 19 March 2012)

Henderson, M & Bradey, S. (2008) Shaping Online Teaching Practices, The influence of Professional and Academic identities, Campus-Wide Information Systems Vol. 25 No. 2, 2008 pp. 85-92 Emerald Group Publishing Limited Hindesmith, P. & Mendel, A. (1944) Methods of Music Theory, the Musical Quarterly, Vol 30, No.1, pp.20. Oxford University Press Ludwig-Hardman, S. & Dunlap, J. (2003) Learner Support Services for Online Students: Scaffolding for success, International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning Volume 4, Number 1 Olson, H. (1961) What is Good Teaching of Written Composition? The English Journal, Vol.50, No. 4, pp. 238-245, National Council of Teachers of English Ramsey, V. & Fitzbgibbons, D. (2005) Being in the Classroom, Journal of Management Education vol. 29 no. 2 333-356, Sage Publications Rugg, H.O. (1917) How to Keep in Touch with the Quantitative Literature of Education The School Review, Vol. 25, No. 10, pp. 753-762, The University of Chicago Press Salter, G. (2003) Comparing online and traditional teaching a different approach, CampusWide Information Systems Volume 20. Number 4. 2003. p. 137-145 Tallant-Runnels, M. Thomas, J. Lan, W. Cooper, S. Ahern, T. Shaw, S. Liu, X. (2006) Teaching Courses Online: A Review of the Research, Review of Educational Research, Vol. 76, No.1, pp.93 135, American Educational Research Association Woolfolk, A. (1995), Educational Psychology, 6th Ed. Allyn & Bacon, Needham Heights, MA Zapalska, A. Brozik, D. (2006) Learning Styles and Online Learning, Campus-Wide Information Systems Vol. 23 No. 5, pp. 325-335, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.