Special Topics in Music Education

Computer Technology

Summer 2007


"The present use of computers and related technologies in music education, often limited to noncreative skill development, can expand to new horizons of musicality if they fulfill their potential of giving people direct access to creative decision making with sounds, storage and instant retrieval of those sounds, and devices to alter and refine the previous decisions: all the conditions that would enable genuine compositional creativity."
Bennett Reimer, A Philosophy of Music Education (1989)

"Technology is easy; people are hard."
John Gage of Sun Microsystems, Orlando (1997)
 Instructor:  Dr. Timothy A. Nord
 Office:  2202 JJWCM
 Phone:  274-3389
 E-mail:  nord@ithaca.edu
 Office Hours:   by appointment

 Course Information
 Course:  552-699
Room:  2102 JJWCM
Times:  Section 31 - 10:25 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
   




Required/Recommended Reading

Kasner, Kirk One Computer Can Deliver Whole-class Instruction
MENC Opportunity-to-Learn Standards for Music Technology
Rudolph, Thomas Music Technology and the National Standards
Rudolph/Richmond/Mash/Williams Technology Strategies for Music Education
Rudolph, Thomas Teaching Music with Technology, 2nd Ed.
Text: Williams/Webster Experiencing Music Technology, 3rd Ed.

Course Description

The basis of this course is the belief that the use of various technologies can greatly enhance both the teaching and learning environment. The goal is to help you become proficient in several areas of technology, including: knowledge of CAI, digital audio/video, WWW, and multimedia design. The primary way you become more adept and comfortable with technology is through its use, so we will focus on hands-on experiences and the exploration and creation of material that will be useful in your individual teaching situation.

Grading

Grading will be based on attendance and the completion of assignments, projects (3), and quizzes (2). Each project wil be worth 20% of the final grade, each quiz will be worth 5%, and the remaining 30% will be assignments.

Attendance

Due to the nature of this course and the limits of time during the summer session, your attendance is required at all class meetings. Unexcused absences will result in a lowering of your grade by three percentage points per absence.

 Course outline (extremely tentative) Unit Assigned Reading
 I.  Introduction/Administration/ CAI TBA
 
This unit will focus on current published applications. We will look at several programs as a class and discuss various aspects of program design, functionality, and pedagogy. The project for this unit will consist of the completion of two worksheets involving software review based on assigned reading, class presentations, and your own expertise as an educator.
 II. Instruction/Audio/Web Design TBA
 
The preparation and design of materials for placement on the World Wide Web will be the focus of unit II. This will include techniques for digitizing audio and video materials, creation of web graphics, and learning basic HTML. The project for this unit will be the creation of a basic web site for your music program.
III. Multimedia/Video/Presentation TBA
 
Multimedia design involves the inclusion of different media types as part of instructional material with the goal of presenting or reinforcing various concepts. We will use a couple of different multimedia design platforms to create instructional material appropriate to your teaching situation. The final project will be an in-class presentation of your work during this unit.