Name: June 16, 2005

(1) General Software Review. In this activity you will be reviewing software that you would find useful in your roll as a teacher. Note, this is a review of software, not websites. Websites can be used only if they have a high level of interactivity and animation such as those at ExploreLearning.com. Although we have software on our local servers, much of it is antiquated, and students are best served by downloading freeware and shareware.

Review five or more pieces of educational software. You are free to choose any piece of software that is of value either for instructional, administrative, or professional purposes. You must have hands-on experience with the software... watching someone's software review is not sufficient.

Write a paragraph describing each program and your professional opinion of its usefulness in education.

At least one of your titles should be freeware or shareware that you have downloaded from the Internet.

Include a screen capture from the software.

Choose the best one from among these 5 for the formal software review/presentation.

Titl

e

Review Screen Capture

1

Gar

age

GarageBand is a great program to have if you are a music student. Students can create their own loops with this program. They also can compos their own music in a very easy way. This program is also a great way to have you students learn how to do music scoring because they can use the music they created with this program an use it in their won films. They can also do pod cast Artwork Tracks where they can add images to their favorite picture and post them on the internet. They are even able to create their own radio web stations with this program.

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Name: June 16, 2005

2

Ban

d In

Th

e B

ox

Band In The Box is a music accompaniment program for students. Students can play along sang using different musical ideas and forms. Student can also use it to compose music. This program is great for jazz students because they can improvise behind different jazz chord changes and hear different soloist perform with the same chord changes. If students are working with their solos they can record they solo they just played with this program. It also has great teaching tool that students can use. Students can play ear training games to learn to recognize different chords.

3

Mus

ic A

ce

This program is more for younger students but cans till work great with students from all age. This program contains 48 music lessons. This is also a good program for teacher because you can manage the lesson it includes a education-orientation tool. It also includes music game that can be fun for the students to play. This program also motivated students to learn about music because it makes it fun for them.

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Mus

ic T

heor

y.N

et

Music Theory.Net is a interactive website. Where students learn about music theory. This website also includes high level of interaction and good animation. This website is great for high school students especially if they are learning about specific musical elements. This website includes lessons for students. Another thing students can learn is to develop their ear training and this will make them better musicians. This webpage also is free for any student to try.

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3D Java

3DJava is an interactive for marching band students. They can view the music field show that they are performing. They can also practice their field show music with this program and work on they movements of the show. It also includes a great tool for students because it permits them to print the filed show formation chart. This program works well with middle school students but especially with high school students.

(2) Formal Software Review. In this activity you will be reviewing software that you would find useful in your roll as a teacher. Note, this is a review of software, not websites. Websites can be used only if they have a high level of interactivity and animation such as those at ExploreLearning.com. Although we have software on our local servers, much of it is antiquated, and students are best served by downloading freeware and shareware.

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Name: June 16, 2005

Select one software product for formal review and presentation to the class. Write reviews for each according to the format guidelines provided on the following page. Post you selection.

Title: Band In The Box

(1) Description of Program: Band-in-a-Box is an intelligent automatic accompaniment

program for your multimedia computer.

(2) Basic Information: Band-in-a-Box includes Notation, Lyrics, Melody Tracks,

Harmonization, and a programmable StyleMaker. The Soloist and the Melodist are two

major "intelligent" features; the Soloist generates professional quality solos over any

chord progression, the Melodist can create songs from scratch with Chords, Melodies,

Intros, Solos, and even a Title!

(3) Target Population: For all ages. Great for Jazz Students.

(4) Content Goals: The content goals are that learn students learn about improvising.

Showing students about composition. It also shows them to learn the different

improvising styles of different jazz performers. It also teaches students about jazz chords

using different games. It also helps students with their over all musicianship. It also helps

students understand different music styles and perform a song in different musical styles.

(5) Process Goals: Evaluation-Students learn to evaluate their own playing as well as

learning to evaluate different musical styles. Synthesis-This allows students a chance to

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Name: June 16, 2005

compose their own music and create their own solos. Analysis-students learn to analyze

their own playing and the different musical elements that are in music. Application-is

that they can use what they learn with this program and use it when performing or

composing music. Comprehension-Ones students learn the easy tool they can create more

advance music projects. Knowledge-is that students learn to use band in the box and can

carry what they learn in to other music programs. Also the knowledge they learn with

this programs becomes essential to their musicianship.

(6) Lesson Plan

a) Having students improvise to specific chord progression and blues scale.

b)Having students create their own solo and record it o their own CD.

c)Another lesson can be have students compose their own music and perform it in front

of the class

(7) Summary: This a great program for students even for professional musicians. It

helps them understand and create their own chord progressions. I will recommend this

program to any student interested in learning jazz or to improvise. This music program

beats playing along with they traditional recordings, and allow you to do way more. You

can enter the jazz chords of and standard jazz song and change its feel or style. All the

different thing this program has makes it essential for all jazz students.

(3) Formal Presentation of Software: One or two sessions will be scheduled for formal software review. During these sessions you will present your software in small groups or

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Name: June 16, 2005

to the class using network sharing software such as Apple Remote Desktop. Once you have decided on software to review, post your decision on the newsgroup as specified in class or on the web-page. first-come, first-served.

Make a presentation of your software using the following guidelines Each presentation must be limited to 15 minutes.

Your presentations should stress how this software can be used effectively in the curriculum.

Do not spend time discussing mechanics (menu structure, etc.) nor shortcomings

Illustrate how the software can be used to enhance instruction.

Provide your peers with a "hands-on experiences" lesson if at all possible.

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