ICT and MusicJackie Schneider

(AKA @jackieschneider)

Definition of technology:

“Stuff that doesn’t work yet”

Benefits of music education

Sue Hallam, Dean of the Faculty of Policy and Society, Institute of Education 2011

•increases listening and concentration skills

•enhances ability to discriminate between sounds

•positive impacts on spatial awareness and physical co ordination

•promotes teamwork and leadership skills

“Excellence is not reserved for the

lucky few but could be achieved by almost all of us”

Through out history musical instruments and musical performance have been influenced by prevailing technology

Music in schools: wider still and widerQuality and inequality in music education 2008-11

Key Finding

Although almost every teacher observed had a laptop or classroom computer, opportunities were being missed to use technology to record, store and assess recordings of pupils’ work. Free, open source software is easily available to download and, with the addition of one or two quality microphones, is more than adequate for teachers and pupils to use in Key Stages 1 to 3 for multi-track recording and sound processing. 

However, the use of such software was rare. While students were quite clearly very comfortable with using mobile technology to communicate with each other and organise their lives, not enough teachers capitalised on this technology or interest in the music classroom. Quite simply, using music technology more frequently and more effectively to create, perform, record, appraise and improve pupils’ work is central to improving inclusion and the quality of assessment of music in schools. 

Music in schools: wider still and widerQuality and inequality in music education 2008-11

Key Recommendation

Use technology to promote creativity, widen inclusion, and make assessment more musical by:

significantly improving the use of music technology to record, store, listen to and assess pupils’ work

placing greater emphasis on pupils’ musical development through the use of technology – with the acquisition of technical skills and knowledge supporting, rather than driving, musical learning

making more creative and effective use of music technology to support performing and listening work.

So why the reluctance?

•it’s cheating?

•it’s not real music?

•its too difficult?

•the children know more than us?

•e safety issues?

ICT gives us the chance to

•listen to wide range of music

•record, evaluate & improve our music making

•share our music making

•deconstruct music

•collaborate

Blogging

•sharing work in public

•opportunities to connect with outside world

•possibility to repeat key learning points at home

Blogs

• The eighth most popular site visited by 6 - 11 year olds

• All top ten searches on youtube with the word ‘lesson’ were music related

• In 2011 there were almost 140 views for every person on earth

• “How to” category is the fastest growing segment

• “Schools should consider implementing measures that enable teachers & pupils from accessing the multiple of effective resources (eg YouTube) to support music teaching.” National Music Plan 2012

Easy place to start!

Useful free tools

•Vuvox

•Photopeach

•Animoto

Top iPad apps

A place for both?

How well do you remember that song?