The Possibilities are Endless
When I initially began my Web 2.0 class, I thought to myself, "There is surely not THAT much more software for me to use in the music classroom!" I was wrong. Web 2.0 has exposed me to so much technology, that it makes my head spin. I initially thought that Power Point and Finale were my limits, now I realize I have none!
I can use everything from wordles, to voice thread, to digital story, to story bird, to animoto...there are just too many name. Now, I could not use this technology every day in the music classroom, but these will certainly help enhance certain lessons throughout the week. For instance, it could be hard for students to understand non-western music and how it relates to them. I could use my newly learned technology to explain the benefit, uses, and beauty of non-Western music through digital story or story bird. These technological tools will enable me to engage my class more, rather than me just talking about it boringly in front of them. Kids these days are highly visual and tech savoy; sometimes, technology is the ONLY way to get there attention.
Although blogging is not new to me, I have never blogged for an educational and professional purpose. The blog assignments helped me organize my thoughts on what I learned, what I enjoyed, what I can do differently as teacher, and I also discovered what other people in the music education community had to say. While researching blogs, I came across some that were very helpful and insightful about music education and actually being in the classroom, such as Music Ed Magic. It's nice to know I have such helpful resources out there.
This class not only helped me as a teacher, but also as an overall professional. I learned how to make myself stand out professionally with appropriate cover letters, unique brochures, and engaging web pages. I feel so much more confident about graduating because I feel this class helped me become one step closer to being a professional, rather than just a student.
Web 2.0 with Dr. Parker opened up a whole new world and realm of technology for me. I feel like I have struck teaching gold with these newly learned resources. I feel as if I can sparkle in the classroom, and there is no excuse for me to ever have a dull lesson with the technological gems I learned.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
What's New?: My Third Blog
Communication
Some students may have great communication with their parents or guardians. Those students may go home each day and give them detailed reports of what they did in class and what they have coming up in school. However, those students are few and far between in the 21st century. Also, some parents may feel that they are barging in on their child's studies if they are not openly invited to come to a concert or check out a project. Classroom blogs are great ways to share the info that is going on in class, and they are great communication tools for the teacher to communicate with the parents or guardians of the students in his or her class. For example, Western Salem High School uses a blog to communicate with all of their music boosters. Instead of risking fliers and letters getting lost between school and home, this music program blogs about all of its upcoming events, concerts, festivals, and fundraisers. Not only does Western Salem High School use their blog to communicate upcoming events, but it is also used to post videos and pictures. If a parent, guardian, or family member could not make it to a concert and festival, they can access a certain performance easily on the blog.
Animoto and Voki
I think both of these programs are great resources, and will liven up any lesson. Animoto is nice because it incorporates many engaging tools, such as music, pictures, and movement and transitions of the pictures. If one is introducing a topic that your students may not be very interested in, such as multiplication, Animoto enables you to introduce it an interesting way. I think the music has a lot to do with the interests of the students. If it's a hip, upbeat song, the students are more likely to have an even larger interest in the topic, and may even think its "cool." I see myself using Animoto to introduce the visual aspects of music, such as singing posture.
I have to admit, having an avatar that uses your voice, is pretty cool. Voki is also great to introduce topics. I see myself using Voki to briefly talk about a dead composer. I would use an avatar to represent the composer, and record a short presentation of the composer talking to the class about themselves. However, I do find Voki to be quite limiting because it only uses the voice of the recording to communicate the info or activity.
New Technology
The past few weeks have been quite the whirlwind of technology. I have learned to use Excel and Access much more efficiently. I have always had an idea how to use these programs, but now, I feel very well versed in this software. While completing my assignments for Web 2.0, I took time to further explore what Excel and Access have to offer. For instance, I feel much more confident with my formulas in Excel.. It used to take me a very long time to create a table with formulas, now I can complete them in no time. This will help me relay information about assessments to my students more quickly and efficiently. In Access, I figured out ways to make info and projects more accessible to my students. In my Zoo Database, I not only created databases, but linked them to build a complete Form for my students to use, as well as use the Button Control to make my Form more user friendly to my students These assignments forced me to look more closely into these two programs to see what resources are available in each of the programs.
Some students may have great communication with their parents or guardians. Those students may go home each day and give them detailed reports of what they did in class and what they have coming up in school. However, those students are few and far between in the 21st century. Also, some parents may feel that they are barging in on their child's studies if they are not openly invited to come to a concert or check out a project. Classroom blogs are great ways to share the info that is going on in class, and they are great communication tools for the teacher to communicate with the parents or guardians of the students in his or her class. For example, Western Salem High School uses a blog to communicate with all of their music boosters. Instead of risking fliers and letters getting lost between school and home, this music program blogs about all of its upcoming events, concerts, festivals, and fundraisers. Not only does Western Salem High School use their blog to communicate upcoming events, but it is also used to post videos and pictures. If a parent, guardian, or family member could not make it to a concert and festival, they can access a certain performance easily on the blog.
Animoto and Voki
I think both of these programs are great resources, and will liven up any lesson. Animoto is nice because it incorporates many engaging tools, such as music, pictures, and movement and transitions of the pictures. If one is introducing a topic that your students may not be very interested in, such as multiplication, Animoto enables you to introduce it an interesting way. I think the music has a lot to do with the interests of the students. If it's a hip, upbeat song, the students are more likely to have an even larger interest in the topic, and may even think its "cool." I see myself using Animoto to introduce the visual aspects of music, such as singing posture.
I have to admit, having an avatar that uses your voice, is pretty cool. Voki is also great to introduce topics. I see myself using Voki to briefly talk about a dead composer. I would use an avatar to represent the composer, and record a short presentation of the composer talking to the class about themselves. However, I do find Voki to be quite limiting because it only uses the voice of the recording to communicate the info or activity.
New Technology
The past few weeks have been quite the whirlwind of technology. I have learned to use Excel and Access much more efficiently. I have always had an idea how to use these programs, but now, I feel very well versed in this software. While completing my assignments for Web 2.0, I took time to further explore what Excel and Access have to offer. For instance, I feel much more confident with my formulas in Excel.. It used to take me a very long time to create a table with formulas, now I can complete them in no time. This will help me relay information about assessments to my students more quickly and efficiently. In Access, I figured out ways to make info and projects more accessible to my students. In my Zoo Database, I not only created databases, but linked them to build a complete Form for my students to use, as well as use the Button Control to make my Form more user friendly to my students These assignments forced me to look more closely into these two programs to see what resources are available in each of the programs.
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