Module 6

This week's readings focused on Instructional Design and Technology.  I've learned that I should use more Project Based Learning in my music classroom.  Project Based Learning in music can help me incorporate the new music standards in my curriculum.  I would love to do more projects in my class, rather than just rehearsing.  My administration loves to see questioning and discussions going on in the classroom that are at high levels.  To have an essential question and students answer it in a project is creative and allows them to be critical thinkers.  The Partnership for 21st century skills includes the 4Cs -Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication and Collaboration.  I would like to dig deeper into my planning for next year and make sure that my units align with each aspect of the 4C's.  Creative Commons is important in education and teaching.  We must follow copyright laws when creating projects with technology.  It is best to use copyright free, public domain or Creative Commons in projects.  It is important to plan backwards.  We want our students to gain knowledge and skills and it's up to the teacher how those skills are taught.  If we have a product we would like our students to produce we need to know how to get them there.  There needs to be a scope and sequence in learning which needs to be mapped out so we know where are students are and know what they need to do to go to the next part of the sequence.  Driscoll's four principles of learning are contextual, active, social and reflective.  It's important as an educator to not forget that students learn differently.  Technology can have a great impact on these principles.  
     This week I learned about WebQuest.  According to Bauer (2014),WebQuest is "an inquiry-oriented activity in which sone or all of the information that learner interact with comes from resources on the Internet (p.121)."  I started outlining my WebQuest that I hope to use with my Chorus students next year.  I am going to have them research how to take care of their voice, how it works, the anatomy of the voice and what is an unhealthy voice.  They will use Google Slides to present their information to the class. 

Bauer, W.I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing and responding to music.  New York: Oxford University Press.