TEACHING, LEARNING, ICT AND MUSIC COMPOSITION - WHAT WE FOUND
Composing through ICT works best when students are given open-ended tasks.
Music software can allow students access to music composition without the need for formal theoretical or practical skills.
The visual representation of music on the computer screen acts as a focus for collaboration and joint meaning making.
Clear guidance in the use of ICT software is fundamental to work in music. Two approaches to work within Cubase - the use of the notepad and html help - have been particularly successful since they allow for a paper-free classroom in an environment where space is at a premium.
The organisation of computers and furniture in the music room can affect collaborative possibilities. For sixteen computers, a layout with four computers on each of four large circular bases allows space for sharing. It also means that all students can see teacher-led work at the front of the class with minimum movement and allows the teacher to move freely around the room to monitor students' work.
Impact
The impact of this strand will be to provide teachers with a variety of well-developed, exemplified models for using ICT to support learning in Music.
Opportunities for experimentation and reflection provided by the project have opened up the whole area of ICT in Music for teachers and researchers. Contacts with the South Gloucestershire Primary Music Support Teacher, music co-ordinators at BECTa, other teachers and researchers working on the QCA materials have enabled a rich dialogue between a large number of educationists and a sharing of experience and expertise. Research findings are being shared with officers at BECTa and QCA, and with other consultants from differing regions of the country, with whom Marina has been working on new ICT materials for schools.
Christine and Marina currently run courses for Key Stage 2 teachers within the Further Professional Studies programme at Bristol University. The next course, requested by teachers, will include development using ICT and will engage members in software explored by teachers and researchers on the project.
As a specialist Arts school, Cotham teachers support music work in a number of schools in the region and, with Nick Breeze, run courses in Music and ICT for practising teachers. Findings are being disseminated to teachers in meetings and courses and also when Nick Breeze visits schools across the West country in his role as Music ICT consultant.
The project is also having an impact on the PGCE music course run by Marina at Bristol University.
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