Week 7

As a special area music teacher, my educational software that I use is different than the kinds that are used in regular education classrooms. Sometimes this can present itself as a problem because I do not have a support system to ask questions to or help by bouncing ideas back and forth. I was so excited when I began a music educational technology class last year at the University of the Cumberlands because it was just what I needed. A chance for me to be challenged, supported, and stretched to better use technology within my classroom and within my lesson plans, daily. My main learning and teaching objectives for using educational software within my music classroom are to create engaging 21st century lesson plans, especially when learning about music from past centuries. Also, with teaching every single student in the school, educational technology allows both my students and myself to maintain organization.

During our music technology class, we learned how to use a music software program called Finale. This program can do so many amazing things, I doubt we even scratched much of the surface, although I know we learned a lot.

In my music classroom, I use Finale in so many different ways. For example, if we are doing a lesson on elements of melody and high and low pitches, I can hook up my Finale software on my computer to the Smartboard. Now, the students can see on the large screen each note, which is more engaging and also easier than in our books most of the time. Finale allows for the music written or uploaded into the program to play, with a choice of hundreds of different instruments as well. So, if we are about to do a melody activity on our classroom xylophones, Finale will play the music with a xylophone voice. The lesson becomes even more exciting when each note in the selected melody lights up as the music progresses. Not only are students hearing the melody move up and down, they are also following it and making a connection.

When I need to write a piece of music for my chorus, DRUM rhythm ensemble or even just a regular lesson plan, Finale allows me to connect the software to my electronic piano and play the music as the program writes it for me. What an incredible time saver! Fellow musicians would agree and understand what I'm talking about.

Another awesome example of educational software that I use daily within my classroom is my Classroom Performance System (CPS). This software consists of 32 student remotes and a sensor that is wireless. The system is designed for students to input answers to a test, assessment, game, exit slips vote through using their remote. Each student is designated a remote number for accurate grade keeping and data collection. Teachers can also allow students to choose remotes at random if the activity benefits from them remaining anonymous as well.

CPS has allowed me to track student grades, progress, and data patterns in a more efficient and accurate manner. With 27 different classrooms, inputting grades by hand takes up a ridiculous amount of time, and doesn't allow for instant feedback as well. As a special area teacher, I only see my students once every three days, so instant return on quizzes and tests is crucial. The students enjoy tracking our classroom scores, comparing to other classrooms and competing for better scores, and also creating graphs and study guides with our data and scores as well. Not to mention they love using the remotes rather than paper and pencil. In a class like mine, we have a limited amount of time together, so organization and efficiency is key.

As with any electronic tool or software, there will always be challenges! Teachers must always have a plan 'B' when it comes to technology. There have been countless times we have been in the middle of a quiz using our CPS remotes and the wireless internet on my side of the building goes out, leaving us with a frozen computer screen and useless CPS remotes. This can be very frustrating, so I have learned the hard way to always have paper and pencils on hand. Technology can be a blessing, but sometimes a curse if it doesn't work or save your work properly. Some things are just out of our control. Successful teachers are flexible in moments of mini-crisis throughout the day. I have learned my students remain flexible and easy going when I keep my nerves in control :)