Unit Plan Canvas

Below will be my unit guide throughout the next couple of weeks. A simple text box to summarize the goals and objectives says, "Delve in to the wonderful new world of notation software! In this unit we'll learn how to use and navigate Sibelius for all of your music needs!" This gets students excited and gives them enough information to know what they are going to be doing in the next couple of weeks. Shortly after, some different screenshots of what Sibelius users have orchestrated and composed for our viewing pleasure. This can be compared and contrasted to our end results by the end of the unit. I have created a widget for a video that very accurately described Sibelius and gives a short introduction into the intricate world of the notation system. Later in the unit my students will learn enough about Sibelius that they can decide for themselves whether or not they like Sibelius better than Finale, or Notion (two other reputable softwares.) This unit will take about 3 to 4 weeks of intense training in the realm of notation, with the hope the students walk away with a very grounded understanding of music notation software.

http://www.play.annenberginnovationlab.org/play2.0/challenge.php?idChallenge=2302&mode=view#network6

Technology and Pedagogy

I chose the lesson plan:
http://www.musictechteacher.com/music_lessons/garrett_music_tech_lesson_05_06_treble_notes.htm
because it has a clear and concise concept and the means to perform such a task is easily displayed and laid out orderly.
In the lesson plan the students would be using a music software known as Sibelius that aids in the learning of music notation, so I believe the lesson plan falls into the groove of the CCCS. I think there aren't any gaps or holes in the plan.
It is not 100% crucial to have this technology in order to understand the material that the lesson consists of, however it only reinforces the goals more. Without Sibelius the students can simply write on a piece of paper and learn with paper and pencil, but the fact that there is a alternative like Sibelius it allows students to learn on their own and in their own time as well.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkLA4fnlVHOhdHE1YThQcTJHTXNSTDNoMmJNTkFiX3c&usp=sharing
This lesson plan is courtesy of "K. Garrett" from 2 years ago, on www.musictechteacher.com  

Technology and Music

Over the last twenty years, with technology advancing and becoming more readily accessible to the general public, it has become much easier for music educators or music enthusiasts to view concerts or listen to multiple genres of music. With the addition of smartphones in our daily lives we can now YouTube any symphony that we desire and listen for hours on end. This is especially helpful in the realm of teaching as well. Music educators can now very easily assign listenings to his or her students and can expect that the homework will be done effectively due to smartphones being prevalent in their students’ lives. With the internet at a student’s fingertips he or she can easily look up music they need to perform or even look up genres of music that are foreign to them. A well rounded musician knows the ins and outs of most genres of music and can define them, with the use of the internet in your hands, a student can learn more quickly than ever before.

Smartphones are not the only technology that is assisting the music field. Recording software is a huge technological advancement that allows music to be captured and recorded for future purposes. Whether you want to record your schools Step Team in action, your garage bands new song, the London Symphony, or yourself messing around on a piano, recordings are the most important tool a musician can have. Constantly recording your playing will allow you to reflect on the goods and bads. You can make modifications to your playing due to what you hear to get the best overall result. This is also important in a school setting. If you are directing a concert band and you need show the trumpet section that they are too loud and need to play softer, but they refuse to believe they are playing too loudly, you can record that particular section of the song and play it back to them. In order to better yourself as a musician and to train your ear, constantly making recordings is vitally important.  

In the field of Music, in any setting, (i.e., rock band, concert band, professional orchestra, solo, and even dance) technology over the past twenty years has greatly impacted the way we listen, play, and communicate our sounds to others. Now we can watch a live performance of that rock show you couldn’t go see, fall asleep to the recorded sounds of nature, or even show a friend that song you’ve been working on for a while and ask for help. Recording music, discovering music, and creating music are all much simpler now because of the technology that exists today. I’m very eager to know how technology will assist musicians in the upcoming years, but only time will tell.

History of Technology in Music!

Turn up the volume, enjoy the Classics!http://english.cri.cn/6909/2009/09/22/45s517664.htm

Technology Autobiography

Technology is constantly changing and adapting. Everyday new programs are developed, new social media sites claim the lime light, and new ways to communicate with family and friends are discovered. In my short 21 years of being on this planet, the most influential communications technologies that I have been exposed to are: internet, television and cell phones. These technologies have brought great knowledge and understanding to my life, however, it also can hinder learning.
Internet: In my opinion, the fastest and best way to gain information on any given topic at any given time, however not always reliable. The internet is a fantastic place to spend countless hours on and inadvertently learn hundreds of, well, random stuff. We can learn that Pluto is not actually a planet and then one minute later learn a specific recipe for Pumpkin Pie. This is great and all, but how reliable is the information you're reading?
Television: One of the easiest and (use to be) best ways to gain information on the world, your town, your community, and even just to relax and unwind. In my younger years (until about age 18) I found that television began shaping my life. For example, I found trying to emulate characters in Boy Meets World to be that "cool" guy, or maybe I found a sense of "friendship" when watching Pokemon. However not all television is "good." In regards to news and current events, television is a very negative place to be, stories are skewed due to political belief, and most stories on the news are disheartening or tragic, there is very little good left in TV.
Cell Phones: This technology I don't see having a bad aspect to it. I now can call my family and friends whenever I need them, whether I be in a crisis, or I want to say hello. Information can get transferred almost immediately.

Because of these technologies I have learned to be quite independent in my thinking. I have certain beliefs and lack-of-beliefs due to what I have learned on the internet in addition to the channels that I choose to watch on a daily basis (I don't watch much television anymore however.) I've learned that not all the information you are given is accurate and you need to be somewhat self-sufficient in your thinking, to weed out the garbage from the truth.
My uses of these technologies in comparison to the young people in the video are somewhat similar. We all use technology to better our understandings of the world, to communicate with people, to share what we love, and to constantly expand our knowledge.