Webquest page

My Musical Webquest

Driving Question: What styles of classical music will fit together the best in an orchestral concert?

Webquest

WebQuest about WebQuests Worksheet

Print this page out and use it to jot down notes while you examine each site. Remember to stay in character as you examine the sites and don't compare notes until you get back with your four-person group.

Your Role

___Efficiency Expert

___Affiliator

_X__Altitudinist

___Technophile

Your Impressions

WebQuest	Strengths	Weaknesses
Grow School Greens	Ecourages the kids to do research on their own by looking at websites, going to the library, and seeking out experts in the field. The students must be creative and come up with their own ideas, and there is the chance of failure.	It gives too much information. Though the students must do their own research, most students will probably be using the same information. This means that some gardens may turn out the same.
Where is My Hero?	Nothing. I do not like this assignment, as it requires no higher learning functions.	Why does the site limit the choices we have for choosing a hero? No creativity is required at all. Just pick one of the preselected “heroes” and answer the questions.
Underground Railroad	It encourages creativity and acting out. This allows the student to imagine themselves in the role they are researching.	It limits each role to one website. Let the students explore the information on their own, whether it be on the internet, library, or other sources. Also, be aware that some immature students may do and say offending things with this topic.
Ice Cream	In addition to learning the process of making ice cream, the students will actually make their own. This makes them apply what they have learned.	What if the students discovered a better way to make ice cream? Would they get a low score because they did not follow each and every step?
Ancient Egypt	The student has some flexibility in designing the brochure, but everything else seems very rigid, including the sites to find the information. This is more of a “copy and paste” assignment, and the students are not discovering things for themselves.	Why are specific websites given to check out. Let the students discover that on their own. Also, I can think of many more exciting ways to learn about ancient Egypt than by making a brochure. Kids will view this task as a time killer, and will treat it as such.

Bernie Dodge, Department of Educational Technology, SDSU

Google Apps for Educational and the ISTE NETS-T

The two apps I selected are Beatlab and Color Piano. Both of these apps assist in creating music, with Beatlab focusing on rhythm and Color Piano focusing on harmony.

ISTE Standard 1: Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Both of these apps strongly encourage student learning and creativity by forcing them to create. They promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness by allowing the student to create their own harmonies and rhythms, both of which are vital to creating music. Many students today only mimic what they have been taught in the classrooms, and vital to our workforce are people who can think outside the box. Composing music is a great way to encourage creativity in all areas, as every piece of music is like a new invention, a series of notes and rhythms that have never been played before in that sequence.

ISTE Standard 2: Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
While these apps are not good for grading assessments, they allow the student to learn and improve at their own rate. They develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress. As a teacher, I would encourage the students to create multiple pieces using these apps, with the expectations that they would continue to improve with each piece they write. In the 21st century, we are expected to improve in our abilities with repeated attempts. The same applies to music. This principle also works across all subject areas. Practice makes perfect!

ISTE Standard 3: Model Digital Age Work and Learning
Both of these apps make good use of modern technology to write music. As a teacher, these programs are ideal to use in collaborating with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation. In the 21st century, it is expected that you can work together with groups to achieve a common goal. The most collaborative effort I can think of is to compose a song together with each person adding their own individual taste. This is important in all subject areas, the ability to work together in achieving a common goal.

ISTE Standard 4: Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Stealing music is a huge problem today, mainly due to recent technology allowing access to so many files on the internet. Teachers should teach the students to take pride in their compositions and respect ownership of these creations by advocating, modeling, and teaching safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources. Students will be taught how to copyright their music, as well as how to get permission from a fellow student to use their piece of music. Knowledge of copyright laws is important in the ever changing 21st century public market. This knowledge is useful in many other areas outside of music, such as medical patents.

ISTE Standard 5: Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Students will be encouraged to participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning. There are many music sharing groups online, and the students will be encouraged to share their compositions with other people. They will also listen to and discuss other music that people have posted publicly, sharing the things they like and dislike about the music. This will help them to grow and become better musicians, thinkers, and evaluators. In the 21st century, we need to reflect on ourselves to become better, as well as reflect on other works and creations to get new ideas for ourselves.  This practice applies to all areas, as reflections and trainings all incorporate applying what works well and what does not.

Prezis

The game I made a Prezis presentation about is called Doremi, which is an ear training game. It is aimed at students ranging from 3rd to 5th grade. Doremi is a very good game for teaching students notes, intervals, key signatures, scales, and reading music. Prezis is a wonderful online alternative to Powerpoint, and even adds some additional dimensions that make it more interesting to go through. These two programs combined can make a fantastic education tool for both teachers and students.
Doremi demonstrates ISTE Standard 2a: Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that
incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity. Doremi is designed as a pitch instructional tool, primarily helping with ear training exercises. In order to train your ear, you must practice by listening to and identifying different intervals. Doremi excels at this learning task by forcing the students to interact with the game. It does this by using computer technology to play and teach notes. After hearing the notes, the student must then identify the interval that was played. This program also excels at teaching the student different scales and key signatures, but that is more of an additional teaching tool and is not what the program was created primarily to do. The students can then apply what they have learned to other music skills, such as singing, playing an instrument, and composing. Especially with singing, students need to be able to hear intervals well, and this program helps them improve on this skill. Non-singers must be able to hear pitches too to make sure they are tuning well with the other instruments. Ear training is never a mastered skill, but one that requires constant time and practice. Doremi uses digital technology to make a game that is not only educational and helpful in ear training practice, but also fun at the same time.