Final Thoughts

I wanted to jot down a few items as I am thinking about the end of CI 555.

First of all – great class. I LOVED this learning experience. It all felt very new and exciting, and I liked the way we could tailor our learning to fit OUR needs. It was extremely meaningful.

I really liked the textbooks this round. They were different and it made for interesting reading, at least for me. Plus RSS For Educators will be a good resource for me to have at my fingertips.

I think using Twitter was a good experience in terms of knowing what it is and what it does. However, I’m not sure it provided the best way for us to communicate as a group. Perhaps a group blog or some kind of message board or user group might have been a better way to get the group to communicate as a class. I didn’t feel as free to post on Twitter as I would have, had it been more of a private setting. I’m guessing others felt the same way because it felt like we were all a little quieter than normal using this tool. I really missed the more frequent interaction with classmates, and I know that we all have a lot of good stuff to share.

Continuing on the subject of our class communication, I was somewhat disappointed with the overly flexible attitude toward blogging. Because it was okay for people to post everything all at once right at the end, there were a couple people who completely fell off the planet these past eight weeks. And though I understand the desire for privacy on the part of some people, the point of the class was to be sharing online what we didn't always have the time to communicate in class. The disconnect was troubling to me.

Having said that, I liked how this class was set up to respect our time, giving us more opportunity to work and less time to spend chattering in class, just for the sake of putting in the class hours (like we have experienced in the past). I do think, however, that when we had the TWO weeks off in between class, I found myself struggling a lot more to stay on task.

The times we did have class, I left feeling excited, overwhelmed, and sometimes on the verge of a migrane – probably because there was so much to learn and take in. It was actually great to feel like that. I really believe I was getting something out of class, which was awesome. I think we could have met every week and learned a lot each week. This is definitely a class that I wished would have been longer…

Our last night of class confirmed those feelings even more. I left class completely wound up and out of sorts. It was unsettling to leave the way we did. Most people were not able to share their hard work from these past eight weeks, and even people who were given the chance to share felt rushed I think. There wasn’t any closure. It just felt bad to finish that way. Especially considering this was one of the best class experiences I’ve had through Concordia thus far.

Those are my thoughts… See ya’ll next week.

Annie sings "How Great Thou Art"

Our three-year-old gets a kick out of changing the words to songs when she doesn't remember the real words.

Research Project: MIDI Keyboards

I first heard the term ‘MIDI’ when I was in college. The music building at Gustavus Adolphus College was equipped with a MIDI keyboard lab that students used to do ear training, composing and recording. We had the capability to play on a keyboard and have it instantly notated in a computer program called Finale. It was incredible to be able to quickly and easily notate (and print!) a composition that I had played on a keyboard only moments before.

During my seven-year teaching career, I’ve often used a free version of this composition program, called Finale Notepad. It has served me well in that I can enter (via my computer keyboard) notes for my students to read and play during class. However, using the computer keyboard to manually type in notes has definitely proven to be more time consuming than using a piano keyboard like I did in my college years.

Hence my interest in researching MIDI keyboards. I’d really like to get one to use at school to improve my own productivity and to possibly even use with students during class.

MIDI is an acronym that stands for “Musical Instrument Digital Interface.” It is a protocol (a standard that controls connection, communication, and data transfer) that enables electronic musical instruments to communicate with each other. MIDI transmits “event messages” such as the pitch and intensity of musical notes, and controls signals for items such as volume and tempo.
MIDI is in musical instruments, computers and even cell phones. Most popular music is written and performed using MIDI keyboards, and even film and TV scores are usually created on MIDI instruments! Most computers have the ability to play MIDI files and can be connected to and used with other MIDI products.

A MIDI keyboard is a musical instrument similar to a piano keyboard. The MIDI portion allows it to communicate with a computer or other MIDI-equipped instrument. Most keyboards today have some type of MIDI keyboard. The prices can range from $100 to a whopping $30,000.

The most basic MIDI keyboard is actually called a controller. A controller is hardware or software which generates and transmits MIDI data to MIDI-enabled devices. In other words, a controller is a device that triggers musical sounds. With most MIDI set-ups, the keyboard does not make any sounds by itself. MIDI controllers need to be connected to a voice bank or sound module in order to produce musical tones or sounds.

There are several things to consider when purchasing a MIDI keyboard. Your budget and your comfort level with keyboards in general are two of the more important things to think about. An amateur is less likely to need or want some of the expensive bells and whistles that a professional might insist upon.

For instance, MIDI keyboards vary in how many keys they have. As a classical musician, I would prefer to have a keyboard with the same number of keys as a piano (88), but of course that is a more expensive feature. Keyboards with 76 keys or even as few as 25 are available for less money and are more attractive to some because they take up less space.

MIDI keyboards also vary in how they feel when played. Some keyboards recreate the feel and action of a piano, while others have a more electronic feel. Some are velocity-sensitive (the faster the key is pressed, the louder the sound), while others are touch-sensitive (the harder the key is pressed, the louder the sound). The cheapest MIDI keyboards are neither velocity- nor touch-sensitive.

I spoke with Butch Johnson, a very knowledgeable employee from AABACA Music Barn in Minnetonka. This store specializes in digital pianos, keyboards and lab equipment. From what I gathered in communicating with him, there are five main types of MIDI keyboards.

1. MIDI controller that does not produce sound on its own. It plugs into a computer and is used for MIDI input only.

http://www.aabaca.com/keyrig25.html

http://www.aabaca.com/keyrig49.html

2. MIDI keyboard that produces sound, but needs an interface.

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0,,CNTID=555565&CTID=205000,00.html#

3. MIDI keyboard that produces sound, has a built-in interface, and connects to computer (USB to Host)

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail/0,,CNTID=5014661&CTID=205100,00.html

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail.html?CNTID=5014662&CTID=205200

4. MIDI keyboard that produces sound, has built-in interface, connects to computer (USB to Host) and also has the ability to record, store and play MIDI files from storage (USB to device)

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail.html?CNTID=5021560&CTID=205500

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/ModelSeriesDetail.html?CNTID=5021560&CTID=205500

5. MIDI keyboard that produces sound, has built-in interface, connects to computer (USB to Host), and also has the ability to store and play MIDI/WAV files from storage (USB to Device)

http://aabaca.com/fp7.html

In talking with Butch, it seems that #3-5 are by far the most preferred of the five, because the connection to the computer via USB to Host is such a desirable trait.

I’m still in the process of getting quotes for pricing these, but I think as I move forward and pursue purchasing a MIDI keyboard for school, I will personally be keeping the following things in mind:

1. Money is obviously a huge factor. I need to purchase something that is going to give me the biggest bang for my buck.

2. It is important to me that the keyboard feels as much like a piano as possible. It needs to have at least 76 keys, and if possible, 88.

3. I really want to be able to record sound directly on my keyboard - #3, 4 and 5 are all good options.

4. I know I would definitely appreciate being able to play WAV files, so if the money allows, I’d like to go for #5.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_Instrument_Digital_Interface

http://www.midi.org/aboutmidi/index.php

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-midi-keyboard.htm

http://www.tweakheadz.com/tips_on_buying_a_keyboard.html

http://aabaca.com/

Blog #6

Hallelujah! I found a great solution to my sound file conundrum. Go to http://www.mymusictools.com/audio_converters_4/free_m4a_to_mp3_converter_26542.htm to check it out (I posted this on Twitter and my delicious site as well). By downloading this FREE application, I am able to convert m4a files into mp3 files and even wav files. It has made my life a lot easier.

The only hitch in this solution is that it only works on a PC. I have searched to find a similar free application that will work on my Mac at school with no success as of this writing. It’s not that there aren’t programs available, but none of them have been free, even ones that are advertised as free. I’m trying to decide if I’m going to bite the bullet and buy something to have at school or if I’m going to buy an application that will simply let me use PC programs (like this file converter application) on my Mac. Both programs appear to be somewhere in the range of $40-$60.

To address the reading, I found it very interesting to read about Steven Spear’s experiences being trained on assembly lines at Toyota and Detroit Big Three factories (pp. 108-110). At the Big Three factory, Steve was shown how to several steps and then given 58 seconds to do all of it. When he failed, the assembly line stopped and all the steps were explained again. Steve did not have great success, as he was only able to install four seats correctly in one hour. At Toyota, Steve had a very different experience. He was only told step one (of the seven steps) and was required to master that step before he moved on to step 2. There were no time limits. He would learn step 2 only when he mastered step 1; therefore if step 1 took one hour, then he could learn step two after one hour. If step 1 took a day, then he could learn step 2 the next day. As a result, Steve was able to experience much greater success in that he was able to do his part right the first time and every time after that. What a great example of how assessment needs to be a part of the instruction, not something to tag on at the end of a process.

This story made me reflect on two things. First of all, perhaps the setup of Toyota’s assembly line is the reason for Toyota being known for making great cars that rarely break down and last for a long time?

Secondly, it made me think about the Suzuki method of teaching music. The Suzuki method is based upon a concept of early childhood education, which focuses on how children acquire native language – through “immersion, encouragement, small steps, and an unforced timetable for learning material based on each person's developmental readiness to imitate examples, internalize principles, and contribute novel ideas.” The unforced timetable is key, both in the Suzuki method, and apparently in Toyota’s assembly line model. It makes complete sense to me in terms of an educational model – why do we insist on forcing kids to learn at the same rate, when clearly we all learn at very different rates????

To clarify something I wrote in my last blog, though I have definite concerns about this predicted change in education, I very much like the idea of customizing education for all children. I completely approve of ‘flipping’ from “monolithic instruction” to “student-centric” learning. And I do think it is important to be on the ready side of this movement than trying to fight it and be left behind. I just hope that there will be a place for relationships in this future.

Blog #5

Can I just say that I really appreciate the hopefulness of this book! Like Melissa, I began reading with a somewhat negative, preconceived idea of what I was going to find in Disrupting Class. Thankfully, I have been pleasantly surprised. Instead of trashing teachers or listing the often-heard reasons why schools are failing, Disrupting Class actually talks about how we are doing a pretty good job in spite of our system. How refreshing!

I have been thinking a lot about disruptive innovations this week, and how success with disruptive innovations originates at the simplest end of the market. The book has given some really interesting and memorable examples of these innovations.

One example that I have been thinking about a lot is the personal computer. It brought me back to my elementary school days when we waited in eager anticipation each week to play Number Munchers and Oregon Trail on the Apple II computers. Looking back, these machines were very basic but we thought they were so awesome. (Incidentally, my husband now has the Oregon Trail application on his iPhone and it’s been funny to think back and remember how bad the graphics must have been on those old Apple II computers in comparison). It’s strange to me that these machines with the black screens and green glowing text were actually disruptive innovations.

Another illustration that I really found memorable was the phonograph example. Just as it would be ridiculous to wheel out a phonograph onto the stage of Carnage Hall in place of a live performance, it also doesn’t work to pit disruptive innovations against head-on competition. In the same respect, playing video of a great educator teaching a math lesson would make no sense if played in a traditional math classroom, but might have a place in an online setting for a homebound student.

As I have been reading the book’s ideas of how the future classroom will look, I become uneasy (and I’m sure I’m not the only one). I am beginning to understand why change doesn’t happen easily in schools – in the end I think we all want things to stay the same, if only because of our desire for self-preservation. I mean, don’t we all want to keep our jobs as they are?

I am trying to envision how my job would work as an online teacher, and it’s pretty unsettling. So much of what I do in my job, so much of what I think is important, has to do with building relationships and social skills. Children in my classes learn about eighth notes and rondo form and lines and spaces on a staff, yes. But during all the music games we play, a lot of what I am teaching revolves around communicating with and working well with others. I think Jan would probably agree that a lot of what we do in elementary school – in music, math, science, whatever – does have a great deal to do with how students interact with one another. If and when their predicted ‘flip’ happens in education, and online learning becomes more prevalent than in-school learning – well, I shudder at the thought of how and where students will be developing some of those skills.

Sonatine: Moderato

This is me playing Maurice Ravel's Moderato from Sonatine. It's from my senior piano recital at Gustavus Adolphus College. I'm so excited that I finally was able to upload it.

Blog #4

As I’m reading other people’s blogs, I’m beginning to feel frustrated that I am not doing enough technologically with my students. Though I plan to use Joe’s idea of an exploratory Garage Band unit, I won’t be able to get lab space until well into May… and by that time class will be over. Don’t get me wrong – I’m definitely learning a ton and I’m most certainly getting better at navigating the technology I use for and with my classes; it’s just that compared to my classmates I don’t feel like I’m doing what I need to do with having my students actually use the technology with me. I’m using the knowledge I’m acquiring in this class to increase my own productivity and enhance what I’m teaching… But like Jan, I’m just not sure I envision using wikis, blogs, etc. with my K-5 music students.

I know that we are supposed to be doing a more thorough job of logging our time spent and the details, so I’m going to try to tackle that now. This week, I feel like I’ve been spinning my wheels more than any other week. I spent several hours trying to figure out how to embed audio into my Facebook page, only to find that apparently many of the applications that had been used in the past have now been shut down by Facebook because of copyright infringement. I actually have some recordings of my senior piano recital in college that I thought would be really cool to upload and share with people (no copyright there! I’m pretty sure the Bach family doesn’t collect royalties!), but unfortunately the applications I’ve researched so far will not let me do anything more than post a song by a current artist. Ilike and lastfm are two applications I’ve tried. Now I’m in the process of using another one called Babulous, which is supposed to give me the option to download (or upload) one song for my Facebook profile. The application appears to have uploaded the file from my computer, but does not respond when clicked. Very frustrating. I’ve looked into trying to upload audio to my blog as well, but it doesn’t appear to be any easier, and frankly, I think it would be more fun to be able to share audio on Facebook since it’s something more people will actually see. But it’s looking more and more like I’m going to have to just record my voice on Audacity and upload that to my blog to meet this particular class requirement. If anyone has had any luck with other methods, I’d be interested to hear what you did. It seems like video – though not a piece of cake by any means – is a lot easier to manipulate. Would you agree?

Speaking of trouble with audio files, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time these past couple weeks trying to get around the whole mp3 vs. m4a file issue. I know I mentioned this during our web class, so I’ll try to be brief. It appears that mp3 and m4a files aren’t allowed to be embedded into powerpoint (I get an error every time), whereas wav files have that capability. So I figured out a way to open mp3 files in Audacity and export them as wav files. Though it wasn’t difficult, it was definitely annoying because it was just one more step. THEN I found that m4a files did not respond the same way when opened in Audacity. It was like the audio file gods knew I had gotten away with something and they were bound and determined that I wouldn’t do it again! ARG! Why were audio files even coming up as m4a? It made no sense! At first I thought maybe only files I had just recently purchased were labeled m4a, but then noticed that even some audio I had created myself (on audacity) were also m4a when I pulled them out of Itunes. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to this – I’m not sure if it had anything to do with the latest updates to Itunes or what, but it has definitely made for a more time-consuming process of embedding audio. Soooo…. the way I’ve now gotten around the m4a issue is to create a playlist in Itunes of all the stuff I planned to embed, then burn it all to a CD and redownload it all back onto my computer. What a pain. I’m really not trying to steal anything – it’s all legitimately purchased/owned stuff. I’m just hoping to get rid of a few steps (minimizing powerpoint, finding the song in Itunes, pushing play, maximizing powerpoint, etc.) to make my classes run more smoothly. I mean, the few things I’ve had the fortune to be able to embed in powerpoint have been incredibly handy. Kids are staying on task because they aren’t waiting around for me to get the CD playing or the computer on track. The song just plays, and they follow along singing the words on powerpoint. At any rate, it has been HOURS of time outside of class to save minutes (seconds?) of in class time. Not sure it’s been worth it, but I’m kind of enjoying the challenge. And I’ll say it again: It’s good to have the push from this class to make the time to mess with this stuff.

That’s all for now. I can’t believe I’ve been rambling so long. And I still have two blogs to go. Hopefully with the next one I will be able to get more into the reading. J