Podcasts & Vodcasts

Podcasts or vodcasts can be an incredible tool for music educators. They can be used as a teaching tool or form of communication to parents, students, or community members. Instructional material can be taught, a message to students, or information on upcoming events can be communicated through podcasting and vodcasting. Once the podcasts or vodcasts have been subscribed by a follower then they are uploaded automatically through iTunes or other sources every time they log in to his or her account. The podcasts or vodcasts can then be shared through social media sites to reach even more people!

There are several ways one can create a podcast or vodcast. The examples I will show were video recorded, created through iMovie then uploaded to my Apple account to my personal website I had at the time. I saved the actual videos so I can use them through my YouTube channel now for demonstration to others to create new ideas and uses for the podcasts and vodcasts.

Here is an example of one I created for one of my guitar classes I taught at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, FL. 

Besides vodcasts being a great instructional tool, they can be utilized to communicate information to students, families, and community members. A teacher can describe a new assignment or project that is due in a classroom. This way students and parents can revisit the video or podcast episode if they are lost or have any questions. Since I teach band, communication to parents and students is key with many after school activities, performances, and other events. As I mentioned before, all of the podcasts and vodcasts can be shared on social media sites such as FaceBook, Twitter, or Google+.

I urge any educator to expand on the idea of podcasts and vodcasts. Find other creative ways to use these tools in the classroom or teach students how to apply them in real world applications. Business owners can use them to promote their products and share it through social media. There are so many options and ideas available one just needs to dive in and explore!

Jordan Harrison

Assistive Technology

          Assistive technology is tools used to help people with disabilities to manage daily life activities. The tools range from computer software, motorized wheel chairs, to portable reading devices. Assistive technology does not mean the tool has to be an electronic device or operate with electricity. Any object that can assist a person with a disability is considered an assistive technology. Rubber grips on pencils, highlighters, raised-line paper, special writing utensils, and a planner are all considered assistive technology tools.

            There are several groups within special education that need assistive technologies. Students with mild and moderate to severe cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, at-risk students, and gifted students all use assistive technology to help with learning and daily functions. Each group in special education must have these resources available to them so they have an equal opportunity at being successful in school, life skills, and a career as an adult.

Mild Disabilities

            Students with mild disabilities include those children who have a learning disability, emotional disability, and mental retardation. These students need more assistance with learning new information and building on existing knowledge. There are several apps that can help these students with developing higher level thinking. Dragon Dictation is an app that can put words into text to assist those with dyslexia or who struggle with writing. There is a Spelling Test app that can help students practice spelling words who may struggle with a learning disability in reading. Sushi Monster is another app which assists with helping students in math. All of these apps can be utilized on the iPhone or iPad in the classroom or at home.

Severe Disabilities

            The students who have severe cognitive disabilities are usually working on daily life skills to function in the world. These types of students are learning proper hygiene such as bathing or brushing his or her teeth, how to get dressed, or other tasks that help a person become employed. An example of a great tool for a student with severe cognitive disability is the StepPad. The StepPad can create individual steps to remember a multi-step activity. This can be used to remember a class schedule, household chores, personal routines, or shopping list which all assist with daily functions. A great app that can help a student with employment would be the Dollars & Cents app. The Dollars& Cents apps can be used to teach a student how to shop for a product, pay for it, and receive change. It also allows a student to be a store clerk where they can learn to ring items in a computer system, receive payments and return change to a customer. These assistive technology tools provide an idea of what is available to students with severe cognitive disabilities.

Physical Disabilities

            Physical disabilities are related to issues with mobility due to an injury or birth deformity. Accommodations with assistive technology consist of tools that help a student move around such as a wheel chair or easier access to electronics such as different keyboards or a mouse. An example of assistive technology hardware would be Big Keys Plus keyboard that has over-sized keys for easier access to the keyboard. A great example of a software product that can be used in the classroom would be MathPad. This product can allow a student who may have a physical disability with writing and needs to perform math problems on the computer using a special mouse or keyboard such as Big Keys Plus. Math problems can be pre-loaded on to the software program for the student work practice during class or at home. These tools help students overcome the physical disabilities that keep them from normal mobility or functions.

Sensory Disabilities

            Sensory disabled students are those who have a deficiency in hearing or vision. These students receive different accommodations with assistive technology. For students who are considered blind use canes or sensory technology, tools for converting printed information, and screen readers on a computer. A braille display can help blind students input information into a computer while using a computer program such as MagniLink to read the information on the screen. Students who are deaf do not require as many accommodations as those with vision impairment. Deaf students would use audio enhancing tools such as a personal hearing aid or a custom audio system for the classroom. A great software program for the classroom teacher would be YouCaption. The program can caption everything the teacher says so the student can read it on the board. All these adaptive technologies will help students with learning in the classroom.

At-Risk Students

            Students who are considered at-risk academically can also utilize many of the same assistive technology tools as those students with disabilities. The focus is on motivation and engaging students to help them develop higher level thinking skills. Software programs have been designed to help students in all subjects. There are reading programs such as Read: OutLoud which can read text out loud so students can follow along or SOLO Literacy which helps improves a child’s reading and research skills. Great web sites are available such as Brain Pop which covers many subject areas from music to English and science. Any technology such as iPads, iPhones, laptops, eBeams, or Smart Boards that can be used in the classroom is a great tool for engaging at-risk students. As a music teacher I enjoy using SmartMusic which is an interactive way for a student to practice an instrument and stay engaged.

Gifted Students

            Students who are gifted in special education learn at a higher level and faster pace than most students. While this does not seem like it would be a problem for a teacher it is because gifted students need to be challenged. The challenge keeps students engaged in class and lessens any possible discipline problems. Assigning gifted students self-guided research or using technology for projects such as podcasts or web sites will allow the student to grow and stay engaged in lessons. Gifted students provide a challenge for teachers to create stimulating lessons so utilizing these assistive technology tools is extremely important for the students to continue to learn at a higher level. 

Music Therapy as Assistive Technology

          Being a music educator I believe music is one of the most powerful and necessary things we can teach students! Music opens up parts of the brain that words or science cannot reach. It pulls emotion from people that is indescribable and amazing to witness. As I stated in the beginning of this blog, assistive technology is a tool that helps students overcome their disabilities. I was reading through Music Matters Blog and I came across the blog on Music Education and Therapy. The blog post discussed how music therapy can help improve cognitive functions and improve speech. Music therapy is such an awesome tool that it is used with more than just students with disabilities. Music therapy taps into portions of the brain other tools cannot and helps it grow!

Jordan

Educational Resources

I have been tagging educational resources through my Diigo account. If you are not familiar with Diigo, it is a social bookmarking website used to save websites and tag them for easier searching. The websites one tags can be shared with others to search and use. There is some great information on my lists on technology tools, music education, classroom tools, student games, English language learner students, etc.
These resources have been helpful to me so please feel free to search and find some useful info!

Jordan Harrison Educational Resources

Enjoy!

Jordan

Web 2.0 Tools

Web 2.0 tools are awesome for small classroom assignments to bigger projects. Web 2.0 tools allows students to be creative while working with technology and learning the content. These tools open up endless possibilities of creating new ways of teaching different subjects and making it fun!

I have several tools I want to demonstrate on how to incorporate them into a few music lessons. If one is creative enough they can use it for other subjects too! The tools I discuss below are concept maps, Glogster,  Animoto, and Blabblerize.com. Each one can be used for all subjects and are fun once you get into them!

The Web 2.0 tools I used based off one of the Alabama state standards for instrumental music:

12. Define the elements of music, including melody, rhythm, form, timbre, harmony, and texture.

The first Web 2.0 tool is from a free site bubbl.us which allows one to create concept maps. Each map can be customized with different bubble colors and texts. They can be saved as a photo and used in a blog, web site, or anywhere you can put a picture! Below I created a concept map based on the elements of music. A teacher can use this for any subject to outline or organize a concept. They can also have students do the same thing so they can learn to organize ideas.

The next Web 2.0 tool is called Glogster which is a more creative way to blog. It gives one plenty of options for adding photos, graphics, hyperlinks, embedded videos, and different backgrounds. Students can be given an assignment on a subject where they must create a Glog. The teacher can provide a rubric that requires them to have minimum graphics, notes, embedded videos, or hyperlinks. Click on Harrison's Glog to view an example of one created for the same music standard for elements of music.

Animoto is the third Web 2.0 tool I want to share. A teacher or student can create a short, free 30 second video that has background music and shuffles through photos. These photos can contain content being taught in the classroom. The video can be uploaded to a YouTube account and shared on social media sites. In my example I continued using elements of music.

The last Web 2.0 I want to share is Blabberize.com. It is definitely fun to experiment with different lessons or just for laughs. This site will allow a teacher or student to upload a photo where the mouth of a person or animal can be made to move. One simply uploads a photo of a person or animal, adjusts the mouth tool, then records or uploads a voice which will move with the tones of your voice! In my example I would have students choose a composer of their choice to upload. They would have to create a voice for that composer, then have them explain certain elements of music. It is so cool to listen to all the different voices students create!

J.S. Bach Talks Melody & Harmony
W.A. Mozart Talks Tempo & Rhythm
Ludwig Van Beethoven Talks Dynamics & Form

I have been following Eric Sheninger's blog A Principal's Reflections since I am working to become an administrator. In his blog post Autonomy Breeds Change he talks about a professional growth plan to implement more Web 2.0 tools within his leadership and teachers. He allotted teachers two to three 45 minute slots of time each week per semester to work on Personal Growth Periods. Mr. Sheninger instructed teachers to pursue a teaching tool that interest them to use within the classroom. The teachers created an electronic portfolio to present in a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Sheninger at the end of the year as part of their annual evaluation. The results were incredible and was a catalyst for the teachers to reach for higher goals for next year.

Finding ways to integrate Web 2.0 tools in the classroom only inspires creativity in students. Learning how to use these technology tools to teach students will help them in the future when they attend college or join the work force. Technology is rampant among most jobs and careers and must be embraced in education.

Jordan

First Blogging Experiences!

I have always wanted to invest time into following, reading, and writing blogs but did not know where to really begin. I would find topics that interest me but never follow through or get tired of the subject. During this class I have discovered how easy and fun it is to follow and write blogs! The Google Reader site has really helped me with this in putting on my blogs in one place so I can follow updates easier. I know once it is discontinued this summer I will definitely moving my blogs over to a new aggregator and continuing my blogs.

In addition to Cool Cat Teacher Blog, Will Richardson's Blog, Larry Ferlazzo Websites of the Day, Free Technology for Teachers, and A Media Specialist's Guide to the Internet blogs, I followed Music Matters Blog, and A Principal's Reflection. I decided to follow the two additional blogs because I am currently teaching band and I am aspiring to be an administrator. These two subjects are very important to me because they have and will continue to shape my career as an educator.

A Principal's Reflection has been great to read as I am working on my Master's Degree in Instructional Leadership. Mr. Sheninger discuses topics on education reform in his state and across the country, technology for leaders and teachers, and daily management of being a principal. I have never believed in using twitter as a tool or following others but after reading his blog I have plans to sign up for my own professional twitter account to integrate next year! Mr. Sheninger's professional web site, Eric Sheninger, has a plethora of information on using social media and technology in the schools. Here is an interview of Eric Sheninger about his change into utilizing social media and technology in his school!

Music Matters Blog has been my favorite to follow and read! It has been a wealth of information from music technology, compositions, recordings, games, instructional ideas, and much more. I have been able to find instructional ideas for my classroom to apply to teaching certain lessons in music. There is a section on Ideas for Parents that has great information for parents who want to help their child develop into a great musician. The section provides a view from the parents so music educators can get a better understanding of what non-musical parents are thinking. The Technology Tips section is great for discovering new music technologies for teaching or how to creatively use old ones. The Music Matters Blog is definitely one I will continue to follow and reference in the future when I continue my own blog!

My favorite blog post so far has been from Week 5 - Instructional Software. There are so many great programs out for teaching music that I love to share it with everyone, even those not so musically inclined. It's amazing what can be done with the use of technology and the internet. I was presenting the technology software SmartMusic that I discussed during my Week 5 blog posts to my principal and she loves it! She is a music major herself and never knew this kind of technology was available. She wants to come up with the funding to pilot the software with one grade level to see how effective it will be for all grade levels. I even used my blog post in part of my presentation to her so she could see my enthusiasm for SmartMusic!

Reading, following, and writing these blogs have given me some awesome ideas for school year next year. One of the areas I need to work on as an educator is communication with parents. I often do not have time to send an e-mail or make a phone call to inform parents of what is going on in the classroom rather it be assignments, behavior, or progress of the student. I want to utilize social media, blogs, school web site, and a new podcast series next year to keep parents better informed! It has gotten me very excited to get started on my new ideas this summer to implement in the fall!

Jordan

Mobile Apps for the Classroom

Music has multiple apps that can be applied to the classroom! Most of these apps I will present are integrated into my daily lessons. The apps are a big help when it comes to classroom organization and teaching tools.

The first app I use mostly with beginning band students who are first learning music but will use it to teach more advanced concepts for upper level band students. The app $1.99 and is called Theory Lessons which is based off the website Musictheory.net that I discussed in Week 5 blog. The iPhone or iPad can be hooked up to a projector or TV to be used in a classroom. When I introduce music theory in my beginning band classes, I use this app to teach staff, clefs, notes, rhythms, etc. before actually playing their instrument. The app can be found at the Apple Apps Store by clicking the link below. There is also a link to a video that gives a short demonstration of the app.

Theory Lessons App

Theory Lessons App Demo

The next app I want to share is called NoteWorks. It is a note recognition game for students first learning their notes on the staff. The game can be customized by extending the range and adding accidentals to the notes. The app can also select different key signatures when the student advances into more difficult music. This is a great tool in helping students with recognizing notes quickly without having to write the note name below each note which most band directors beg for students not to do!

Another great app I use for the classroom or teaching private lessons is called Make Music Inbox which is free! I shared the Smart Music software in Week 5 blog which is an interactive music program that can help students practice at home, grade their performance, and send results to teacher via secure server. Make Music Inbox allows a music educator to access the grades from the iPad, review recordings with students during class or lessons, and type in comments for the students to view later. This is such an awesome support tool for the Smart Music music software they can be utilized anywhere!

The last app I want to share is called Fingering for iPad. This app is great to use for students or the band director to look up the correct fingerings for notes on an instrument. The app allows one to select the instrument, then note on the staff, and it will show you the correct fingering on an instrument chart. The instrument chart looks like the actual instrument so it makes it easier for beginning students to see which keys or valves they need to press. Awesome tool for during class or at home practicing!

It is difficult to find quality apps for music education because the app store is saturated by music applications. There is everything from guitar apps, piano apps, metronome apps, drum apps, etc. that the great music education apps get mixed in the pile. I like the Music Matters Blog because it covers some really great apps that apply to the music classroom. The Sight Reader app is featured and reviewed on one of the blog posts. Sight Reader is an awesome app for helping students practice their sight reading on their instrument. It can be used in private lessons or in class. Another great tool for helping teach music students!

There are many great apps out there for music education and they continue to get better! I am looking forward to exploring what new developers and educators have to offer!

Jordan

Instructional Software

Instructional software can be a great tool to reinforce concepts or even teach a lesson in the classroom. There are thousands upon thousands of educational software available to teachers to apply to their classroom instruction. There are a couple of software programs I will discuss that can be used in a music classroom.

The website Music Theory.net utilizes tutorial lessons for teaching music theory then follows up with drill and practice exercises for the student. A student can follow the lesson then practiced what they learned in the exercise sections. The exercise sections can be customized to fit the student needs. Once the exercise is complete the student can print a progress report for the teacher! The exercises can be used to score students on their knowledge of music theory. Here is a tutorial video below that walks through a couple of sections of the web site.

Another great drill and practice software program is Musition 4. This software provides music students with several music theory lessons. Here is a tutorial video on the music software.

Smart Music is an awesome tool for the instrumental classroom! The music software is an excellent integrated practice tool for students that can be used at home, in the classroom, or during private lessons. I currently use Smart Music to administer playing tests and chart student practice records. This has been a huge help to parents who do not know much about music. They can visually see note mistakes students make at home to help play the correct notes. Students use it to practice in the practice rooms as well to work on a specific section of music he or she may be having trouble with in the music Smart Music definitely makes practicing more fun for students!

Reading through the Music Matters Blog I found a post briefly talking about a free software program that comes from the same company as Smart Music called Make Music. The name of the program is called Finale Notepad which is a smaller, free version of Finale. I use this program in class so students can compose their own music. Students can hear what the music sounds like as they write it to make any corrections they may need. Then the file can be e-mailed or loaded by jump drive to my computer to be graded or played for the class! Here is an example of Finale Notepad.

These are just a few examples of music software that is available for music educators or students to utilize in the classroom or at home. I use most of these software tools weekly as part of my instruction. These software programs have really proven to be a dynamic help in increasing the level of musicianship within my band program!