Technology For Asyncronous Music Lessons & Practice
Marjorie LoPresti 732-613-6969 marjorielopresti @ gmail. com
School leaders & administrators may be encouraging you to incorporate flipped classroom, blended learning, and hybrid lessons into your plans. All of these jargon-laden techniques include asynchronous elements.
Asynchronous learning can mean that students are working at different times, paces, and places, or it might even mean that you are not present when the class meets. Music teachers have been using asynchronous strategies for ages. Rehearsals and traditional music classes are synchronous--everyone is in the room, working on the same music together. As soon as we ask students to practice on their own, in sectionals, or move to groups or learning centers, we are introducing asynchronous elements into the learning process.
Flipped Classroom
Whenever we ask students to learn musical content outside of class( e. g. learn the notes and rhythms to measures 1-32 of a new piece), we are using a flipped classroom strategy. In Flip Your Classroom by Jonathan Bergman and Aaron Sams, this strategy is defined as reversing the typical model of instruction during class, with independent practice as homework. Music educators have been using this technique for ages with ensemble classes. One common method is posting learning or practice tracks online. Give yourself credit for it and highlight this in your plans, responses to observations, and other documentation that is used toward your annual summary evaluation. If your students are using SmartMusic or PracticeFirst at home, you already have a powerful technology platform to support flipped strategies.
Flipped classroom activities may be more challenging with general music classes because they require students to work independently outside of class. Some music teachers have posted links to songs for students to learn or practice at home. These
audio tracks or videos may include recordings created by the teacher, or links to quality performances. For middle school and high school general music classes where homework is more common, many teachers assign webquests or viewing online videos. EdPuzzle is a great tool for embedding questions in a video found online.
Blended Learning
Blended learning strategies work well for general music and ensembles alike. Blended learning, in the strictest sense, requires a total reimagining of how your school operates. In Blended, Michael Horn and Heather Staker describe schools in which students spend part of the day in selfpaced, computer-based instruction; part of the day in a group with the teacher; and part of the day collaborating with peers on project-based learning. In common usage, however, the term blended learning can apply to any use of centers or sectionals during or outside of class time. Hybrid learning encompasses having students working independently online sometimes, and working in person with the teacher during other classes.
Blended learning happens all of the time in music classes and ensembles. As soon as we empower students to practice or create together without direct instruction and teacher intervention, we have introduced an element of blended learning. In sectionals, be sure that students have a clearly defined task, and that you have built in accountability and assessment. Some easy methods include making a recording of the assignment or performing before the full ensemble at the end of the sectional, having students write a summary of accomplishments and future needs in a response journal, or filling out an evaluation using Google Forms or Survey Monkey. Adding these record keeping and assessment elements also helps meet critique standards.
A well-structured series of general music centers allows students to self-pace, and provides ongoing assessment and feedback for the student and teacher alike. Online music games and age-appropriate music creation software can help automate monitoring individual progress. Access to a Learning Management System( LMS) like Google Classroom, MusicFirst, Edmodo, Moodle, Blackboard, or Schoology can provide an ideal platform for blended learning or flipped classroom strategies.
Absences
Home instruction students and those with frequent absences often get dropped from the flow of in-school music classes. Access tools for asychronous learning can help them remain connected, especially if they have access to online electronic music practice and creativity tools.
What if you are the one who is absent? Substitute plans can also fall under the idea of asynchronous instruction because you are not present! Many general music teachers have created videos of themselves leading songs, games, and learning activities just as they would if they were in class. This allows the substitute teacher to be a class manager, and gives the students opportunity for musical learning and expression. Cell phones and tablets make creating videos even easier now!
Teachers of ensemble classes can also use some of the same strategies from flipped or blended learning in substitute plans.
TEMPO 32 OCTOBER 2016