Field+Based+Activities+Reflection+TF+VIII.B

"Mozart wouldn't do this today...This bowing business. He'd plug his keyboard into an amp and he'd have string quartets coming out of his fingers…He'd overdub and mix, of course. He wouldn't make the same old noise…He'd sound electric. He'd have spacier strings and horns and computerized bassoons…Who needs orchestras? You can do it all with a keyboard, an amp and enough power." (DeSilva, 1980)

I saw that movie over 30 years ago, and that quote by the character Bruno Martelli stayed with me. (By the way, it was not easy to find the exact quote in order to cite it for this paper!) In a performing arts high school, there is most definitely a struggle between technology and traditional modes of teaching. Nevertheless, I was surprised to find a profound lack of technology available in our music department. My job would be to show the staff how technology is another artistic component, and should be part of the musical education of our students.

According to Williamson and Redish (2009), Standard VIII, which is critial to student-centered learning, represents a departure from traditional models of learning, and requires leadership to enourage and support a new vision for learning.

My conversations with the music department were "what if.." questions. What if students had a computer with notation software. Instead of watching the teacher write chord progressions on the white board, they could create their own, listen to them and manipulate them. In the process of learning chord prgressions - both how they look and how they sound - they would be working with software that almost all music professionals are expected to use. What if students created composer podcasts - assuming the role of a famous composer to demonstrate their knowledge of that composer - rather than (or as an alternative to) making posters? In the process, they would not only become familiar with the composer, but learn about sound editing software.

According to Jones and Crochet (2007), "The vision becomes critical for school improvement because it also includes the desired functional levels - providing the framework for action steps toward improvement." That means that the vision has to be more than a group of ideas; It must be a plan for improvement. T he conversations I had with our music department are the beginning of a plan to begin the migration to the 21st century in music education.

References DeSilva, D. (Producer), & Parker, A. (Director). (1980). //Fame//. USA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Jones, L., & Crochet, F. (2007). The importance of visions for schools and school improvement. //Connexions//. Retrieved on May 4, 2013 from []

Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). // ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do. // Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.