technology
Shifting the Question: Adapting to Music Teaching in the Modern World Lee Stovall, WMEA State Chair, Technology
For the first time in history, every piece of information (ac- curate or inaccurate) is readily and easily available. Almost all current music teachers have either grown up before this time or were
taught by music teachers who received their training before this time. Thus, a shift in how we teach music education is still adapting to our modern society. Teaching the “what” in music becomes less relevant when the answer is a Google search away, and we have opportunities to go deeper in our education if we see this as a benefit and not a detriment. We’ve seen similar shifts in educational thinking with our math and history colleagues, where they have had to deal with similar issues; the “answers” are readily available. For math education, the shift has been to teach the processes and how the formulas are derived to help students’ brain awareness of mathematical concepts, while history now focuses on ex- ploring the results and effects of events, not just on the events themselves. This change in thinking from teaching the “what” to the “how” and “why” is crucial to adapting our teaching in this new era.
The resources students have available go beyond our personal research capability. I have had students show me videos on tun- ing warmups, transitioning voice change, music theory, social issues in choir music, etc. There is so much out there that it’s im- possible to find it all, and I often use exam- ples students give me; I know it is relevant to my students, and some of these resources are incredibly well done. This obviously is a supplement to the base knowledge that is already taught in schools. Accessing the “what” is easier than ever, but having go-to resources and lessons is still just as vital as
ever. We now just have the added benefit of being able to move past it quicker with our current resources. The biggest danger in the question of “what” is that there is a ton of inaccurate or incomplete information out there. Instead of teaching the students just the “what,” it’s important to teach them how to fact check and verify informational sources, so that they know the information they are learning from is correct.
An example of shifting the “what” to the “how” in my music technology class includes using chords in music. I start by having students copy chords from an online piano chart into piano roll format. Then we go over how far apart the notes are, and the students learn that a major chord has a root, a third that is four half steps above it and then a fifth that is three half steps above that. They can use these chords as a basis but then also experiment with shifting them around, and we eventually will add things like sevenths and add-2s, etc. In choir, I can show an MRI scan of someone singing, and explain all of the different physical body parts that are changing the sound of the voice, and we can work on manipulating them to create different sounds. In this case, technology can take something that in the past has only been taught conceptually or abstractly to something concrete and easy to break down.
The most exciting thing about what tech- nology gives us is that we can focus on the “why” more than ever. With information- sharing technology, finding authentic source materials and truly representative repertoire is easier than ever. Students can virtually chat with composers and talk about how pieces are constructed and their motivations for creating music. Efficient discussions and discourse can happen online, and students who are too shy to speak aloud can speak their mind over text. Access to information has made
“The most exciting thing about what technology gives us is that we can focus on the ‘why’ more than ever.”
our students the most globally-aware and informed generation, and they are incred- ibly attuned to issues we have faced in the music education field for decades: lack of representation, appropriation, etc. Instead of seeing this as a challenge to authority, it is important to see it as a learning op- portunity as educators and reflect on what biases we have built up over time in our own music educational journey. Every culture known to humanity has had music in some form, so we know that music is essential to the human experience. Having the time to explore these “whys” can cre- ate deep-thinking and reflective students, which is one of the essential pillars of music education. Instead of seeing technology as a detriment (which it can be if overused or used incorrectly), technology can open up time and provide the logistics to cover more and deeper curriculum. Now that the students have full access to the “what,” we can spend more time on the “how” and “why” and build effective and engaging ensembles and music classes.
Lee Stovall currently teaches vocal music and has piloted the high school music technology and production program for Milwaukee Public Schools.
Email:
lee.d.stovall@
gmail.com
46
April 2024
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