Instructional Design and Technology In Music Education

            This week I got to revisit the backward design model that was focused on in a previous UFL music education course. The backwards design model is a great tool for teachers of all content areas because it focuses on student outcomes (the learning) more so than the teaching (Bauer, 2014). While I do use the backward design with my middle school bands consistently, I occasionally find myself getting wrapped up in the strenuous high school band performance schedule and losing focus on the real goal of student learning. Administering assignments and assessments digitally (with a program like SmartMusic) is a great way to use technology in the instructional design for band, but it is also a digital record keeper. Having the ability to track data electronically means easy adjustments in my backward design and it also makes planning for differentiated instruction easier.

            This week I also became familiar with project based learning in the form of WebQuests. WebQuests, or an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all of the information comes from resources on the internet, seem like a great way to have higher level thinking outside of the band room.  I fear that students often “practice” at home without using deep practice and the use of WebQuests will hopefully provoke thinking at a higher level than just playing through some notes. I look forward to completing a WebQuest for my middle school students on the topic of time signatures. I’ve never tried anything like this with them and I predict they will enjoy being “researchers.” The Driscoll model of constructivism, and the idea that knowledge should be constructed, challenges the typical band rehearsal of warm up and play through music as led by the director. I expect that by incorporating project based learning activities, like WebQuests, my students’ musical skills will strengthen even if the project does not necessarily require playing their instruments.

            Lastly, this week I am using technology to get parent feedback on my instructional design. This is my third year in my current teacher position. I brought back the marching band program (from a 17 year vacation) during my first year here. It seemed as though the students, parents, and community loved it. We began with parade marching in local parades the first year, then attended several parade competitions last year, and now field march at home football games in addition to several parade competitions. Recently I have had a very difficult time getting color guard and drumline students to come to the once a week after school rehearsals. That on top of woodwind and brass players not individually practicing has resulted in a frustrating score at our most recent competition. My goal is to do what is best for the students and, until recently, I thought that was to provide them with marching band opportunities that they didn’t have before. And so I have constructed a survey (with google forms) to try to get feedback from parents and students. Hopefully the feedback will give me information to help the program move forward.

Link to Marching BandSurvey

Bauer, W. (2014). Technology Fundamentals. In Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. Oxford University Press.