I know I should probably be posting about my own project, but I have to share how a short conversation across the dinner table has inspired a short spin-off project.
I was sitting across from Ann Clements at the TLT Faculty Kickoff dinner. We don't have a music education department or faculty at the Brandywine campus, and I was fascinated to hear even just a little about her program and what her students do. I've been working with middle school and high school teachers for the past few years, and one of the tools I've been helping them use with their students is Google Earth. As my background is in the geosciences, the projects I've been working on are increasing Earth science content knowledge and geographic literacy through student use of and content creation in Google Earth.
But what about music education? Can Google Earth help someone teaching music? I had never thought of connecting these two disciplines before. My drive home from the dinner was filled with "what if".... What if an audio file is placed in a Google Earth pop-up window, and a student has to then find the geographic region where they might hear that style of music, then learn and write up something about that culture and musical style? For example, a student could listen to a clip of reggae, then in Google Earth be zoomed over to three areas pre-highlighted for them - let's say Bermuda, Cuba, and Jamaica. Pins could be on each of these countries, and the correct pin has more links and information for the student.
It's still a rough idea, but a great project for a student to work on. Who knew a dinner conversation could lead to a project that would enhance the cultural, geographic, and digital literacy of an undergraduate student researcher, while the student creates a "product" that could be used by an in-service teacher?
So thank you, Ann, for inspiring a new direction for me to get students to explore! (Although I bet Ann already does some cool things with Google Earth, too) I hope there are more opportunities for the TLT Fellows to get together soon. Who knows what other inspirations and creative directions may result from "the fantastic four!"
I was sitting across from Ann Clements at the TLT Faculty Kickoff dinner. We don't have a music education department or faculty at the Brandywine campus, and I was fascinated to hear even just a little about her program and what her students do. I've been working with middle school and high school teachers for the past few years, and one of the tools I've been helping them use with their students is Google Earth. As my background is in the geosciences, the projects I've been working on are increasing Earth science content knowledge and geographic literacy through student use of and content creation in Google Earth.
But what about music education? Can Google Earth help someone teaching music? I had never thought of connecting these two disciplines before. My drive home from the dinner was filled with "what if".... What if an audio file is placed in a Google Earth pop-up window, and a student has to then find the geographic region where they might hear that style of music, then learn and write up something about that culture and musical style? For example, a student could listen to a clip of reggae, then in Google Earth be zoomed over to three areas pre-highlighted for them - let's say Bermuda, Cuba, and Jamaica. Pins could be on each of these countries, and the correct pin has more links and information for the student.
It's still a rough idea, but a great project for a student to work on. Who knew a dinner conversation could lead to a project that would enhance the cultural, geographic, and digital literacy of an undergraduate student researcher, while the student creates a "product" that could be used by an in-service teacher?
So thank you, Ann, for inspiring a new direction for me to get students to explore! (Although I bet Ann already does some cool things with Google Earth, too) I hope there are more opportunities for the TLT Fellows to get together soon. Who knows what other inspirations and creative directions may result from "the fantastic four!"
This is amazing. The connections we make through all this is what makes all the work make sense. I was honestly stunned last night as I watched the same kind of thing happen between people all around the table. The unintentional outcomes are the ones I am most eager to support through the fellowships. I am excited to see the sparks flying. BTW what a killer idea!
Wow! What a wonderful idea Laura! I would certainly use anything you could develop in this area. In terms of multicultural music/world music teaching, one of the most challenging aspects for music educators is bringing children into the musical culture, and that starts with "where in the world does this musical culture strive?". Many in this field are stuck with flat country maps and geographical region maps (a presumed leftover of the transparency age) - which does little to tap the technologically interactive, online world in which children current "live". Please keep in touch, and if there is anything I can do, or my students can do, to test pilot your new creations please let me know! Brava!
Throwing ideas:
Perhaps we can use Google Map as a base for location-based (if using campus as the real-field, or map-based, if walking around is too much work) game that's musically themed. For example, the sound file can be found on pins, and a question about the sound needs to be answered in order to go to the next stop, and this continues until the first team/person reaches the final destination.
The sound file can be: "What is the sound of this instrument?" followed by a clip of french horn playing. Then on the map, there are various pins that show different instrument icons (the pins can even be placed on the historical spreading of this instrument), and on each of them, another question is asked.
Questions can be about identification of instrument sounds, intervals, rhythm, modes, style of music, composers, etc., depending on the topic needed.
I think another great thing to explore here is how the music of a culture is affected by its geographical location - if that's even a valid idea. Certainly regions that are often invaded are affected due to social reasons, but is your location on the earth in and of itself a factor?