Computer Technology in Music Education

Spring 2009

"For many composers, the [computer] has replaced the pencil and paper; for other musicians, it has replaced the orchestra; for some it is replacing the tape-recorders; and for educators, the [computer] is opening up new pedagogical strategies that have no corollary in traditional teaching methods."
Christopher Yavelow, MacWorld Music & Sound Bible (1992)

"Technology is easy; people are hard."
John Gage of Sun Microsystems, Orlando (1997)

Instructor:	Dr. Timothy A. Nord
Office:	2202 JJWCM
Phone:	274-3389
E-mail:	nord@ithaca.edu
Office Hours:	M 10, R 2, F 9 or by appointment

Course Information
Course:	MUMC 40300/50300
Room:	2102 JJWCM
Times:	1:00 MTWR Sec. 1 - Block 1

Required/Recommended Reading

Kasner, Kirk One Computer Can Deliver Whole-class Instruction
MENC Opportunity-to-Learn Standards for Music Technology
Rudolph, Thomas Music Technology and the National Standards
Rudolph/Richmond/Mash/Williams Technology Strategies for Music Education
Rudolph, Thomas Teaching Music with Technology, 2nd Ed.
Text: Williams/Webster Experiencing Music Technology, 3rd Ed.

Course Description

This course is designed as an advanced course in computer technology for students majoring in music education. The basis of this course is the belief that the use of various technologies can greatly enhance both the teaching and learning environment. The goal is to help you become proficient in several areas of technology, including: knowledge of CAI, digital audio/video, WWW, and multimedia design.

Grading

Grading will be based on attendance and the completion of assignments and projects (3). Each project will be worth 30% of the final grade and the remaining 10% will be assignments.

Attendance

Due to the nature of this course, your attendance is required at all class meetings. Unexcused absences will result in a lowering of your grade by three percentage points per absence. See the Attendance Policy section of the Ithaca College Undergraduate Catalog, 2008-2009, for a complete statement of the College Attendance Policy.

Course outline (extremely tentative)		Unit Assigned Reading
I.	Introduction/Administration/ CAI
	We will examine current software packages for administrative and teaching purposes. Several exmples will be demonstrated in class and we will work individually with some of the packages. The unit project combines projects 9, 10, 11, and 12 from the CD-ROM that accompanies the text. These all involve the evaluation and comparison of several prominent software packages.
II.	Instruction/Audio/Web Design
	The goal of this unit is to learn how to create sound resources and make them available to your students and program supporters via the web. Assignments will include creating MIDI, notation, and digital audio files (various projects from the text). The unit project involves creating a web site for your school music program or private studio which illustrates the use of different types of musical resources.
III.	Multimedia/Video/Presentation
	The final unit involves the use of multimedia as a teaching tool in the music classroom. The final project is to create a multimedia presentation that you can use to teach the class a musical concept relevant to your area of interest and expertise.