An appraisal of the use of computer music notation software among selected high school music teachers

Thesis (D.M.A.)--Boston UniversityThe use and availability of computer software in support of music composition developed dramatically during the latter part ofthe twentieth century. As technology advanced, so did the ability to compose, notate, and edit music using computer software. The use of notation software has impacted music education. Many high school music educators have implemented music notation software into their music courses. The purpose of the present study was to gain a greater understanding of the practice of high school music teachers who use music notation software in their music classrooms. The specific research questions guiding this project were: (a) How do the high school music teachers in this study describe their experiences with music notation software in the music curriculum? (b) What do the high school music teachers in this study believe students learn through the use of music notation software? (c) How does using music notation software influence the teaching practices of the high school music teachers in this study? This was a collective (multiple) case study investigating how three high school music teachers at three different schools used music notation software in their curricula. I (a) observed and audio recorded music technology classroom instruction, (b) took field notes, and (c) conducted personal interviews over the course of one nine-week high school marking period. Each participant was observed and interviewed three times. The interviews were audio recorded and field notes were taken during each observation. A system of coding was employed to organize the data into categories for analysis. Member checking, triangulation of data sources, bias clarification, peer briefing, and an external audit were used as measures of trustworthiness. Findings ofthe study indicated that music teachers used notation software primarily for teaching students music composition, theory, and ear training. The findings also revealed that music teachers observed in the study preferred the use of music notation software over traditional means ofteaching and noted an increase in its pedagogical value in the classroom. Additionally, the results of the study showed that music teachers observed an increase in student classroom engagement and adaptability when using music notation software

Creativity, Meaning, and Purpose: Mixing cultures in creative collaboration

[EN] Music composition is embedded into the Viterbo University music theory curriculum to promote active engagement of musical materials. The project accomplishes three basic complementary outcomes: 1) Students will be able to creatively apply and develop the foundations of music theory learned in their first year of university-level music study, 2) Students will develop proficiency using music writing software, and 3) Students will overcome their fear of composition and gain confidence as musicians. Students are taught foundational concepts during the first four semesters of music theory; these concepts are creatively applied and developed in the gestation and birth of a musical composition that is original and personal. Meaning and purpose, combined with guidance and encouragement, sustain these freshmen and sophomore students over a five-month process of framing a concept, composing music, editing their scores, and finally rehearsing and performing their works. The “concept” for the 2018-2019 freshmen and sophomore music theory students was a collaborative venture with Gateway Christian School, which is part of Project Gateway in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Poetry written specifically for this project by Grade 7 students was collected and given to Viterbo University students for setting. The student learning outcomes, as well as the global focus of the project are excellent examples of the value of high-impact teaching and learning.Haupert, M. (2020). Creativity, Meaning, and Purpose: Mixing cultures in creative collaboration. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 121-129. https://doi.org/10.4995/INN2019.2019.10109OCS12112

Affordances of music composing software for learning mathematics at primary schools

Music composing is associated with various positive learning outcomes, but in several countries, such as Finland, it is not part of the primary school music curriculum. There are several issues as to why music composing is not taught at schools, such as beliefs that composing requires extensive knowledge of music theory, lack of teachers' confidence, lack of evidence on the method's effectiveness and difficulty of assessment. Composing software has the potential of solving some of these issues, as they are connected to mathematics via music theory and technology, and with practical opportunities arising from adopting phenomenon-based learning at schools, the affordances of music composing technologies for learning mathematics are investigated in this study. For this purpose, 57 music composing software were categorised and reviewed. Our analysis identified eight types of music visualisations and five types of note input methods. The music visualisations were compared to the mathematics content in the Finnish primary school curriculum and the note input methods were evaluated based on their relationship to the music visualisations. The coordinate grid-based piano roll was the most common visualisation and the tracker visualisation had the most affordances for learning primary school math. Music composing software were found to have affordances for teaching mathematical concepts, notations and basic calculus skills, among others. Composing methods involving direct interaction with visualisations support the experiential learning of music theory, and consequently, the learning of mathematics. Based on the findings of this study, we concluded that music composing is a promising activity through which mathematics and music theory can be learned at primary schools

Implementation of a computer-assisted method in teaching the Nyunga Nyunga Mbira

The study focuses on implementing computer-assisted instruction (CAI) as a method in teaching the nyunga nyunga mbira, to first-time music students at university. The research was undertaken at Midlands State University (MSU) in the Department of Music and Musicology I worked in the above department at MSU. I adopted the learner-centred and constructivist approach in my teaching. The study observed the cognitive load theory in multimedia, which calls for learning experiences commensurate to the mental capacities of students. Over- or under-loading students results in unfulfilled needs in teaching and learning. I enabled students’ involvement to give room to discovery learning. Through action research I aimed to find the efficacy of computer-assisted method, in teaching the mbira instrument. I chose 16 students (5 females and 11 males), on the basis of convenience and availability as music students. The 16 students covered 4 hours every week for two semesters, giving a total time of 128 hours of instruction and practice. The students were exposed to 10 nyunga nyunga mbira tunes. The method provided guidance to the playing of the instrument via the colour code (black, green and red) and audio playback. The method used a software based tuning guide for performers to tune their instruments. The method however requires adequate resources in basic computer skills, staff notation, rhythm and pitch prior to teaching. The study reveals that students need adequate materials and apt work (cognitive load theory) to avoid over and under loading them. Also playback enables students to gradually gain confidence as they learnt to play the tunes, the volume and tempo are adjustable to suit the needs of students. I discovered that the instructor should analyse and study each tune carefully so that complex tunes are taught at a later time after students have gained confidence in using the method. It was noted that materials for teaching should be sequenced from simple to complex to enable skills acquisition. All the students managed to play the 10 tunes at their own paces as their performance was above average. It is concluded that CAI requires sufficient guidance to reduce on instructor’s personal involvement. The method requires enough resources in terms skills of instructors, and purchase of requirements, in computers and notation software. It is practically feasible to apply CAI as a method in the tuition of the nyunga nyunga mbira. I recommend the use of the colour code instead of numbers as aide to sight-reading. Complex tunes require more time hence their introduction should be delayed. Basic knowledge in computers and music theory are critical for students to play mbira using CAI. The size of class should range 15-20 and a number more than 20 should be divided into two groups for adequate management of resources. I recommend that research be done with other mbira types played at universities.Art History, Visual Arts and Musicolog

What features of interactive multimedia technology maximise the motivation of primary school aged children learning music theory?

This study was conducted to find out what features of interactive multimedia elements best engage children between the ages of 8 and 12 in the process of learning music theory. Previous research into similar areas has indicated that multimedia technologies, such as CD-ROM, arc advantageous in teaching musical theory. A commercially available software application, Musicolour, that uses multimedia delivery of musical theory lessons, was analysed to identify the elements that the students found motivating. These features included the use of a combination of audio cues, graphical cues and interactivity. The findings were analysed to determine which multimedia elements or combination of multimedia elements were present in the software and which of those the students found most motivating. The portion of the software used was comprised of two modules. The modules that were chosen were consistent with the student\u27s level of aural music ability. Some of the students worked through the computerised music lessons individually while others were assigned in pairs consisting of similar age and ability. The students in pairs were observed interacting with the software. On completion of the lessons the students were asked to complete a questionnaire evaluating their attitudes on the multimedia lesson to ascertain how engaging they found it. The students were also interviewed to gather their opinions about the experience of using the software. Findings from this research indicate that motivating music education software should include some features that were well accommodated as well as those that were identified as lacking or non-existent in the Musicolour product. The findings reveal that a good motivational music education software package should contain features that grab and maintain the user\u27s attention using elements such as characters, colours, cartoons, humour and allow for creativity. The product should contain varied and challenging tasks to perform. It should contain clear, non-ambiguous instructions for tasks. It should allow the user more control over the learning environment and offer them learning aids such as on-line help, context sensitive help or the ability to easily locale and replay instructional material at one click away from where they are in the program. It should provide relevant and constructive feedback to exercises or tasks attempted. It should support collaborative learning environments. It should allow for role-playing using different types of instruments, such that the student can choose an instrument relevant to what they are learning to perform the activities within the software. The study also highlighted that the software elements of the product themselves were not the only motivating factors to the participants. Other outside factors observed were those of collaboration when working in pairs and the motivating effect of the using the computer technology

The Role of Technology in Music Education: a Survey of Computer Usage in Teaching Music in Colleges of Education in The Volta Region, Ghana

The study sought to find out the role of computer technology in music education in Colleges of Education in the Volta Region of Ghana. It aimed at surveying the use of computer technology for teaching music and exploring the instructional prospects for computer technology usage in music in Colleges of Education. The study employed Rogers’ Diffusion Innovation theory and descriptive survey research method. Data was collected from the respondents using questionnaire, interview, and observation. The study revealed that even though about 90% of the music tutors have good academic qualification and over five years teaching experience, lack of competence in handling computer technology in teaching music among some music tutors and incoherent ICT initiatives hindered proper application of computer technology in the field of music education. It is however envisaged that increasing access and coherent computer technology initiatives will be paramount for the teaching of music in the Colleges of Education

Teaching rule‐based algorithmic composition: the PWGL library cluster rules

This paper presents software suitable for undergraduate students to implement computer programs that compose music. The software offers a low floor (students easily get started) but also a high ceiling (complex compositional theories can be modelled). Our students are particularly interested in tonal music: such aesthetic preferences are supported, without stylistically restricting users of the software. We use a rule‐based approach (constraint programming) to allow for great flexibility. Our software Cluster Rules implements a collection of compositional rules on rhythm, harmony, melody, and counterpoint for the new music constraint system Cluster Engine by Örjan Sandred. The software offers a low floor by observing several guidelines. The programming environment uses visual programming (Cluster Rules and Cluster Engine extend the algorithmic composition system PWGL). Further, music theory definitions follow a template, so students can learn from examples how to create their own definitions. Finally, students are offered a collection of predefined rules, which they can freely combine in their own definitions. Music Technology students, including students without any prior computer programming experience, have successfully used the software. Students used the musical results of their computer programs to create original compositions. The software is also interesting for postgraduate students, composers and researchers. Complex polyphonic constraint problems are supported (high ceiling). Users can freely define their own rules and combine them with predefined rules. Also, Cluster Engine’s efficient search algorithm makes advanced problems solvable in practice

save to DISC: Documenting Innovation in Music Learning

The paper discusses an approach to determining the worth and value of innovation in music education and measuring it’s capacity for meaning and engagement. It also aims to identify new examples of innovation across a broad range of music learning contexts and establish a rigorous digital process for documenting, evaluating and distributing innovative cases and resources for present and future contexts. It discusses specifically a pilot project that seeks to document innovation in sound curriculum (DISC). save to DISC is an exploratory study in an Australasian CRC for Interaction Design (ACID) project that proposes to establish flexible and effective procedures for the sourcing, evaluating, refereeing, editing, producing, validating, storing, publishing, and distributing of a wide range of media and content types. It involves documenting innovative and successful practice in music education, creating and evaluating programs in difficult/challenging school contexts and commissioning and encouraging the production of resource materials for 21 st century contexts