Music
Empowering Students through Online Music Learning
At this time when everyone around the world is interacting through online forums and potentially may be experiencing the challenges of internet speed and connectivity within their own homes, we considered the following cartoon might add some ‘musical’ humour towards the end of our learning and working week.
In continuing to venture through technology supported teaching environments this past week, it is clear that remote educational experiences in Music have progressed into a range of innovative and creative platforms in supporting student learning.
The Music staff having been sharing ideas and strategies on how best to engage our students through virtual classrooms and weekly rehearsals, with the main objective to connect technology and music by providing face-to-face tutorials where students can interact with their teachers and classmates. This learning has been supported by uploaded teaching and learning materials that allow students to work independently by referring to a range of interactive videos, useful online resources and rehearsal audio tracks.
It is true to say that technology has transformed the way we create music and continues to open up a whole new world to musicians. Evidently, latency is our biggest hurdle and the intentional goal, in creating invaluable support materials, has been the focus of the Music Department this past week. All Music teachers and tutors have worked together collaboratively in developing exceptional video tutorials and rehearsal audio tracks for supporting student learning in Curriculum, Extra Subjects and Cocurricular Music programs.
Our biggest technological struggle to overcome in music making, especially in real-time internet jam sessions and rehearsals, is that latency is different for each individual. The time it takes to move data from one place (or musician) to another varies for each individual and is an evident dilemma in the creative space for musicians. When students enter this environment for the first time, it requires a huge adjustment. We have been so encouraged by the students embracing this new learning experience and everyone has shown so much resilience in adapting to this new environment. While real-time online collaboration isn’t a substitute for practising together in person, these online practice sessions, discussions and support materials are certainly benefiting all our musicians. For now, the important element is connection and support as all students work independently on their music in preparation for the time when we all return to a real-world rehearsal.
In further developing our online instruction for the Secondary Music Ensemble program, reinventing our delivery into a virtual rehearsal environment has been one of our focus aspects this week. The various ensembles on iLearn which all students can now access are shown at the top. We will soon be releasing our new Contemporary Music page for the Rock Bands and Sound Engineering programs.
Performing Arts Junior School Letter
There will be a letter sent to Junior School families with an overview of the online versions of the Music programs which will be fully operational from the start of Term 2.
Mr Darren Kuilenburg
Coordinator of Music
seniormusic@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9820