Flight path prompt and response in the beginning of the course:

Look at the course schedule and the range of topics we’ll be exploring together and think about what areas are most important to your own goals in becoming a digital-age teaching professional.

A few topics that are critical to myself in my learning goals are multimodality and social media during the design of learning. I believe social media and multimodality can be synchronized in one’s learning.  I also believe the unit on mobile technologies relates to my goals. I want to explore a learning environment that syncs both the digital and physical classroom and these topics can support my curiosity in their area.

Multimodality in Learning

Several multimodality were explored throughout the course by participating in class activities and assembling Unit of Learning in Assignment 2. In the context of music education, multimodality appeared to focus on auditory aspects, such as listening – an elemental nature of music. However, through this course and its insightful activities, I discovered further applicable segments of multimodality which extended to visual, tactile and interactive learning. Multiple forms of multimodality such as interactive quizzes, Virtual Reality, and pre-made instructional videos were shared by my classmates. I then inquired about these concepts to be relevant in a music education context. 

On the subject of Virtual Reality, I came across a software where students can explore conducting via virtual platform following a discussion with classmates on multimodality during Week 9. 

RibbonsVR is an interactive software catered for students to further conducting techniques through enhanced visual effects. When conducting through the VR hardware, colorful lines in vertical horizontal and sagittal directions are vividly outlined according to one’s conducting patterns. The art of conducting involves a rather abstract and indefinite nature as it strives to physically define and express musical expressions of ensemble sound. Having visual support for the students enables observation of one’s movements in an intricately defined manner, in comparison to using a mirror or video recording which is not as definite. Such tool as this is a learning tool I wished to be introduced to in my personal course of learning in the past. Below, Figure 1 is a demonstration of RibbonsVR for your convenience.

Figure 1: 

RibbonsVR: Holst Second Suite in F, Movement II, I’ll love my Love

During further academic research towards the usage of VR in music education, one reading from Ifenthaler, D popped into my head. Ifenthaler mentions the importance in limiting student’s exposure to cognitive overload if not specifically relevant to the learning itself (Ifenthaler, 2018). As per this study, I sought to assess the practicality and necessity of digital software as VR in one’s learning. Does it truly provide an irreplaceable learning experience overall? What role does digital software contribute that is invaluable in student’s learning? Should practical live experience take more precedence or should students be introduced more to the digital experience to complement learning? Questions as such helped to guide my inquiry upon this topic for further considerations.  

The immersive experience of VR I found to be an engaging factor for students that helped to retain focus and interest. However, the downside of VR, a potential for cognitive overload, directed the activity to be used as a supplementary resource, rather than primary one. I concluded to use VR software as an experience at the end of a unit of learning, or as an introductory event to purpose VR as an enhancing tool rather than required resource. Additionally, I also wanted to encourage other educators to critically assess the necessity of digital resources to maximize the potential of multimodal learning rather than blindly following educational ‘trends’ per se. 

Mobile Technologies in Learning

Another area of interest was mobile technologies, as it seemed much relevant to my teaching practice in our current generation. The usage of mobile devices as a learning device is quite common in music ensemble rehearsals in a secondary setting. I often encourage students to utilize free metronome application for awareness of tempo in music. Tuning application is another common tool that saves both money and time for educators as they are easily accessible for free on mobile devices. A goal in my original flight path was to find additional tools that could benefit the educators and students with supportive technologies. During Week 4 of ETEC 524, we discussed mobile technology in each classroom and the stance behind them. The following are some of the given prompts: 

Who is allowed to use mobile devices? What for? How does the use of mobile devices change the way we learn and communicate with each other?

Many of my colleagues often limit the use of mobile devices, with having clear guidelines on when and how mobile devices can be present in the classroom. Other colleagues completely ban the use of mobile devices as their teachable subject found other forms of technology more approachable and less distracting. Through the readings, I learned that the choices of my colleagues resonate with studies completed on the banning and/or limited use of mobile devices. Jamie Doward reports “ the ban (of mobile devices) produced improvements in test scores among students, with the lowest-achieving students gaining twice as much as average students. The ban had a greater positive impact on students with special education needs and those eligible for free school meals, while having no discernible effect on high achievers” (Doward, 2015).

During Week 4 of ETEC 524 I pondered on this question: is the use of mobile devices in my music rehearsals truly a net positive? Upon reflection, I noted the distraction factor to be more evident than the learning benefits in my classroom. The distraction required additional concern for myself to address, and also the distraction often led other focused students to be also distracted on a regular basis. As I am not teaching during the summer time, these questions will be inquired in practice when I return to the classroom in September: 

1. Does the learning advantages of mobile devices outway the possibility of distraction within my music classroom?
2. If mobile devices outway the possibility of distraction, what rules and regulations should be implemented in the classroom and how shall those rules and regulations be enforced in order to create a more positive learning environment?
3. What alternative educational technologies are available to support learning concepts of pitch and tempo in the classroom?

Conclusion

Overall, this course pertained to the Theory to Practice portion of this Master’s program. There was an opportunity to integrate theoretical knowledge to practical skills; I further adapted previous misunderstandings and reassessed my pedagogical views. As an educator, I once again recognized the need to engage in regular self-reflection of my teaching practice. 

I perceived new notions that relate to my current teaching practice in the field of educational technology. Conception to stay current with research, the importance of considering further specialization and extensions of my practical experiences to name a few are the areas that I previously lacked in my teaching practice. A measure I now seek to implement is subscribing to two different academic journals, as well as participating in various webinars. 

My teachable area is secondary music, which I previously thought to be relatively irrelevant to digital technology. In fact, the music classroom setting and the teaching content do not follow the conventional means of teaching as a performing arts course. Through the discussions between peers in this course, various topics and ideas initially felt non-transferable to my subject area. However, through course readings and reflection, I found that the educational approaches are universal and it takes time and consideration to find the gold. I was not as aware of extensive practical uses of Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence as learning tools prior to this course. All it took, was a hint of curiosity to explore the emerging technologies that could be practically implemented in music education. British Columbia’s Music Educators Association holds its annual Music Educators Conference in October. A further pursuit on this topic through conversation with other music educators, and even collaborating on this topic for a panel could further initiate conversations on this topic with others’ insights. I have already seeked opportunity to gain hands-on experience with music technology. Although the resources are not currently available in my teaching district, opportunities to open conversations are convenient. 

Finally, an exciting course that I will be taking through this program is ETEC 532: Technology in the Arts and Humanities Classroom, a course that can support my teaching. This course focuses on reviewing the development of various technologies and their impact on development in the arts. 

In conclusion, the next steps as a master’s student studying educational technology involve a combination of staying informed, gaining practical experience, expanding my network, and identifying my niches within the field. By continuously learning, collaborating, and staying true to ethical principles, I believe that I can make meaningful contributions to the field of educational technology while advancing my own career prospects.

References:

Anderson, T. (2011). The theory and practice of online learning. AU Press. 

Bai, H. Pedagogical Practices of Mobile Learning in K-12 and Higher Education Settings. TechTrends 63, 611–620 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-019-00419-w

Doward, J. (2015). Schools that ban mobile phones see better academic results. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/may/16 /schools-mobile-phones-academic-results 

Ifenthaler, D. (2018). Digital workplace learning bridging formal and informal learning with digital technologies Springer International Publishing AG.

Messina, A. B. E. (2021, November 23). School of Music Professors Unite conducting and virtual reality with ribbonsvr. News.https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2021/11/ school- of-music-professors-unite-conducting-and-virtual-reality-with-ribbonsvr/ 

The Unit of Learning was at first difficult to conceptualize, as the desirable functions were not immediately available to be implemented in the LMS. The limitations of LMS were of the following:

1. difficulty adding audio and video into the LMS without the need for links,
2. the lack of personalization other than colour scheme, and
3. no ability to adjust orientations and layout.

Google Classroom interface was simple and concise. Although there were only a small number of features that could be personalized, one can argue the simplicity of the design to allow users to prioritize quality content over visualization. Another initial concern was administering the effectiveness of hybrid learning for the chosen audience instead of fully virtual or in-person learning. However, as I began to formulate the detailed activities and instructions, the hybrid module became suitable for the learning objectives.

My aim was to incorporate UDL throughout the curriculum as the primary focus was the growth of all learners through the completion of this module. The objective was not for all students to have the same finish line, but rather that all students were to cross through a finish line that is unique to their current status. Implementing Backwards Design in the curriculum was also quite an interesting process. The focus of progressing from the end product was unique as the desired learning outcome was quite self-directed for each student (McTighe & Wiggins, 2004).

I also desired to enable a sense of community building despite the online modules, as the targeted audience only meets twice a week in-person rehearsals. To prevent isolation, means such as an active Discord community, Games Leaderboard and Spotify Playlist Assignment were incorporated to encourage online interaction. 

One difficulty faced during the process was the creation of the multimodal activity, where students had to match an audio recording to the score. From embedding of the files to the score selection that fit the students of all levels, it was quite time consuming. I had to ensure the audio files were free to share as well to avoid copyright issues. Overall, unexpected administrative tasks unraveled to be struggles rather than devising and organizing the structure and content itself. 

References:

McTighe, J., and Wiggins, G. (2004). Introduction: The logic of backward designLinks to an external site.. Understanding by Design: Professional Development Workbook. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

I had the valuable opportunity to engage in the process of designing “Rhythm” portion for a blended learning course. It was an enlightening and enriching experience that allowed me to delve into the intricacies of instructional design and explore the unique challenges and considerations specific to online learning environments. Reflecting on the process of building this module, I came across couple thoughts and considerations that I was unaware beforehand.

First and foremost, I realized the importance of detailed planning and organization in the course design process. Creating a well-structured course with clearly defined learning objectives, modules, and topics is vital for both the facilitator and the learners. I would often show my modules to my teaching partner during the development phase and from their perspective, and the purpose of the module would be forgotten. I had to strip away irrelevant components as the purpose of the online module was to primarily focus on rhythm and community. I removed the history and singing portion that did not abide to the primary objective of learning rhythm. 

One of the challenges I encountered during the course design process was ensuring there was cohesion and a strong flow of learning throughout the modules. I wanted the order of the activities to be cohesive and coherent. I also wanted the descriptions of each activity to be engaging, yet informative. Finding the balance was a difficult process. I find that until the module is presented and critiques are received, there is only so much one can do. The importance of feedback was noticed during the development of the modules.

Throughout the course design process, I also realized the significance of visual elements and media objects. Carefully selecting appropriate visuals, using consistent fonts and color schemes, and incorporating multimodal elements such as videos, images, and audio recordings contributed to the overall aesthetics and enhanced the learning experience. I became aware of the impact that visually appealing course materials, coupled with media-rich content, had on learners’ attention, understanding, and retention of information. One of the limitations of Google Classroom was the inability to adjust the theme of the classroom. 

In conclusion, the experience of designing an online course as a graduate student provided me with invaluable insights into the complexities and nuances of instructional design. From the meticulous planning and organization to the incorporation of diverse learning activities, effective communication strategies, visually appealing elements, and accessibility considerations, I gained a comprehensive understanding of the factors that contribute to a successful online learning experience. This journey not only deepened my appreciation for the art of course design but also equipped me with essential skills and knowledge that I can apply in future educational endeavors.

a) what is your course topic:

• My course topic focuses on the understanding of rhythms through the Kodaly method, an approach that values interactivity and kinesthetic means of learning in music education. Rhythm is often compared to the numeracy of music and is a fundamental understanding that is critical to building independency in music literacy. 
• I approached this assignment with the focus of building a specific unit that can be taught strictly online to allows more opportunities/time for ensemble rehearsal during in-person portions.

(b) what are your instructional goals/ learning objectives,

• The instructional goals/learning objectives for this course are quite self-directed. All students step into the music room without the same opportunities to experience and learn music; this leads to my teaching philosophy for music, which embodies a sense of individuality. Some students may come in with experience through religious activities, private music lessons or an elementary curriculum with music, while others do not have equal opportunities due to uncontrollable circumstances. The learning objectives are focused on student growth at an individual level. Some students will progress at a different pace from others and that is encouraged. The common factor among students will be motivation and participation. 
• Creating a unit for Rhythm online allows the educator to focus on musical nuances such as pitch and ensemble connectiveness during in-person classes.

(c) who are your audience:

• The audience of this course is catered towards a Grade 9 – 12 concert choir class that meets afterschool twice a week throughout the entire school. Due to the limitation of course scheduling, the in-person class will focus on performance and rehearsal, while the online portion of this blended learning environment will focus on building music fundamentals such as note reading and rhythms. The audience of students reflect the current students that are in my music classes. The student population mainly consists of family with higher socioeconomic status, hence limiting afterschool commitment due to their individual extracurricular activities which requires much time and effort. To find alternative methods of learning and bonding outside of the classroom was a big factor throughout the planning and execution of this module.
• For this audience, access to consistent internet and having a personal device was not a concern.

(d) what is the role of instructor in your course: in what format the course is to be delivered to your audience (for example, a fully online self-paced learning module, an online instructor-led course, a blended mode course, or supplementary material for in-classroom use),

• The role of the instructor of the online portion would be a facilitator that creates a positive and engaging learning environment to ensure all the learning objectives are met by the end of the course. The instructor will be initiating communication between participants and seek to foster a genuine community in the ensemble. As choir rehearsals in person will not have a dedicated time frame for the instruction for rhythms, instructional support will be required to enhance and maintain the learning experience. In order for successful understanding of rhythms from the students, it is critical that a few aspects of the rhythm course offered online shall be at least reviewed by the teacher during in-person classes.

(e) consider describing, how the elements of course design will provide optimal learning experience 

• Many learning activities have the underlying philosophy of UDL, where students have multiple means of representation and means of engagement. Students can learn through visuals of rhythms, hearing hear through audio recording, understanding rhythm text through the English language or standard music notation. Students can quickly discover and reflect on their individual area of success, which allows students to take initiative of their learning by choosing the method that best suits their learning.
• I wanted the online learning space to be individualistic, yet engaging. I created various opportunities to expand one’s learning through gamification through the musical tools offered on digital platforms. Through leaderboards of rhythm games to Spotify playlists, student will have opportunities to expand knowledge through varying educational experiences while continuing to connect their learning in practical manners in ‘real’ life.
• Students will have other means of connection in the third party server for Discord and Group Spotify playlists. Within a music department in highschool, there is often a unique opportunity for the music teacher to teach students year by year consecutively unlike other academic offerings split among several teachers. This enables the educator to foster an interactive, and genuine community within the music ensembles, that extend beyond mere the boundary of ‘classes’. These modes of expression represent an opportunity for students to build community while in relation to the courses subject of music.

Consider the privacy and security risks when using open access platforms and cloud based tools.

One limitation of this hybrid method is the FIPPA privacy requirements for BC publicly funded educational institutions. There are some privacy concerns through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act where with Google Classroom, it is a cloud-based platform. A cloud based platform can raise questions about who has access to data and how the data is protected. The district that I work at currently (Surrey School district), prefers to have full control and ownership of student data and through a third-party platform like Google Classroom, the trust of that student information is with an external service provider.

Assignment 1 of ETEC 524 66B was designed to have a team analyze and argue an optimal LMS that supports a fictional education scenario. For our scenario, the context was established quite quickly and as a team, we often agreed on variables of the context in an efficient manner. 

Over the three synchronous group meetings for Assignment 1, we delegated roles through our areas of strengths and experiences of LMSs. Each meeting worked on a different aspect of the assignment and every member was present throughout. Communication between the meetings were minimal but it was due to the fact that everyone was on the same page and there was little to no need for clarification during our own self-directed times to work on the assignment. Collectively, we agreed this team worked quite efficiently throughout the assignment.

For our first synchronous meeting, we began to brainstorm the rubric design as well as which LMSs to explore and rank. We decided to utilize elements of the SECTIONS framework (Bates, 2014) based on our readings and reliability of Bates philosophy . As a team, we collaborated and edited the rubric prior to our second meeting. As well, we dove into each chosen LMS to deepen our understanding and objectively score the LMS afterwards based on our developed rubric. The top two choices of LMS (Microsoft Teams and Edsby) were quite close however with a two point difference, we went with Edsby

As a first time user, I was personally quite excited to explore and argue for Edsby as our chosen LMS. Although the scoring was close, Edsby felt like a more complete package for myself. The rationale for Edsby over Teams was the superiority of three vital components in an LMS for our scenario; Interface, Integration and Educational Features. The user-friendly interface of Edsby was evident as a brand new user of Edsby for this assignment. The platform offers intuitive features and the design was detailed yet easy to navigate. There was no learning curve evident for educators, students or parents. The needs of all stakeholders at GSS will be met with Edsby. 

With integration, Edsby is able to integrate with other school systems, syncing marks and due dates with other student information systems. The integration can streamline administrative tasks and the margin for error is reduced as information input is standardized. Finally, the overall functions of Edsby has a focus on education while Microsoft Teams is purposed for a collaboration platform among a variety of industries. The needs of every educator is different, however for our scenario, the streamline connections and overall ease of use through functionalities and interface supported our strong choice of Edsby over Microsoft Teams. 

Through this assignment, I gained knowledge and experience through exploring new LMS’s that I have never heard of, collaborated with educators from different provinces, developed a comprehensive rubric to determine an optimal LMS and I broadened my perspective of how LMS’s can interact in a classroom and a school system.

References:

Bates, T. (2014). Choosing and using media in education: The SECTIONS model. In Teaching in digital age.

ETEC 524 Assignment 1