Slideshare
By Phil | June 25, 2008
Slideshare is a great site that makes light work of sharing your powerpoint slides with others.
Slideshare works along the same lines as youtube - post a presentation and then embed within your page or comment at the slideshare site. The code for embedding your presentation is generated automatically and you upload the file as a standard ppt file so most of the work is done for you. You can also download presentations. Here is an example (From Netlash - not mine).
My one niggle is that you can’t attach any audio to the slides without uploading to a different URL and linking it in. This makes it rather too cumbersome to be helpful. Still if you want an easy way to share basic presentation files then you might want to try it out.
Find Slideshare at: http://www.slideshare.net/
Topics: Collaborating, Links, Reviews, Tips | 1 Comment »
Seeing the word differently!
By Phil | June 20, 2008
Here is a wordle image of my blog this month.
The wordle website takes a selection of text and arranges it into one of these word clouds. I love the way that this helps you to see different connections between thoughts as they are emerging over time.
Try it out at: http://wordle.net/
Topics: Fun stuff, Links | No Comments »
Networking environments
By Phil | June 20, 2008
I am currently been working on evaluating several platforms that can be used to encourage student/teacher networking. I am looking for a site that enables flexible textual and musical interaction (through video/audio), can be linked in with other personal sites like facebook and that allows personalization. I have checked out NING, Elgg, PBWiki, Twitter, Wordpresss and am about to trial NING and PBWiki in school.
Would be worth highlighting Miikka Salavuo’s blog at this point. A great blog with LOADS of useful posts on this topic. For example “How to design educational social software?” and “Simple or Versatile Web environments?”.
Also, while I think about it, here are some examples of a Social networks in education http://socialnetworksined.wikispaces.com/ and here is a social networks comparison tool that I have found really helpful http://www.cmsmatrix.org/
Does anyone have any experience of using them to support high school (GCSE) composing? I would be very interested to hear how you got on.
Topics: Classroom, Composing, Links | No Comments »
A great way to start the day!
By Phil | June 20, 2008
I was recently emailied with details of this great website. An mp3 url is sent to your inbox that links to a daily melody played by Daniel Calabro (a guitar teacher from Victoria, Australia). Here’s the link: http://www.dailymelodies.com/
Topics: Fun stuff, Links | No Comments »
New site for collaboration
By Phil | June 12, 2008
Here’s a couple of links I was sent recently. Learning interchange is a great site for collaboration, which covers a wide range of subject areas. One of the groups is specifically aimed at music education and technology (Mac only - hence the name): Music and the mac. Hope you find them useful!
Topics: Collaborating, Links | No Comments »
Creativity in school
By Phil | June 9, 2008
If you have never heard Sir Ken Robinson speak on creativity this is well worth a listen. His presentation style is engaging and humorous. He makes several points that resound with my experiences as a student, teacher and manager in the UK school system. Although I don’t go along with all he says, I agree with his broader points.
However, I wonder if the attention he gives to ‘creativity ‘ fails to leave room for other key aspects of education such as aesthetic sensitivity, interpersonal interaction (eg. collaboration) and physical development. With new technologies in music it is relatively easy to create something new. It may even have value (certainly commercial value). Is this art? What makes it creative? What makes it good? Surely ‘good’ art is something that is not only new and valuable but challenges us to make something better of ourselves and our world. It encourages development.
I’ve recently have been reading some great articles by Yrjö Engeström (eg here). He presents the idea that, as well as moving vertically (from immaturity to maturity, incompetence to competence), development is about horizontal movement. This occurs when borders between ‘worlds’ are destroyed and horizons are expanded. If we focus only on creativity (an original contribution of value - His definition), we may end up with many ideas/pieces of work that may be called ‘valuable’, but which do not foster development. This is true both individually and socially. In my limited experience, good art broadens our thinking and introduces us to new ways of seeing what we may already know. It is not ‘just’ creative!
This reminds me that it is so important to question and challenge (sensitively) ideas in the music classroom. But also to react with students in all these ways: creatively, aesthetically, collaboratively and physically. When was the last time that, together with my students, I danced around the room when listening to someone’s composition?
Topics: Classroom, Musings, Research | No Comments »
Something to talk about
By Phil | June 4, 2008
Have you come across the OLPC project? The acronym stands for ‘One Laptop Per Child’, which is a non-profit education project. OLPC has the goal of providing “children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves”.
The project/community was founded by Nicholas Negroponte (co-founder of th MIT Media Laboratory) who takes a strong constructionist stance on education. Here’s Nicholas introducing the OLPC project to the TED conference in 2006:
The computers (pictured) began mass production in November 2007 and pack a good deal into a small space. Each XO-1 uses components from Linux (Red hat Fedora Core 6) and comes with a 7.5 inch 1200×900 pixel TFT screen, self-refreshing display with high resolution and two display modes (full-color mode and a reflective black and white mode that is sunlight readable). Each has its own mesh network out of the box and is a full-time wireless router. Also included: gamepad, touchpad, audio (AC97), integrated camera and microphone, battery (about 10 hours with crank handle option)…the list goes on. Of note in the software package is TamTam - an open source program for composing (wiki link). See video demo:
The only snag is that if you want to buy one of these it has to be for someone else (unit cost $200). The laptop was primarily designed for use by children in developing nations (for an interesting article on the use of X01s in US schools see here) and so the laptops are provided free to the children.
I think this is a great idea and and am keen to find out just how good the machines are at supporting work in music. The reviews have been mixed (google around and you will see what I mean). Has anybody tried one? My main questions at this stage are: q) HOW can the XO1 be used to teach music more effectively? (is this technology for its own sake?), 2) Can this compete with the potential of mobile phones?
Here are some links to OLPC related info:
Main OLPC site: http://www.laptop.org/en/index.shtml
OLPC Development site: http://dev.laptop.org/
Developers program: http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Developers_program
Topics: Classroom, General, Research, Reviews | No Comments »
It’s good to talk…how much time have you got?
By Phil | June 2, 2008
For a few days I have been considering the content of my next post. After blogging for just over a month, I guess this is where the rubber meets the road. I feel like I am in ‘no bloggers land’! I have had a few things to say. I have received some encouraging comments and emails. I have even found some useful information as I look through others sites in search of new ideas. And now…it appears there are a few ways to go.
I could resort to second hand rss feeds and the like? No…I find these unhelpful. Rather than adding a new idea or interesting dimension to an existing conversation, it seems that some sites are bent on making my Google reader home page convince me that I have 200+ fresh ideas to choose from, rather than the 2 that actually exist (OK I exaggerate)!
I could start to trawl through YouTube in search of the latest top 10 list of things to do with a wooden spoon and half a meter of garden hose…No! This may be useful for music teachers in careful moderation (?) but yet another top 10 will probably push me over the edge.
Got it!…A review…No…These are great BUT again in moderation. Also, if we are talking about hardware or software I think we need a way to compare products rather than uncritical reproductions of product manuals, press releases or “hey…look at what this can do’s”.
Oh No…I’m starting to rant…Is it going to be ONE OF THOSE sites?…No…quick…change the subject…get a coffee (or tea)!
At this point you may be wondering what on earth I am on about! Well done for persevering! Here it is… The point I am trying to make is that amid all the information out there on the web, I think we have a responsibility as blogging music educators to say something that will help to foster, promote, develop, equip, inspire, enthuse, contribute and yes…even challenge ideas about our marvelous subject.
I find myself reading so many pages that want to say something. Yet, at the end I am left thinking there must be a point somewhere. For example….’This is a great new product…it does this…and this….and this…and this….and…’; you get the idea. And so what would the point be? (As I look over my blogs I see that I come close to this) Is this true also for others? We only have a certain number of hours in the day (24 last count), and as teachers our time is at a premium. The alternative to a blog many be a better lesson plan or new idea for helping a Year 8 class to have a real experience of what Jazz can be.
Am I turning into a snob? I hope not. Don’t get me wrong…I am enjoying contributing to the conversation. But PLEASE let’s say something ?
Topics: General, Musings, Tips | 1 Comment »
Software Review
By Phil | May 28, 2008
As part of my idea of setting up a way of reviewing software for use in schools I have been asking: What are the most important software features for secondary music students and teachers? There are many sites out there which review different programs but I find they contain too much text for the useful points they make. I find that I can’t easily compare one program against another because the review standards and structures are different. They also rarely focus on the use of programs in school.
I know from my experience that time is precious for music teachers. The last thing we need to encourage us to look for the best program to use with our students are long explanations of the complex algorhythms used in the VST effects. Just tell me if it has them and what button to press! So what I would like to do is work towards a method of useing the same standards for many different programs. I know this may be a case of ‘how long is a piece of string. However it strikes me there must be some factors that make certain pieces of software more suitable or useful for use in schools than others.
The list I have so far is:
| Criteria | Details | Star rating |
| Platform | OSX, Windows (XP, Vista), Linux | NA |
| Curriculum | In which curricula might the software be helpful? | NA |
| Stablilty | Does the program do what it is supposed to well or are there serious ‘bug’ issues? | ***** |
| Functionality | What does it do? | ***** |
| Screen layout | How does the screen look? Does the layout encourage you to engage with the program? Are the functions of the software clearly visible? | ***** |
| Interaction | Does it interact with other software/hardware (MIDI support, OpenSound control support, import and export, sampling, VST support) | ***** |
| Support | How good are the manuals, online help, forums, technical support? | ***** |
| Value for money | Just what is says…is it worth spending your department budget on this? | ***** |
| What the students say* | Like it, would use it, would buy it, have bought it | ***** |
| What the teachers say * | Like it, would use it, would buy it, have bought it | ***** |
(*The last two items could be polls for each program)
As I said in a previous post, I am hoping to set up a method of review that builds on this list to provide an ‘at a glance’ way of assessing a piece of software. Teachers and students could then quickly match their needs with specific software. Of course a complement to this would be suggestions of ways you can use different software and hardware in the classroom.
I would be really interested to hear what others think.
Topics: General, Musings, Reviews | No Comments »
Monome
By Phil | May 17, 2008
If you like interesting gadgets, here’s something to look at. The monome is a USB controller (Opensound control) that, in the words of the developers: “…doesn’t do anything really. it wasn’t intended for any specific application. we’ll make several, and others will make more. we hope to share as many of these as possible. drum machines, loopers, 1bit video transformers, physics models, virtual sliders, math games, etc.” The monome is basically a box covered in buttons. It reminds me a bit of the Korg Electribe taken to the next…and then the next level. The real beauty of the monome is that the software is open source (OSX, XP, Linux). It makes an ideal hardware controller for Ableton Live. The only downside is that it has proved so popular that the Philadelphia based company has sold out each release within one day. Next release is in June.
For a demo go to: http://monome.org/series/
Youtube performance: here
There is even a wikipedia article!
Topics: General | No Comments »
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