Marilyn S. Casale

SGET 750/751

Fall 2006

Practicum in Learning Theory Proposal: A Musical Tour

Music Education is a rich and diverse discipline offering up many opportunities contributing to our personal growth and musical success. According to acting New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lucille E. Davy, quality programs in the visual arts, music, theater, and dance challenge our students to be self-confident, creative thinkers (McDonough 42-44). Additionally, we must be ever ready to be held accountable for the ‘what” and “why’ we teach as well as its relevance to other aspects of the students’ learning. In the district of Summit, there is strong focus on technology as it applies to teacher and student alike. A study by DeKlerk has found that students form negative attitudes about the technological world if there are no formal technological experiences during the early school years (Technological Literacy). Heading toward the twenty-first century in today’s multifarious society, it is more important than ever to offer children as many technological experiences as possible. I would like to design a music website that would be user friendly to second graders while fostering positive attitudes about technology. This web site project would be contingent on a previous lesson unit in which the students were taught five songs. Each of these songs would have originated from different countries. The countries I have selected are Brazil, China, Ghana, Nigeria, and Puerto Rico. The web site would incorporate information regarding the country’s geographical features, its food and its musical instruments. The project would satisfy the need for curriculum integration, as the second grade social studies curriculum includes the study of basic map skills, the identification of major countries, continents, bodies of water and mountain ranges of the world (Social Studies). The project would also address the multicultural perspective, which is presently a district wide focus.

I would like to take this opportunity to address some of the concepts and strategies of learning that would drive my project.

· Students approach understanding from different angles. Howard Gardiner’s theory of multiple intelligences proposes that we present our lessons in a variety of ways because of the different pathways to learning (Armstrong). Teachers must keep in mind the task and the strength of their students!

· According to Dr. Sousa, a student’s ability to retain information is dependent on the type of teaching methods used (42). As students become more involved in the learning process, retention increases. Ways in which to increase the percentage of learning include initiating discussion groups, planning lessons in which the students are “doing,” and setting up activities in which the students are teaching each other.

· Another significant concept is that of positive transfer in which a past learning moves from long term storage into working memory and integrates with new learning. Extending connections of learning across the curriculum results in sense and meaning for the student and enhances the transfer process (Sousa, 70).

· There are many approaches to individual learning styles. One of the most effective models for use in learning comes from the research of Anthony F. Gregorc (Gregorc). Gregorc says that we should take into account the different learning styles when planning our activities for students. These learning styles are: Concrete Sequential, Abstract Random, Abstract Sequential and Concrete Random. As we are combinations of natural abilities and strengths, it is understandable that comprehending how students take in and process information will help us meet our students’ needs and improve learning.

· Regarding assessment, students that exhibit learning through rubrics, portfolios, or demonstrations come to have a better understanding of learning. The use of rubrics help teachers clarify what students need to achieve and can be motivational (Rose).

Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967), prominent Hungarian composer and musician, once said to teach music in such a way that was not torture (Kodaly the Educator and Humanist). It is my endeavor to formulate a web site that would not be torture!

Goal and Objectives

The goal of my project is to produce an informative Web site about multicultural music, and use technology with second grade students to broaden their knowledge of diverse cultures. The students will need to learn about the geography, foods, and musical instruments of selected countries. The students will also need to learn to use text and images in a PowerPoint presentation in order to share the information they learn with others. Michael De la Rosa defines a web site as “a related collection of World Wide Web (WWW) files that includes a beginning file called a home page, and an individual tells you how to get to their Web site by giving you the address of their home page. From the home page, you can get to all the other pages on their site” (De la Rosa, Web Site,” def). The web site would be called “A Musical Tour.” The project would encompass the following learning objectives:

I. Learn five songs

II. Learn about the countries that the songs originated from through the webs site. Student will:

A. Download worksheets

B. Answer questions on work sheets

III. Work in small groups to collaborate on a four slide Power Point presentation on one of the countries, including the following:

A. Introduction Page

B. Geography Page

C. Food Page

D. Musical Instruments Page

The project will satisfy Bloom’s taxonomy through the methods outlined below:

Knowledge: Students are taught and know facts about geography, foods, and musical instruments. Example: Name a body of water that is in close proximity to the country.

Comprehension: Students show an understanding of information about geography, foods and musical instruments. Example: Color a country on a map.

Synthesis: Students are required to and can create a new product from the information on geography, foods and musical instruments. Example: Create a PowerPoint presentation on a country’s geography, foods, and musical instruments.

Timeline

Phase One

This phase offers a backdrop for the project. Teach five multicultural songs to second grade students.

Phase Two

This phase would encompass planning and anticipation. The teacher introduces the project to the students and asks for first reactions. He/she explains to the students that a Web site has been created that gives information about different countries and cultures that represent the songs that they have learned. The students are also informed of the small group PowerPoint presentation that will be the culmination of the activity. The teacher tells the students that they will research the Web site and answer questions, and then in small groups present information to the class. The students’ reactions and questions are recorded for future use.

Phase Three

This phase allows the students to see what is out there on the Web site. Teacher asks students what is meant by ”multicultural music” and writes definitions on the board (for example, music that is from different cultures around the world). With the students using individual laptops, the teacher introduces the Web site to the students as a source of information, telling that they will have ample time to look at the site and see what it will demand. The teacher and students review together the rubric via a link on the Web site.

Phase Four

This phase uses a list of questions to guide the research on the Web site. Teacher displays all of the research questions on the board for additional clarity, (for example, “What body of water is near to the country that you are researching?” Teacher also displays on the board all of the URLs of the sites that are linked to the Musical Tour Home Page and used for research. Teacher asks the students if they know what a “homepage” is, and writes their meanings on the board. (A “homepage “ is the “index” page of a Website, usually the first page they see when they visit a site. Together with the students, the teacher visits the sites that are linked to the home page. The teacher and students use these links to collect information to answer specific research questions regarding the geography of a country, the food of a country, and the musical instruments of a country.

Phase Five

This phase asks students how they have been finding information, and if they have been successful. Students and teacher make a list of problems they have been facing and record for future use. Together they download worksheets (prepared by the teacher) on which to record their research information. Each student hands in a worksheet to the teacher regarding the geography of a country, the food of a country and the musical instruments of a country (three worksheets for each of the five countries, fifteen in all). These worksheets are an evaluation tool. The geography worksheet will consist of a map and the student will be asked to color in the country. The food worksheet will ask the student to name three foods that are eaten in the country. The musical instrument worksheet will ask the student to name three musical instruments that the country is known for.

Phase Six

This phase sees the students broken into small groups of four. Teacher explains to the students that the class will now begin working on a PowerPoint presentation, which will include images. He/She assigns each of the groups a different country, and displays on the board the topic of each of the four slides (introductory slide, geography slide, food slide and musical instrument slide). Teacher passes out an informational handout, which includes basic design guidelines. Teacher and students review the handout. Teacher tells students that besides text, images can be used to convey information to an audience. Teacher shows students the link on the homepage of the Web site to an “image” page, which has been prepared by the teacher. Students are directed to the rubric page of the Web site as well as given a handout of the rubric. Students in each group are told to compose a slide to present the information they have learned in a different way. Students are given ample time to work on their presentations.

Phase Seven

In this phase, small groups give their presentations. Students are given another rubric on which to record their evaluation of the group presentations. These critiques are handed back to the students for self- reflection.

Phase Eight

This phase encompasses closure. The PowerPoint presentations will be saved onto a CD-Rom for general use in the second grade

classroom. Teacher asks students for their reactions to the completed project. The students’ actions and comments are recorded for the purpose of comparison with the initial reactions noted in the second phase of the project.

Resources

Laptops

Internet Access

Safari or Internet Explorer

Dreamweaver

AppleWorks or Microsoft Word

CD burning software

Printer

Paper and pencils

Chalkboard and chalk

Potential Impact

By creating an informative multicultural Web site that complements the songs the students have learned in the second grade, I am creating a tool that could be used by other students and music teachers in our district. As there are not many sources available to learn about multicultural music, this site would fulfill a purpose within our community.

References

Armstrong, Thomas. "Multiple Intelligences ." Dr.Thomas armstrong. 2006. 24 Sep 2006 <http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm>.

Dalton, J. & Smith, D. (1986) “Extending Children’s Special Abilities – Strategies for primary classrooms”  pp36-7

De la Rosa, "web site." SearchWebServices.com. 2001. 17 Sep 2006 <http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,290660,sid26_gci213352,00.html>.

Kodaly the Educator and Humanist." OAKE.org - Organization of American Kodaly Educators. 2004. OAKE. 17 Sep 2006 <http://oake.org/php/aboutzoltankodaly.php>.

McDonough, Andy. "Rescuing the Arts in NJ Public Schools." Union County Family 16 August 16 2006: 42-44. McDonough, Andy. "Rescuing the Arts in NJ Public Schools." Union County Family 16 August 16 2006: 42-44.

Rose, Mary. "Make Room For Rubrics." Scholastic. 2006. Scholastic. 24 Sep 2006 <http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/assessment/roomforubrics.htm>.

Santo, Susan A.. "Gregorc Learning Styles." Gregorc Learning Styles. May 2006. Technology for Education and Training. 23 Sep 2006 <http://www.usd.edu/~ssanto/index.htm>.

"Social Studies." New jersey Core Curriculum Standards. 2005. New jersey Department of Education. 23 Sep 2006

http://www.state.nj.us/njded/cccs/s6_ss.htm

Sousa, David A. (2001) How the Brain Learns – Second Edition. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, Inc.

"Technological Literacy." New jersey Core Curriculum Standards. 2005. New jersey Department of Education. 23 Sep 2006 <http://www.state.nj.us/njded/cccs/s8_tech.htm>.