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- Volume 11, Issue 2, 2018
Journal of Music, Technology & Education - Volume 11, Issue 2, 2018
Volume 11, Issue 2, 2018
- Editorial
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- Articles
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The effects of frequent use of a web-based sight-reading software on eighth graders’ music notational literacy
By Amy J. BovinDue to its potential of improving an individual’s music notational literacy and the ease of use within the ensemble setting, the purpose of this study was to determine if frequent use of a web-based sight-reading software (sightreadingfactory.com) in full band rehearsals and group lessons would improve a band student’s individual music notational literacy level. For this study, the researcher utilized the pretest–post-test control–group statistical design with three groups of eighth-grade band students. Group 1 (n = 25) used the software at the beginning of every full band rehearsal, Group 2 (n = 31) used the software at the beginning of every small group lesson rehearsal, and Group 3 (n = 23) did not use the software in any capacity and served as the control group. The study lasted for eight weeks. The researcher individually administered the pretest to all student participants in Week 1 of the study and the post-test during Week 8. In order to determine which treatment caused the greatest change in music notational literacy, the researcher compared the mean gain scores of each group using an ANOVA and found statistically significant findings (F = 3.84, df = 2, p = 0.026). Group 1 (n = 25, M = 2.80, SD = 1.76) students’ mean gain scores were significantly higher than Group 3’s (n = 20, M = 0.90, SD = 2.02, p = 0.006 indicating) evident that the web-based software was most effective in the full ensemble rehearsals.
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Introducing motion-capturing technology into the music practice room as a feedback tool for working towards the precision of rubato
By Marisa ChengMotion-capturing technology has been traditionally used in the field of sports for the analysis of athletes’ body movements. The application of this multimodal tool to the field of musical pedagogy, however, has yet to be widely explored. Historically, music teachers have been using abstract language such as thick lines, for example, to describe melodic phrases. These thick lines can function as mental signposts or cues to help a performer navigate through a particular piece especially during performances. Concepts such as rubato – the stretching of time – for instance, are more challenging to describe in terms of concrete lines or shapes, however. Because the push and pull of rubato is so subtle, it can sometimes be challenging to pinpoint rubato and maximize its effectiveness. Thus, in addition to listening to the coach’s verbal explanations, it can be helpful to see the teacher’s gestures displayed simultaneously alongside their students’ gestures during music lessons. The Leapmotion software provides visual feedback in real time and can be played back in slow motion. This device functions much like a mirror, as the performers’ gestures reflect onto the screen in real time. At the same time, their teacher’s gestures can also be juxtaposed onto the screen as a reference. Details of the speed and the precision of the rubato timing can be seen on the screen as well. More importantly, Leapmotion can be a useful source of feedback in the practice room where the teacher is not present; students can record precise gestures during their lessons and revisit what they had learned when they are alone. In this sense, students would not feel lost in the practice room during the week, and they could also hone their music analysis skills through the examination of their body movements. This study aims to catalyse the learning process and to revolutionize the traditional methods of daily music practice.
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Digital tablets in the music classroom: A study about the academic performance of students in the BYOD context
More LessThis study assesses whether the use of digital tablets in the context of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) produces an alteration in the academic performance of high school music students. The grades of high school students were analysed and compared for two groups: experimental and control. The experimental group carried out the experiment using digital tablets, while a traditional methodology was used by the control group. The conclusions showed similar results regarding academic performance for a specific unit of the music subject. Students who used their own digital devices obtained statistically similar results to students who followed a more conservative process (even slightly superior in some parameters). Furthermore, there were no significant differences regarding gender. The research concludes that digital tablets in the music classroom are not a barrier for the academic performance of students, but rather a tool that helps in the teaching-learning process.
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Music composition for iPad performance: Examining perspectives
More LessThis qualitative research investigated a music composition created specifically for performance on iPads. It examined perspectives of the composers, performers and audience member participants. Composers were undergraduate music education majors with concentrations in music composition, performers were undergraduate music education majors, and audience members included music majors, composers, music theory professors and conductors of traditional large ensembles. Data included the notated composition and written reflection statements by the composers, performers and audience members. Reflection questions guided the statements, and included: how does composing for iPad instruments differ from composing for more traditional instruments? How do you feel performing on an iPad differs from performing on more traditional instruments? What were the challenges that you encountered and how did you respond to them? And, what did you like best and least about this composition and/or performance? The data were analysed for emergent themes, and the themes discussed.
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Open online resources and visual representations of music: New affordances for music education
More LessIn recent years there have been many calls to rethink the central place of common notation in music education, but it can be difficult to decide whether or how to change this fundamental aspect of pedagogy. The usefulness of various means of representing music depends on the specifics of the educational situation, including the music concepts and traditions being studied, instruments used, curriculum goals and even budget. A recent study of adult online learners highlighted the affordances of the open Internet in providing resources that allow teachers and students to move more freely among the various ways of representing music and to choose the most appropriate for each occasion, with opportunities for valuable music learning intrinsic in the process. Theoretical and pragmatic grounds for adopting a more open approach to music representation are discussed, as well as concerns and challenges.
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- Book Reviews
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