Music Technology in Schools

Most public schools lack music technology. I’m not saying that schools don’t have technology in music- my high school music theory teacher had a smart board in her classroom, and was able to use the computer and projector and other technological classroom devices during out class. Most schools don’t have the computer technology associated with music. Programs such as Sibelius and Finale are obsolete in most schools. This, to me, poses a deficit for students who wish to learn more about music.

Early on in my music education cycle, I observed a music teacher in an elementary school with a few students from my class at the time. While we were there that day, the music teacher took his students to the computer lab. The computer lab was equipped with enough computers for the students to each have their own, as well as headphones for private working. The assignment the students were working on was music composition. I was shocked to see that they had the necessary music technology to complete the assignment. In all the schools I have been to, whether it is to observe or during my own course of education, I have been to one that had recording technology and composing technology.

This concept seems a little abstract for people who aren't invested in music or who don't understand much or care much about it, so let me put it into perspective. Imagine, as a mathematician, not having access to a calculator. Imagine, as a writer, not having a computer as your scribe. Being a musician, especially someone interested in recording or composition, it is crucial to have a program that allows you to do these things. Imagine how long it took Beethoven to write down his symphonies. How would recording artists record their music without the recording technology we now have?

While things are changing and many more schools are bringing music technology into schools, the ratio of schools with technology to schools without it is heartbreaking. Even more so, the amount of schools that have technology available for many other subject areas is just as sad. What efforts can we take as future educators to open the eyes of school boards to explain the importance of music technology? Organizations such as the National Association for Music Education work to promote music in schools and supports those who do. It is up to us, though- the future educators of America- to really start the movement.

http://www.nafme.org/

Technology Autobiography

The three most important communication technologies that have influenced my life up to this point are the computer (more specifically, the internet), the telephone, and smart phones. I ranked these three communication technologies by not only their importance in my life, but their presence and consistency throughout my life.

The computer has been a pathway for communicating since I have been young. Aside from its useful functions such as word processors, the computer is our number one connection to the information superhighway. The Internet connects people worldwide in merely an instant.  I can remember back to when I was in elementary school and we were encouraged to use the Internet for research papers and as a helpful at-home learning tool. I have used the Internet as a substitute for my television for years- I cannot remember the last time I watched an episode of Game of Thrones on TV, but HBO GO is bookmarked on my computer. While the Internet has proven to be incredibly useful, it has some downsides. I often find myself procrastinating my homework with Facebook, and there are days where I can spend hours in bed with my MacBook. It is my opinion that our generation, myself included, has become too reliant on our computers and on the Internet. Books have become nearly obsolete, and the need for records and CDs is also almost non-existent. Artists sell more iTunes copies of albums than CDs, and some even see it as a waste. Society seems to forget about things that aren’t connected to the Web.

While the Internet has provided me with IM and E-mail and even Oovoo and Skype, it cannot replace the endless hours I have logged on the phone, hearing the steady buzz of the connection along with the voice of the person on the other line. As a child, I found solace in knowing that Grandma’s number was speed dial 2, and Daddy’s cell phone was speed dial 3. In an instant, I could be connected to someone in a way that was fascinating. Even before I could understand how a phone worked I knew what it was- I had a red plastic toy phone with a rotary dial, and I had some of my most important conversations on it. I got my first cell phone when I was 13, and before that I had an address book with all my friend’s phone numbers in it. The telephone connects people to the world. Aside from being harassed by telemarketers and the endless voicemails from ex-boyfriends (thank you, ignore button), I cannot think of a reason that the telephone has negatively affected my life. Being able to hear my mom’s voice on a whim after moving out, or being able to tell my sister to have a great day at school from miles away is a wonderful thing.

Many people believe that the smart phone is God’s (or Allah’s, or Zeus’s, or whoever you believe in) gift to modern technology, and I do not disagree. However, I do not believe that the smart phone has influenced me as much as the Internet or the telephone has throughout my whole life; so smart phones get the number three spot. Smart phones connect us to everything- the Internet, text messaging, Instagram, Facebook, e-mail- and are sleek, stylish, fast, and incredibly convenient. I seldom leave the house without my iPhone. It is comforting to know that, should I need to find out if the lead singer of that hot new band is married, I can do it in a minute or less. With wifi, our smart phones are unstoppable. There are many things I can say to promote smart phones, but there are some detriments. A young girl in the video we watched said that her phone was her second hand. This, to me, is unsettling. It is just a phone. We have become so reliant on our phones that we spend more time texting than speaking, and value our headphones and Pandora Radio more than good conversation and the music of life.

Overall, while communication technology influences our lives in many very positive ways, such as creating pathways for learning and knowledge, they sometimes hinder our ability to be humans. As one of the girls in the video said, “I am a person, not a computer.” Technology is a gift- we should not allow it to consume us, but rather should learn to use it in a way that is beneficial while still living our lives.