Christopher Pappas Distance Music Education

1 Dr. Kathryn S. Hoff C&TE 679: Research in Career and Technology Education October 10, 2007 Christopher Pappas Review of the Literature DISTANCE MUSIC EDUCATION

A. Overview (Distance Music Education) B. Historical Context (Definition and Its Methods) C. What it means in the world of education today D. What is the role of the Music Teachers? E. How effective is it for the students?

2 Review of the Literature Introduction In 1840, Sir Isaac Pitman, the English inventor of shorthand, was the first man to have the idea of delivering instruction to a limitless audience via mail (Phillips, 1998). In 1946, the University of South Africa was the only university to offer correspondence education courses. More than 20 years later another university, which has became the largest distance education university, the Open University in United Kingdom was found. In 1974 in Germany the Ferm University in Hager was the third university to offer distance courses. Because of the success of these universities by the 1900s, the University of Chicago established the first department of correspondence teaching (Matthews, 1999). Music is probably the last subject one would contemplate teaching online. Face-to-face instruction in music education has been the norm at all levels (Sherbon, 2005). Still, in the last decades, with the help of technological advantages, more and more universities, schools, and educational institutes have introduced distance music education. Definition and Its Methods Distance education comes in many forms and phrases such as “distance education,” “distance learning,” “e-learning,” and “online education” can be confusing. The definition of distance education encompasses teaching and learning, where learning occurs in a different place from teaching (Steiner, 1995). According to Clark and Verduin (1989), distance education separates the teacher and learner during a majority of each instructional process; uses educational media to unite the teacher and learner and carry course content; and provides two-way communication between the teacher, tutor or educational agency, and learner. Distance education can include both synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous instruction (time delay). Examples

3 of synchronous distance education methods include videoconferencing, Internet relay chats (IRC), and interactive TV. Examples of asynchronous distance education methods include selfpaced courses taken via the Internet or CD-ROMs, emails, and online discussion groups. What it means in the world of education today The Internet has become a gateway for information, and as such, has allowed many universities to offer distance music education courses and degrees. Moreover, more and more teachers in elementary and in high school have introduced online music courses. For example, in Sandpiper Elementary School in Broward Country, Florida, a music teacher called Ms. Jolene Long introduced an online course (Knee, Ariza, & Long, 2002). The significant of this idea was that this online course was introduced to elementary students because music instruction was previously limited to one half-hour weekly. Thus, the students did not have the opportunity for mastery of a musical instrument. Because more and more students expressed the desire to take home instruments and have access to guided lessons, the web-based course was developed. A solution to the above problem was the use of simple implements like a recorder and web-based courses (Knee, et al., 2002, p. 1). Something that was impossible a few years ago now is becoming a necessity. Furthermore, the first large scale project to create Internet-based courses at the precollege level was the Virtual High School (VHS). It was a cooperative project that is funded in part by a technology challenge grants from the U.S. Department of Education, with technical support from the Concord Consortium, a nonprofit group in Concord, MA. One of the instructors in a high school, David Jost introduced his students to music theory (Shaw, 1999, p. 1). In that virtual class the unusual thing was that the students had never met each other. The instructor inspired interaction among students (Shaw, 1999, p. 1). An advantage was that distance

4 education allows students to progress at a personal speed and intensity, without having to wait for slower pace of the average classroom. In Jost’s class each student was able to restudy any difficult course material (Shaw, 1999, p. 2). Moreover, the principal of VHS, Bruce Droste, claims that students feel more comfortable to express themselves in web-based courses (Shaw, 1999, p. 2). Also, the students improved their writing skills because so much attention was placed on the written word. In addition, VHS has provided students with opportunities that they would not ordinarily have. Amy Taylor, a student from Texas, wanted to major in music at college, but her school did not offer music courses. This student attended Jost’s class and she gained the necessary knowledge that enabled her to perform in the Texas AllState Orchestra. From the above example, we can understand that the quality of education had little to do with the geographical location and more to do with using technology to connect people, and to bring new opportunities to students everywhere (Shaw, 1999). What is the role of the Music Teachers? The evolution of technology has changed teaching methods. Many music educators find it beneficial to review past challenges in order to understand present accomplishments (“Music education in a digital world,” 2000). In the early 18th century, music teachers who would like to teach or to give their students the opportunity to listen to a music piece would play an instrument, probably the piano. Also, if the students wanted to see or listen to their favorites performers or orchestras, they should attend live concerts. For many years this was the only method. It was not until the late 1960s that other opportunities manifested. Music educators began to use vinyl records and magnetic audiotapes to illustrate class material. In 1982, music

5 educators replaced vinyl records and magnetic audiotapes with compact discs (CDs). That offered a better sound quality, and a systematic locating track that saved class time. Videotapes were introduced in the 1970s, and they were replaced in the early 1990s by digital videodiscs (DVDs) with high-resolution sound and images. With the evolution of technology, music classrooms became concert halls. The students were able to listen and watch performers and orchestras that used to be miles away. With the visual tools, music teachers were able to provide historical biographies of composers (“Music education in a digital world,” 2000). With the recording techniques, music students were able to critique their own work. Technology was the basic tool of education in the hands of music teachers. Furthermore, in the late 1970s computer users and instructors became familiar with the first music software such as Apple II, Commodore 64, and TRS-80 (“Music education in a digital world,” 2000, p. 1). From the 1978 to the middle 1980s, the music software was so numerous and their use amazingly increased. “These software included drill-and-practice programs covering the full range of melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic skills, as well as programs related to music listening, appreciation, history, and fundamentals” (“Music education in a digital world,” 2000, p 2). In the 1980s, musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) was introduced. MIDI became an incredible teaching tool (Feldstein, 2001). According to Feldstein (2001) “with MIDI a specific digital signal would be understood to mean the same thing no matter what instrument was receiving it” (p. 3). Moreover, the computer companies developed software that gave the opportunity to users with simply musical skills, not only to record but also to compose music.

6 The music teachers did not need any more to play an instrument, but they should know how to develop software, and also, how to teach with them. The biggest revolution became in the early 1990s when the Internet brought a new host of changes to schools. It became easy for the learning community to find resources about a specific music topic (“Music education in a digital world,” 2000, p. 1). As the Internet became ubiquitous, music teachers understood that they should explore all the possibilities for utilizing this resource in order to help students learn. The use of Internet broadens educators’ and students’ horizons. The new teaching and learning tools made the access in knowledge timeless and global (Bauer & Daugherty, 2001, p. 5). Moreover, numerous of teachers developed Web sites and Web sites communities as well. With the contribution of Web sites, music teachers have two basic benefits, the first one is the better communication and information dissemination, and the second one is the strong group image (Marowitz, 2006). We can say that a Web site is a powerful communication tool that can give us information from many different sources. Sources such as images, biographies, and of course pieces of music that we are able to listen via the web sites. According to Marowitz (2006), “Web sites provided a way for schools to share their music programs with the music education world so that directors, staff, booster groups, and students from schools in every location and country can learn from one another. The result enriches the school music community at large. Since music is a ‘Universal language’, this may be the most beautiful and productive benefit of all” (p. 3). Moreover, in Web site communities, music teachers and students around the world are able to exchanges ideas, to learn more about music, and of course to have access in the newest research. According to Feldstein (2001) an example of a Web site community like that was the

7 http://www.yamahaadvantage.com/. In a community like that, “the teachers were able to share their ideas with other teachers and interact with the authors” (Feldstein, 2001, p 3). According to Feldstein (2001) “the parents were able to learn about the newest methods and the importance of music education for their children, and the children, students were able to download additional fun songs to play or extra exercises that focus on specific technical or musical problems” (p. 3). It is true to say that technological advantages have provided music educators with new ways of teaching music. The challenge for the music teachers is to feel comfortable using the new technologies. One way is by self-instruction; some teachers feel comfortable to teach themselves. Some others prefer outside assistance, so they attend in formal university courses. Indeed, many music technology companies provide training to the teachers, as they want to inform them about the new products. However, this is not enough. The music teachers should follow the technology process constantly. According to Peter Webster (“Music education in a digital world,” 2000, p. 4), “learning music technology is like learning an instrument. It is not something you do once for a week and then you put it down. You have to keep practicing a little bit each day”. A good way in which music teachers could keep themselves informed are the Internet chat groups, the web based communities, the national conferences, etc. According to Feldstein (2001) “Students will continue to embrace those changes that offer them the greatest opportunities for music performance and learning. As educators, we must stay abreast of technology and embrace it as another tool that can help make our teaching as effective as possible”(p. 4). In addition to the above, we can say that distance music education requires a significant investment of the time of music teachers. Music teachers should spend a lot of time to keep a course site updated, to respond to emails, to teach and evaluate the courses.

8 It is obvious that distance music education is more like teaching students privately than teaching all the students at once, and of course this would demand a lot of time. One more difference that distance music teachers have to face is the system of grades. In a distance course a music teacher should interact with students from many different educational systems. That means that some of the students that used to receive A in theirs schools may receive a C in the distance course. As a result teachers should choose a fair grading system based on set expectations or comparisons among students in the same course (Shaw, 1999, p. 2). On the other hand, we should remember that we use technological advantages in order to help students learn how to learn by creating and performing music (“Music education in a digital world,” 2000, p. 4-5). With the help of technology, future education will be basis on the interaction between learners. Technology is used and will be used to assist students and teachers; the music teachers are leaders that guide students to understand music (“Music education in a digital world,” 2000, p. 5). How effective is it for the students? The first thing that we should consider about effectiveness of distance education is the necessary equipment and, of course, the on-site support. All the students that choose to participate in a distance education course should have the necessary equipment such as highspeed Internet connections, modern computers, and most importantly technical assistance. In the traditional classrooms when the students notice problems they just raise their hands and the teacher help them. In the beginning of a distance course, some students will probably need special assistance. It is in the hands of the teachers how fast, and how effective they will help these students. For example, in Sandpiper Elementary School in Broward County, Florida, the music teacher Ms. Long let the students play their instruments at their homes and they used the

9 computers only during class time (Knee, et al., 2002). With that method Ms. Long was able to observe problems and helps the students. According to Knee, et al., (2002) “ after practicing using the computer two or three times with the assistance of the teacher, students eventually needed assistance only when they lost an Internet connection or had a major problem such as the chat room freezing” (p. 2). The most significant result was that the students encouraged helping each other and solving their problems together. The elementary student who had never participated in a distance course before would quickly overcome the difficulties. The entire class felt comfortable with the course materials and as a result each student succeed in learning the course materials (Knee, et al., 2002, p. 2). The benefits, however, do not always guarantee success for every student. According to Knee, et al., (2002) “one boy returned to the traditional class after two unsuccessful attempts at the online course. He did not like working on the computer because it required more reading, writing, and self-directed learning than traditional classroom instruction. However his position was immediately filled as his classmates eagerly sought to replace him in the study” (p. 2). General speaking we can say, that distance music education is effective when the distance music education courses or programs begin with careful planning and a focused understanding of course requirements and students’ needs. Appropriate technology can only be selected once these elements are understood in detail. For example, Amy Taylor from Texas attended to the distance music theory course of David Jost’s music class. Her school did not offer any music courses. With the knowledge that she gained from the distance music theory courses she was able to perform in the Texas AllState Orchestra (Shaw, 1999). As we mentioned above, in distance education students feel that they are being taught in private. Because of all that individual attention, students seem to know their online teachers

10 better than the traditional classroom teachers (Shaw, 1999, p. 2). Furthermore, the distance courses are based on written skills; the students are more focused when they write. Writing skills are particularly important in distance education courses because student have to not only correctly express their ideas but also their questions (Shaw, 1999, p. 2). Moreover, a lot of distance courses provide on-line class discussions and Internet-based assignments. For example, the Ball State University and the University of Kansas collaborated in learning projects via Internet-based technologies (Bauer & Daugherty, 2001). According to Bauer and Daugherty (2001) “The goal of the collaboration was to provide students that had enrolled in graduate classes in the history and philosophy of music education, with additional experiences and insights not typically afforded by the traditional graduate music education classroom. The utilization of technology in a manner based on contemporary theories of learning was seen as a primary way to achieve this goal” (p. 2). The students felt that participating in the on-line class discussions allowed them to learn from their classmates, even though these classmates were from different universities. Furthermore, the Internet-based assignments helped them to better understand the content of the course. We can say that the interaction between them was very effective (Bauer & Daugherty, 2001). On the other hand, some of the students voiced no complains about impersonal online instruction nor the time spend on computer to complete the task (Bauer and Daugherty, 2001) The most significant part of the article is that overall students indicated that they would not like to take a course that was conducted entirely over the Internet. The use of Internet can be effective as an additional tool to complement learning in the traditional classrooms (Bauer and Daugherty, 2001, p. 5)

11 In addition to the above it seems that the students who are not self-starters seem to have a great deal of difficulties in the distance courses. For those students, distance courses seem to be not as effective (Shaw, 1999). Furthermore, a lot of students feel more comfortable to express themselves face-to-face. Also, some others have the speaking skills but not the writing skills, and for these students distance learning is not as effective.

12 References Bauer, I. W., & Daugherty, J. F. (2001). Using the Internet to enhance music teacher education. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 11, 1, 27-32. Curran, C. (1997). ODL and traditional universities: dichotomy or convergence? European Journal of Education, 32, 4, 335-346. Clark, T., & Verduin, J. (1989). Distance education: Its effectiveness and potential use in lifelong learning. Lifelong Learning, 12, 4, 24-27. (2001). Distance education: On-line music education. Teaching Music, 9, 1, 59-61. (2005). Distance education for music educators. Teaching Music, 12, 5, 87, from The Directory of Online Degree Programs, Courses, and Training Web site: http://www.worldwidelearn.com Feldstein, S. (2001). Music education and technology, past, present, and future. Teaching Music; 9, 3, 26-30. Kahler II, P. E. (2003). Maintaining the integrity of a web-based music course. THE Journal, J 31 no 1, from the Technological Horizons in Education Web site: http://www.thejournal.com Knee, R., Ariza, E. N., & Long J. (2002) The sound of music—from a distance using WebCT to teach an online music course. Learning and Leading with Technology 29, 6, 22-27. Matthews, D. (1999). The origins of distance education and its use in the United States. Carlow College, Pittsburgh, Pa, THE Journal, J 31 no 1, from the Technological Horizons in Education Web site: http://www.thejournal.com /articles/14278 Marowitz, D. R. (2006). Why your music program needs a web site. Teaching Music, 14, 2, 5457.

13 (2000). Music education in a digital world. Teaching Music, 8, 1, 24-31. Phillips, V. (1998). Virtual classrooms, real education. Nation's Business, 86, 5, 41-44. Shaw, D. (1999). Classrooms without walls. Curriculum Administrator, 35, 2, 40-43. Sherbon, J. W., & Kish D. (2005). Distance learning and the music teacher. Music Educators Journal, 92, 2, 36-41. Steiner, V. (1995). What is distance education? Retrieved February 10, 2002 from the http://www.dlrn.org/library/dl/whatis.html.