The Assignment for Tuesday

The formalities: This blog has been established as an assignment for Instructional Design, a class that I am taking at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. (I plan to graduate this summer!)

The realities: I find technology interesting and quite useful at times, but I'm part of Gen X (I'm 35), so that puts me in the category of using technology extensively but not completely using it to the extent that I could to serve me and my students. Translation: I need help in getting up to speed with technology!

The other reality: I like to have fun with new technology, so play along with me if you dare.

My profile:

I teach band in Elgin, IL, grades 5-8. My 7th and 8th graders are in one building (middle school) and the 5th and 6th graders are in five other buildings (elementary feeders). Here are the ways that I actually use technology while teaching:

5th/6th:

• Clavinova keyboard for playing pitches for matching and chords (one school only)
• CD player for playing tracks from a method book play-along CD (one school only)
• In all but one feeder school and at the middle school (where elementary large group rehearsals are held after school), I teach in a room void of available technology
• Hand-held tuner in rehearsals
• Essential Elements 2000 is used, which has play-along CD and DVD/DVD-ROM. I strongly encourage all students to use one or both of these sources to help them. They don't all have computers, so some can't use the DVD-ROM features.

7th/8th

• CD player for playing various professional recordings and concert recordings (of my bands)
• Microphone on stage (once in a while)
• Light board and sound board for concerts
• Hand-held tuner in rehearsal
• Television/VCR/DVD for watching performances, "sick day" video assignments
• I occasionally use a digital camera -- my digital yearbook photo was tons better than the one initially taken last year
• I've used PrintMusic a few times for creating parts
  

Here are ways that I use technology while I am doing administrative things and such:

• E-mail (district only; free is blocked) -- daily
• Internet -- frequently -- for research and certain purchases
  
• Word processor -- letters, lists, etc.
• Spreadsheet -- lists, lesson tracking sheets, schedules, accounting, survival
• Grade Machine -- incredibly amazing grade processing program, although it is difficult at times to use
• I have a PDA, but I rarely use it as of late
• I adore the newer data storage technology, especially flash drives...very handy!
• I occasionally call our store rep with my cell phone if I'm driving