Practical Inclusion of Technology Resources in
Early Childhood Music Education 

     2008 MMEA Conference
March 27-29, 2008
Boston Park Plaza and Towers Hotel
Boston, Massachusetts
Thursday, 9:00-9:45AM  Gloucester  

 

Presenter: Dr. Fred Kersten

Documents passed out at session:
Handout 
General Music Today Article

Research and Resources pertinent to this presentation

Musical priorities be be emphasized as you  prepare to teach with technology

*Overt, physical, psychomotor involvement in music activity is the priority response to, and with technology, rather than sedentary, inactive observation of technology output.

*Create music and obtain immediate musical feedback.

*Experience creative process with realistic aural sounds involving change of tempo, timbre and form.

*Compose and have immediate feedback of the creative process.

*Experience in REAL time music, created and experienced.

*Listening to music-- Teach to sort out and identify musical sounds from nature and man made environment sounds.

 *Imitation--caregivers can chant to children, (rhythm, vocal inflection). Children can   imitate sounds they make.

*Movement-- rocking patterns, moving to beat.

*Identify feelings and ideas that music communicates and focus on them.

*Expose children to diverse types and styles of music.

*Musical instruments fascinate young children. Infants should be encouraged to make their own music by experimenting with rattles and bells. (MENC good source)

 *Include playing and awareness activities for drums, xylophones, and shakers by using various movie clips from computer.

*Sing and play to musical backgrounds.                                                                                                         
* "Children learn best in pleasant physical and social environments. Music learning contexts will be most effective when they include (1) play, (2) games, (3) conversations, (4) pictorial imagination, (5) stories, (6) shared reflections on life events and family activities (7) personal and group involvement in social tasks.” (MENC Position Statement on Early Childhood Education) www.menc.org/information/prek12/echild.html) Technology can support the above-mentioned effective context considerations for ages 1 to 7. It allows multiple reinforcement modes, providing aural, visual, and kinesthetic opportunities for a pleasant learning atmosphere, high-quality music backgrounds, and realistic sound manipulation.

 

Parental/Learning Provider Involvement

Parental involvement is a vital aspect for implementing technology inclusion in the musical endeavors of young children. Music specialists can clarify technology-inclusion techniques if they are specifically involved with students directly or collaborate with parents who have young children.

Certainly, technology emphasis for each situation will be different because of varied home environments and equipment provided; however, parents who concern themselves with technology involvement can easily facilitate initial exposure to music in some constructive manner. Either through parent organizations or separate sponsored sessions, illustrations of how music technology can be provided by parents can be made clear. This is especially true of activities that include using the Internet. Parents can offer guidance by showing children how to click and reinforce web musical interaction as it occurs. Music takes on a significant meaning when reinforced by the most important, primary-learning providers in the young child’s life.

 

Kids Click, Interact, and Learn  

 Social                                                                                                                                                                                                     *When When planning a music lesson, the learning provider must develop questions that will involve the learners in social interaction.                                                               
 *Working with two or more children, or perhaps siblings, may be more helpful for some children than working with only one child. A combination of both types of interactive situations is recommended.                                                                    *Questions and dialogue can be oriented toward what the technology media is doing, that is, “What do you think is happening on the screen?” or “Describe what sounds are occurring and how they make you feel”                                                                    *Try to understand the personality, abilities, and needs of each child, and then draw upon this background to involve each learner in discussion or use of technology.                                                                                                                                    *Encouraging and reinforcing expression and self-esteem must be a central focus of the learning provider. Central questions that might be considered:                                                         
   1. How can each child be personally motivated to be involved with the technology medium?       
   2. How can each child satisfy self-esteem needs as technology experiences are provided?
*Try to ask questions that elicit a response from each child in a group “What happened when Johnny pointed the cursor at the clarinet?” “Was the sound loud or soft?”  “Can we make the music faster or slower?” “How do we know it is faster?" Can you show how fast with a hand motion?”                                                                                       
*Learning providers are very important in initiating the communicative atmosphere needed for experiencing music through technology. Without their efforts, technology will falter in supporting music learning with young children.  

Developing a Technology Music Corner

  *If using a media screen (videotape, computer, TV), provide chairs or cushions of appropriate height for each individual to allow eye-level contact with the screen.

   *Should a computer be utilized, try to include a wireless mouse on a surface that is at a comfortable height for relaxed hand movement.

  *Provide enough table space so the person providing computer guidance is able to sit next to the young child, reach the mouse, and demonstrate and view cursor techniques.

  *Are controls on the DVD and CD players convenient for manipulation by young children without the assistance of a learning provider? This is an important aspect to consider if including these devices in a music corner for operation by younger children.   

  *Select a toy keyboard instrument with appropriate size keys to fit the hand of the child who will use it. If contemplating software, are audio narrations provided in lieu of captions? If so, the software will be more user friendly, providing better perception and concentration opportunities for younger children.

*The dedicated music corner, whether at home or in the classroom, is a good place for children to participate in music activities. A well-lit, cheery, and spacious area with attractive music pictures should be provided. Keyboards, cassette recorders, drum pads, computer, videos, CDs, and DVDs can be included.

*Include basic rhythm instruments such as maracas, rhythm sticks, and small cymbals. It is also good to have a large set of instrument pictures.

*A video camera can be utilized periodically to capture lessons in the music corner, and if viewed on a television or video screen, they can provide an opportunity for the young learner to view the lesson again from a third-person perspective. This provides a great opportunity for review, social interaction, and reinforcement of learning.

*Audiocassette recorders allow songs to be recorded as young children sing. The tape can then be played for reinforcement and motivation. Dedicated prerecorded lessons can be developed by learning providers that are oriented to the specific needs of an individual child. A taped dialogue or narration can feature a specific child by name, his or her needs, abilities, and interests, and focus can be provided on songs that have been learned and music concepts to be reviewed. Activities with other children can help develop group social interaction in the music corner.

*Parents can provide opportunities for group contact by inviting friends of their young children to visit and experience activities in the music corner. Try to develop lessons specific to the background and knowledge of the children involved.