Proceedings
Instructional Technology Conference
Middle Tennessee State University
Building Communities of Learners
April 3-5, 2005
Associated Colleges of the South: Music Learning Objects Project
Track 1
Effective Technology-Based Learning Resources
Examples and How-To Sessions of Technology-Based Resources
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Patricia Gray, Ph.D. Presentation |
Abstract
The Associated Colleges of the South's (www.colleges.org) music collaborative has created a body of online learning objects designed to illuminate the study of music theory and music composition with particular emphasis on contemporary art music. These learning objects contain streaming video, scores, recordings, animated analyses, images, quizzes, and commentary on performance practice. They are currently in use by ACS member institutions and beyond. They are available to the public on the ACS music website at www.colleges.org/~music.
Description
The ACS music learning objects fall into several categories. The following three are the largest:
Classics of the 20th Century
In preparation for the ACS Technology Workshop and New Music Festival the ACS Composers Forum built a set of learning objects devoted to sampling of great works of the 20th century. These include essays, program notes, animated score analyses, notes on performance practice, bibliographies, discographies, and suggested exercises and assignments for students. The first learning objects are:
Arnold Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire
http://www.colleges.org/~music/modules/pierrot/index.html
Arnold Schoenberg: Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11
http://www.colleges.org/~music/modules/op11/index.html
George Crumb: Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale)
Flash version: http://www.colleges.org/~music/modules/whalespages/Flash/whaleflash.html
HTML version: http://www.colleges.org/~music/modules/vox.html
Elliott Carter's Enchanted Preludes for Cello and Flute
Flash version: http://www.colleges.org/~music/EP/index.html
An important feature of these modules is that they use recordings made by Luna Nova (www.lunanova.org), the ACS new music ensemble, thus eliminating the copyright issues that would arise with using commercial recordings. An even more important advantage of making in-house recordings is that it gives students a chance to work with the musicians and watch the creation process from the ground up.
The Cello Project
Craig Hultgren, Luna Nova cellist from Birmingham Southern, has created a set of articles dealing with extended techniques in contemporary cello literature. The text is illustrated with examples from the score and with videos of his playing of the examples. This project is available in both HTML and Flash formats at www.colleges.org/~music/cello/index.html. A high-resolution version of this project on DVD is also available.
The Theory Project
Timothy Cutler, music theory professor at Austin College, has completed thirteen chapters in his projected 26-chapter set of illustrations for intermediate music theory classes. Each example contains a .pdf of the score, a sound file, and a Flash animation that allows the viewer to scroll through the score while hearing the sound. The project is designed for professors who want a wider and richer variety of examples than are commonly available in theory texts. One version of the score is not labeled so it can easily be printed out for use on examinations. When completed the project will contain nearly 800 examples, each in 3 formats. This project is already in use in the ACS and in theory classes at the University of Oregon.