Designing Meaningful Instruction

During Module 6 of Technology Assisted Music Learning, we discussed the process of designing instruction. As a music educator, it is vital to remember that students learn in multiple ways. “Driscoll (2002) describes learning as contextual, active, social, and reflective” (pg. 160). Students learn material that is presented to them in context based on previous knowledge. In addition, students learn through active and social engagement in the classroom.

Singing games in a music classroom is a great example of Driscoll’s learning description. Singing games not only encourage proper technique and application of material, but they also force the students to engage with each other. Students engage with others by picking new volunteers or working in small groups to complete the task of the singing games. In addition, a singing game includes the whole class participating together, which relies on active and social engagement from all students. Also, the singing games often require students to reflect on their own performance or the performance of their peers. Finally and most importantly, students enjoy playing singing games, because they are learning while playing a “game.” Students enjoy watching their peers succeeded and the engagement of being a leader or a picker of a new volunteer.

With these concepts in mind, when designing instruction for my classroom, I often use backward design. “Backward design or backward planning is an approach in which the teacher begins with the end in mind” (pg. 165).  More often than not, I determine what the final product or goal of a lesson is, then I plan backwards on how the lesson should start. I do this by breaking each step of the process down to the smallest chunk. I then teach those chunks in order to reach the final product or goal. Overall, I firmly believe it is easier to use backward design, because you have a clear vision of what you want the students to accomplish.

For example, I determined I wanted my students to partake in a partner activity in class. Then, I decided I wanted the partners to compose and perform short rhythmic patterns for each other, and then reflect on their performance. Once I had the final vision of the activity in mind, I was able to determine the main topic (rhythm reading and writing) and the information that needed to be taught prior to beginning the activity. Thus, I preceded this lesson with shorter lessons on quarter and eighth notes that required the students to draw the notes, as well as lessons on composing as a class with volunteers. Finally, when the students arrived at the partner activity lesson, they had the base knowledge and skills needed to be successful and it flowed smoothly. Backward planning allowed me to created this unit of lessons easily and present them in a flowing manner for the students.

In addition to backward design, when planning lessons for my classroom, I do my best to include teacher-centered and learner-centered instruction. Young students need a large amount of teacher-centered instruction, but they also need some learner-centered instruction, in which students work together or on their own to accomplish a goal. “A variety of factors that include student developmental levels, the classroom environment, time constraints, and desired learning outcomes will all influence the use of a particular approach” (pg. 170). However, the most difficult factor for me, when using learner-centered activities, is the time-constraint. I see my students 2 times every 6 school days for 30 minutes. By the time I teach the material and pass out materials necessary to accomplish a learner-centered activity in the 30 minute time frame, including entrance and exit procedures, there is often not much time for the students to complete their activity. In order to accomplish learner-centered activities, I must use 2 class periods to cover the material and conduct the activity. Thus, I find it difficult to plan many learner-centered activities.

Overall, no matter what form of activities and learning you present to your students, the most important part is the guarantee that students are learning the material needed to be successful in music. As a music educator, your job is to use your instruction design knowledge to design lessons that reach all students at all levels, and bring them to the same general level of music knowledge. By doing this, you will be creating life-long musicians and music learners, who can learn in a group or on their own.

References:

Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music Learning Today: Digital Pedagogy for Creating, Performing, and Responding to Music. New York: Oxford University Press.