Blog #8

I got a pretty quick handle on Diigo, which makes me confident that my students would be able to use it because I'm not always the fastest with new technology! I never knew there was a way to bookmark pages in the cloud. I could see this being extremely useful for group projects with the annotation and comment tool. When researching and collaborating, this can all be done wirelessly so if group members cannot meet up the work can still be done. I have already used it personally to bookmark important music festivals I want to audition for. The tags keep things tidy!

Powerpoint has been the most common presentation tool to aid lectures that I've seen in my schooling. While it continues to be relevant, it can be of great assistance in learning at each level of Bloom's Taxonomy. Presenting knowledge is the most used feature of Powerpoint, because you can type all kinds of information that are written by students as notes. Comprehension and application takes it to the next step by asking questions so the students are making meaningful connections with the knowledge you present. Analysis involves grouping and separating elements and understanding each in the fullest. Synthesis and evaluation can be strengthened by having students create Powerpoint presentations of their own. They say you really know something if you can teach it!

Because my profession is going to be a college cello professor, my use of technology will be limited. However, as the profession adapts, I can see myself needing to understand how to mix audio. I recently recorded an arrangement of What a Wonderful World for cello quartet, which required me to know how to write music in Finale, record and mix sound with audacity, and perform each of the four parts proficiently. I have also made short music videos before that required me to know how to edit video. Additionally, I made posters for my senior recital which forced me to learn the best ways to present the information (and I have received a lot of compliments!). Point is, while my main profession is teaching cello, I will always have to use technology on the side for special projects. As things become more digital, it will be important to understand these things as a musician. 

I found this awesome site that will help me stay up-to-date with the latest innovations and direction of technology. It's called EdTech, and there are articles sorted by categories like classroom, business intelligence, hardware, and internet. It is even divided into two sites, one with a focus on K-12, and another which is focused on Higher Education. With it, I know I can keep myself informed!

Blog #7

Hello good people, and happy Thursday! One more day until FSU's spring break, so I know everyone is anxious to get out the door and get the vacation started. Before we go, I want to share my twitter experience, some pictures of my new website, and my take on assistive tech.

After using twitter for over three months, I have learned how valuable the platform can be for getting connected to personal learning networks. Much of social media gets a bad rap for attention-hogging and flashy, amusing things that waste users' time. In my opinion, how you use it determines its worth. I follow a few of my favorite psychologists, philosophers, musicians, and orchestras. Their posts are more educational than distracting and I always find myself learning something new about the career I hope to have in the future. The downside is that I find it hard to think of things to tweet out, because the account is for a class. Therefore my posts have to be in some way related to the course to have any kind of coherence.

I loved using Wix though. I have used it to make a website for another class in the past so I had a decent grasp of the user interface already. Unlike blogger, you can drag and drop things around the page and really customize the design. The limit is your own imagination! I did learn how to embed a calendar that syncs to my Google calendar which will be extremely useful in future projects. When I am a college professor, it's something I will use to keep my studio connected to current projects and classes/masterclasses/concerts. I can also share resources to help my students practice so they can be as prepared as possible for every lesson. See some screenshots below, or visit my website by clicking HERE!

As we advance technology, the quality of life improves for everyone. I had a friend in high school who used assistive technology. He had autism, and his thoughts moved so quickly that his handwriting was unreadable. He had permission to use a laptop every day to take notes and write essays so that he could be on an even playing field with the rest of class. I have also seen videos about video games that have adapted controls for people who have disabilities that affect the use of their arms and fingers. The controllers are tailored to the parts of their body they do have control over so that they can play video games that they wouldn't be able to with a traditional controller. I can see myself needing certain adaptive technologies for students in a music class. One example I can think of is braille or enlarged sheet music for visually impaired, linked with devices that help them follow a conductor without being able to see them.

Have a safe and relaxing break everyone!

ILP "Design" - Prezi

Hello everyone, I hope you're having a fantastic first week of March! I have just completed an informative presentation about effective practice. It dives deep into musical practice, but many of the concepts included can be applied to other things, like effective studying and athletic performance. It was useful to remind myself what constitutes good practice while also creating an interactive presentation for other people to benefit from! I live by these practice habits, so I am proof that the process really works. Comment any questions you might have, I really hope this benefits you all!

Secrets to Effective Practice (Prezi)
My Prezi Experience (VoiceThread)