Hi there Year 8 music students!

Now that you have researched your Rock Style, you can begin putting together your script.

But first, lets do this online activity:

To see an example of Rock music that has developed over time, go to my list of "Choirs You Must See", found in the right menu here.

These days, Rock music is influencing all kinds of other music. Click on the "Perpetuum Jazille" This huge choir is performing AFRICA by the 80's rock band TOTO, at a big choir competition in Europe:

• They are singing a capella, with no accompaniment, and they make all the instrumental sounds with their voices.

• They even make the sound of an African Thunderstorm.

• Can you tell who is singing the LEAD vocals?
  

• Also, listen for the BEAT BOXER and the THUNDER CLAPS.

Now continue with your Oral Presentation script. Check your spelling, and be sure to follow all the dot point criteria on your Assessment Outline sheet. You should have a paragraph on each of the following:

1. Introduction
2. History and Origin
3. Characteristics of the Style
4. 3 examples of Historic bands and songs
5. Modern Use of the style in music today
6. Your opinion of the style

Remember, the 6 paragraph structure will be very helpful.

The 6 paragraphs can be transferred into

• 6 slides on your slide show OR
• 6 text boxes on your poster

The 6 paragraphs can also outline the information that you will put in dot points on your palm cards. Done this way, you may only need 6-8 cards.

Good luck!

Reflective Synopsis - ICTs for Learning Design EDED 20491

This is a reflective synopsis to discuss the ICT's I have been introduced to in this course, and to discuss their value in Learning Design. Here I will provide some background to my experience of these online tools, and also my ideas on how to use them responsibly in support of the recommended learning frameworks to enhance engagement for learners.

In this course, my learning curve has been indeed steep. I have borrowed books and other people's brains and wrestled with online logic till the wee hours of many mornings. I attempted most tasks many days late, and felt I was always coming from behind, but I was determined to learn, and I have.

Imagine my disappointment then arriving for my EPL at a school which has no internet access to the block in which I teach. We are teaching Music within a minimal ICT framework with few ICT resources in the department other than teaching laptops, a TV and a DVD player. The computer labs across campus need to be booked months in advance. For security reasons, I do not have access to the school server, so those resources which can be, need to be painstakingly downloaded at home. The students seem disengaged, and behaviour management is an issue in the Year 8 classes. Not surprisingly, enrolments for Year 9 music are low.

I thought this was relevant, as it has forged a determination in me to find ways to overcome the circumstances, and reach these students.

Kearsley & Schneiderman (1999) define Engagement theory as the idea that students must be engaged in their work to achieve effective learning. (p. 1) In the ICTs for Learning Design course I have learned the value of ICTs for creating authentic experiences that involve collaborative learning with "real world" value. I have also learned how to use ICTs to support a number of significant learning frameworks, including Active Learning, Kiersley and Schneiderman's "Engagement Theory", and Marzano and Pickering's "6 Dimensions of Learning" including the Habits of Mind. All of these point to an attitude of relevancy and immediacy in the learning, that invoke a positive learning response in the learner (p.1) these are proven principles of teaching, in which I believe deeply.

In order to fully engage in their own learning students need to become producers of their own knowledge. Below are explanations of the technologies that I believe would be beneficial to secondary students for this purpose.

Blogs are a fabulous resource for students and teachers. They are relatively easy to set up, cost almost nothing, and can be used for intra and inter-classroom communication, personal journaling, collaborative learning, project development and most importantly a place to accumulate a body of knowledge that defines the students' progress. Blogging is also an excellent way to establish and interact with a network of colleagues or peers, to both lend and receive support, and to build a creative space enhancing self esteem.

Power Point (PPT)
I see PPT as a great tool to support many of our planning frameworks. It is also the perfect procedural skill to showcase students' declarative knowledge. As I mention in my blogpost
http://mandyglenn.blogspot.com/2010/05/power-of-power-point.html
PPT is simple to learn and can produce impressive results in visual appeal and organisation of content. It is a fine organisational tool for students as it forces them to sequence their thinking, while allowing them to edit the process. PPT is a great playground for the visual learner. It also relies heavily on DOL 2 and 4, and incorporates aspects of critical, creative and self-regulating Habits of Mind.

Vokis are a great tool for engaging learners and can be utilised in a multitude of learning activies. As I mention in my blogpost:
http://mandyglenn.blogspot.com/2010/05/acvokiembed300-400-8c9ad90d7e9064530201.html Vokis can be used to introduce learning activities in a fun way (see my Tiddalik blogpost http://mandyglenn.blogspot.com/2010/04/tiddalik-frog.html. They can also direct specific assessment questions to the class in an engaging way, or work as tools for ESL students, or those with lower level reading and writing skills. My favourite use would be to pose a series of questions for student response, but the possibilities are limitless. Vokis are a creative process with a purposeful outcome, and as such fulfill the pinnacle of Maslow's pyramid of Hierarchy of Needs - self fullfillment and actualisation - by providing a simple, effective means of expressing identity and ideas.

Wikis are a collaborative site that can be accessed by a number of participants to further a project or process. The most well known wiki is of course Wikipedia - the free online encyclopaedia that invites participation from anyone anywhere in the world. For my NAIDOC Tiddalik project I will use www.wetpaint.com to create a wiki space for students to collaborate on development of script, design and costume for the play. See my blogspot on Wikipedia:
http://mandyglenn.blogspot.com/2010/05/using-wikipedia.html

e.Portfolios like Mahara are valuable as a lifelong learning site, or to manage a professional archive of resources and information. It could also be used to track students' work and progress or to 'hold' all information related to long term projects. The real value of Mahara is its capability to tailor and control views of sections of the same material depending on viewer clearance set up by the site operator.

YouTube is simply a must for any music teacher. As I mention on my blogpost
http://mandyglenn.blogspot.com/201005using-youtube-for-learning.html YouTube carries vids on everything from Uncle Harry cleaning his teeth, to the very best of pro or 'am' performances and theatre. The resources are limitless and all can be downloaded or uploaded as required.

Engaging learners can be done many ways. it just makes sense to use the methods of communication and information processing that students are already attracted to and have some degree of proficiency and/or interest in. It is our responsibility as teachers to move our students towards Mode 2 learning so they develop a "futures focus" also, with flexible learning strategies and a willingness to embrace change as it occurs in their lives.


Active Learning Online - What is Active Learning. Accessed 07/04/10
http://www.acu.edu/cte/activelearning/whatisal.html

Kiersley, G. K. & Schneiderman, B. (1999). Engagement Theory: a framework for technology-based teaching and learning. retrieved from CQUniversity e-course, EDED20491 ICTs for learning design, http://e-courses.cqu.edu.au

Marzano, R. J. & Pickering, D. J. (with Arrendondo, D. E., Paynter, D. E., Blackburn, G. J., Brandt, R. S., Pollock, J. E., Moffett, C. A. & Whisler, J. S.). (1997). Dimensions of learning teacher's manual (2nd ed.). Alexandra, VA: ASCD

Smith, R., Lynch, D. & Meinczakowski, J. (2003). "The bachelor of learning management (BLM) and education capability", Change: Transformations in Education, (6) (2): 23-37. Accessed from
http://moodle.cqu.edu.au/mod/resource/view.php?id=44456

10 Things I am Thankful For - a student teacher's prayer

I don't say thank you enough. I used to say it too much. It's not that I am less appreciative. Perhaps less committed to showing that appreciation. It could happen to anyone I suppose.

Things I am officially grateful for:

1. My children of course.

Beautiful young women with gifts and incredibly interesting minds. They sparkle and laugh, and sometimes the very sight of them takes my breath away. They support me in all my ridiculous busy'ness. They support each other in an abrasive strange way that only they understand. They nurture their friends and protect themselves from the evils of the world. They say thank you. To me. To everyone. They have honour and decency, and values that I admire. They can say "I am hurting" without shame. They can say "I need help" without feeling the less for it. They can say "This is not right" and stand by their decision. They can give without any need for return and they can accept with complete grace. They also bring me coffee when I am studying, screen my calls, and do my laundry. Clearly they are gifts from God. For how else could I have managed such perfection. Thank you girls. You are the jewels in my crown.

2. My Work
I have loved it for 30 years! And I will do it till I die! Teaching singing is my greatest joy and my finest expertise. It brings me my best opportunities and the finest of colleagues. It also brings out the very best in me - my passion, my patience, my generosity and people building skills. It teaches me about myself and about others. It connects me to a past so glorious I wish I had lived then. It colours every decision I make and strengthens every choice. It is blessed, blessed work that can hardly be defined as work. Rather it is a craft, that enriches me with every note and every tune. It's the world to which I belong, and could never imagine leaving. It's also the perfect balance to my GDLT journey, for its the one thing I can turn to and know I can do well with ease. That is precious at this time.

3. My Dad
He taught me all the things that sustain me now. He is my code, my compass and my confidant still. He makes me strong, and listens when I am weak. You are the reason Dad that I am still here in the GDLT. You taught me to always finish well. And I intend to. Thank you.

4. My Mentor Teacher
What an exceptional young woman! Her kindness and support is exactly what I need. Her structure is an inspiration. Her management is awesome. Her results are very apparent. What more could I ask? Thank you Jess.

5. My Second Subject Teacher
What a great woman! So much fun, and so clever. Her classes are a delight, and I am learning lots. It's like learning from a friend. Thank you Irene.

6. Beautiful Brian
... the Garden Wizard! No-one can cut a lawn and do edging like Brian. The most generous man I know. He sees me struggle with 2 teens, 2 jobs, uni and prac, and arrives at my place, overalled, goggled and mower at the ready. I missed you Brian, so much when you were unwell. Now you show up out of the blue, and step right back in to ease my load. You are such a blessing. I suspect Dad has sent you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

7. My ICT helpers

I am all about privacy. My work is very public and I feel very visible in the community, so it is entirely possibly that I have privacy 'issues'. Consequently I like to live quietly, think in seclusion, and theorise alone. I find the publicising of private spaces appalling and in the beginning I found in-course forums daunting and very time consuming. I did post a number of comments just the same. However, I am more of a "ponder in private" kinda gal. I did continue to read the forums also and enjoyed all the discoveries that seemed to be taking place, not least of which was my own. (Does that make me a lurker?)

It also seemed unrealistic to expect myself to shed in a week, the habits of a lifetime. Suffice to say I needed some out-sourced help for the questions I lacked the confidence to ask. Enter my mystery ICT helpers - brilliant and Heaven-sent, they shall remain nameless, as this is one resource I do not intend sharing. The bottom line is that to undertake the journey I needed more than a video for company. I guess in a way I just planned for my own diversity.

I have now developed some confidence, and feel quite proud. I have learned a lot and have already implemented some of it with my classes, and in my business. I am getting faster too and no longer feel intimidated by the technology. So... I am changing the way I learn, as suggested, and taking responsibility for my own learning, as advised, and I am so very thankful to the friends who have made time to tutor me.

8. My Home
I love the space, and drinking morning coffee watching the sea. I love the high ceilings for singing, and the big deck for lounging around. I love the colour (blue) and the fabulous European oven. I love the bus stop outside for the girls, and the fish shop at the corner. I love that it is so close to my friend Nola, and that Aunty Mary's house is just up the hill. I love the walk up Wreck Point, and the beach in the evening. I love the jungle and the gravel drive. It's taken 6 months to tame, but it has been worth it. No matter how tired I am after school, or how depleted I feel emotionally. This is my place. I love waking up here each morning, and I look forward to coming home to it every afternoon.

9. My friends
... all of whom are being so supportive. They must be sick and tired of hearing me complain about all the study and preparation. They must be tired of me forgetting birthdays, and not getting to functions. They must be totally over my educational journey, yet they are there. To come on a moments notice for a drink or a chat. To celebrate my birthday, or to grab a quick take out together. To lend me gear, and programs and internet access when mine fails. To smile, and affirm that they are sure I am going to be great. To laugh at my woes, and help me keep some perspective. Thank you all.

10. My Ex
That feels so strange to say after 14 years apart! We were terrible together. So terrible. Then we were even more terrible apart. So much more terrible! But 14 years on, he still pays into the child support account every month. Without that I would be struggling to cover the expense and time spent on my study. It's a strange kind of gratitude. But the reality is, we couldn't make it through this year without him. So thank you D.