Navigating Media Types for the Music Classroom

Introduction

Below is a brief rundown of the types of media a music educator might want to use in the classroom.  It is a basic guide that should help with some of the benefits/pitfalls of each item.  I hope it is a helpful guide for any who might be seeking ways to integrate these technologies in their classrooms.  The link below (provided by the Music Learning Today (Bauer, 2014) website contains a large database of current, free, copyright friendly or public domain media resources:

http://wibauer.fatcow.com/media-resources/media-resources.html

Graphics (pictures and video)

If you are seeking to use digital pictures or video in your classroom, the link above is incredibly helpful.  Although it may be easy to find images online, not every image is free to copy and use at will.  Images and videos of music, history, instruments, performances, culture and concepts pervade the web.

Pictures: 

         Resolution is key to understanding digital pictures.  The PPI (pixels per inch) tells you both the screen resolution and an approximate optimal size for the image. The smaller the resolution number, the smaller the photo should remain in order to preserve quality.  Larger pixel numbers are better quality but also require more storage space.  DPI (dots per inch) is related to printing the image.  Please note that DPI is variable even on the same printer depending on print settings and the driver involved but generally speaking a higher DPI (up to a "point" :) will produce better quality photos.  PPI and DPI are not interchangeable.  Generally you need a higher DPI to keep PPI quality resolution.  SPI (samples per inch) is a measure of scan quality in an image scanner.  Again, generally the higher the number, the better the quality but the more memory the file requires.

          

          File formats: JPEG (image), JPG (image), GIF (short video/sequence of images), and PNG (an updated version of the GIF).

Video:

         Videos are great as both linear (you watch/respond to the video) or even interactive (assessments or paced with the student).  There are a plethora of videos available and a myriad of way to embed them if you find yourself blocked out of access at school.  Videos can be captured or made with multiple digital devices (not the least of which is smartphones) and used extensively to progress the music education curriculum.  Some common formats include MPG-4/MP4V (compressed video), MOV (Apple platform), M4V (iTunes videos) and WMV (Windows Media Video).  Keep in mind with video files that they are LARGE.  The memory requirements can easily eat up the majority of the memory on a device, so careful use (and whether it is compressed or not) wildly effect the amount of data involved.  Generally speaking, embedded videos are more desirable (but require more pre-planning) since they do not actively require downloading or device memory.

Software

      Software can be a great number of things but is fundamentally a program (not device) for a specific purpose.  Hardware (devices) contain software on them in order to serve their function.  Almost any software program can be effectively used in the classroom depending on the need, but it is often more beneficial to use what is available/free then to covet that "new" program just for one particular purpose.  Obviously every software program has its niche but being well versed in a few programs effectively is often better than owning the perfect software program that never/rarely gets used.

Instructional software is typically designed for a specific teaching purpose.  Below are a few kinds that are excellent for the classroom:

Tutorial - often the introduction to a specific desired ability.  Tutorials are great in that they are often paced out to the learner's needs.  They are wonderful task masters but also follow the "rail-shooter" mentality and don't let the learner stray into the program for exploration.  The best tutorials walk you through the basics and then allow the student to explore freely after mapping out guidelines.  Most of the other categories (practice, creativity and games) contain help tabs, tutorials or both in order to help the user.

Practice - these are great for process building or scaffolding.  Practice programs build on skills/accomplishments and increase the efficiency/efficacy of achievement.  Some practice programs are paced with the learner and some are paced by the teacher.  They can be simple taskmasters (metronomes) or give complex formative and summative feedback (SmartMusic).

Creativity - these programs are typically for creation.  They can be as complex as full mix master studios (Logic Pro), compositional centers (Finale and Sibelius) or as simple as open-sourced freeware for playing (Noteflight).  Analogous to a box of Legos, these programs are often only limited by the creativity and know-how of the user.  They can be used for guided serious study or simple "doodling".

Games - a favorite of many students, games have become an integrated part of many music classrooms.  Competitive or non-competitive, multiplayer or solo, online or downloaded, adventure or static - games are versatile.  A simple cursory search for music games yields enough to engage many students in many areas.  There are even websites for building your own games! (ex: https://www.superteachertools.net/jeopardyx/).

Internet Resources

The last category I wanted to cover was the world wide web.  The internet can be a scary place or a haven of enlightenment depending on which direction you go and how often you end up in that "weird part of YouTube".  The fundamental types of websites available for the classroom are:

Websites - these are the ubiquitous masses that populate the internet.  There are websites on more and more things everyday.  It is often not so much an issue of availability of information or resources as much as filtering out what is not needed and zeroing in on the desired websites.  Searching with keywords or with trusted tools (such as Google) will often quickly yield the desired results.

Blogs - You know what these are since you are looking at one!  Fundamentally the difference between a Blog and a regular website is the interactive possibility (so feel free to comment!)

Wikis - Easy to digest and full of information.  Wikis are often only limited by interest.  (For instance, Wookieepedia for Star Wars is quite extensive) while some wikis are quite small/limited.  These are great places to seek out information or better yet, as a launching pad to find where resources are!  Wikis often require source citations, so it is beneficial to search their reference sections for gold nuggets regarding whatever you are in need of.

Podcasts - either audio or video, Podcasts are a great media source for professional down to novice.  Often, podcasts are made professionally but are available at will for consumption, making them a powerful informational tool.

Social Bookmarking - social bookmarking essentially streamlines the digital experience for the user.  It is a way to easily access things of interest to the user, both now and to save them for later.  More often than not, popular websites will provide numerous ways to link to Facebook, Twitter, and more.  

Learning Management Systems - LMS are a powerful tool that many school systems use to streamline academic content and peripherals for classrooms.  Programs like Blackboard or ProgressBook are designed to be a central station for academic record keeping and services.

Conclusion

Hopefully you found this lineup helpful in discerning a little better how to navigate the technological universe for classroom usage.  Please feel free to ask questions or comment on any of the content.  Also, if you find that there are any errors, please let me know and I will correct them.