Embedding ICT
Seeing
all the work that has gone into this site, people could be forgiven for
thinking that I'm a hi-tech music enthusiast but nothing is further
from the truth! I am only interested in technology in as far as it
enables me to do things, as a musician and a teacher, that I can't
achieve in other ways. Given a choice of playing a piano or an
electronic keyboard, I'd choose the piano every time! I have extremely
limited patience with technology - and, no, I don't know how to work
the family video recorder!
In the early 1980s, I got into
music technology from necessity, not choice. At that time, I had a
number of disabled pupils whose needs I could not meet in any other
way. I soon found that, not only did the technology provide a means of
access for these pupils, it also opened up new musical experiences for
me and enhanced my teaching, generally.
Technology makes its
most effective contribution when it is integrated with other resources.
Some things it does well and other things it does extremely badly! I
believe that we teachers only have time for it in the classroom when it
enables us to do something impossible by other means or to do something
more easily, or more effectively.
In the study, there are
countless examples of ICT resources being used alongside more
traditional resources and teaching methods, in order to provide access
or enhance the learning experience. Embedding ICT is the 'in thing' at
the moment but I've been doing it for the past twenty years. On this
site, I'm keen to share with you ideas that will make the integrated
use of technology enjoyable and rewarding.
I'm delighted,
now, to have published the first two volumes of GridPlay software, in
which I have created resources based on the principles of sharing,
access and integrated musical experience.
Buy the Study and GridPlay
from The Full Pitcher Music Resources
The Full Pitcher Music Resources is a publishing company specialising in
resources for creative and inclusive music-making.