For most of us, when we think of music class a cowbell and choir robes pops into mind. Well, today's music class is not your mother's. From computer screens to audio equipment, students are gaining relevant, real-world instruction on much more than just the art of making music. Rummel Creek Elementary's Curtis Donohue is on the frontline of this instructional revolution.
As music teacher, Mr. Donohue is determined to engage his students through a combination of passion for the arts and modern computer technology as delivered up, in the form of GarageBand.
GarageBand is a streamlined digital audio music sequencer that can record and play back multiple tracks of audio. Thanks to a range of built-in instruments and sound loops, students can create, record and put together their own music masterpiece and easily share it with others. The enthusiasm Mr. Donohue's students have for making music extends into other areas of instruction as well.
For educators like Donohue, success is seeing students excited about learning. As Mr. Donohue prepares for the next big project, students continue to wait with breathless anticipation for the next jam session and new lesson that will be rocking their classroom.
Why is this type of instruction important?
Technology, when integrated into the curriculum, revolutionizes the learning process. Studies show that technology integration in the curriculum improves students' learning processes and outcomes. Teachers who recognize computers as problem-solving tools change the way they teach. They move from a behavioral approach to a more process-driven, hands-on approach.Technology and interactive multimedia are more conducive to project-based learning. Students are engaged in their learning using these powerful tools. They can become creators and critics and not just consumers. For more information on how SBISD is changing the way we learn and teach, visit the Educational Technology website.