April Sexton
Snapshot
Virtual Learning in the Music Room
My proposal consists of using online resources in order to teach my students virtually and on a cart once we go back to in-person instruction. How am I going to be able to teach my students with the same rigor, structure, and success as any “normal” school year? Through the implementation of three online resources; MusicPlayOnline, Essential Elements Interactive, and Choir Player, I believe my students will continue to understand and improve in their musical growth in general music, band, and choir. I will be able to compare progress made this year with that of previous years to determine if in fact any progress was made and if it was more or less than in previous years. The only thing different in my teaching this year will be the use of these online resources, so any improvements made will be a direct result of this innovation.
1. What is your problem of practice in implementing a blended learning environment?
My problem of practice is being able to teach my students online and on a cart once we go in-person with the same rigor, structure, and success as any “normal” school year.
2. What strategy will you implement this year to address the problem?
I will implement the use of online learning resources to help with virtual instruction and teaching on a cart once in person.
3. What resources and personnel do you need to implement your strategy?
In order to implement my strategy I will need 3 online resource subscriptions: a subscription to www.musicplayonline.com for my elementary classes both online and on a cart, a subscription to Essential Elements Interactive for my band students, and to purchase www.choirplayer.com for my choir students.
4. What research question will guide your study of this innovation?
Some research questions that will guide my study of this innovation are:
- Are my students still progressing at an average rate with using online resources vs. in-person/music classroom resources.
- Are my students actually progressing more quickly using these online resources?
- Are my students struggling using these online resources?
5. What outcomes will prove that your innovation has succeeded?
Outcomes that prove my innovation has succeeded include my elementary students progressing through the elements of music as easily as they would and with the same amount of understanding as they would in a “normal” year. My beginning band students learning how to play their instruments and my advanced players continuing to improve as they would in a “normal” year. My choir students learning and improving in solfege, sight-reading, harmonization, and singing in general as they would in a “normal” year.
6. How will you measure those outcomes?
I can compare the progress monitoring activities of my elementary students this year with comparable students of past years. I can compare the number of band and choir students accepted into honors ensembles with that of previous years. I can also track the progression of advanced band and choir students and compare that to previous years.
7. How can you be sure that any positive outcomes on these measures are actually due to your innovation and not something else?
This innovation will be the only variable in the equation. My teaching methods, strategies, and resources have remained constant throughout my teaching career; teaching virtually and on a cart using all online resources is a major change in the way I will be teaching music, band, and choir this year.