PLN- Week 1

This week, the readings brought to mind the importance of technology that is geared towards the educator.  While the use of technology in the classroom has become an important tool that can bring many benefits to the student, it is also beneficial to the teacher who embraces that technology.  I’m reminded of teachers who have an “old school” philosophy of education.  They either refuse to incorporate technology in their classroom or they use very minimal to get by with what the standards call for.  We have all seen them in each district.  However, just as the Partnership for 21^st Century Learning calls for technology as a key component of success for the student, I believe the educator should also embrace the use of technology so they may succeed as a teacher in a time where the use of technology is most critical in learning. 

For the teacher, technology is more than just an administrative tool but when used properly it can beneficial to our content area and the way we teach our content.  This thought brings up the TPACK model as explained in Chapter 1 of Bauer’s (2014) Music Learning Today.  One of the first things that first came to mind in this reading goes back to the “old school” teacher where there is minimal technology used.  As I read about the new TPACK model, Bauer states, “Many approaches to helping educators use technology have focused on the technological tools themselves.  Inherent in these methods was the belief that teachers be able to figure out how to apply the tools to curricular content.”  That answers the question on why a teacher may not use technology in the classroom.  It also answers the question on the times I may not have been successful when I use technology I’m less familiar with (i.e. the first time I tried using Garage Band with my elementary students).   Having a strong technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge is important if we are going to use any type of technology.   As the model describes, all individual context knowledge’s must be present in order for the teacher to have a successful TPACK.  We must know how to use the technology and how it relates to our content. As the closing of the chapter states, a TPACK will constantly be in development therefore seeking professional development and be willing to change is important.

When thinking of technology geared for the teacher, professional development also came to mind.  In Bauer’s (2010) article from Music Educator’s Journal, technology has become an important tool for the music educator’s professional growth as we constantly seek professional development to better our craft.  As Bauer writes, “one size does not fit all.”  Bauer then goes on discussing the effectiveness of extended professional development, and the value of informal professional development.  It seems like it is more effective when professional development is stretched out period of time and that our professional growth just doesn’t come from one lecturer but the ones we have around us:  students, music and non-music colleagues.   When reading this, it reminded me of the many times I have sat in professional development seminars that do not relate to my own teaching.  Instead I felt that the most beneficial times of professional development was to seek informal professional development through my colleagues.  What benefited me more was right at my fingertips and the use of the internet.  Seeking professional development online has become an easy tool that is there when needed.   I feel like I am constantly going online to find answers that will enhance the way I teach my band students and elementary music students.  Whether the PD is geared toward technology, classroom learning, or classroom management there are many online sources that Bauer listed such as wikis, podcasts, blogs, etc…

Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Bauer, W. I. (2010). Your personal learning network: Professional development on demand. Music Educators Journal, 97(2), 37-42. doi:10.1177/0027432110386383