Jen’s Blog

“I believe the most powerful software and hardware in music education allows children and adults to manipulate music sounds and forms, learning something about the craft of music composition through the creation of an original work” (Upitis, 1989, p.151 in McDowall, 2003).
The following critique discusses a conference paper which was presented by McDowall (2003) at the International Federation for Information Processing Working Group 3.5 Open Conference (2003 in Sydney) entitled “Music Technology: New Literacies in the Early Years”. The paper describes how computer technology is becoming an integral part of the contemporary music industry and secondary education, yet is rarely used in the early years of schooling.
Over the past decade the Department of Education has stipulated that ICT be included in all areas of the curriculum (Curriculum Support Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training, 1997). It has now become necessary for teachers to use this technology.
The paper outlines research conducted in various classroom environments in South Australia. It includes data from observation and interviews and highlights the potential new music technology has in Primary Education. It also lists the software used in the program and how to use it.
Webster (1998, in McDowall, 2003) categories music technology for young children into six groups:
• Drill-and-practice – instruction is dictated by the software author
• Flexible practise – student- and teacher-centred technology (choices can be made by individuals to design their own lessons).
• Guided instruction – Tutorial type lessons
• Games – basic skill development and knowledge in a competitive way
• Exploratory – students freely explore software
• Creative – students are encouraged to create music.
A variety of new, age-appropriate resources in each of these groups have recently been developed. Children are now able to engage in complex musical processes (eg. composition) using new forms of literacy. These link sounds and visual symbols to help students compose, allow students to express and show awareness of feelings and mood through music, learn skills in collaboration and develop active and critical listening.
McDowall warns that “…technology should be a means to an end, not an end itself” (Pugh and Pugh, 1998, p.100 in McDowall, 2003). Technology is a powerful aid in learning and research but should not be allowed to become the sole instruction. Teachers must assist and provide the support and scaffolding for learning.
However, the research for this paper was conducted with small groups of children (3 and 4 children at a time). In the average NSW classroom there are approximately 28 students (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2008). Research into using complex software in large classroom settings should be taken into consideration.
Reference List
Curriculum Support Directorate, N. D. (1997). Computer-based technologies in the primary KLAs. NSW, Australia: NSW Department of Education and Training Curriculum Support Directorate.

Department of Education and Training. (2008, February 29). Fast Facts. Retrieved February 29, 2008, from NSW Department of Education and Training: https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/reports_stats/fastfacts/index.htm

McDowall, J. (2003). Music Technology: New Literacies in the Early Years. In J. Wright, A. McDougall, J. Murnane, & J. Lowe (Ed.), Young children and learning technologies : selected papers from the International Federation for Information Processing Working Group 3.5 Open Conference, Sydney, Australia, July 2003 (pp. 83-88). Sydney, NSW: Australian Computer Society.

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