Jen’s Blog

The following critique is in response to the article “Technology Drives a Rethink” by Shane Tooley (2005). This article explains that a teacher’s pedagogical approach is the key to using technology meaningfully in a classroom. The article assumes that teachers should take a constructivist approach to teaching as it “underlies best practice in ICT-based education” (Tooley, 2005).
The author of this article is a middle and senior school music teacher in Brisbane, an academic in various fields at the Queensland University of Technology, and also works in curriculum development and various community programs (Tooley, 2005).
Tooley says that teachers must ensure that technology helps students achieve educational outcomes and that technology is not being used for ‘technology’s sake’. Based on the constructivist view of learning, Tooley argues that teachers should use technology as a communication tool rather than using it as a static, information-gathering device. He explains that many teachers already have copious amounts of information available and “information about music history that has not changed in the past 50 years has no place within a TMC [Technologically Mediated Communication] environment” (Tooley, 2005).
To achieve authentic technologically mediated communication Tooley outlines four principles:
• Purpose
• Delivery Method
• Pedagogical Principles
• Education Theory
Purpose involves the teacher outlining why they are integrating technology. Tooley suggests that there are three legitimate purposes, resources with dynamic content (that which is always changing), abstract summaries with links to other resources and interactive online resources (whether students engage with the content, or with other students about the content) (2005).
There are two types of delivery methods, synchronous (real-time interaction, such as speaking to a composer using Skype, or gaining immediate online feedback) and asynchronous (communicating by email).
These final two principles, pedagogical principles and educational theory, are the most significant in Tooley’s article. He explains the teachers must change their pedagogy, embracing three new ideas: allowing students to do the greater amount of work, becoming a facilitator, and the promotion of interactivity and striving for ‘presence’, directing discussions, interacting and instructing students online.
As discussed above, the educational theory Tooley believes is necessary is constructivism, Teachers should guide students to discovery of knowledge and understanding while providing the necessary scaffolding (2005).

While I believe it is essential to incorporate ICT into the classroom and agree that the approach Tooley suggests is a good place to start, teachers must be careful that music is not dehumanised. Music making and appreciating are inherently human characteristics and ICT cannot replace face-to-face interaction. However it can serve as a means to enhance and provide new opportunities and resources to increase students’ musical potential.
The article also ignores the important role technology plays in the production of contemporary music. Since performance, composition and creativity are important parts of the NSW music curriculum exposure to the increasing important application of technology must not be overlooked in the classroom.

Reference
Tooley, S. (2005). Technology Drives a Rethink. Music in Action , 3 (3), 18-21.

Image used with permission from www.photos.com

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