Blog (20.11.17): So what have I learnt and what can I take into music education? My main idea behind this project was to see how I can incorporate Maker Movement technology in a meaningful musical way in the classroom, luckily I think I've got there!

Throughout this project I found myself:

• Composing and editing musical loops while making consideration to rhythmical outcomes, tempo adjustments, harmonic blending
• Organising musical ideas to be re-created in a performance process
• Exploring and investigating the use of technology to perform musical outcomes from Sibelius, Garage Band, Soundtrap, Scratch to 3D modelling in Tinkercad
• Engaging with maker community to develop 3D printing. Watching YouTube videos of how to use the technology and solve different problems I had
• Considering how texture, structure and instrumental layers can be displayed graphically in Scratch. This can be extended much much further
• What influence the recording quality of loops and dynamics can play in later performance activation
• Solving both musical and technological problems to get the outcome that I wanted

Through this process I've even been able to even tick off many matching syllabus outcomes!

I've always wanted to have a music first approach with technology and incorporating my own composition work and other repertoire has really enabled me to do this. As another project outcome, I've developed a unit outline to recreate this project within the classroom, extending on the work I did previously with Year 10. This has a focus on composition and the utilisation of Maker Movement Technology. It is also flexible enough to apply the core ideas to a variety of topics pending musical learning requirements. With the integration of performance, composition, listening and technology integration, it is able to easily tick the syllabus outcomes while creating an engaging learning environment. To succeed students must use 21st Century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, & communication, while incorporating time for both teacher and peer feedback. It even includes details as to how it can be assessed and a small provocation video to students during the unit.

But above all, I have actually completed this project which I can now use as a model for students. I can anticipate problems and help students if they get stuck with their problems on this task. I have an example they can use to hopefully extend even further in their own creativity. This benefit is perhaps the most valuable, all because I did the project first myself (Humberstone, everyday!)