Innovative Non-Occupational Learning in Music Theory

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1 Journal of Teaching and Education, CD-ROM. ISSN: :: 03(02): (2014) VALUE-ADDED HYBRID LEARNING: USING ONLINE RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY ARTS ADULT-EDUCATION SETTING Jason DeCristofaro Brevard College, United States of America Claire DeCristofaro Ashford University, United States of America Hybrid learning is not exclusive to the college classroom, but can be implemented with equal effectiveness in the adult continuing education setting. Advances in technology have provided the opportunity for educators to develop innovative teaching practicesresulting in a more engaged approachto learning. Some of these innovations include the use of technology to support the traditional face-to-face classroom setting. The instructor can create learning materials, individualizing resources for the learner and aligning to the complexity of expected learning outcomes. These instructor-created materials can include movie-style presentations of lectures, transcripts of narrated materials, and specialty learning objects tailored to the subject content. It is the typical experience of most instructors to utilize academic software and a web-based learning management system (LMS) provided by the parent institution. However, the ready availability of low-cost or free commercial software, as well as online storage and delivery solutions, provides the instructor with the opportunity to simulate the robust aspects of an institutional setting, even in the absence of organizational support. Little has been written about instructor-led development of such models, and this article describes implementation in a community arts setting for adult learners in a non-occupational continuing education class in music theory. The methods described provided students with value-added learning resources. Little has been written about instructor-led development of such models, and this article describes how the instructor provided students value-added learning resources in a non-occupational continuing education class in music theory. Keywords: Hybrid learning, Adult continuing education, Community arts. Hybrid Learning in Community Arts Adult Continuing Education Although advances in technology have afforded the opportunity for innovative teaching practices, incorporating technology as an adjunct to the traditional classroom can be a challenging undertaking for many educators. One approach is hybrid learning, which includes supplementing face-to-face classroom education with online resources. In order to create a hybrid class, instructors can utilize prepackaged commercial learning materials, or direct the students to web-based resources. Alternatively, the instructor can create customizedlearning materials this provides the advantage of individualizing resources for the specific learner type as well as ensuring alignment with learning outcomes. There are multiple options 201

2 202 Value-Added Hybrid Learning: Using Online Resources in the Community Arts... for instructor-created materials, such as audio, video, documents, graphics, and other specialty learning objects tailored to the subject content. It is the typical experience of most instructors to utilize academic software and a web-based learning management system (LMS) provided by the parent institution. These are usually provided free of cost to the instructor, with support staff assistance for technology utilization, instructional design, and training (Allen& Seamen, 2010).Thus, faculty may assume that such expertise is essential to resource creation and delivery. However, the ready availability of low-cost or free commercial software, as well as online storage and delivery solutions, permits an individual instructor to simulate the robustness of an institutional setting without such organizational support. Little hasbeen written about instructor-led development to simulate the resources of an established academic system. Author JD teaches in the traditional, hybrid and fully online setting in more than one university. As a musician and composer, he also believes strongly in the benefit of bringing music to the community, and serves as faculty in the community arts setting. Most students in his community arts classes are adult learners who are interested in learning about music for personal enrichment. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), using information from a 2007 US Department of Education study, over 20% of adult educational activities are personal interest courses (NCES, n.d.).the type of adult student served by the community arts setting is very often the mature, semi-retired or retired individual, returning to music to fulfill an interest in the arts that was not pursued earlier in life. Some educators have termed this group of community learners as the Silver Tsunami and counsel that retiring Baby Boomers will be altering the composition of education consumers in the near future (Cruce& Hillman, 2011). Thus, although these classes are continuing education in nature, they are non-occupational. Sponsoring organizations are rarely able to provide much in the way of technology or other resources other than classroom space and possibly internet access. Typically, music instructors provide their own computer, speakers, and musicalinstruments. For the most part, the classroom experience is provided face to face. In a class on music theory, JD uses a write-board, computer technology, real-time internet access, speakers and a portable digital piano to illustrate concepts. Active learning is accomplished with modeling, as faculty demonstrates his own proficiency while teaching in an interactive fashion. Thus, students mimic exercises on their own musical instrument of choice and take notes during lectures. One student asked if the lectures, music notation, or other resources were available online for additional review and practice, with access to such enduring materials for current and future use. Although some components of the course work can be found in the public domain, most are not readily available. Since there were no institutional systems available for this purpose, this student request prompted JD to investigate methods to provide such learning materials and store and deliver them online. Interestingly enough, hybrid models have often been prompted by adult learner requests (Martyn, 2003). Our project involved developing methods of creating a hybrid classroom that did not depend on institutional support. Why Hybrid? The hybrid model provides an opportunity for students to both direct their own learning process and to increase learner autonomy. Enduring materials that are customized to the needs of students,as well as tosubject content and learning outcomes, can offer a method that maximizes student self-direction (Reynard, 2007).Hybrid learning is also sometimes referred to as blended learning, since the approach combines elements of face-to-face and online education. Trends indicate this may become a predominant model, with a departure from the sole reliance on print materials and traditional classes with set time limits on delivery of content (Watson, 2008). The authors can cite numerous instances of spontaneous student requests for such learning materials. Blended learning has multiple definitions in the literature. It can simply indicate a combined use of live classroom teaching together with digitally delivered subject content. Other definitions demand use of specific teaching tools and/or a determined percentage of learning materials being available online.

3 Jason DeCristofaro and Claire DeCristofaro 203 Leaders in best practices for online education have codified blended learning as a pedagogical approach that is designed to combine the socialization and effectiveness of excellent classroom instruction together with the use of technology to enhance active learning (Watson, 2008). This definition does not rely on defined ratios of delivery modalities or specific use of mandated teaching tools. Another benefit to blended learning in adult continuing education is that instructors can accommodate the needs of diverse students (Bonk, 2009). In the community arts setting, there are varied reasons for enrolling in classes dealing in non-occupational subject content. Students also have varying levels of preparation, skill, and experience. Adult learners have fully-developed personas, but this does not preclude the ability to gain facility in using technology. This population has demonstrated that they are very capable in the use of social media, technology to display photographs, share music, and manage information. The instructor who can harness diverse teaching tools to support learning will help ensure a successful learning experience for adult students (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner, 2007). There is research to support the concept that musical ability is universal, with motivation as a key element contributing to achieving musical expertise and skills. This is highly evident in adult learners in the non-occupational continuing education setting, especially in arts classes. Music may be part of family or cultural heritage, and musical training may have been frustrated earlier in life by lack of opportunity. As adults, the development of a musical identity does not demand continuity some may come to music later in life without previous foundational instruction (Lamont, 2011). Research has been done to determine the characteristics of older adults who choose toparticipate in formal coursework for personal interest, such as in the non-occupational continuing education community arts setting. Some of the factors affecting this decision are educational level, the positive influence of informal learning, and financial considerations. However, age was not a factor when considering non-occupational course work (Cruce& Hillman, 2012). Author JD especially was motivated to pursue this project due to his desire to maintain student engagement outside of the classroom. As an instructor who utilizes hybrid teaching methods at both a four- year liberal arts institution and community college, JD is cognizant of the benefits students receive from additional access to learning materials. Thus, his students are actively learning in addition to teacher-led class sessions. In this community arts music theory class, the students only met for one hour on a weekly basis in a traditional face-to-face setting. The course material, including new concepts such as scale types, transposition of musical motives, building extended harmonies, and hearing chord progressions, requires constant practice on a daily basis in order to be mastered by the student. For this reason, JD firmly believes in the value of providing learning materials that support such practice activities, especially if they can be accessed and used on the adult student s own schedule and at a realistic pace. Value-Added Learning How We Did It You Can Do It Too! Educator competency with software applications and/or needed hardware is essential to integrating technology into existing courses in order to achieve a hybrid model. The time commitment to this endeavor is variable and influenced by a variety of factors. Some faculty may perceive this as an insurmountable barrier without institutional support. However, the ready availability of commercially available or free software applications provides the opportunity for those working in the community arts continuing education setting to provide a hybrid learning experience for adult students. The course build for a hybrid class does not rely on use of defined learning tools, but can be accomplished in a manner tailored to the needs of the subject content, learning outcomes, and student body characteristics. Thus, educators can utilize differing methods of incorporating technology to provide a value-added learning experience for their students. In this pilot project, the following software applications, web-based services, and electronic hardware were used to provide enduring learning materials that supported the face-to-face classroom:

4 204 Value-Added Hybrid Learning: Using Online Resources in the Community Arts... Camtasia presentation software for narrated lectures (commercially available with discounted pricing for educators) Finale music software to generate musical scores and MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) audio files (commercially available with discounted pricing for educators) Audacity audio recording software to generate MP3 audio files of narrated instruction combined with music recording (free shareware) Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Pro (commercially available) Digital piano Standard PC computer with soundboard (microphone and speakers) Internet connection Web-based FTP (file transfer protocol) storage server service (e.g., GE.TT or Hightail ) The process can be described as a series of replicated steps in which learning materials are created and then stored online for student download retrieval. Typically, there was a face-to-face class, and the created resources supported and/or reinforced concepts and skills presented in class. For the musical arts setting, this was crucial to provide students with an opportunity for aural training, skills competency, and music appreciation skills. Instructor-created learning resources included: 1. Lecture notes created in Word that incorporated musical score samples created in Finale ; these were converted to PDF format using Adobe since this file format is better displayed online 2. Camtasia was used to create narrated MP4 movies that replicated the lecture presented in faceto-face class; these included lecture notes viewed on the desktop and captured in movie format, verbal narration using computer microphone, and recordings from digital piano using computer microphone 3. Finale was used to create Midi files of musical score samples illustrating music theory concepts; these Midi files were opened in Audacity and instructor narration was combined with the music the final result was exported as an MP3 audio file (used for listening and practicing melodic and harmonic exercises) 4. All files were uploaded to an FTP storage service that generated a web-link for students to access and download the files (many such services exist, either free or for a nominal charge) files available included the lecture notes (PDF format), narrated presentation of the lecture notes incorporating musical recordings (MP4 movie format), and MP3 audio files Due to the heterogeneity of student-owned devices, the choice of file types was dictated by ease of use in the online environment as well as being platform independent. For instance, MP3 audio files play on smartphone, computer, tablet or MP3 player; MP4 movie files can be viewed and heard on smartphone, computer, or tablet; and the PDF lecture notes are viewable with free viewing applications (Adobe Reader ) on smartphone, computer, or tablet, regardless of operating system. Figure 1. Example of music score illustrating music theory concept, generated by Finale and incorporated in lecture notes and MP4 movies.

5 Jason DeCristofaro and Claire DeCristofaro 205 Figure 2. Screen shot of MP4 movie being created in Camtasia. It should be reiterated that a structured LMS was not utilized in this project. Although an LMS may be necessary for clerical tasks such as managing enrollment, exams, and syllabi, these components are not necessarily needed in community arts education. Lack of an LMS does not prohibit use of the web for self-governed learning activities (LeNoue, Hall,&Eighmy, 2011). If more interactive activities are desired, the use of online surveys and blogs are an option, although not used in our project. Conclusion It was clear that this use of blended technology met several needs. Students who utilized the resources demonstrated an increased comfort level with music theory concepts due to the availability of the MP4 movies of the narrated lectures, as well as an increased mastery of aural skills via use of the MP3 audio files. Since students knew these materials would be provided, subsequent classroom participation demonstrated increased engagement, as students did not have to focus on taking notes. Additionally, the students were able to stay engaged with the course content, even when class was not in session. Easy electronic access to the instructor-created learning materials provided students with an opportunity to review and practice the course content on a daily basis. Implications for future expansion of such hybrid learning outside the institutional LMS model can incorporate Web 2.0, where collaboration and social media are utilized for further individuation of learning. In this project, the blending of technology and traditional classroom teaching supported an alignment of classroom learning goals and musical practice. Digitally mediated learning provided a value-added learning experience without the expense or restriction of the institutional LMS model. References 1. Allen, I.E., and Seamen, J. (2010) Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States, 2009.Babson Survey Research Group. Retrieved from 2. Bonk, C.J. (2009) The World Is Open: How Web Technology Is RevolutionizingEducation. San Francisco, Ca: Jossey-Bass.

6 206 Value-Added Hybrid Learning: Using Online Resources in the Community Arts Cruce, T.M. & Hillman, N.W. (2011) Preparing for the Silver Tsunami: The Demandfor Higher Education Among Older Adults. Research in Higher Education, 53: DOI /s Lamont, A. (2011) The beat goes on: music education, identity, and lifelong learning. Music Education Research, 13(4), DOI: / LeNoue, M, Hall, T., &Eighmy, M.A.(2011) Adult Education and thesocial Media Revolution.Adult Learning, v22, n2, p4-12. Retrieved from 6. Martyn, M. (2003) The Hybrid Online Model: Good Practice. Educause Quarterly, 1, Retrieved from 7. Merriam, S.B., Caffarella, R.S., & Baumgartner, L.M. (2007) Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide. San Francisco, CA: JohnWiley& Sons. 8. Reynard, R. (2007) Hybrid Learning: Challenges for Teachers.T.H.E. Journal: Transforming Education Through Technology. Retrieved from 9. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).(n.d.) Fast facts: adult learning. United States Department of Education.Retrieved from Watson, J. (2008) Blending Learning: The Convergence of Online and Face-to-Face Education.Promising Practices in Online Learning: North American Council for Online Learning. Retrieved from