Training Piano Teachers with WIMBA Classroom Linda Holzer

Training Piano Teachers with WIMBA Classroom Linda Holzer, DMus Professor of Music University of Arkansas-Little Rock

+ WIMBA =

Piano Pedagogy • Course on methods and materials in piano teaching • Upper-level elective for music majors • Lecture, discussion and demonstration course

University of Arkansas-Little Rock • Urban commuter campus • Diverse student body, non-traditional age students • Full and part-time students • Face-to-face and distance-learning course features help responsive to diverse student needs

Arkansas • Capitol city of Little Rock has a population of under 200, 000 • Largely a rural state, with diverse geography (Delta, Grand Prairie, Ozark Mountains) • UALR is centrally located and well known state-wide

Rationale for Distance-Learning • Piano teachers in search of pedagogy training are spread out, and commuting may not be practical • Survey of piano teachers revealed interest in distance-learning for a pedagogy course • Adult students want schedule flexibility of distance-learning

Arkansas State Music Teachers Association • Membership data revealed that most had become computer users • ASMTA encourages members to become certified as piano teachers, and taking a pedagogy course is required for certification

Essentials Needs • Music courses need quality audio • Digital piano or acoustic piano for musical demonstration • Computer for instructor, Smart Board, wired internet connection, LCD projector • Blackboard and WIMBA Classroom • Wireless mic

UALR Music Tech Classroom • • Korg digital keyboard Revolabs Solo. T Wearable Wireless Mic Smart. Board i. Mac instructor’s station computer (Intelbased) running OS 10. 4. 11 • Blackboard CE 6 • LCD ceiling-mounted projector

Audio Setup • Mixing board • Amplifier powering 2 monitor speakers • For piano demonstrations via distancelearning, piano output levels had to be set high for mic pickup

Daily Teaching Routine • Audio archived all lectures • Uploaded Power. Points to WIMBA Classroom • Off-campus student generally logged on during class time • Students occasionally accessed the archive outside of class time

Additional Features Used • • Online Gradebook Discussion Tool Learning Modules Live musical demonstrations on digital piano

Guest Speakers • WIMBA allows guest access to the Classroom • Link, emailed to the guest presenter • Practiced a week ahead with the guest to make sure they were comfortable • Had them send me their Power. Point ahead of time so I could upload it to WIMBA Classroom

Oral Reports • Popular assignment with students • Works well for face-to-face and distancelearning students via Classroom • Communication was clear, and students enjoyed sharing with each other this way

Semester Evaluations “I love the how the guest speakers gave us real-life examples of the things we learn from the lectures. I also appreciate that the lectures are archived so that we can go back and review at any time. ” “All areas of piano teaching were thoroughly covered including teaching materials, business matters, available resources. ”

Other Courses • Perspectives on Careers in Music, currently offering it as a hybrid course, using WIMBA Classroom • Plans for developing a distance-learning course about famous pianists and piano music as an upper-level elective for nonmajors.

My Customizations • Maintain a stand-alone web site with the syllabus, “how to” info for Blackboard, and link to log on to Blackboard • UALR provides all faculty with server space for a web site • Blackboard isn’t available until midnight of the first day of class; I email students one week ahead for syllabus

Cusomizations, cont’d • Prepare a test audio archive the week before classes start, post on WIMBA Classroom • Encourage students to log on the first week and access the file, to make sure they can hear it • Start troubleshooting immediately! • Tech problems may cause students to drop

tme De par sic Mu ing. arn tr Le y C SS log AH chno Te nt The Magic Triangle Scholarly Technology & Resources

Additional Faculty Support • AHSS Teaching with Technology Team • Occasional faculty development workshops via AHSS Learning Technology Center • Monthly workshops via STa. R • Informal conversations among faculty who meet at the above

Troubleshooting

Common Glitches • Audio archive playback issues on some newer student computers running Vista or Windows XP collided with Web. CT 4. 3 • Computer and internet browser setup issues • Time-consuming troubleshooting on Quicktime and various settings • Ultimately resolved by upgrading to Blackboard CE 6

Advice for Students for Distance. Learning • Using a Headset with WIMBA Classroom • 1. • 2. • 3. Buy headphones with a mic. Plug the red jack into the speaker/mic jack Plug the white into the headphones jack. • Reminder about the expected time commitment • Reminder of course requirements

Student Success Profile • • • Good time management skills Work well independently High motivation to succeed Good attention to detail Positive attitude towards learning High comfort-level with computer and internet technology • Communicate with instructor, asking questions

Invite and Inform • Both students and faculty need to be aware of what they’re in for when using course management software and WIMBA Classroom • It can be rewarding and very effective • Instructor MUST allow ample time for course development

Risks for Rookies • Faculty with limited experience under-estimate time needed to learn the teaching technology • They mistake the fact that it looks easy when prep is complete, and assume it happens instantly • Remember Fred Astaire. Made the dancing look easy. Reality was lots of rehearsal preparation.

• Questions? • Contact Information: Prof. Linda Holzer Coordinator of Classical Keyboard Studies Music Department University of Arkansas at Little Rock lrholzer@ualr. edu 501. 569. 8436