The focus of this week’s inputs where music and the visual arts. This week I have been able to explore a range of technologies and methods that can be interwoven throughout primary learning of the integrated arts.
The initial input was music, during the workshop we were introduced to GarageBand, a software application that enables you to produce sounds, create your own music and record audio. We were first asked to create an eight-bar piece of music, using a range of sounds, beats and musical instruments. After experimenting with this aspect of the application, we then moved onto altering our pieces of music by using fade ins and fade outs, changing the pace and pitch and introducing sound effects. After trialling the application, we then created our own music using an animation as a stimulus. This allowed us to consider a variety of animations and select appropriate backing music (considering musical instruments, bass and sound effects) to complement the short clip. In regards to music at the beginning of the module I was not confident with the prospect of teaching the subject, but being introduced to a range of music resources I feel that music is a subject that is not based solely around playing musical instruments and singing, but there are opportunities to use online applications in order to aid teaching. By using GarageBand within the classroom, I would be utilising an interdisciplinary approach as children would be developing skills within music and ICT. Bloomfield (2000, p.68) devised a framework for music teaching and learning within this Bloomfield conveys the importance that children should be “developing ICT skills in music and learning to compose and create music”. In addition, children should be exposed to a variety of “sound source and combinations of sounds” (Bloomfield, 2000, p.68). The GarageBand application likewise enables children to consider musical elements, that Bloomfield (2000, p.69) defines as: “pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture and structure and form”. When teaching music cross-curricular with ICT the principle musical element would be timbre (Bloomfield, 2000). Timbre can be denoted as the characteristics of musical sound and the diversity of sounds that can be created. It is foremost that children have the opportunity to experiment with sounds and engaged in producing their own pieces of music using a variety of technologies.
I can use my voice, musical instrument and music technology to experiment with sound, pitch, melody, rhythm, timbre and dynamic (EXA 2-17a)
During the visual art workshop, we continued to work on ‘Windows of the West’ painting, but taking a different dynamic of the work that we produced during printmaking in the previous week input. This enable me to approach the work with a fresh creative frame of mind. Firstly, we selected one of the multiple printmaking copies, which was then photocopied onto A4 paper, this left us we half of the paper to illustrate our own imagination. Using this as extension work in the classroom would empower children to create their own unique perspective on the painting and also develops their awareness of good judgement, as the children must be able to scale their work to ensure they include all detail they want to illustrate (Eisner, 2007). There are many opportunities to use printmaking with ICT for instance Cox and Watt (2007, p.55) devise “scanning prints onto a PC and manipulating them using art and design software”. In addition, computer software packages can change the “colour and tone- or a selection of a print then copy and paste it serval time to create a new patter” (Cox and Watts, 2007, p,81). ICT in the visual arts generally enables children to take more creative risks and experiment with their work in-depth.
Also during this week’s visual art workshop, we looked at colouring books, however the colouring books we examined where different from the conventional books that mainly have a lot of detail, these colouring books had space for individuals to draw their own response as well as colouring in. This outlook on drawing and colouring in the classroom would empower the children to demonstrate and illustrate their understanding of the image given as well as improving their drawing skills. I believe colouring in is an activity that is rather calm and therapeutic on the mind.
Interlinking both music and visual art technologies can be used to complement and improve work quality. Within music technology can improve sound quality where as visual art technology of a printer can produce serval copies which allows mistakes to be made.
Also, over the past week I have read ‘Room 13: The Movement and International Network’ Claire Gibb. Room 13 was an art studio founded in Fort William in 1994 by young artist. I found this to be an insightful read as it highlighted the work of children and their desire to make art more noticeable within the curriculum. The art studio had a resident artist Rob Fairley who built the essence and practises of Room 13 and was very passionate in regarding children as unique artist but cognitively the same. The art work created by the children was unsystematic which enable the children to experiment and discover their unique skill and acquire their individual knowledge on art and social issues that had recently occurred or occurred in the past. By taking this approach to art children are able to develop art skills at their own cognitive pace as well as build confidence. By reading Room 13 I have been inspired to consider the teaching of art and who as a perspective teacher I utilise the visual arts within the classroom, I believe it is important for children to discover their unique creative and produce art work that is symbolic and fulfilling for them, emphasising art should not be about seeking perfection and uniformity in work, but being confident in their art ability.
References
Eisner, E. (2002) The Arts and the Creation of the Mind. Chapter 4, What the Arts Teach.
Bloomfield, A. (2000) Teaching Integrated Arts in the Primary School. Oxon: David Fulton
Cox, S, Watts, R (2007) Teaching Art and Design 3-11. New York. Continuum International
Gibb, C (2012) Room 13: The movement and international Network. Blackwell Publications
https://education.gov.scot/scottish-education-system/policy-for-scottish-education/policy-drivers/cfe-(building-from-the-statement-appendix-incl-btc1-5)/Experiences%20and%20outcomes
