DCP #1: Ideas and Inspirations

For our Technology in Music Education course, we are to create a digital creative project "drawing on and extending ANY skills and/or philosophies/pedagogies learned in the course." Yep, it's a big one! In out outline, there are a few examples of projects we can produce such as:

• Use the media created in the session with Ensemble Offspring to create more sophisticated learning resources.

• Compose and record a piece of music using digital devices that are completely new to you.

• Create an interactive website or other elearning resource (such as an iBook) that teaches a musical concept, drills a musical skill, or prompts creative output (performance or composition). Include interactivity.

• Create a digital artwork such as a children’s story book with music and videos (see James’ publication, The Speaking Piano).

• Perform (and record for your submission) a live “set” using digital performance tools.

• Score a film or animation, aiming for a professional-level output.

• Embrace the maker movement. Make something.

• Learn to code HTML5 and build an animated website. Or use a WYSISYG app like Hype to do it.

• Learn to program – in Scratch or in C++, etc. - build a music app.

• Learn to design (spec) software: write a proper specification document for music/education

• software you’d like to have developed, and build a wireframe version to show how it would

• work.

• Script and produce a documentary on a music-related subject.

[TAKEN FROM OUR UNIT OF STUDY OUTLINE]

Immediately, the ones that stuck out were either creating an animation or a digital artwork such as a children's story iBook.

Examples of inspiration for an animation was definitely Little Einsteins. I did watch a few episodes on YouTube to get some sort of idea of what I could be creating. This one episode stuck out to me and I really liked the way the music was portrayed and shown at 1:11.

For the iBook, I had a look at James Humberstone's, The Speaking Piano. I really like how it combines elements of listening, playing and reading music within a wonderful story with beautiful illustrations. I had a look at other children's story books such as:

The Little Seed

Bush Possum's Banana Cake

My Day at the Sea

I did find that interactive children's story books are not as common as I thought. Many are just story books so I will need to think creatively on how I plan to input interactions so children can get involved.