Interactivity #5

Link to Google Spreadsheet

I interviewed a teacher from Hillsborough, NJ. She teaches ninth through twelfth grade band and works closely with the teacher who teaches music theory to tenth, eleventh, and twelfth graders. The teacher was not familiar with NETS for Students 2007 at all and no knowledge whether they were being incorporated into other classrooms in the school. Her first reaction was skeptical as to why there were separate sets for teachers and for students, since there is only one set of any other type of standards with an understanding the teacher uses these to create a lesson to indirectly achieve their goals with students. She also noted that while the NETS are a good idea, technology should be integrated into the classroom, not integrating a lesson plan into technology. As far as she is aware, the school is not implementing NETS specifically, although they encourage the usage of technology to aid the lesson. Most of the more advanced/newer technology occurs in specific tech and programming classes, both at the school and in the Vo Tech program. The school system also reinforces using technology throughout the district, exposing younger students to the internet basics and the safe way to use it, as well as other common programs. These are reinforced and built upon as students progress through the school system. I was not surprised by her responses. This is a very middle-class district that cannot afford super expensive technology in every single one of its classes. For her personally, the most technology used in an ensemble is a CD and the stereo system. She plans on introducing SmartMusic if the budget allows within the next three years. This allows students to record their practice sessions for the teacher to hear as a homework assignment, and gives them tips on their playing, such as correcting wrong or out of tune notes. For her colleague's music theory class, they use several programs for ear training and theory exercises on the computer.

I feel the best way to expose teachers to the NETS is to show them how much they could benefit from using technology in the classroom. Making it a reality and having them actually do it may be difficult, though, especially for older teachers who are stubbornly set in their ways. It will also be difficult to have teachers create a lesson plan based around technology, as opposed to integrating the technology into a lesson plan. I also feel that it is difficult enough for teachers to plan valuable lessons for their students while following their subject area standards without bringing another set of parameters into it.