Academic Rationale

My four-week unit plan of Music and Technology catered towards Stage 5 Music Elective students aims to fulfil the learning experiences of composition,

listening and performance through operating a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), learning the different styles of music and how technology is applied to

them, and apply their musical skills within technology through recording performances and creating tracks. I ensured that the unit outline manages to

satisfy the learning and life skill outcomes contained in the syllabus for Stage 5 Music students as well as the learning experiences mentioned prior. I

decided to pick Music and Technology because it creates opportunities for students to engage in Information Communications Technology (ICT) focused

studies which can enhance their learning experience and meet their diverse needs (Wise et al., 2011).

The structural outline of my unit follows the suggested aspects of study according to the syllabus as a framework in creating my lessons. It consists of

computer-generated music, music of a composer, the impact of technology to musical styles and the effect the internet has on music (BOSTES, 2003). I

believe that by covering these aspects, students can follow a structured unit that enables them to develop a deeper understanding of the topic. As opposed

to including a summative assessment task that grades my students, I decided to incorporate two informal assessments that will help them achieve the

outcomes set out in the syllabus. These two tasks are recording a class performance of the song Forever Young by Alphaville and creating a short musical

score on a notation software and importing the resulting MIDI file into GarageBand. Additionally, I included aural exercises within the unit to introduce

students to various music of different genres and types that are relevant to the topic and expand on their musical knowledge in addition to practising their

listening skills. Therefore, the two informal tasks as well as the aural exercises manage to fulfil the three learning experiences and outcomes that are

outlined within the syllabus (BOSTES, 2003.)

The class performance task aims for the students to record their covers as well as build ensemble awareness in order to improve their cooperativeness and

teamwork and creating a sense of community amongst the students (Moore, 2009). I selected Forever Young for the class to perform and record as it is a

simple four-chord song that the students can easily engage in learning to practise with little difficulty, and the significance of music technology that exists

within the song can challenge the students to consider an approach of how to perform the song differently. The small composition task aims for students to

develop skills with DAWs and creating tracks, as well as practise their notation and score reading skills. This is a group task as it makes it easier for students

to practise creating music through computer software with proper guidance from their peers. Constructivist teaching can be applied within the group work

because students with prior knowledge on operating a DAW can aide other students who are unfamiliar with music making software. The same can also be

applied to students who have proficiency in score reading and notating as they also can assist students who are struggling. Therefore, this teaching

approach can cover any weaknesses that students would have in both the areas of using music software and interpreting music notation (Kocadere and

Ozgen, 2012). Additionally, I can assist the students through formative assessment by monitoring their progress and delivering quality feedback to them so

that they can improve as well as prepare themselves for future assessment tasks.

I also created a website serves as an online resource for students to access in their own time, allowing them to refer to and utilise the resources on the

website for aid in their task while working on their projects on a DAW. It contains video tutorials from individuals who specialise in operating DAWs that

can provide students with more knowledge and multiple perspectives to consider when utilising music making software.

This unit outline aims for the students to develop their musical skills in engaging in music technology through lessons that cover the learning experiences

and the syllabus outcomes. Additionally, the lessons also incorporate constructivist teaching so that students can assist each other and further expand on
their skills and knowledge (Kocadere and Ozgen, 2012). Furthermore, through the Music and Technology unit, I believe that I can create an effective

learning community through the importance of teamwork and access to technology training, which in turn can improve on my professional development as

a future teacher (Moore, 2009) and enrich the students’ learning experience (Wise et al., 2011).

UNIT OUTLINE
Subject: Music Course: Music 1 (Stage 5) Number of Weeks: 4
Unit title: Music and
Technology
Key Concepts/ Big Ideas The importance of this learning
 Computer-generated music  Learning to operate a Digital Audio Workstation
 Music of a composer  Learn the different styles of music and how music technology can have impact on them
 The impact of technology of particular  Practically apply their musical skills in conjunction with music technology such as
musical styles recording music
 The internet and its effect on music

Unit context within Scope and Sequence/Purpose Syllabus Outcomes to be achieved

 Students learn how to record sounds and
integrate them within music software
 Students learn case studies of music
technology to build their knowledge and
understanding
 5.1: performs repertoire with increasing levels of complexity in a range of musical
styles demonstrating an understanding of the musical concepts
 5.2: performs repertoire in a range of styles and genres demonstrating interpretation
of musical notation and the application of different types of technology
 5.3: performs music selected for study with appropriate stylistic features
demonstrating solo and ensemble awareness
 5.5: notates own compositions, applying forms of notation appropriate to the music
selected for study
 5.6: uses different forms of technology in the composition process
 5.7: demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through the analysis,
comparison, and critical discussion of music from different stylistic, social, cultural and
historical contexts
 5.9: demonstrates an understanding of musical literacy through the appropriate
 application of notation, terminology, and the interpretation and analysis of scores used
in the music selected for study
 5.10: demonstrates an understanding of the influence and impact of technology on
music
Literacy Focus Numeracy Focus ICT Focus Differentiation
 Reading and  Measuring the  Usage of Digital  Constructivist teaching - the composition group
notating sheet duration of a Audio Workstation work allows students of different skill levels to
music recording within a (DAW) such as assist and cover their weaknesses.
DAW Audacity and
GarageBand
 Usage of recording
devices

Week/ Sequence Syllabus Content Teaching and Learning Strategies Resources

including assessment for learning.
1/ Lesson 1  5.6: Uses  Rather than explaining  KURORAK – Jakarta Progression
Introduction of the different forms what the features do at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2NbhmotJlQ
topic “Music and of technology first, the teacher questions  Deadmau5 – The Veldt
Technology”. in the the students what they https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiUAq4aVTjY
composition think functions do in  3R2 – Celestial Sounds (KIVA Remix)
Showing computer process Audacity. This is so the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMx_agu5_1s
generated music.  5.10: class can develop thinking  Audacity
demonstrates skills as opposed to be
The teacher plays an receiving overloads of
small excerpts from understanding information from the
each of the of the influence teacher
resources to and impact of
showcase technology technology on
being used in music. music
 LS.7
Students are then experiences
introduced to the music from a
Audacity software variety of
and go through the social, cultural
features with and historical
teacher guidance. contexts
 LS.8
communicates
responses to a
variety of music
 LS.9
appreciates a
variety of music
1/ Lesson 2  5.6: Uses  Students are engaging in  Audacity
Continuation from different forms outdoor lessons with  Recording Devices (can be from their phones, tablets or
the previous lesson of technology teacher guidance a Zoom Recorder)
in which students in the
gain familiarity with composition  Formative assessment: The
Audacity. process teacher walks around to
 5.10: monitor the students’
In this outdoor demonstrates progress and give feedback
lesson, students an for improvement
practice recording understanding
environmental of the influence
sounds through and impact of
recording devices technology on
such as their phones, music
tablets etc.  LS.4:
experiments in
They then learn how making musical
to import their sounds
recordings onto  LS.5:
Audacity. Once experiments in
students import their organising
recordings, students musical sounds
are given free time  LS.6:
to alter their experiments in
recordings by representing
applying audio and recording
effects. musical sounds

Once students are

done, they export
their recordings and
save two copies; one
within the school
hard drive and the
other for
themselves.
1/ Lesson 3  5.5: notates  Formative Assessment: The  GarageBand
Introduction to using own teacher walks around the  Stargazing score and MIDI file
GarageBand. compositions, classroom to monitor the
applying forms students’ progress. They
Students can bring of notation give quality feedback and
also bring iPads if appropriate to suggestions for
possible as it also the music improvement on their
contains selected for performance technique.
GarageBand. study
 5.6: uses  Constructivist teaching:
Students go through different forms Students who have
the features of of technology familiarity with DAWs can
GarageBand. The in the assist students who have
teacher then composition trouble.
provides a score of process
Stargazing as well as  LS.4:
a MIDI file of it. The experiments in
class then practises making musical
importing a MIDI file sounds
onto GarageBand  LS.5:
and follow along the experiments in
score as the track is organising
created within the musical sounds
software.  LS.6:
experiments in
representing
and recording
musical sounds