MP3s, MIDIs, and DAWs, oh my!

     Creating with technology can be a daunting task. However, the products and software out there make it much easier and affordable than even five years ago. Creating is one of the national standards (old and new) and is important to develop musicality and competency for our future musicians.  This week, we are focusing on the applications of technology in the classroom to enhance student creating. I have tried a few hands-on composition activities with students in grades K-4, but never have I used a computer or mobile device.
     In my elementary general music classroom, I have my own personal MacBookPro, my own personal iPad, my own personal iPhone, and the school desktop connected to a SmartBoard. In the building, we have two 24 station computer labs that can be signed up to use when not being used for class instruction. In the near future, we will be able to use an iPad cart with 20 iPads or a netbook cart with 24 netbooks. I would love to create a project for the students to work on for an extended period of time using these devices. Now that I know what programs - free and otherwise - exist, I may actually be able to carry this out!
     I was fascinated with the Edutopia video we watched this week on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. I instantly found the link online and sent it to my district colleagues. As a musician, I would be anxious about completing the song and music video in only 6 hours! I like to revise a great deal before finalizing. What I mostly took away from the video was how the students felt about the experience. They enjoyed collaborating and being guided by the mentors on the bus. They discovered problems and created solutions through music. They showed off their individual strengths to create a group project.
     One project I have attempted with my students that did not involve technology (other than the classroom instruments which included a digital piano) was to have my third graders work in groups of 1-4 to create a 30 second ensemble piece using the instruments in the room. They worked on the project for two 50-minute classes (though part of each class included a movement/listening/discussion activity). At the end of the second class, the groups performed their compositions and I video recorded them on the iPad. Each presentation was followed by a short critique by me and 1-3 classmates. They are well trained in the feedback sandwich technique, so all critiques were useful. During the third class, the groups were instructed to revise their composition based on the critiques of their classmates (and me). They then performed their revised work at the end of the third class.
    As I reflect on this project, I see that I was right on with the critique part of the lesson. However, were they to have more time to revise and more consistent feedback throughout the project, as Bauer (2014) suggests, they may have had more musical products. I have to say, my goal was not just musical, but to gauge their ability to work in small groups and to think critically about the problem. Some students used paper to jot down ideas (not staff paper), others simply improvised for 30 seconds. One group thoughtfully used different timbres to create a composition using the piano and other classroom instruments. The piece was repetitive with definite structure. I was really impressed with that group!
     Has anyone else ever worked on a project with elementary school students and composition software? I am interested to see what strategies and programs you find useful.

     I decided to create an infographic (using Piktochart) to summarize the value and applications of creating with technology. I hope you enjoy it :)