Use of Web-Based Tools in Musical Communities from Three Perspectives

摘要

The purpose of this multi-project research was to explore uses of web-based technologies in musical communities from three perspectives. I wanted to learn how those technologies impacted musical collaboration, tools for teaching, and communication between orchestra directors. The first study was an examination of how high school string players, from an existing chamber group, viewed online music collaboration. This case study revealed that these high school students preferred to utilize technologies with which they were familiar, in particular, Facebook and Spotify. The second study determined which mobile apps Pennsylvania music teachers used in their classrooms. The questionnaire returned results from 342 app users, and 392 app non-users. In addition to a robust list of apps being actively used by K-12 music teachers, I also gained an understanding of why more than half these teachers did not use apps in their classrooms. The third study investigated uses of the Youth Orchestra Directors Facebook page and explored user perceptions of the (researcher created) page. This case study revealed that there was great interest in this Facebook page, but the page needed more activity to be helpful for the population. In addition, I gathered personal and professional attributes (via questionnaire) from these group members to learn more about who made up the youth orchestra director community. These three exploratory studies helped me understand perceptions of technology in the orchestra community from students, teachers, and youth orchestra directors. These studies also helped me recognize how much work we, as music educators, need to do to understand the impact technology has on our classrooms, particularly as technology advances rapidly.