Introduction

This lesson was developed as a project for the course, Telecommunications in Education - ICG 767, at UNLV during the summer term of 1999.

This lesson was developed for music and/or computer application students in junior or senior high school. There are many new ways to find and purchase music on the web. CD's may soon be a thing of the past! Currently, you can preview and download your favorite songs from the internet and create your own CD's or mp3 disks! And - you don't have to purchase the whole collection of songs from a CD; you can choose just your favorite tracks! Also, the internet holds a wealth of information like finding/previewing/downloading music, finding information on your favorite groups, finding resources for creating music with a computer, and finding information and listening to music from around the world! Students will benefit greatly from learning about these new technologies!

Content Area and Grade Level
This WebQuest is designed for junior/senior high school students in computer application or music courses. Students in either of these areas will benefit from this WebQuest. The "Personal Music Guide" can be produced with a variety of software applications, depending on the experience of the students and the objectives of the course.

Curriculum Standards

Students will learn much about music, the Internet, and computer applications during this lesson. The instructor will have to decide whether the focus should be on music, the Internet, software application, or a combination of all these elements!

National Music Standards Addressed

• Content Standard 6:     Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
• Content Standard 7:     Evaluating music and music performances.
• Content Standard 8:     Understanding relationships between music and the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
• Content Standard 9:     Understanding music in relation to history and culture

• Conducting a search on the Internet using a variety of research techniques.
• Collecting and organizing bookmarks.
• Copying and pasting URL links to another document.
• Copying and pasting graphics or photos from the internet.
• Producing a document utilizing techniques in the teacher's choice of computer application such as the following: word processing, web creation, or presentation software.

Implementation Overview

This lesson is organized in steps. If the students can stay focused on the steps and complete them in order, they will have little or no problems. This lesson can probably be completed in one school week as long as the students are comfortable with the Internet and the software application that is required. Another option is to complete this project over the course of a quarter or semester, especially in the one computer classroom.

Resources Needed

The following are needed to implement this lesson:

• Class set of computers with Internet connection or less computers on a rotational basis
• Web browser which allows bookmarks or favorites
• Software application to produce the music guide (teacher's choice): word processing, web creating, or presentation.
• Audio software so that students can preview music (many audio applications are plug-ins for the latest web browsers) that support LiquidAudio, mp3, midi, aiff, QuickTime, etc...

Entry Level Skills and Knowledge

Students should have some basic skills prior to beginning this lesson.

• Basic Internet browsing.
• Internet vocabulary, i.e.: link, URL, bookmark, etc...
• Software application techniques for the chosen application: word processing, web creating, or presentation.

The instructor must feel confident in the software application that is chosen to create the music guide and should be very comfortable in utilizing the Internet.

Evaluation

An excellent "Personal Guide to Music on the Web" will contain a great insight to the musical experiences of the student. Students should be able to communicate why they enjoy the music they have highlighted in the guide. Hopefully, the world music component will encourage them to look outside their culture for other musical experiences. An excellent "Personal Guide to Music on the Web" will be a great tool for the student to use as his/her personal resource to music in his/her own home!

The MusicQuest Rubric is very easily implemented. There are 5 points possible for each of the 6 steps of the project. The instructor should take into account the requirements in the process and application of the software chosen for the project.

Possible Variations

As already mentioned, there are several variations that are possible. Most variations are part of the decision of which software application should be used to produce the music guide. This WebQuest is a great way to focus the attention of students who are applying techniques of word processing, web creation, or presentation software!

Conclusion

Students really enjoy music and really enjoy computers. Combine the two in an online lesson, and student motivation and morale will soar!

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Introduction

Have you ever gone to the mall and bought a record? Have you ever seen or held a 45? Does your parents' car have an 8 track player? If you've answered "no!" to any of these questions, you are most likely a member of the millennium generation. Your generation is experiencing great advances in technology in music like never seen before! Most of you currently buy music cd's from retail stores, but there are many new ways to find and purchase music on the web. CD's may soon be a thing of the past! Currently, you can preview and download your favorite songs from the internet and create your own CD's or MP3 disks! And - you don't have to purchase the whole collection of songs from a CD; you can choose just your favorite tracks! Also, the internet holds a wealth of information like finding/previewing/downloading music, finding information on your favorite groups, finding resources for creating music with a computer, and finding information and listening to music from around the world! As part of this new generation, you will be pioneering these new advances in music technology!

Your task is to produce a document (word processing, web page, or multimedia presentation) that will serve as your own personal guide to music on the web. This document must contain the following:

• Introduction of yourself and how your musical interests have developed
• Minimum of 3 of your favorite groups/composers and links to the best web sites for each.
• Minimum of 3 links to sites where music can be purchased (2 sites) or downloaded (1 site)
• Minimum of 3 links to web sites containing music from different cultures.
• 4 sites that can be resources for creating music with the computer.
• Summary of this experience.

Here are some valuable resources to get you started. If these do not help, feel free to use well known reliable search engines!
 

Resources

General Music Search Links

Groups/Composer Search Links

Music Preview/Purchase Links

Computer Music Links

World Music Links

The process is relatively simple. Do not get overwhelmed! Your instructor will decide what type of document you are to prepare based on what you already know. Here are the steps to follow. When you have finished step 6, you are done! The first step is always the most difficult to take. So take a deep breath and get started!

1•  Introduce yourself and your musical interests

Begin with  a paragraph to introduce something about you and how your musical interests have developed. Some questions you may want to use as a basis for this introduction are the following:

• What kinds of music have been exposed to you?
• Who has helped influence your musical interests?
• Do you play an instrument?
• What radio/cable stations do you frequent?

2•  Favorite groups/composers (minimum of 3)

For this section, you need to write a paragraph for each of your favorite groups/composers. Be sure to include all of the following for each group/composer:
 

• Group's/composer's style of music
• Your favorite songs or CD titles for each group/composer
• Why you like the group/composer
• A minimum of 3 links to the best web sites for each

You are a pioneer in the newest technologies of purchasing music for your personal collections. Trips to music stores to purchase overpriced CD's that contain 1 track that you want with 13 tracks of songs you will never play are a thing of the past! There are many sites available to preview music before you buy. With MP3 players and software like LiquidAudio, you can download your favorite tracks and burn your own CD's!

Your mission in this section is to find a minimum of 3 sites to preview and/or purchase music on the web. Be sure that at least 1 site allows you to download audio files in MP3 or LiquidAudio formats. Write a paragraph for each site and be sure to include the following:
 

• Description of the site
• Ease of use of the site
• Features of the site
• Why you picked this site over others that you have browsed
• A link to each site

4• Music from different cultures

Sometimes we all get "lost" in our own little world and culture. Sometimes its hard to reach out and discover that there is music out there that may be of interest to us. This section will help to expose you to music of cultures other than your own. Perhaps you may pursue these interests further in the future!

Your mission in this section is to find 3 countries other than your own whose music you enjoy. You may reach into your own ethnic/cultural background or venture into other cultures. You must write a paragraph for each country/culture that you have chosen. Be sure to include the following for each:
 

• Name of country/culture
• Your own description of the music
• Why you like this music
• Link(s) to a site(S) for each country and/or link(s) to song(s) representative of each country

5• Creating music with a computer

Much of the music heard today on radio, tv, or in the movies is composed and performed with the use of a computer. Music workstations are fairly inexpensive and fairly easy to use.

Your mission is to delve into the world of computer generated music and find some resources in case you are ever interested in pursuing computer music! You must find 4 sites for this section:

1. Online computer/music magazine
2. MIDI resource (Be sure this site can answer the following: what is MIDI?, how to set up MIDI?)
3. Online music store (where to purchase music software/hardware online)
4. A site to get your new music heard online

• Description of site
• Link to site
• Usefulness to you

6  Summary

Write a paragraph that summarizes your experience in this WebQuest. Some items you may want to include in this paragraph are the following:

• New sites you have found
• Usefulness to you in the future
• New concepts you have learned
• New software processes you have mastered
• Sites you plan to continue to visit

You will be evaluated on your completed personal guide and your participation in this project. Please refer to the Rubric for more details!
 
 

Conclusion

Wow! You completed your mission! Hopefully, you have been exposed to some new musical experiences on the web and you have a great music guide that you can use and continue updating in the future!