Unfortunately, in my professional experience placement I was unable to use many of the tools I had investigated in this course. I was unable to use them in my teaching mainly for logistical reasons – the music classrooms were very separate from the rest of the school buildings, they were only minimally equipped with technology and did not have projectors. The school did, however, have functioning computer labs. Using the computers, students were able to look up the notation for songs they wanted to play for their assessment items. It was important that the sources from where they got this music were operating legally. They then printed out their music so they could take it back to the music classrooms and practice it. I found that this worked very successfully. They were also able to listen to music online that they were playing themselves, and to hear the performances of professionals. Students were also able to use notation software such as Sibelius to create professional scores of their own compositions.

In my next placement, I am looking forward to integrating ICTs into my teaching episodes in a more involved fashion. However, this will be dependent on the school I am placed in. Personally, I now think there is huge potential for the integration of ICTs in music education.

A century ago, the term piracy described the act of theft or robbery on the seas. Nowadays, piracy can refer to many different types of theft. Music piracy is the use, reproduction or publication of copyrighted work without legal authorisation. In recent years, this has been a major issue in the music industry, and it has also become a major issue for students and educators (both of which may be perpetrators of the crime). There are two main categories of music piracy, ‘physical’ and ‘internet’. Physical music piracy (pirate CDs, discs, tape) has been around for decades and is still very common today (e.g. approx. 37% of CD sales in 2005 were pirate copies, IFPI 2006). ‘Internet’ music piracy is a more recent occurrence and is having a huge impact on the way school aged children access music.

Internet music piracy involves the transmission of music files over the net. This is often done over websites, via email and peer to peer (P2P) file sharing. Music piracy has huge monetary implications for musicians, as the more music people download illegally and freely, the less revenue artists receive from items such as CDs. It is important to note that without CD sales an artist cannot ‘chart’ (e.g. top 40), and this decreases their chance of radio air-time and other opportunities for exposure (concerts etc). Musicians recognise the impact music piracy is having on the industry. As John Butler says “We sell about 40 per cent less albums than we did three or four years ago because of [illegal] downloading”. Unfortunately for musicians, “1 in 3 kids in the 14-17 year age group illegally download music regularly” (MIPI 2010). As these are school aged children, this has implications for music teachers in Australia. It also raises the question of “Who is responsible for educating children about the illegality of downloading copyrighted material?” This will be discussed further below.

As large numbers of Australian school-aged children download music regularly, it is important to look at the reasoning behind their illegal activity. Many studies have been completed to look at the attitudes these children hold towards music piracy. Only 50% of Australian 14-24 year olds agree with the statement “illegal file sharing is stealing” (MIPI 2010). Over half of these youths and young adults also question “why should they have to pay to download music when they can get it for free via file sharing networks” (MIPI 2010). Studies in the United States have found that students do not believe they will be caught, and that they have a disregard (in some cases hate) of the entertainment industry (Arbogast et al. 2007). The majority of students who download music illegally never go on to buy legitimate or legal copies of the music (MIPI 2010). There are no gender discrepancies when it comes to internet music piracy (Arbogast et al. 2007). In a music classroom, the teacher (who may or may not fully understand copyright law) needs to be aware of the attitudes students have towards music piracy. The music classroom may also be used as a space for learning about the illegality of music piracy and the impact it is having on musicians. This is an important message to instill in students as some of them may go on to have careers as performers or in the music industry.

There are a number of educational tools and resources available aimed specifically at school-aged children that focus on the impact of music piracy. An example of this is the short documentary “In Tune” which is aimed at secondary school students and features “Australian musicians talking candidly about creating music in today’s digital era, the advantages and disadvantages of the internet, and how the digital revolution has affected their livelihoods” (CAG 2008). It features popular artists such as The Veronicas, Jimmy Barnes, and Gyroscope. As Jimmy Barnes said, “the internet has been a godsend and a nightmare for the music industry” (2008). He goes on to emphasise the point that if no-one supports the artist, the music won’t exist anymore.

With the advent of new technologies, iPhones and smart phones, a new range of opportunities for music piracy have opened up. For example, with Bluetooth, music files can be quickly and easily shared between people. If the music file is copyrighted and is a pirate copy, this is illegal activity. For educational use in schools, downloaded music must always come from a legitimate source. This information is vital for teachers to know and to understand, so that they can play, copy, use and distribute music legally in their classrooms.

There is a huge potential for music to be shared legally over the net. An example of a ‘bad-boy-turns-good’ is the Kazaa case in 2006. The unauthorised P2P operator had an “unprecedented settlement” with the music industry and now operates legally.

File sharing also has positive implications for musicians as it can increase exposure rapidly to a wide ranging audience over the internet. There is also a potential here for music students to share their own work via the internet, perhaps even with some monetary gain. There are a number of legitimate means of downloading digital music (e.g. iTunes, BearShare etc). As more action is taken against illegal file-sharers, more people have turned to legal avenues for downloading music. It is important that music students are aware of the legal avenues for obtaining digital music, not only to avoid penalties, but to ensure the future of artists. As they may one day be professional musicians, this is essential to ensure they can have a viable career as a musician.

The next decade will see huge changes in the way music is delivered to audiences around the world. The legitimate sale of music over the internet is continuing to increase rapidly through operators who work legally. As more people recognise that downloading is illegal and they may be caught, they are turning to legal sources at an increasing rate. However, the attitudes of youths and young adults who do not understand why they should pay for something they could get for free, especially when they do not believe they will be caught, is a harder problem to tackle. The solution may be education in schools. Further research needs to be conducted on the ways in which to change the attitudes of school aged children in relation to music downloading. There is also space for continuing research into the way school aged children use the internet to access music, and their reasoning behind their actions. These and other effective measures need to be taken to ensure the future of musicians and the music industry in Australia.

References:

Agrawal, M. (2010) Business models to fight music piracy available at http://www.telecomcircle.com/2010/02/digital-music/ accessed 16/04/2010.

Arbogast, W. et al. (2007) Researching P2P Activity: What students say versus what they really do available at http://www.educause.edu/blog/kellywalker/E07PodcastResearchingP2PActivi/167339 accessed 15/04/2010.

Copyright Advisory Group (CAG) (2008) available at http://www.smartcopying.edu.au accessed 19/04/2010.

Ingram, J. R. & Hinduja, S. (2008). Neutralizing Music Piracy: An Empirical Examination. Deviant Behavior, 29(4), 334-366 available at http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a792792334&db=all accessed 16/04/2010.

International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) (2006) The Recording Industry 2006 Piracy Report, London, available at http://www.mipi.com.au/IgnitionSuite/uploads/docs/piracy-report2006.pdf accessed 18/04/2010.

Malin, J. and Fowers, B. (2009) Adolescent self-control and music and movie piracy. Computers in Human Behaviour, 25(3), 718-722.

Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI) (2010) available at http://www.mipi.com.au accessed 18/04/2010.

(2008) In Tune available at http://www.in-tune.com.au/Content.aspx?PageID=163 accessed 19/04/2010.

mentions Napster incident as well.

Business Models to Fight Music Piracy

“The internet has been a godsend and a nightmare for the music industry” (Jimmy Barnes)

“There are kids out there who have never bought a cd and don’t know anything but downloading” (Weapon X)

How do you educate them, so that they understand that if they don’t support the artist, the music won’t exist anymore.

If you’re selling records, you can chart and then the radio will play you, and as a consequence you’ll sell more records. Illegal downloading undermines this cycle.

Poses the question: “where will the industry be in ten years time?”

Recent studies have applied Grottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory of Crime to investigate whether college students’ inclinations toward internet software piracy is related to low self-control and opportunity (i.e., computer ownership). Given the widespread use of the internet to illegally obtain copies of music and movies, it is important to understand the factors in this form of piracy as well. This study applied the self-control perspective to examine the attitudes of high school students toward the internet piracy of music and movies. Attitudes toward the internet piracy of music and movies were related to self-control, biological sex, internet experience, affiliation with deviant peers, and grade level in this study of high school students. This information is important because studies of internet piracy had not yet confirmed the presence and predictability of internet piracy in high school students. This study also suggests that piracy prevention efforts may be most appropriately focused on high school age individuals and directed toward increasing self-control.

Found here

Researching P2P Activity – What Students Say Versus What They Really Do

• illegal downloading of music
• avenues for ‘legal’ media downloading
• teachers – role models, they also need to use media legally
• reduce piracy rather than eliminate it (as elimination would be nearly impossible)
• music and movies are important to students. (music is personal, movies are shared)
• students don’t believe they’ll be caught
• hate the entertainment industry
• start in middle school downloading illegally.
• Men and Women download equally.
• They want free, easy and big for sites
• some couldn’t name a legal site
• schools often block P2P sites
• Allocated bandwidth – (gold) email services, (silver) instant msging, (copper) itunes, downlading
• block applications (solution?)
• Don’t block, emphasise that it is illegal, and then use consequences
• P2P – half of students were using these applications
• gender differences – no real discrepancies. people have suggested that it was more common in males
• many – 44% – were copyrighted

There are a huge range and variety of technologies available for music teachers to use in their classrooms. With the advent of Web 2.0, new possibilities have arisen for the inclusion of ICTs in music education. These new digital technologies have “revolutionised the ways in which people perform, compose, share and purchase music” (Savage, 2007). Social media and networking tools provide new musical opportunities for music students to interact and collaborate online. The internet can be used as an immediate communicative tool, this fact in itself has revolutionised the way music is transmitted, listened to and created. The use of ICT in music education is also important for students who plan to enter the professional musical world, as it is one where the utilisation of technology is commonplace, and if they are not introduced to this area of music, they will not be able to fully function in many areas of the music industry.

There is a large array of social media tools available to musicians on networking sites such as Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook. The social media tools available on these sites are often used by established bands to keep in constant contact with their ‘fans’, stream music, and advertise (e.g. tour dates). As Savage (2007) says, “traditional marketing is being replaced by artists and bands using social media sites like Twitter to engage fans, promote their work, and connect with others”. Although many of these sites and tools “were not specifically designed for music education, they can be adapted to support a broad range of music classes in schools” (Ruthmann 2008). In the music classroom, these tools have the potential to be used by students to share their own musical creations, receive feedback and keep in touch with other musicians. There are also hundreds of online music communities for amateur and professional musicians (e.g. iCompositions.com, restation.net, acousticfriends.com) to engage in musical activities over the internet. Many of these could be incorporated for use in music classrooms as students would be able to collaborate and share music in an online learning environment (Salavuo 2008).

The iPhone is another tool that can also be used in the music classroom. The Stanford iPhone Orchestra is one example of an ensemble using the unique capabilities of the iPhone as a musical instrument to create live performances. This is a full incorporation of digital technology with traditional performance techniques (the musicians still have ‘traditional’ live interactions with each other in a musical way). Parr (2009) says in a review of one of the Stanford iPhone Orchestras performances that “they did things that no orchestra on Earth can do, such as “passing” musical sounds to one another”. This situation would be easily replicable in a music classroom (provided the majority of students had iPhones). The only difference between this situation and a traditional performance is the instrument. Students would still be using the ‘traditional’ musical skills of collaboration and cooperation.

In his study Savage (2007) also raises the point that the use of “computer-based music work” in classrooms often means a reduction in “peer-to-peer interactions”. In the past, there has been a focus on individual tasks when using technology in music education (e.g. composing on Sibeius, Finale etc). However, there are numerous ways for students to interact, collaborate and cooperate with ICTs in music classrooms. In his paper, ‘The virtual ensemble’, Dillon (2008) discuses “emerging learning opportunities of real-time improvisation of digital instruments connected via electronic networks”. He draws on information from school and community based case studies in Queensland, Australia. Dillon is also involved with the ‘Jam2Jam’ project, which is “about new modes of collaborative performance” and how people (especially school children) “can learn though creative activities based on collaborative and generative technologies.” In this project, the computer is used as the instrument, the network is used as the ensemble, and cyberspace is the venue (Dillon 2009). This type of musical interaction draws on the traditional skills of a live performer (listening, responding, cooperation, improvisation) and combines them with new digital instruments, ensembles and performance spaces. Performing is a major aspect of music education, whether or not the instrument and venue is physical or in a digital space. For these reasons, the Jam2Jam project, or something similar, would be a useful resource in a music classroom for children who are technologically savvy, but lack formal music instruction on a ‘traditional’ physical instrument (Savage 2009).

In the literature, there are many issues raised about the incorporation of ICTs in music education. Savage (2007) mentions that a lack of access to appropriate resources (networked computers, midi keyboards recording software etc) can make it difficult to implement ICTs in the music classroom. Bans on mobile phones in schools can also be a problem as things such as iPhones can be used as instruments, and to share audio and visual digital files (Savage, 2009). In a similar way, bans on social networking sites may also limit the use of ICTs in music classrooms.

The idea of ‘contempory musicianship’ in the present era of live musical interaction over digital networks, is not only a new phenomenon, it also opens up major opportunities for pedagogical change in music education. As Seddon (2008) says, “social interaction within e-learning environments is essential to promote effective collaborative learning but social interaction will not occur without pedagogical practices designed to promote it”. Savage (2007) also mentions that from the results of his research, there a number of music teachers who were reluctant to implement ICT tools in the classroom. The main reasoning for this was that the use of these new technologies would require a major shift in pedagogy, and many music teachers feel more comfortable sticking to the traditional modes of transmission. Some also believed that students would no longer want to play and study ‘traditional’ physical instruments. His research “hypothesised that to truly embrace the potential of ICT would require a major shift in music education’s culture and established practices.”

As many of these ICT and social media tools have only been developed within the past five years, more research would have to be conducted to examine the long term effects of the implementation of these tools in music classrooms. There is also scant research into the effectiveness of these tools in music education, and whether or not they work for different groups in music classrooms (e.g. musically gifted students, special needs).

References:

Parr, B. (2009) Stanford iPhone Orchestra is redefining music’s limits available at http://mashable.com/2009/12/06/stanford-mobile-phone-orchestra/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+Mashable+(Mashable) accessed 26/03/2010.

Pentel, Z. (2010) Five Superb Social Media Tools for Musicians available at http://mashable.com/2010/01/04/social-media-tools-bands/ accessed 26/01/2010.

Ruthmann, A. et al (2008) Music education with digital technology: changing identities, researching digital classrooms, and strategies for change International Society of Music Education Conference: Symposium, 17-25 July 2008 available at http://eprints.qut.edu.au/18152/1/c18152.pdf accessed 26/03/2010.

Salavuo, M. (2008) Social media as an opportunity for pedagogical change in music education Journal of Music, Technology and Education Vol. 1, No. 2 available at http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/37564219/Social-media-as-an-opportunity-for-pedagogical-change-in-music-education accessed 29/03/2010.

Savage, J. (2007) Reconstructing music education through ICT Research in Education No. 78 available at http://stud.hsh.no/home/128554/masterlitteratur/reconstructing%20music%20education%20through%20ICT.pdf accessed 26/03/2010.

Savage, J. (2010) A survey of ICT usage across English secondary schools Music Education Research Vol. 12, No. 1, March 2010. Available at http://pdfserve.informaworld.com/226634_751308040_919586914.pdf accessed 29/03/2010.

(2008) Jam2Jam available at http://www.jam2jam.com/home accessed 28/03/2010.