Joyful Learning with Project-Based Music Technology

In this webinar we will explore several different options for project-based learning with music technology, including podcasts, photo essays, stop motion, and joke reels. These projects have an abundance of voice and choice, they are joyful, and they are sure to keep your students engaged. The lessons were inspired by the work being done in the Connected Arts Networks (CAN) project, and specifically these projects were created with Gholdy Muhammed’s five pursuits in mind. The learning objectives in these projects include:

• Identity: Students will explore who they are, their preferences, and their interests.
• Skills: Students will learn how to use a digital audio workstation (DAW) and other visual programs.
• Intellect: Students will learn to edit, review, and rework their presentations so that they have the highest quality possible.
• Criticality: Students will have the chance to courageously share their experience even if it is vastly different from their peers.
• Joy: Students will engage in joyful learning with these opportunities to be creative.

Ashleigh McDaniel Spatz teaches music technology at Rising Starr Middle School. For most of her career, she taught elementary general music, chorus, and steel band at Burgess Peterson Academy in Atlanta Public Schools and throughout metro Atlanta. She is a national teacher leader with NAfME in the Connected Arts Networks (CAN) project. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Music from Mercer University and her Master of Music Education from Texas Tech University. She was the recipient of the 2020 Give-A-Note Music Education Innovator Award, the 2019 CMA Music Teacher of Excellence Award, and the 2019 Teach On Project Award. She was the 2019-2020 Teacher of the Year at Burgess Peterson Academy and a top 25 semifinalist for the Grammy Music Educator Award in 2023.

NAfME presents this live virtual event at no charge to all as a service to the music education profession. To register, you must enter your NAfME member information or create a nonmember account. After registering, check your email for instructions. A recording of this program will be available to all registrants for one week following the live event. Members can also view archived NAfME webinars in the NAfME Academy.

The views expressed are those of the presenter; they do not necessarily reflect the views of NAfME.