Blog #1

 Hello everyone! My name is Anthony Howard, and I go by AJ. I’m from Chicago and teach in Highland Park, Illinois, which is a nearby suburb of the city. I’m currently in my fourth year teaching middle school music. As a music educator, I’ve taught general music to this point and will take on a new role as the band and orchestra teacher at my school next school year. This master's in curriculum and instruction will be my first master's degree, and I’m excited to use all of the new skills and knowledge learned to better serve my students. In addition to my pursuits as an instrumental director, I plan to serve on our school leadership team as a teacher leader and have a positive impact on all students at my school. 



The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standard 1.4.a states students will “know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems” (ISTE, 2024). 6th-grade students in my general music class are able to meet this standard through a video game music project. The project is split into three parts that’ll guide students through a music composition project that incorporates technology. In my 6th-grade curriculum, students will learn about musical form and be able to compose a song using one of the forms we learn in the unit. The first phase of the project engages students in a drumming activity where they compose a short song on the drums with their tablemates and perform for the class. After each group performs, students raise their hands and vote on which form they believe the group played. Next, students will learn about the history of music in video games and begin planning which video game they will choose for the project, along with the form they’ll use. 


The second phase of the project requires students to use Soundtrap.com to create a song while following the requirements. As students compose their project, they must choose loops that blend well and match the style of the music from the video game in their project. Here is a picture that shows an example of a finished project along with the directions. 


Triple E Framework 



Kolb’s Triple E Framework discusses ways in which teachers can provide students with structure to meet the three main components of the framework. Throughout this project, students are able to collaborate with their peers and are provided with a structure on how to complete their project. Kolb (2020) states, “a teacher could pair students up while working on a piece of software (co-use), or students could participate in reflective thinking practices such as making predictions while they are using the technology tools” (para. 1). Engagement, enhancement, and extension are three areas of the framework I will address in the project. In my efforts to promote engagement, students are able to work with a partner. I will model how to use various tools in Soundtrap, use a gradual release approach, and use consistent student reflections throughout the unit. As for enhancement, I’ll use visuals, opportunities for differentiation, and connect to students’ interests, as they can choose the video game their project will be based on. Extension is seen in this project as students investigate and direct their own projects. Students are tasked with making informed decisions about how the sound samples they choose align with the video game's theme and style. 


References 

International Society for Technology in Education. (2024). Design Process (1.4.a). iste.org. https://iste.org/standards/students#citation.

Kolb, L. (2015, January 5). Instructional Strategies. Triple E Framework. https://www.tripleeframework.com/instructional-strategies.html. 

Comments

  1. CollinYocomJanuary 18, 2026 at 11:26 AM

    Hello AJ, your post was well thought out and I feel it answered the prompts well. I appreciated your use of video game music composure to integrate and meet ISTE standards, especially since it was something based on personal experience that you have already personally put into practice as a teacher. The project as you described it has clear scaffolding and progression that shows a clear understanding of how to get students to build upon their knowledge of a subject over time, and how technology can be used to facilitate and aid in this process.

    I feel that your explanation of Kolb's framework is similarly well thought-out, and your response is well supported by your own examples and personal experience as a teacher with putting Kolb's ideas of engagement, enhancement and extension into practice to facilitate learning. Your post as a whole provides a great argument for the virtues of effective technology use in education.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lucas_BergenJanuary 22, 2026 at 6:24 PM

    Hey AJ, I really love your lesson idea about video game music. I think especially with general music it is so important to implement stuff that the students are interested. This helps them realize that music is something that anyone can resonate with no matter what their other interests are. I think your lesson perfectly ties in with Kolb's Triple E Framework!

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