Technology: educational tool or latest gimmick? Composers in Virtual Interactive Classrooms

CIVIC explores the teaching of elementary music through a process of musical composition. Elementary and middle school children compose individually or in small groups, using notation software (Noteworthy Composer and Sibelius). When students complete a first draft, they upload their composition to the CIVIC Website (http://www.civic.acadiau.ca) with a description of their composition, as well as a request for feedback. This request initiates a dialogue with professional composers, Acadia music education students, and other student-composers from around the province. These respondents read the request, listen to the composition, and upload a response. Once the student composers read and reflect upon the feedback, they are encouraged to make changes and submit additional drafts. The School of Music at Acadia has been recognized nationally for the quality of its music education graduates. Annually, school boards from British Columbia to Newfoundland actively recruit our students prior to graduation. We believe this is because Acadia seeks to be aware of the changing educational needs of Canadian schools. Most recently Acadia has responded to technological change by adopting a university-wide laptop program that provides all students with requisite skills, methodologies, and experiences to use technology effectively in their chosen field of study. Partnerships such as this one encourage and foster a collaborative model of curriculum development that helps to link theory and practice. Herein lies the success!