Instructional Technologies, Methodologies, and Resources
Purpose and Content – The Instructional Technologies, Methodologies, and Resources component provides a comprehensive review of historic, current, and emerging instructional technologies and methodologies useful for teaching in the classroom and studio. Instructional Technologies, Methodologies, and Resources also provides opportunity for member commentary and discussion.
The Editor – After consultation with members of the Board of Editors, the Board of Directors, and other members of The College Music Society, the General Editor of College Music Symposium will make a recommendation or recommendations to the Board of Directors for the position of Editor of the Instructional Technologies and Methodologies component. The Editor is usually appointed for a three-year term.
Responsibility of the Editor – It shall be the responsibility of the Editor to (1) maintain good relations with developers and manufacturers, (2) solicit and receive materials for review, (3) distribute materials to reviewers, (4) make final decisions on acceptance of reviews, and (5) regulate the content of the Instructional Technologies and Methodologies component. The Editor shall also be responsible, either directly or through delegation, for monitoring online discussion of CMS reviews.
Editorial Board – An Editorial Board will consist of members appointed by the General Editor in consultation with the Editor of the Instructional Technologies, Methodologies, and Resources component. A balance of representation of the music disciplines will be maintained on the review Board.
Review Objectives – The Instructional Technologies and Methodologies component meets the need of musicians and music teachers for (1) information concerning historic, recent, and emerging hardware, software, methods, resources, and approaches relevant to classroom and studio music teaching, and (2) a fair and equitable assessment of these items.
College Music Symposium recognizes that rapid and substantial changes have occurred in educational delivery methods in higher education over the past twenty-five years and that the rate of change continues to accelerate. For example, today, computerized ear-training hardware and software is a standard component of aural skills development within music school curricula, and computerized, “smart” practice rooms can approximate the acoustics of special concert halls around the world. College Music Symposium recognizes that not all technologies and methods will prove over time to be worthwhile or valuable, and that the field of music will embrace and evolve toward some technologies and methods but not others. By making available informed assessments and opinions of music-related instructional technologies and methods, the profession may keep abreast of significant trends and needs in the field.
Review Principles – Reviewers are expected to address the stated or implied purpose, methodology, evidence, and conclusions of an item or method, and to identify its virtues and drawbacks. Notable flaws, such as disappointing omissions and conspicuous errors, are identified but are not be berated in a mean-spirited manner. The item or method under review is considered in light of its intended purpose, not what the reviewer might have preferred. Reviews are informative and instructive with a high level of detail. Reviews do not take the form of a personal diatribes.
Review Procedures – The Editor of the Instructional Technologies, Methodologies, and Resources component will attempt to establish relationships with developers and manufacturers concerning their emerging products and technologies. When items are ready for review, the Editor will link developers and manufacturers to Reviewers and they will make arrangements for the best means of review of the item, method, or material. In extraordinary circumstances, the Reviewer may be asked to travel to the manufacture site in order assess the item. Reviewers shall (1) receive or travel to the item, or receive materials concerning the method, and (2) provide a review to the Editor by an appropriate, agreed-upon time. The Editor will revise or edit the review and make a decision to accept, reject, or return the review to the Reviewer for further revision. Decisions by the Editor are final. Upon acceptance of a review, the Editor will transmit the completed text file to the Executive Office for posting to College Music Symposium.
Special Development Procedures – The Editor may find it useful to assess items or methods of historic or recent value or use. In such cases the Editor may develop and assign an appropriate project to a Reviewer or, in some special cases, work with the Editor of the Reviews component on a project designed to assess an important method, trend, or issue within the music teaching community.
Features of the Instructional Technologies, Methodologies, and Resources Component – The Instructional Technologies, Methodologies, and Resources component will include the following features and opportunities for users of College Music Symposium:
• Master List of Items and Methods – The Instructional Technologies and Methodologies component will include a master list of items and materials received by College Music Symposium. This list will include:
(a) materials received and reviewed;
(b) items and materials received but for which College Music Symposium does not provide a review. A short descriptive summary (e.g., 250 words) may be included.
• Member Reviews and Comment – opportunity for members to comment on the official CMS review and to submit their own review.
• Link to the Manufacturer and to Amazon.Com – items on the list will include the opportunity to order the reviewed or listed item.