WEEK10 REFLECTION-Music and Games in Classroom

Course Outline

Before the start of Lecture 10, the lecturer mentioned in the email that there would be a special guest speaker in the lecture who would teach us strategies for using music in the classroom. With anticipation, I arrived at the classroom where Mr Tamin began by introducing the problem statement and conceptual framework. He then discussed the benefits, role and impact of music in various areas, including its use in classroom settings. Mr Tamin also demonstrated tempo changes, introducing musical tempos and their applications in different learning contexts. For example, slow tempos (60-80 beats per minute) are recommended for studying, while moderately fast tempos (80-100 beats per minute) are suitable for brainstorming and group discussions. Towards the end of his lecture, Mr Tamin demonstrated how playing an instrument like an electric guitar could further enhance understanding of basic rhythms in teaching.

Music in classroom

Incorporating music into teaching strategies has been proven to have numerous benefits for students. Mr Tamin's emphasis on how music enhances engagement, motivation, articulation, and memory is supported by research in the field of education.

Engagement is a crucial aspect of effective learning. According to Blumenfeld et al., (2006) when students are engaged in their lessons, they are more likely to actively participate and retain information. Music can be a powerful teaching tool to capture students' attention and create an immersive learning environment (Propst,2003). By incorporating music into teaching strategies, educators can tap into the emotional power of music to inspire and motivate their students. Whether it's through singing songs related to the topic being taught or using musical instruments to explore concepts, music can make learning more enjoyable and engaging for students.

 This reminds me that, in our previous micro-teaching session in Lecture 2, Ammi prepared a rainbow song to deepen the students' memories, the whole class sang it together while attracting the attention of peers. The rhythm, melody, and lyrics of songs can evoke emotions that resonate with learners, making them more eager to learn and participate in classroom activities.

It is well known that songs often have catchy melodies or memorable tunes that make it easier for students to remember information long-term. The combination of music with educational content creates a powerful mnemonic device that aids memory retention.

With this feature, music can be integrated into the teaching of different disciplines. Mr Tamin also encourages educators to explore creating their own educational melodies. By creating original songs that relate to a specific topic or curriculum, teachers can tailor their teaching directly to the needs of their students while still keeping them entertained. For instance, in language classes, teachers can utilize songs with catchy lyrics to help students remember vocabulary and grammar rules more effectively. In science classes, they can use musical experiments or create songs about scientific concepts to make them more memorable for students.

This also recalled my language learning process. When I was learning Japanese Hiragana and Katakana, my Japanese teacher played kana songs for us in order to make it easier to remember the pronunciation. It also helped my memory greatly.

Educational Games

Both the lecture and tutorial sessions were incredibly engaging and enjoyable, as the lecturer effortlessly incorporated a delightful sense of humour into his teaching style. In the tutorial, the lecturer also discussed the necessity of a sense of humour in teaching. The lecturer shared anecdotes from his own experiences as an educator where humour played a significant role in enhancing student engagement. 

Educational games are the typical embodiment of a sense of humour, designed to be entertaining and educational, making them an effective tool for promoting active learning environments. It promotes active learning environments that provide experiential experiences, enhance learning and stimulate interest and motivation(Strickland & Kaylor, 2016). The element of fun inherent in these games captures students' attention and keeps them engaged throughout the learning process. As a result, they become more motivated to explore new topics or delve deeper into subject matter beyond what is covered in traditional lectures or textbooks (Eagle & Barnes, 2009).

To bring a sense of humour to the classroom, Mr Tamin arranged a puzzle game called 'The Jigsaw Speed Race Experiment' to demonstrate how background music can help us to concentrate, especially when teaching language and literacy. Our task was to reassemble a cut piece of paper with and without a music setting. Each team was given a cut piece of paper that had been meticulously torn apart into various shapes. The whole game was very tense and motivating, every team wanted to be the first to finish the jigsaw puzzle! The atmosphere became intense yet exhilarating as each team raced against time and each other.

In the tutorial, the lecturer invited Sitao, Luanne and Shiwei to have a quick musical game While listening to the song, they were supposed to fill in the blanks in the lyrics. The purpose of this activity was to engage students in an interactive and fun way while enhancing their listening skills and vocabulary. As they gathered around, the lecturer explained how this game could be a valuable tool for language learning.

Career inspiration

Mr Tamin is a good model for me to follow. Reflecting upon this exciting class later, the use of music added an extra layer of excitement and creativity that further stimulated student engagement during the lesson r on, we realized how much fun learning can be when infused with creativity and humour like Mr Tamin did that day. I will incorporate as many musical elements as possible in my future classroom designs.

These experiences also served as valuable reminders that incorporating humour into our future teaching endeavours could have profound effects on student motivation and overall classroom dynamics. Being a humorous teacher is also a goal I strive for.

References

Blumenfeld, P. C., Kempler, T. M., & Krajcik, J. S. (2006). Motivation and cognitive engagement in learning environments (pp. 475-488). na. 

Eagle, M., & Barnes, T. (2009). Experimental evaluation of an educational game for improved learning in introductory computing. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 41(1), 321–325. https://doi.org/10.1145/1539024.1508980

Propst, T. G. (2003). The relationship between the undergraduate music methods class curriculum and the use of music in the classrooms of in-service elementary teachers. Journal of Research in Music Education, 51(4), 316-329. 

Strickland, H. P., & Kaylor, S. K. (2016). Bringing your a-game: Educational gaming for student success. Nurse Education Today, 40, 101–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.02.014