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Day 1 #MUS654 2016

Today was the day. #MUS654 has hit the ground. Actually my students and I had a peek last week, but unlike other ‘proper’ MOOCs I do not have a designated set up time. Instead we just hit the ground running and dive into various pages full of content. We’ve had several hours discussing in person, and now it’s time to make the stretch to add the online and reflective engagement.

I had the very pleasant happening of finding out that one of my students already has a blog, and writes every day. Damn. Every. Day. I love a good challenge, and that is going to be something that I do during the next 10 weeks, is write about this class every day.

The underlying methodology for this class is to build a stronger foundation so people can then put whatever type of structure they like on it. -metaphorically of course. If you want to teach a 16 or 60 year old, you still need to understand the foundations and stretch your own thinking. Especially if you want to teach a 6 year old, not because they are younger and need gimmicks, but more that their world is increasingly different to the world many people grew up in. Certainly it is different than mine 1970s and 1980s childhood, and I would dare say that it is even different than my university students’ youth, as technology moves faster than… I don’t know what, but faster than imaginable.

I enjoyed stretching people’s perceptions and watching thoughts begin as we listened to the videos of the overtone singers and thought about the ‘inside’ of pitch. Don’t worry, these abstractions at the beginning will make sense as we progress through and then the idea is that people will have the tools and resources to make their own decisions.

Back to the topic. I really am going to write every day, and I am going to follow the course and aim to do all most of the tasks I have set. I would love to do all of them, but the reality of the 24 hour clock will surprise me more often that I care to admit.

Please do jump in with us. These first two weeks are about the basics. We are thinking meta, and getting inside the particulars of music. I would love to know how you experience sound, pitch, and melodic lines.

Until tomorrow…

Featured image CC-BY by caio siqueira

1 thought on “Day 1 #MUS654 2016”

  1. That’s a remarkable challenge to post daily if the posts are as meaningful as your writing is normally. I salute you for taking up the challenge. And I look forward to reading your posts.

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