This project supported the creation, development, and implementation of digital learning modules for the A-level course “Foundations in Musicianship,” which is a prerequisite to virtually all courses in the UTSC Music program. The modules allow students from a wide range of musical backgrounds to learn the Western music theory and ukulele technique components of the MUZA80 curriculum at their own pace and via a practical, hands-on framework. This in turn has freed up class time for more in-person music-making and creation, allowing instructors to foreground alternative approaches to curriculum delivery and content such as songwriting, soundscapes, hand drumming, movement and dance, popular and traditional musics, etc.
Outcomes
We filmed 56 short teaching videos ranging in length from 2 to 10 minutes. These are grouped into seven modules and feature six different UTSC Music faculty members as on-screen instructors. Of these, 28 videos (totaling nearly 3 hours of content) are currently in use in Foundations in Musicianship and are also used as review materials for other Music courses. Students access the videos, which include animated graphics and embedded quizzes, via the university’s Learning Management System (Quercus). The average video length for published videos is 5:57; median length is 5:30. Six different faculty members from the UTSC Music program participated in this project by drafting scripts and recording videos. A current OISE doctoral student assessed the project via self-assessment questionnaires, digital journal reflections, course assessments, and focus groups with undergraduate students, and one-to-one interviews with faculty members.