1.

1.2

1.3

1.4

Know students and how they learn

FOCUS AREA, (with
ICT ELABORATION
descriptor)
Physical, social and
Demonstrate knowledge and
intellectual
understanding of ways that
development and
students ICT use can
characteristics of
influence students social
students
and intellectual development
(Demonstrate
and how this may affect the
knowledge and
students engagement and
understanding of
learning.
physical, social and
intellectual
development and
characteristics of
students and how
these may affect
learning.)

Understand how
students learn
(Demonstrate
knowledge and
understanding of
research into how
students learn and the
implications for
teaching.)

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of how
student engagement and
learning can be enhanced
through the use of digital
resources and tools.

Students with
diverse linguistic,
cultural, religious
and socioeconomic
backgrounds
(Demonstrate
knowledge of teaching
strategies that are
responsive to the
learning strengths and
needs of students
from diverse
linguistic, cultural,
religious and
socioeconomic
backgrounds.)

Demonstrate the ability to

match digital resources and
tools with teaching
strategies in ways that are
responsive to students
diverse backgrounds.

Strategies for
teaching Aboriginal
and Torres Strait
Islander students
(Demonstrate broad
knowledge and
understanding of the
impact of culture,
cultural identity and
linguistic background
on the education of

Evidence of how (if) this is included in the

scope of the course.
Every student is an individual and has a different rate of
physical, social and intellectual development than his or
her peers.
ICT can have positive and negative consequences for
the rate of social and intellectual development in
children. For instance, technology can be a powerful
educational tool in the area of music education;
programs and applications such as Sibelius,
Garageband, MixCraft, ProTools, Musition, Auralia, and
Incredibox are all great examples of ICT that can have a
positive impact on students. On the other hand, part of
being online implies that students are vulnerable 24/7
to both their peers and strangers, who are often
anonymous. Cyberbullying is becoming an increasingly
common form of bullying, and can have a drastic impact
on student development. The 21st century teacher must
be aware of both the positive and negative
consequences of using ICT, and find a balance that
allows students to use technology productively and
safely, without being adversely affected.
As each student is an individual with different learning
styles and personality traits, a teacher must be creative
in finding different ways to engage all students.
Many ICT resources are available to teachers, making
this diverse approach to student learning much more
accessible. In music education, Sibelius is a popular
notation and composition program that caters to visual,
auditory and kinaesthetic learners. Visual learners are
able to view, read and write notation in the same way
that they would by hand; however, it is much faster in
Sibelius, and changes are more easily made. Auditory
learners have the option of listening back to their
compositions at any stage throughout the process, and
each note plays as it is inputted by the user.
Kinaesthetic learners are catered for by being able to
use the theoretical concepts learned by creating their
own music; in addition, midi keyboards can be linked to
the program so students can play short melodies or
rhythms directly into the program.
Australia is a very diverse country, and the students
within it come from varied cultural, linguistic, religious
and socioeconomic backgrounds. Teachers should be
aware of this diversity, and plan their teaching to
accommodate and include all students.
Internet facilities such as YouTube enable the 21st
century music teacher to show their classes recordings
and video clips of music performances from around the
world. Studying world music not only promotes
awareness of different cultures, but also allows students
from all backgrounds the opportunity to, if they are
comfortable, share some experiences or expertise.
It is important to be aware that, even in this age of ICT
and global connection, not all students have access to
the digital resources that are the norm in Australia. The
teacher must be mindful of this fact and provide
opportunities for all students to succeed, not just those
who have access to the best technology. This may
include providing extra class time for computer based
assignments, or allowing students access to computer
rooms before and after school, and during lunch times.
When teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students, the teacher should be aware of the culture
and history of Australia's indigenous people and respect
their traditions.
As a music teacher, it is particularly important to ensure
that any video footage shown does not have images of
deceased Aboriginal people so as not to offend anyone.
It is beneficial for students to learn about Aboriginal
culture and the traditional music of the Aboriginal
people, so long as extra care was taken with video
footage.
Some students may miss several days of school due to

specific celebrations or mourning, and the teacher

should respect this and provide opportunities for the
student to catch up on work missed. ICT learning
platforms such as Edmodo would be very useful in this
case, as it would allow the student/s to find out what
they had missed and get the information they needed.

students from
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander
backgrounds.)

1.5

1.6

Differentiate
teaching to meet
the specific learning
needs of students
across the full
range of abilities
(Demonstrate
knowledge and
understanding of
strategies for
differentiating
teaching to meet the
specific learning
needs of students
across the full range
of abilities.)
Strategies to
support full
participation of
students with
disability
(Demonstrate broad
knowledge and
understanding of
legislative
requirements and
teaching strategies
that support
participation and
learning of students
with disability.)

Select and use specific

digital resources and tools
that are matched to
teaching strategies designed
to meet students individual
and diverse learning needs.

Different students learn at different rates. ICT provides

many ways to meet the learning needs of all students,
regardless of their natural ability. In music classes, the
programs Auralia and Musition provide practice
examples in aural and theory work respectively, in
specialised topics with customised 'levels'. This
simultaneously allows for struggling students to have
extra practice in areas that they need, while still
engaging higher achieving students by providing higher
levels to extend their ability.

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of digital
resources and tools,
including adaptive and
assistive technologies, that
can support the participation
and learning of students
with disability.

It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that all

students, including those with a disability, have access
to an education.
In a music class this can be particularly difficult, due to
the practical nature of many lessons. In order to cater
for a student with dyslexia or with a visual impairment,
I would provide the student with digital copies of all
sheet music distributed. This way the student could
expand the music, change the colours, or print on
different coloured sheets of paper as required. I could
also create an audio file of their individual part in an
ensemble piece by typing it into Sibelius and exporting
it to a midi file, so that the student had the option of
learning it by ear.
Alternatively, if the piece is not an original arrangement
or composition, it may be beneficial to find a recording
of an entire ensemble playing the piece, so that the
student can hear how their part fits with the rest of the
ensemble. This could be on YouTube or NAXOS or
another similar resource.

Know the content and how to teach it

2.1

FOCUS AREA, (with

descriptor)

ICT ELABORATION

Evidence of how (if) this is included in the

scope of the course.

Content and
teaching strategies
of the teaching area
(Demonstrate
knowledge and
understanding of the
concepts, substance
and structure of the
content and teaching
strategies of the
teaching area.)

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of ways that
the use of digital resources
and tools can complement
teaching strategies and
promote deep learning of,
and engagement with, the
content of specific teaching
areas.

As a teacher, it is extremely important to know and

understand the concepts and material that you are
teaching. It is far easier for students to be engaged with
and trust their teacher if they can be confident that they
are being given the correct information.
In a music classroom, computer programs such as
PowerPoint or Prezi can be used to effectively organise
and present information. This would be particularly
useful in a lesson on a particular style or genre (as
opposed to a practical lesson, such as choir). For
example, if I were to teach a unit on Variation form in
music, I would use a powerpoint presentation to
demonstrate different ways in which the theme of a
musical work may be varied or changed. In addition, I
could use a YouTube video
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4KpBBdwKSs> to
play an example of a famous piece in Variation form,
with the score being shown on the screen
simultaneously.

Content selection
and organisation
(Organise content into
an effective learning
and teaching
sequence.)

Demonstrate the ability to

select and organise digital
content in relation to
relevant curriculum.

Curriculum,
assessment and
reporting (Use
curriculum,
assessment and
reporting knowledge
to design learning
sequences and lesson
plans.)

Demonstrate the ability to

use digital resources and
tools when devising learning
sequences and lesson plans
designed to meet
curriculum, assessment and
reporting requirements.

Understand and
respect Aboriginal
and Torres Strait
Islander people to
promote
reconciliation
between
Indigenous and
non- Indigenous
Australians
(Demonstrate broad
knowledge of,
understanding of and
respect for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait
Islander histories,
cultures and
languages.)
Literacy and
numeracy
strategies (Know and
understand literacy
and numeracy
teaching strategies
and their application
in teaching areas.)

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of ways that
the use of digital resources
and tools can complement the
engagement, and integration
of the nature of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander
people and culture. (What do
you need to take into account
when delivering material and
incorporating Aboriginal
culture?)

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

Information and
Communication
Technology (ICT)
(Implement teaching
strategies for using
ICT to expand
curriculum learning
opportunities for
students.)

Know and understand how

digital resources and tools
can enable, support,
enhance and accelerate
deep learning in literacy and
numeracy.

Demonstrate the ability to

use a range of digital
resources and tools in ways
that enable deeper
engagement with curriculum
and support a range of
approaches to learning.

It is important for teachers to ensure that the material

they are presented is in a logical order or sequence. ICT
can be a valuable tool for organising this content. For
example, a teacher should have a written out
curriculum plan for each year level, showing what topics
and concepts will be covered at each stage of a
student's schooling, and how they will get there. This
plan could be first written out using Microsoft Word or
Excel, and later uploaded to either the teacher's or the
school's website, or to learning platforms such as
Edmodo.
Once an entire curriculum has been selected and drawn
up, the teacher is then able to work on the finer details
of unit and lesson plans in similar ICT platforms.
When designing lesson and unit plans, it is important for
the teacher to understand and abide by the
requirements of the curriculum (be it the school, state
or national curriculum). Analysing the results of
assessed tasks can give insight into whether or not the
students have digested the information taught, and
assist the teacher to improve in their future teaching.
The Windows app 'Markbook' is a useful ICT tool for
recording and storing student grades, creating
assessment rubrics, and marking group and individual
assignments. It is a good online solution that makes it
easy to keep track of student progress without losing
any information. <apps.microsoft.com/windows/enau/app/markbook/7864d668-6122-42a6-b87b597cc2f6e376>
In a music classroom where many videos may be shown
to demonstrate performances of particular pieces or
styles of music, it is especially important to ensure that
particular respect is shown to Aboriginal students. In
Aboriginal culture, it is considered offensive to show
video footage of deceased people, and special care
would need to be taken in ensuring that any clips
played did not offend anyone in this way.
Australia's indigenous people have a fascinating culture
of music in traditional story-telling and in particular
ceremonies, and it is an invaluable experience for
Australian students from all cultural backgrounds to
gain an understanding and appreciation of the music of
their country's original inhabitants.

Music incorporates both literacy and numeracy, and it is

a fundamental part of a music teacher's job to ensure
that all students are capable of meeting these basic
needs. For instance, music is a very language rich
subject, with many terms and phrases specific to
particular topics. In addition, basic literacy skills are
needed in order to effectively write about historical
music and music in society. Basic numeracy skills are
required for rhythmic fluency, and understanding of
chord structures.
Computer programs such as Auralia and Musition can
assist students to practice and improve upon their
literacy and numeracy skills while still relating to music,
as well as allowing students to spend more time on
areas that they need extra practice in.
In the 21st century classroom, it is important for
teachers to embrace the technology available to them
and use ICT to enhance student engagement. It is not
that ICT is the only way, but that we should as
educators be using ever method available to us to reach
out to students and catch their interest.
In music lessons, there are many useful apps available
for handheld devices, including virtual keyboards, loop
software, and recording software, as well as digital
alternatives to more traditional devices (such as
metronomes and tuners). More complex composition
software also exists, including Sibelius, Garageband and

MixCraft, as well as advanced recording programs such

as ProTools.
In delivery of new material it can be beneficial to use a
range of media, including projectors, interactive
whiteboards, internet resources, document cameras,
and interactive learning platforms such as Edmodo.

Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

FOCUS AREA, (with
ICT ELABORATION
Evidence of how (if) this is included in the
descriptor)
scope of the course.
Establish
challenging
learning goals (Set
learning goals that
provide achievable
challenges for
students of varying
abilities and
characteristics.)

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of how the
use of digital resources and
tools can support
approaches to teaching that
enable all students to
pursue their individual
curiosity, set their own
educational goals, manage
their own learning, choose
the way they respond to
tasks and challenges and
assess their own progress.

Plan, structure and

sequence learning
programs (Plan
lesson sequences
using knowledge of
student learning,
content and effective
teaching strategies.)

Select and sequence digital

resources and tools in ways
that demonstrate knowledge
and understanding of how
these can support deep
learning of the content of
specific teaching areas and
effective teaching
strategies.

3.1

3.2

In a music classroom it is necessary for teachers to be

aware that their students come from many different
musical backgrounds and experiences. As they enter
their first high school music class, some students will
have had a broad and thorough music education,
including instrumental lessons, ensemble experiences,
primary school music classes, theory lessons, and
composition experience; many other students will have
been exposed to none of these experiences. Others still
will have extensive experience in one area but not
others. Due to this extreme variation of student
experience and prior knowledge, the teacher must be
prepared to set learning goals that are achievable but
challenge both the beginner and the expert, and
everyone in between.
ICT can be beneficial in providing for all students. For
example, in theory classes, the program Musition can
be tailored to any level, depending on what the student
requires. Each concept is organised into sequential
levels, and the teacher may instruct the student to
begin at level one and move to the next level once they
get a certain amount of answers correct. The same
strategy can be applied to aural lessons, with the
program Auralia.
In practical classes, Sibelius is a valuable notation
program that could be used by teachers to arrange
band or orchestral music for their classes. By arranging
music especially for a particular ensemble, the teacher
can provide simpler parts for those students who are
just beginning to learn their instrument, and more
complex parts for those more accomplished students
who have had more experience.
It is necessary for all teachers to prepare all units and
lessons before teaching, as this aids productive and
sequential learning. Students need the content they are
taught to be in a logical structure.
Programs like Powerpoint and Prezi can be used to
deliver subject content in the classroom. The act of
creating the presentation forces the teacher to consider
how the subject matter will be presented and ordered
ahead of time, and prevents the teacher from forgetting
a crucial point while they are teaching the class later.
Learning platforms such as Edmodo or Daymap are also
useful in that entire unit plans can be uploaded, along
with all presentations and handouts provided, so that
students can access them at a later date. In addition,
assignment due dates and test dates can be given
online so that the excuse of 'I didn't know there was a
test today' becomes invalid.

Use teaching
strategies (Include a
range of teaching
strategies)

3.3

3.4

Select and use

resources
(Demonstrate
knowledge of a range
of resources, including
ICT, that engage
students in their
learning.)

Use effective
classroom
communication
(Demonstrate a range
of verbal and nonverbal communication
strategies to support
student engagement.)

Use a range of digital

resources and tools to
support effective
communication of relevant
information and ideas,
taking into account
individual students learning
needs and backgrounds, the
learning context, and
teaching area content.

Evaluate and
improve teaching
programs
(Demonstrate broad
knowledge of
strategies that can be
used to evaluate
teaching programs to
improve student
learning.)

Demonstrate the capacity to

assess the impact of digital
resources and tools on
students engagement and
learning when adapting and
modifying teaching
programs.

3.5

3.6

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of how to
support teaching strategies
through the use of digital
resources and tools in ways
that facilitate accelerated
and deep learning, promote
creative and innovative
thinking and inventiveness,
engage students in
exploring real world issues
and solving authentic
problems, promote student
reflection and promote
collaborative knowledge
construction.
Demonstrate knowledge of
the use of digital resources
and tools to support
students in locating,
analysing, evaluating and
processing information when
engaged in learning.

To engage every student in the class, it is necessary to

use a wide range of teaching strategies. Every student
is an individual and learns in different ways, and
employing a range of content delivery methods can help
to ensure no student is left behind.
The use of ICT only adds to the effect of a range of
teaching strategies. While not a 'strategy' in its own
right, certain programs can aid the teacher in delivering
subject matter (such as Powerpoint or Prezi), while
others allow students to practice the concepts learned in
a time-efficient and interactive format (such as Auralia,
Musition, Sibelius and GarageBand). The use of these
programs, along with more 'traditional' methods of
teaching, enhance learning and promote creativity and
critical thinking.

To engage students in music lessons it is imperative

that a great number of resources be employed. This is
especially important when engaging in 'creative' tasks,
as some students can feel vulnerable when creativity is
being assessed.
Garageband, Acid and MixCraft are programs that make
use of audio loops. Students can layer different patterns
to create their own compositions, which can be done
with or without a visual stimulant (such as an
advertisement, animation, short clip or photograph).
Incredibox <www.incredibox.com> and the app 'Music
Maker Jam' operate under similar principles, but without
the option of adding visuals. Incredibox can be accessed
from anywhere with an internet connection and enables
students to practice using loops in their own time.
Effective classroom communication is essential, and the
teacher must ensure that all students receive and
understand this communication.
Online learning platforms such as Edmodo or
Blackboard guarantee that all messages will be received
by all students. For example, the teacher can upload
not only the subject content taught in a lesson but also
any homework or test information, or in a music class,
information about upcoming performances. This enables
students who are absent to keep up with the
coursework without missing any information.
In addition to catering for absentees, using these online
learning platforms prevents students from missing any
crucial information. In music classes, where the learning
focus is on sound and therefore classes are often much
louder than in other subjects, lessons can become
chaotic and communication may be drowned out or
misheard. Having this information available to access at
the students' discretion is an effective way to combat
this difficulty.
The teacher must always evaluate their teaching
programs and strategies and make judgments on how
to improve, and which concepts need extra explanation.
Poll Everywhere is a helpful tool for getting feedback on
student understanding, and can enable the teacher to
gauge whether the class as a whole is confident with
the material taught. I would use Poll Everywhere both
leading up to tests to see what needed to be revised,
and to determine how to teach the same unit the
following year.
In addition to Poll Everywhere, Auralia and Musition are
valuable music-specific programs that I would operate
on a similar basis to Poll Everywhere. Both Auralia and
Musition have a feature allowing teachers to set up
tests and practice tests, which are marked by the
computer. These tests would allow me to assess which
areas of the topic I need to explain further.

3.7

Engage
parents/carers in
the educative
process (Describe a
broad range of
strategies for
involving
parents/carers in the
educative process.)

Describe how digital

resources and tools can
support innovative ways of
communicating and
collaborating with
parents/carers to engage
them in their childrens
learning.

Parents and carers are absolutely essential in

developing a child's education, as they are the people
who the child has the most interaction with. It is
therefore of paramount importance that the teacher
utilises a range of methods to engage the
parents/carers of students with their learning.
ICT enables almost instant contact with parents,
through the use of mobile phones, email, and learning
media such as Edmodo. Feedback on a student's
development can be given to their parents via Edmodo
or email, allowing them to keep track of their child's
learning.
I often use email or text messages to contact the
parents of my instrumental music students; I am able
to send reports home without fear of it getting lost in
the process, as well as let parents/carers know of any
upcoming events or issues that have arisen instantly.

Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

FOCUS AREA, (with
ICT ELABORATION
Evidence of how (if) this is included in the
descriptor)
scope of the course.
Support student
participation
(Identify strategies to
support inclusive
student participation
and engagement in
classroom activities.)

Identify strategies that

address the diverse needs of
learners through learnercentred approaches that are
supported by selection and
sequencing of available
digital resources and tools.

Manage classroom
activities
(Demonstrate the
capacity to organise
classroom activities
and provide clear
directions.)

Demonstrate the capacity to

manage student access to
digital resources and tools
to support student
engagement and learning.

4.1

4.2

In music classes, a good way to support different

students' learning styles is with the use of virtual pianos
(such as this example available for Windows, OSX and
Linux http://sourceforge.net/projects/vmpk/) on
computers, tablets, or smart phones in aural practice.
Aural activities can be a difficult part of music for many
students. Some students find it relatively easy to
recognise melodic intervals, for instance, and can label
the quality and quantity of the interval without trouble.
Others find it hard to recognise the intervals so easily.
For visual learners, the use of a virtual keyboard means
they can play the interval and physically see how far
apart the two notes are, while hearing the effect at the
same time. This self-instruction allows visual-oriented
students to spend time focusing on areas of aural
recognition they find difficult, without holding up the
rest of the class.
For kinaesthetic learners, the task would be just as
beneficial. Rather than sitting and listening to the
teacher play the intervals repetitively and simply
guessing at the answer, students are given the
opportunity to do the activity themselves, and play the
intervals. Again, subconsciously the student will relate
the action of playing a particular interval to the sound
they hear.
In order to prevent constant repetition of instructions,
learning platforms such as Blackboard or Edmodo could
be used. Units of work or project/assignment
instructions could be uploaded by the teacher and
accessed by all students. This not only saves time in
giving instructions more than once, but allows absent
students to keep up with work missed. Uploading
instructions also provides a point of reference for
students during the process of working on their
assignments who may have forgotten some of the
details.
Blackboard or Edmodo could also be used to provide
information, or links to web resources. Students would
also be free to share information about other resources
they may have found, providing a peer network for
students.
Submission of assignments could also be via Blackboard
or Edmodo, saving on printing. This would have to be
carefully managed, so that students cannot see each
other's completed work and be tempted to cheat or
plagiarise from their classmates.

Manage challenging
behaviour
(Demonstrate
knowledge of practical
approaches to
manage challenging
behaviour.)

Demonstrate knowledge of
practical approaches for
encouraging responsible
social interactions and make
use of digital resources and
tools, as appropriate to the
needs, backgrounds and
interests of students, when
managing challenging
behaviours.

Maintain student
safety (Describe
strategies that
support students
well- being and safety
working within school
and/or system,
curriculum and
legislative
requirements)

Demonstrate understanding
of risks to students wellbeing and safety while using
digital resources and tools.
Demonstrate understanding
of practices and tools to
mitigate these risks.

Use ICT safely,

responsibly and
ethically
(Demonstrate an
understanding of the
relevant issues and
the strategies
available to support
the safe, responsible
and ethical use of ICT
in learning and
teaching.)

Demonstrate understanding
of safe, legal, and ethical
use of digital resources and
tools, including cyber safety
practices, respect for
copyright, intellectual
property, and the
appropriate documentation
of sources.

4.3

4.4

4.5

The easiest method of dealing with challenging

behaviour in students is to take preventative measures.
At school, students are far less likely to misbehave if
they are engaged and challenged, without the task
being too difficult for them; as opposed to bored or
frustrated.
Incorporating ICT into students' learning is a useful way
of keeping the interest of students. Using Smartboards,
Prezi or Powerpoint presentations allows visual learners
to actively engage in the learning at hand. In music
classes, auditory learners are extremely easy to cater
for with the use of recordings of instruments, voices and
styles of music. Kinaesthetic learners would appreciate
the interactive nature of Smartboards. Asking a
kinaesthetic learner to write or draw on the Smartboard
is a great way to meet their needs as well as take the
focus from the teacher to the student, encouraging
peer-based education. Some examples of music related
interactive whiteboard apps can be found
at http://www.themusicinteractive.com/TMI/classroomapps.html.
When students finish a task early, they can often get
bored and misbehave or distract other students. ICT is
useful in this situation; those students who are finished
may play educational games. Some music quizzes and
games can be found on http://www.8notes.com/games.
Another fun, educational game which could be used as a
long-term competition for the high score is Staff Wars
(http://andyramos.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/staffwars/).
Student safety is essential in every classroom.
Maintaining safety in the classroom falls under two
categories; safety in the physical classroom, and cyber
safety. ICT tools can be used to enhance both kinds of
safety.
In a music classroom, students and teachers can be at
risk of hearing loss; this is particularly common in larger
classes, extra-curricular ensembles and bands using
electronic amplification. It would be beneficial for
students to undertake a short research project on
hearing loss prevention and safe decibel levels early on.
These projects could be presented in the form of a
podcast, which could then be posted on online learning
platforms such as Edmodo, or posted directly to
YouTube.
Internet use at school would have to be carefully (and
surreptitiously) monitored by the teacher. Yet another
great reason for using sites such as Blackboard and
Edmodo is that they are closed community sites
monitored by the teacher; the teacher can quickly note
and deal with any inappropriate or bullying behaviour,
as well as provide a forum for students to learn and
express themselves without the input of external
internet trolls.
Technology is an unavoidable part of the modern
classroom. With ICT comes many benefits and learning
opportunities, but it also brings difficulties and dangers.
It is essential that students are taught how to safely use
ICT tools, and adhere to copyright laws.
Internet safety is extremely important, and something
that adolescents can often overlook. A good way to
counteract this is to run a few short seminars on cyber
safety, and provide students with opportunities to
browse sites such as http://www.netsafe.org.nz/
and http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Teens.aspx - these
sites contain plenty of information about cyber safety
written for and directed at teenagers, as well as quizzes
and games related to internet safety.
Copyright laws are a big issue for music students, and it
is a good idea to spend time each year looking at
Australian copyright requirements and discussing what
they mean for music students. A class discussion would
be beneficial to work out how to legally use and
reference recorded and notated music, and summarise
the law into easy to understand guidelines for students.

These guidelines could then be posted on Edmodo or

Blackboard, where students would always have easy
access to them to remind themselves later.

Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning

FOCUS AREA, (with
ICT ELABORATION
Evidence of how (if) this is included in the
descriptor)
scope of the course.
Assess student
learning
(Demonstrate
understanding of
assessment
strategies, including
informal and formal,
diagnostic, formative
and summative
approaches to assess
student learning.)

Demonstrate understanding
of the educative value of
providing students with
multiple and varied
diagnostic, formative and
summative assessments and
the application of digital
resources and tools in
facilitating a range of
approaches to assessment.

5.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

Provide feedback to
students on their
learning
(Demonstrate an
understanding of the
purpose of providing
timely and
appropriate feedback
to students about
their learning.)

Make consistent
and comparable
judgements
(Demonstrate
understanding of
assessment
moderation and its
application to support
consistent and
comparable
judgements of student
learning.)
Interpret student
data (Demonstrate
the capacity to
interpret student
assessment data to
evaluate student
learning and modify
teaching practice.)

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of the ways
that digital resources and
tools can be used to
enhance the validity,
reliability and efficiency of
approaches to assessment
and evaluation.

Demonstrate the capacity to

use digital tools for
recording, managing and
analysing student
assessment data to inform
future practice.

Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, and

it is important that the assessment tasks undertaken in
the classroom reflect this. Some students perform very
well on written assignments, while others prefer giving
presentations, and still others prefer creative-based
projects.
In a music classroom, it is important to assess all facets
of the subject; performance (solo & ensemble), theory,
aural, history, and composition (including improvisation
and arranging). Within the confines of these topics, it is
easy to implement a wide range of assessment tasks,
both in the traditional method and using digital means.
Performance assessment lends itself to audio and/or
video recording. Live performances can be recorded for
viewing at a later date; and simpler assessments such
as band part-testing could be a home-based recording
assignment. Written tasks and oral presentations
(including the use of powerpoint or Prezi visual aids)
can be easily implemented into music history topics.
Theory and aural tests can either use the traditional
pen-and-paper method, or digital tests can be set up on
Auralia or Musition. Composition tasks, both as a standalone composition or a task relating to theory work, can
be notated on Sibelius.
It is essential that teachers provide feedback to
students on how they are progressing. We cannot
expect our students to improve if they do not know
where they have gone wrong.
This is particularly important when more than one
assessment of a similar kind or on a similar topic is
given in close succession. The teacher should give
feedback on the first assessment as quickly as possible,
so that the student may discern the areas they do not
understand or need to practice.
In a music class, solo performances are a common form
of assessment. The teacher should record their
feedback (both positive encouragement as well as
constructive criticism) as the performance exam is
occurring. Feedback could be emailed to the student as
well as the student's instrumental teacher, along with a
recording of their performance so that the comments
may be put into context.
It is necessary for a teacher to have a consistent
grading system, so that grades awarded may be
deemed reliable and valid.
In music classes, many assessment items are subjective
and open to bias of taste or preference; one of these
situations is in performance assessments. In this
instance it is necessary to have a pre-created rubric. A
rubric, which can be create in Microsoft Word or Excel,
helps the teacher to discern what exactly constitutes an
A, a B, a C etc. The more specific the criteria in the
rubric is, the least uncertainty will arise and the more
consistent and accurate the teacher's judgments will be.
It is necessary for the teacher to analyse and interpret
student assessment data as it provides insight into the
strengths and weaknesses of the students, along with
any improvement or difficulties they may be facing.
There are many facets to the subject of music, and the
use of Excel or the app 'Markbook' allows the teacher to
display grades separately for each element of music.
For example, a student may be particularly good at
performance but have poor theory skills; analysing the
assessment data will enable the teacher to determine
the area/s in which each student needs more
assistance.

5.5

Report on student
achievement
(Demonstrate
understanding of a
range of strategies for
reporting to students
and parents/carers
and the purpose of
keeping accurate and
reliable records of
student achievement.)

Demonstrates knowledge
and understanding of
current and potential use of
digital resources and tools
to support reporting to
students and parents/carers
and for achievement record
keeping.

Engage in professional learning

FOCUS AREA, (with
ICT ELABORATION
descriptor)
Identify and plan
professional
learning needs
(Demonstrate an
understanding of the
role of the National
Professional
Standards for
Teachers in identifying
professional learning
needs.)

Demonstrate an ability to
use the ICT Elaborations of
the National Professional
Standards for Teachers to
identify personal goals for
professional development.

Engage in
professional
learning and
improve practice
(Understand the
relevant and
appropriate sources of
professional learning
for teachers.)

Understand how to improve

professional practice in the
effective use of digital
resources and tools through
means including evaluation
and reflection on current
research and professional
practice on a regular basis,
and collaboration with
colleagues both nationally
and internationally through
participation in online
learning communities.

6.1

6.2

6.3

Engage with
colleagues and
improve practice
(Seek and apply
constructive feedback
from supervisors and
teachers to improve
teaching practices.)

Reporting on student achievement is a basic part of a

teacher's job. It is important to give feedback to the
students themselves as well as their parents/carers,
and keep accurate, reliable and thorough records of all
student achievements.
Email has a great capacity to support this reporting.
Most schools still require hard copies of end-of-term
reports to be printed, but electronic copies of these
along with detailed feedback on assessment tasks
throughout the term may also be emailed to the student
and their parents/caregivers. This would ensure that all
teacher feedback made its way to the parents/carers,
and that if the hard copy was lost, it would still be
retrievable.

Evidence of how (if) this is included in the

scope of the course.
Australian teachers are required to complete a certain
amount of professional development tasks each year in
order to maintain their registration as a teacher.
The AITSL standards, available online, provide a
thorough guide to determining where a teacher's skills
are lacking most, and it is of benefit to the teacher to
analyse this information and give priority to those areas
in which they are least confident.
In addition, it is beneficial for teachers to spend time
networking online with other teachers in their subject
area, as they can get instant feedback or ideas on
where to seek assistance. Some forums for music
teachers on Facebook and LinkedIn include 'Music
Teachers of South Australia'
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/672394926121815
/>, 'Music Teachers'
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/musicpln/>,
'Adelaide Instrumental Music Teachers'
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/138613538494808
0/>, 'Australasian Piano Teachers'
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/572023656202414
/>, 'Music Teaching'
<http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Music-Teaching3793086?gid=3793086&goback=%2Enpv_307790226>
, and 'The Piano Network'
<http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=142556&goback
=%2Enpv_307790226>.
Teachers are continual learners, and it is necessary to
regularly engage in professional learning in order to
continue to improve their teaching practice.
For music educators, there are some websites that have
numerous informative video tutorials and webinars
focused on using music technology in education. Some
of these sites include Katie Wardrobe's Midnight
Music <http://www.midnightmusic.com.au/> and Music
EDnet <https://www.musicednet.com/>. There are also
regular conferences and workshops run by organisations
such as the Australian Society for Music Education
(ASME) and the Music Teachers Association of South
Australia (MTASA).
To improve upon their own teaching practice, all
teachers should interact and engage with other
teachers; not only in their own subject area, but in all
different faculties to encourage integration. Having said
that, on many occasions it becomes necessary to ask
advice from another teacher in the same faculty.
It is quite likely that a music teacher will be the sole
teacher of their subject in a school, perhaps more so
than many other subject areas. This is a particularly
common occurrence in rural areas. In this situation, the
internet provides a valuable resource in seeking ideas
and engaging with colleagues. There are many forums
on Facebook and LinkedIn devoted to music teaching
discussions and assistance, as cited in Standard 6.1.

6.4

There is little point in undertaking so much professional

development and learning if the concepts learned are
not to be applied in the classroom. Our purpose as
teachers in improving our own skills is to improve on
our teaching practice, and therefore better engage with
our students and determine how best to provide a
balanced education.
A good way to determine whether students are truly
engaged and interested in their learning is by the use of
anonymous surveys, such as can be set up on Poll
Everywhere or Survey Monkey. The anonymity of these
surveys would allow students to be completely honest
without fear of repercussions if they had any criticisms.
Again; these surveys are only useful if the data is then
analysed and acted upon.

Apply professional
learning and
improve student
learning
(Demonstrate an
understanding of the
rationale for
continued professional
learning and the
implications for
improved student
learning.)

Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

FOCUS AREA, (with
ICT ELABORATION
Evidence of how (if) this is included in the
descriptor)
scope of the course.
Meet professional
ethics and
responsibilities
(Understand and
apply the key
principles described in
codes of ethics and
conduct for the
teaching profession.)

Understand and apply

ethical and professional
practice principles when
using digital resources and
tools for teaching, with a
particular focus on cyber
safety.

7.1

7.2

Comply with
legislative,
administrative and
organisational
requirements
(Understand the
relevant legislative,
administrative and
organisational policies
and processes
required for teachers
according to school
stage.)
Engage with the
parents/carers
(Understand
strategies for working
effectively, sensitively
and confidentially with
parents/carers)

7.3

Understand how to use

digital resources and tools
for communicating
effectively, ethically,
sensitively and confidentially
with parents/carers.

As a teacher, it is necessary to ensure that all practices

comply with the restrictions of the school, the larger
governing body (such as DECD), and the laws of the
state and country. This implies that the same ethical
and professional practice responsibilities that are
employed face to face should be used in digital media.
In this ICT era, it often becomes necessary to connect
with students outside the classroom via technology.
This practice brings with it both opportunities and
dangers. A good practice to protect both the teacher
and their students is to keep any personal social media
pages private; that is, change privacy settings to high
security and refrain from adding current students on
social media. It may also be beneficial to use a separate
email address for school use only.
Edmodo and Blackboard are internet platforms designed
specifically for educational use. Edmodo particularly
takes the form of social media, but enables students to
connect with teachers outside the classroom in a safe
environment. It may also be a good idea to set up a
separate forum where a student could privately confide
any issues with cyber safety.
Teachers must comply with the legislative,
administrative and organisational requirements imposed
by the school, the governing body of the sector of
education (e.g. DECD), and the Teacher's Registration
Board.
Much of this legislation is available online. The Teacher's
Registration Board has information on their website
pertaining to the current requirements of teachers, as
does DECD and several independent organisations.
These documents can be viewed and downloaded.
School websites often contain information for teachers
about administrative requirements. In addition, much of
the administration and organisational information
needed is delivered by email, so it is important for the
teacher to regularly check their school email account.
Engaging and communicating with the parents and
carers of students is an important part of being a
teacher. Positively affecting a child's education is made
much easier and more productive if their parent or
caregiver is involved in the process and actively
interested.
With the increasing digital necessity, almost all parents
and carers have an email account and internet
connection, either at home or at work. In music, there
are regular concerts and performances, and the use of
email is a great way to ensure that all parents/carers
receive notification about these events. In addition,
email can be an easier way to facilitate the return of
consent forms.
In addition, the use of the blind carbon copy (Bcc)
feature, or using an online email distribution service
such as MailChimp (which also allows you to trace if a
message has been read) protects the anonymity of

Engage with
professional
teaching networks
and broader
communities
(Understand the role
of external
professionals and
community
representatives in
broadening teachers
professional
knowledge and
practice.)
7.4

Understand the range of

opportunities for sharing
and enhancing professional
practice available through
online communication with
experts and community
representatives, and
contribution to professional
and community sites, online
discussions and forums.

parents and carers when sending messages to large

groups of people.
Teachers must be constantly searching for new ideas
and open to continuous professional development.
There are a number of options for music teachers;
through social networking, professional seminars and
webinars, and pedagogy workshops and conferences.
Music teachers can gain many new ideas by using
Pinterest, as well as networking with the wider music
teaching community through Facebook or LinkedIn
groups such as 'Music Teachers of South Australia'
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/672394926121815
/>, 'Music Teachers'
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/musicpln/>,
'Adelaide Instrumental Music Teachers'
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/138613538494808
0/>, 'Australasian Piano Teachers'
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/572023656202414
/>, 'Music Teaching'
<http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Music-Teaching3793086?gid=3793086&goback=%2Enpv_307790226>
, and 'The Piano Network'
<http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=142556&goback
=%2Enpv_307790226>.
Many seminars and webinars are available, including
those on sites such as Midnight Music
<http://www.midnightmusic.com.au/> and Music EDnet
<https://www.musicednet.com/>.
There are also many opportunities to network and
'upskill' through conferences and workshops run by the
Kodaly, Orff and Dalcroze music teaching methodology
associations, as well as organisations such as ASME
(Australian Society for Music Education) and MTASA
(Music Teachers Association of South Australia).