eDUCATIONDESIGN Arts Integration

Midi Math
(2002)

We developed a curriculum for middle school students where MIDI computer music equipment was used to teach middle school mathematics concepts. The merging of two independent domains through technology motivated students to engage in mathematics study.

Arts Integration

Education Design has a long and broad history with arts education programs and projects, particularly those which merge the arts with technology. The arts provide a unique lens to examine every academic subject, from history and social studies to mathematics and science. They offer multiple access points for learning for many students not comfortable with conventional modes. We believe the arts are a cornerstone of all learning.

We have designed and developed arts education projects and have been active in evaluating arts education programs. Although currently very active in program evaluation activities, past projects and products illustrate our ideas.

Kids ‘N Music Projects
(1996-2001)

Kids ‘N Music is an arts education model focusing on a particular cultural music form. K-12 students collaborate across schools and districts to produce professional quality audio cds and cdrs. Products feature original music and lyrics guided by stylistic study, with liner notes, artwork, stories, videos, and websites, all curriculum and standards-based for classroom units. The fully integrated project also brings in community involvement, school-to-career opportunities and business and sales activities bringing in revenue to participating schools.
Kids ‘N Blues brought the nomination of the Memphis City Schools to the National Report of Best Practices, 1998 and won the NSBA 1998 Technology Innovation Award. Kids ‘N Salsa involved over 3500 students in 20 South Florida schools, and the Kids ‘N Salsa Solo online project involved the collaboration of four schools in four states.

Arts Integration Program Evaluation Projects
(Current)

Education Design is active conducting program evaluations of arts education and arts integration projects. These include:

San Francisco Symphony Keeping Score

Music-in-Education National Consortium (MIENC)

Rock the Classroom (pending)

MOTET
(1996-1997)

Musical Online Telecommunications Environment for Teaching (MOTET) is an online music history and theory curriculum complemented by live studio performances transmitted over FM radio, Internet streaming audio, and Internet videoconferencing. Activities include post performance online follow-up.

World Band Music Education
(1995-1998)

World Band is a music education system where students study music composition with virtual partners over the internet, typically in distant participating schools. Using videoconferencing and MIDI electronic music tools, students build compositions with each other by sending works from one to another. Edits are discussed in virtual classroom sessions and final works are performed online.

World Band Performance
(1995-1996)

World Band uses the software Interplay, developed at BBN by Education Design staff, to perform online concerts. Interplay allows synchronous performance across IP networks using MIDI computer instruments. The tool was piloted in 1996 between schools in Germany and Korea, and featured at the Ars Electronica Consortium Media Lab in Linz, Austria.