Thesis Sponsor: Dr. John Gilbert
MODERNIZING CHINA’S MUSIC EDUCATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY:
A REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION
by
DAFU LAI
Submitted as the partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts in Music Education Program Department of Music & Performing Arts Professions, the Steinhardt School of Education, New York University
New York City April, 2006
Copyright © 2006 by Dafu Lai. All Rights Reserved.
ii Abstract
Music education technology is a new term in China, but it is growing in popularity.
The development of music education technology in China has gone through the "Pre-tech
Era,” the "Electronic Era" and is now heading toward the "Digital Era." Modernizing music education, that is, the use of modern technologies, such as digital audio, video or multimedia equipment and computer music software for music education in order to enhance teaching and learning, is an old dream for several music generations of China.
After computer music and MIDI technology were introduced to China in the late 1980s, more and more people were involved in the field of music education technology. First in the two biggest cities, Beijing and Shanghai, then to the other major cities of China, most postsecondary music education institutions have built their computer music labs and began to offer technology-related courses in the past decade. The highly developing computer technologies, the popularity of Internet, as well as the government’s promotion, address the urgent needs of professions and music education technology. As a result, the Central
Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Wuhan Conservatory of Music and some major higher music institutions started to build their computer music major or relative programs. Two national societies of this field, Digital Music Academy of China
(DEMA) and Electroacoustic Music Association of China (EMAC) emerged in recent years. These networks provide excellent exchange and are developing platforms for music educators, students, and music technology workers. Besides, many computer technicians and musicians are creating and developing Chinese version music software. At the same
iii time, they are translating and introducing foreign ones to China for the purpose of music education. Today, the new generation is growing with the Internet age, and integrating technology into music education becomes significant and its advantages are more prominent than ever. So “modernizing music education” is a trend of the new age and a big plan for pioneer music educators as well as their administrations. However, some problems still exist in the way of implementing this plan: the limitation of technology knowledge, the disparities of urban cities and the countryside, and the reliability issue are all possible barriers. Several strategies for promoting music education technology are proposed by the author. First, music educators should improve themselves in order to better use technology for education. Second, professional societies in music technology field can exert more influence of promoting music education technology in China. Third, schools and postsecondary music education institutions should explore the potential of technology-assisted education. Last, the government should invest more on improving school’s facilities and providing sufficient technical support and training. Consequently,
China’s music education is gradually moving toward high-tech and networks-based teaching-training, but it still has a long way to go to equal development in Western countries.
iv Acknowledgements
There is an old Chinese saying: A great man still needs three helpers to fulfill a great task. I am not a great man, nor is writing a master thesis an easy task for me. As an international student with a disadvantage in English writing, I fortunately received many kind-hearted people’s assistance when I wrote thesis in my second language.
First and foremost I am highly grateful to my academic advisor, Dr. John V. Gilbert, the director of graduate Music Education Program of New York University, for this respectful and honorable professor’s special help and positive encouragement. From my primary idea to a simple outline, from a proposal to the final draft of this thesis, Dr.
Gilbert has proofread my paper carefully again and again, corrected even little punctuation errors. Every time after our discussion of this thesis, Dr. Gilbert’s constructive suggestion and warm encouragement were the main stimulus and energy for me to do further research in the Bobst Library until midnight day after day. By doing this research and writing my thesis, I learned much more than I expected. So I am very lucky to have such a responsible and helpful academic advisor. I extend many thanks to Dr. Gilbert.
I appreciate Professor Ira Shankman’s friendly help. Though he was busy at the end of this semester, Dr. Shankman spent a great deal of time to read my thesis carefully and made important recommendations for revisions.
I also appreciate Mr. Zhipeng Wang, a doctoral candidate in music technology program of Beijing Capital Normal University, for his contribution of the latest information about the development of music technology in China.
v As a Ford Foundation scholar, I also extend special thanks to my financial sponsor,
Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) and the co-sponsor,
International Institute of Education (IIE). I not only get financial aid from this fund, but also get constant encouragement, useful advice and other assistance from IFP and IIE officers. I extend many thanks to them.
As another Chinese saying goes, behind every success man, there must be a helpful woman. That is my beloved wife Yilong Lai, who is always with me. She not only shoulders almost all housework and takes care of our children, lets me fully involve in my study, but also provides very useful resources for my research. For example, she first discovered the CNNIC report and collected this information for me. I got important statistics from this report for my thesis.
In short, this thesis owes many people’s contribution and assistance. I would not have completed this work without their help. I am sincerely grateful to all of them.
vi TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………iii
Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………………v
List of tables ………………………………………… ………………………………… ix
List of figures ………………………………………… ………………………………… x
Chapter 1: A brief history review …………………………………………………………1
Chapter 2: A current overview ……………………………………………………………5
Dramatic change …………………………………………… ……………………… 5
Governmental action ……………………………………………… ……………… 11
Social action ………………………………… …………………………… ……… 14
Chapter 3: Why does modernizing music education matter……………… …………… 19
Music education in traditional means……………………………………………… 19
The advantages of integrating technology into music education … ……………… 20
Innovation for traditional music education …………………… …………… …… 25
Chapter 4: Problems in the way of modernizing music education………………………27
An embarrassing barrier ……………………………………………………………27
Diversity problem ………………………………………………………………… 30
How can I trust technologies? ……………………………………………………33
Chapter 5: Suggested strategies for modernizing china’s music education ……… …… 35
Music educators …………………………………………………………………… 35
Professional societies ……………………………………………………………… 36
vii Schools …………………………………………………………………………… 38
Government…………………………………………………………………………39
Chapter 6: Conclusion ……………………………………………… ………………… 41
Bibliography ……………………………………………………… …………………… 45
Appendix A: Chinese Internet Network Information Center…………………………… 48
Appendix B: A Selected music software programs list ………………………………… 50
Appendix C: Useful website about music education technology in China………………53
Appendix D: The main higher education level music institutions of China ……… …… 55
Appendix E: The main music societies of China…………………………………………58
viii List of Tables
Table 1
The common software programs used for music education in China ……………………9
Table 2
China’s higher education institutions that have music technology or relative programs…10
Table 3
Three modes of facilitating rural schools with modern technology …………………… 13
Table 4
The main music technology societies of China ………………………………………… 14
ix List of Figures
Figure 1
Professor Yang’s wire recorder ………………………………………………………… 2
Figure 2
The online computer numbers of China from 1997 to 2005 …………………………… 5
Figure 3
The numbers of Internet users in China from 2000 to 2005 …………………………… 6
Figure 4
The computer skill repertoire for school teacher in Shanghai City …………………… 12
Figure 5
The reasons that the non-internet users don’t use the internet ……………… …………28
Figure 6
The map of the western area of China …… …………………………………………… 31
Figure 7
Screen shot of “TT Composer” program ……………………………………………… 38
x 1
Chapter 1: A Brief History Review
The use of modern technologies for music education in China is similar to the
Western world, but it developed a few decades later mostly due to economic problems.
Although a school music curriculum was introduced to China in the early 1900s1, music education in China remained in the “Pre-Technology Era” for more than seventy years.
That is to say, during this period, almost no modern technologies were used in schools.
The curriculum used a few musical instruments such as Erhu (a two-string traditional
Chinese instrument), bamboo flute, piano, accordion, pump organ or some simple percussion instruments. In early time of China, a phonograph or wire recorder was an extravagance for schools.
A significant example of using music technology in this period happened in
September 1950. In order to preserve the vanishing traditional music, Mr. Yang Yingliu, a professor of the Central Music Conservatory used a wire recorder to record an outstanding folk artist, Hua Yanjun, by traveling a long way from Beijing to Wuxi City (in Jiangsu
Province). He found this old artist and recorded his two Erhu pieces and three Pipa (a four-string traditional Chinese instrument) pieces. It was a pity that only five pieces were recorded at that time due to the old artist’s health problem. The rest of his music works disappeared with the old musician after nine months since he did not use any notation to write down his music works. Although the wire recorder was very rare in China at that
1 Wang, Yuhe. A Modern & Contemporary Music History of China. (Zhong Guo Jin Xian Dai Yin Yue Shi) Beijing: People's Music Publishing House, 2001.
2 time, this technology did save a few pieces of fabulous traditional music for us. Here is the image of the actual wire recorder that Professor Yang used to record Hua Yanjun’s music at that time:
Fig. 1. Professor Yang Yingliu’s wire recorder.
Source: Shun, Yujie. “The opening of nonmaterial heritage exhibition” (Beijing: Star Daily, Feb.12,
2006) http://www.stardaily.com.cn/view.asp?id=188976
The adoption of “Open Policy” in the early 1980s brought China rapid economic growth, and also opened China’s music education to the “Electronic Era.” During this period, most urban city schools started building their electronic classrooms or laboratories based on analog technologies. After late 1980s, the cassette player, video recorder, television set and slide projector were used widely in schools. In 1990s, new technologies such as CD player, stereo system or more advanced audio and video equipment were used in the music class. In 1983, the first series of music tapes (20 cassettes) for primary school
3 music texts were published in People’s Music Publishing House in Beijing. Later, another
18 cassettes for junior middle school2 music texts were also published. The analog technologies brought outstanding audio and video effects to music classes and greatly enrich the teaching and learning environment. But the analog tools still have some limitations. For example, audio and video tapes lose quality after making copies or being used for a few years. Analog equipment is bulkier and more cumbersome and tends to wear out or become obsolete.
The Internet, in the late 1990s, brought digital music technology to China. The turning point of the new era was 1996 with the founding of Shanghai Digital Music Association
(SDMA), the first music technology society of China. Ever since that time, the
Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) based model became popular in many China’s higher education institutions. In 2002, a big CAI based music education project, 18 multimedia CD-ROMs for primary and secondary school music class were published by the People’s Music Publishing House. The project developer, the Bluedream Company technicians redesigned each music lesson and put movies, flash animations to these music materials.3 This is the first series of multimedia designed music education materials and they bring a lively wonder world to music classes for Chinese students.
However, CAI is currently being changed in the digital revolution and being replaced by new interaction where students learn by generating and manipulating content. The
2 There was not music curriculum for senior high school in China before 1995. 3 More details are on this website: http://www.bluedream.com.cn/b.htm
4 coming of “the Digital Era” not only means a widely using digital technologies such as multimedia computers, MIDI equipment for music education, but also means a wide applicant of E-learning (or online learning) among music faculty and students. This is not an easy task especially for music educators. For example, learning to use digital technology could be a challenge for many teachers; a lack of facilities and software programs is the most critical problem for schools in less developed areas. As a consequence, we can only say that China’s music education is on the way to the “Digital
Era”. Compared to the western developed countries, China still needs to catch up.
5
Chapter 2: A Current Overview
Dramatic Change
The highly developing computer technology, the decreasing hardware price and the increasing accessible of broadband and other fast connections create the possibility of rapid growth in digital technologies today. In the last decade, China has experienced a revolution in the use of technology. For example, the number of online computers is increasing quickly:
50 49.5 41.6 40
30 30.89 Online Computer 20 20.83 Number(million) 12.54 10 8.92 3.5 0 0.2990.747 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Fig. 2: The online computer numbers of China from 1997 to 2005
Source: Statistics selected form Statistical Survey Report on the Internet Development in China. 1st
-17th Versions. Beijing: CNNIC, 1997-2005.
This constantly increasing trend shows China is getting to the Internet age quickly, growing from less than thirty thousand to nearly fifty million in only nine years. Today,
China became the world biggest computer consumer country. Although the individual computer possession rate is relatively low in China, the hardware will no longer be a problem in the near future, as the costs are reduced and economy keeps growing.
6
Also, the latest figures of Chinese Inter Network Information Center (CNNIC)4 survey show a constant rapid growth of Internet population in the last five years:
120 111 100 94 80 79.5 Internet Users 60 59.1 (Million) 40 33.7 20 22.5
0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Fig. 3: The numbers of Internet users in China from 2000 to 2005.
Source: CNNIC. Statistical Survey Report on the Internet Development in China. 17th Versions.
Beijing: Jan. 2006.
Base on the CNNIC survey, the number of today’s Internet users5 (1.11 billion) in China is almost five times as many as five years ago (22.5 million). Among this 1.11 billion users we have today, 57.9% of them (64.3 million) have broadband access, which is 17.7 times more than half decade ago (3.64 million). An interesting phenomenon is, 42.4 per cent of current Internet users are students or teachers. The survey also shows that young people (under 30 years old) share a big portion of Internet users: 89.5 per cent. All of these trends mean that the potential of Internet for school education is enormous. According to
4 See detail description about CNNIC at Appendix A. 5 Base on CNNIC definition, an Internet user means the person that is online at least one hour per week in average.
7 this increasing speed, China is going to have the world biggest Internet population in a few years.
Unlike analog technology that has been accepted by most educators within a few years, however, it has taken longer for Internet and digital technology to be accepted by
China’s schools and campuses. First, using CAI network-based technologies for music education is actually a revolution of an educational approach, and some teachers just need longer time to get used to it. For example, in order to let all students access a piece of music online, the teacher needs to convert the music to mp3 file, make it embedded on the website then send the link to everybody. This task is much more challenging than making copies from a cassette tapes because it needs computer skills and other technologies.
Second, digital technology usually needs auxiliary technologies or extra equipment, and this need sometimes creates a limitation for adapting in music class. For instance, using the Internet in class not only needs a computer, but also need cable or wireless broadband connecting in the classroom, which costs much more than a cassette player. We cannot use a mp3 player to play music for class without the speakers and amplifier.
In addition to the hardware problem, the lack of knowledge of technologies could be a third problem. For instance, based on the CNNIC survey result, 38.7% of non-internet users do not use computer simply due to lack of training and basic knowledge. Hopefully, this portion is getting smaller as they get sufficient training.
Due to above reasons, the attitudes toward new technology among music educators goes to two extremes: the “Technophobia Group” and the “Network Worms Community.”
8
The first group of people regard modern technology as a headache and are puzzled every time they encounter this tool. They consider idea is more significant than tools and do not want to use modern technology for education. On the contrary, the “Network Worm” describes the people who always live in the Internet environment. They insist that music education should be colorful and fun, and it will not be improved without using modern technologies. Generally speaking, music teachers of the young generation and non-instrumental subjects tend to use new technology more than the others, because young people accept new things easily and appreciate the convenience of using special tools in non-instrumental subjects. For example, very few piano teachers use technologies for a private piano class, but a theory teacher might have to use lots of modern tools in order to arouse student’s interest and help them understand the material.
Things are changing towards greater use of technology. As more and more higher education institutions are constructing computer music labs or electronic music classrooms, the training system for both prospective and current music teachers has been improved, and music education technology is becoming more popular and widely used in schools. Today, music education technology is included in the curriculum of most higher education institutions of music education. Though the course titles differ from each other, the contents are similar: usually includes computer music basic, MIDI and CAI basic.
Another trend that shows the big progress of China’s music education technology is the popularity of using music software, especially in music colleges. The following table is a list of common software programs that used for music education in China. Most of
9 foreign programs have been translated to a Chinese version. (The ones have * sign are original Chinese version software.):
Table 1
The common software programs used for music education in China6 Course Software Programs Solfege Auralia, EarMaster, Musician Win Appreciation Classical Master, Authorware, Zhenhan* Theory & Harmony Music Practice, Musicianship, Authorware, Tonica, Computer Music Cyclopedia Group piano The Pianist Composition & Notation Overture, Sibelius, Master Composer*, Finale, Encore, Jianpu*, TT Composer*, Musicactor, Band-in-a-Box MIDI Cakewalk, MIDI Scan, Pro Tool, Digital Performer, EyeSong*, MIDI Classics Better facilities and the popularity of music technology create an urgent need for professionals in this field. Thus, one of the biggest conservatories of China, the Wuhan
Music Conservatory built the first baccalaureate program of music technology in China in the year of 1989. Eight years after, the Shanghai Music Conservatory and Xinghai Music
Conservatory also established similar programs. But they focus more on audio recording and performance management, less on education. Nan’jing Arts Academy (in 1999) and the Central Music Conservatory (in 2001) created music technology programs that focus on computer music and composition.
The establishment of music technology programs in those universities brought the possibility to develop music technology major to higher degree levels. But some music education institutions simply lack advanced technical support. In order to compensate for
6 See Appendix 2 for more detail information.
10 this, some music institutions collaborate with a technical department (such as Computer
Science Department) for their music technology program. For example, The Music
College of Shanghai Normal University built their first MA in Music Technology Program by collaborating with Mathematic & Science College in 1999.7
Up to now, there are 13 higher education institutions in China have music technology programs. Five of them offer graduate level degree study. This is a list of the institution name and program level:
Table 2 China’s higher education institutions that have music technology or relative programs Institution Name City Program Degree Level Central Conservatory of Music Beijing Computer Music, BA, MA, PHD Sound Recording Shanghai Conservatory of Music Shanghai Computer Music, BA, MA MIDI Shanghai Normal University, College of Music Shanghai Computer Music MA, BA Composition Wuhan Conservatory of Music Wuhan Computer Music BA, MA Nanjing Art Institute, School of Music Nanjing Computer Music BA, MA China Traditional Music Conservatory Beijing Computer music BA Capital Normal University, College of Music Beijing Music Technology BA Shenyang Conservatory of Music Shenyang Computer Music BA Xinghai Conservatory of Music Guangzhou Computer Music BA South-China Normal University, College of Guangzhou Computer Music BA Music Sicuan Conservatory of Music Chengdu Sound Recording BA Xinjiang Normal University, College of Music Urumuqi Computer Music BA North-West Teacher’s University, Music Lanzhou Computer Music BA Department Source: collected from each institution’s website by the author.
7 Huang, Zhipeng. “A Basic Analysis of “Music & Technology” and Relative Subjects in China’s Music Colleges.” Capital Normal University, Beijing, 2005.
11
This table shows the system of music technology professions of higher education in China, but most programs focus on technologies only, not on music education.
These descriptions indicate an exciting beginning. The development of the Internet, the improving computer music hardware and software, and the consummating music technology professions are modernizing China’s music education. From almost nothing to a reasonable scale, China’s music education has experienced a dramatic change in the last two decades.
Governmental Action
Except for individual efforts, we owe this positive change to the government actions.
To begin with, the Central Electronic Education Department of China (CEED) and its provincial centers play a leading role in promoting modern technology in public schools.
In 1978, the CEED was established under the direct administrate of the Ministry of
Education of China. The main responsibility of the Electronic Education Department is to help facilitate public school use of modern technology in class and to provide training for current teachers. Also, the CEED have to establish national standards and a plan of implementing among public schools in China. In the last twenty years, more than 100 thousand school teachers received technology training from CEED or their provincial electronic education centers. (Some teachers were counted more than once for having multiple training courses.)8
Between the 1980s and early 1990s, most provincial education authorities developed
8 Source: the Central Electronic Education Department of China (CEED) website
12 their electronic education centers. As the local divisions of the Electronic Education
Department, these government professional institutions provide practical help for modernizing school education. School music education also benefits from this government action.
However, like the “technophobia group” we mentioned before, not every teacher is willing to adopt modern technologies in class. In order to promote technology, each provincial education authority and the Ministry of Education have set up regulations for teacher’s professional advancement. That is, the computer skill is counted as a basic requirement for teacher’s promotion. Though each province has its own standard of teacher’s computer test, most of them are very similar and change every few years.
Usually, the higher promotion is required more advanced computer skills. For example, this is a repertoire of required computer skills for primary and secondary school teacher’s promotion in Shanghai:
1. Windows system operation 2. Microsoft Word 3. PowerPoint 4. Using Internet Explorer & Outlook Express 5. Macromedia Flash basic or FrontPage basic
Fig. 4 The computer skill repertoire for school teacher in Shanghai City.
Source: “A computer skills test requirement for primary and secondary schoolteacher.” Shanghai:
The Education Bureau of Shanghai City, 2004.
The computer-skill repertoire shows the local education authority emphasizes knowledge
13 of manipulating multimedia and web-based technology for their teachers. Of course, this requirement motivates teachers to improve themselves.
Last but not least, funding is the vital factor for modernizing education. For facilitating public school with modern technology, the central and each local government have set a long term plan and offer special funds periodically. The National School
Education Conference in 2000 proclaimed: “Beginning 2001, the government will spend five to ten years to make information technology education accessible for all schools, including all schools access to the Internet, hardware acquisition and enhancing teacher education.”9 Now this plan is operative. For example, in 2003, the central government spent one billion Yuan (equivalent to $12.5 million), and the provincial governments spent
91.5 million Yuan (equivalent to $11.4 million) for facilitating rural schools with modern technology in the following modes.
Table 3 The three modes of facilitating rural schools with modern technology Type Mode 1 Mode 2 Mode 3 Purpose Video classroom Satellite Network classroom Broadband computer lab Facility Equipping with TV Equipping with satellite Equipping with satellite signal set, DVD player and signal receiver system, receiver system, video and video discs of course Computer, TV set and video audio equipment, computer material discs of course materials with broadband and 30 clients Recipient Remote early Countryside elementary Countryside junior middle elementary school school school Source: People’s Republic of China. Education Ministry, Dept. of Finance, Development & Innovation Committee. “A plan of modern distance education project for primary and Secondary school in countryside area.” Beijing: 2004.
9 Source: The Education Ministry of China. “The National Conference of Information Technology for Primary & secondly School Education.” November 2000.
14
We can see this is a practical plan that based on the government economic condition and the needs of countryside schools. Now this project is almost finished in most eastern provinces.
Social Actions
The relative social organizations and commercial enterprises also play important roles in promoting music technology in China. To begin with, the founding of music technology societies transfers efforts from the way of individuals to team work or the community.
Professional societies provide excellent exchange and shared platforms for teachers, students and the other music technology workers. Currently, there are three main associations of music technology field in China.
Table 4
The main music technology societies of China Official Name Founded City Website Shanghai Computer Music 1996.10. Shanghai http://www.scma.org.cn/ Association (SCMA) Digital Music Education Academy 2002.8. Beijing http://www.digimus.cn/ of China (DMEA) Electroacoustic Music 2003.7. Beijing http://www.emac.net.cn/ Association of China (EMAC) Source: Collected from each society’s website by the author.
The earliest music technology society of China is Shanghai Computer Music
Association (SCMA), which was founded in October, 1996. The aim of SCMA is to promote computer music, digital music and music technology; enhance the exchange, research and education in this new field. Shanghai Computer Music Association
15 collaborated with Shanghai Music Conservatory, Shanghai Children’s Library, Shanghai
Musician Association, Shanghai Art Institute, Jiaotong University and other agent. They organized some activities such as music technology training, academic conferences, and multimedia concerts in the Shanghai area. Also, the SCMA have built an online music education website with Shanghai Children Library. Shanghai Computer Music
Association is a pioneer music technology society of China. However, it only accepts local members, and most of their activities are held in the local city, which limits the research fields and resources.
The Digital Music Education Association of China (DMEA) is the first national music technology society of China, which was founded in August, 2002. This association is an affiliated academy of China Musicians Association and its activities include network music education, multi-media music education, and digital music production. The aims of
DEME are:
1. To summarize, absorb, explore and promote digital music in the aspect of theory,
technology and practice;
2. To systemize and standardize the digital music education in China;
3. To increase international exchange in music technology field.
The most signification contribution of the Digital Music Education Association of China is establishment of the Sharing Teaching Network (STN), an annual national conference which displays the latest offerings and comprehensive activities of digital music, in the aspect of music technology research, music software and hardware exploration and related
16 publications. STN conference is the most influential activity in the field of music education technology in China.
The Electroacoustic Music Association of China (EMAC) is another professional music technology society, which is also an affiliated study academy of China Musicians
Association, but it was founded one year after DEME (in July, 2003). EMAC is a member society of International Confederation for Electronic Music, and focuses on computer music composition and research, as well as music education technology. At the annual electronic music festival of EMAC, the latest music technology products, research papers, master class series and multimedia concerts converge. For example, the recent EMAC sponsored event, “The Musicacoustica 2005, Beijing” attracted electronic music experts from more than twenty countries and received more than 100 electronic music works. The festival lasted one week in Beijing and fourteen concerts, nine workshops and master classes, and three exhibitions were held there. The mass media called the Musicacoustica
2005 as “an unprecedented international music technology festival.”10
Except for festival and conference activities, the above three music technology societies all have their websites and online forums with different subjects in the music technology field. These online platforms also provide a wide space for modernizing music education in China.
Besides, the progress of music education technology is not separated from the
10 Source: DMEA website http://www.digimus.cn
17 prosperity of music enterprise. They actually have very close connections. First, the music industry helps to adapt foreign music technologies, especially for translating music software to China. For example, the Popiano.org translated the notation software Overture into Chinese in December 2000. Now this program became the most popular notation software in China and the user base is almost 10 million.11 Most foreign software programs on the table 2 also have a Chinese version that is translated by domestic companies. Second, the Chinese music enterprises have explored and developed music education technology in recent years. On one hand, their technicians are designing new software technologies. For example, the most popular Chinese version music software, such as “Master Composer (ZuoQuDaShi),” “Zhenhan” and “Jianpu” are all designed by different music companies of China. On the other hand, the hardware companies are developing their own products and services, which are more affordable than imported ones for local people. For example, the “Centrmus” is one of the biggest music technology companies of China. Base on the price and music education function, this company acquired a large portion of music education technology market by designing several configurations for schools, colleges and universities. Their flexible service creates more opportunities to modernize school music education, even for the small and poor schools.
Last, but not least, most music technology companies will provide free technology training for their clients in order to maintain their business growth. This will also speed up the popularizing of modern education technology.
11 Base on the description of “Popiano online.” www.poppiano.org
18
In short, the increasing needs of school music education technology stimulate the development of music technology industry. On the other hand, the social enterprise will promote music education technology by designing new software, translating foreign music software, and introducing or producing advanced hardware. So the music industries in
China contribute importantly in modernizing music education.
19
Chapter 3: Why Does Modernizing Music Education Matter?
Music Education in Traditional Means
A music class in traditional teaching way usually refers to a non-technological, singing dominant, teacher-centered mode. A few decades ago, the primary school music class was simply called “Singing Class” in some countryside areas of China. Except singing or little theory, the teacher usually did not teach other things in music class since there was no musical instrument or modern technology available in their schools at that time. The only music that students could hear was their own singing and their teacher’s demonstration, not to say going a concert or live performance. As a matter of fact, the countryside students did not know and never had chance to listen to any instrumental music until they were in the city or the analog technology was brought to their village.
Sonata, cantata, concerto and symphony seemed like the “privilege terms” for a few people in academic music institutions since common people had no chance to hear them.
There is a funny true story about a countryside boy’s first seeing the radio. He was puzzling how a small radio plays music then he asked the owner: “Do you raise some small people inside this small box? Why don’t you just ask them out and let us take a look!” In fact, a lack of modern technology result very limited music education for the young generations in China before 1980s.
Modern music education needs new technology. As the world entered the Internet age, the limitations of traditional education became distinct. For example, without technology, the music resources that students can access are very limited and expensive; the music is
20 not as colorful as it could be and becomes merely written description on paper unless we access live performance.
The Advantages of Integrating Technology into Music Education
Technology brings a revolution to music education. When this magic thing comes to music class, the students are able to hear exciting examples, and they get on the right track of learning and do it easily, creatively and enjoyable. There are at least five advantages when modern technology is integrated in to music education:
1. It enriches music curriculum and inspire students in an exciting way;
2. It promotes student’s practice and extends teaching outside class;
3. It brings creative and interactive learning environment;
4. It makes teaching material more accessible;
5. It provides models for students to emulate in their own music making.
First, technology enriches music curriculum and inspire students in an exciting way.
We know, music is a kind of audio art, and it is hard to understand or feel a piece of music without listening to it. With audio and video technologies, the teacher can bring any master’s performance to music classes. These listening materials enrich the music curriculum, and music class will no longer be singly a singing dominant mode. Also, the recording function of audio technology can save students singing and plays back for them.
Software technology can provide a MIDI-performance effect before printing out the music score. By exposing them to a multimedia world, students will be inspired to learn in an exciting way. So when multimedia technology takes the place of text media, music
21 education is able to be fulfilled in a real music world.
Second, modern technology promotes student’s practice and extends teaching outside music class. On one hand, modern technology can be used as a good tool to enhance learning. For example, the digital metronome works better than a mechanical one. It can play the counting of human voice or percussion sound, and the volume is adjustable.
Unlike traditional mechanical metronome that must be on a flat place in order to let it work evenly, a digital metronome can be placed anywhere and it is much smaller in size.
This technology is an excellent partner for an instrumental major student. Also, digital metronome is much smaller than mechanical one. Another example, a digital piano can play several timbres other than piano, and is much portable than an upright piano. The record function in a digital piano allows people to record and playback the music they play on the keyboard. With this function, music teachers can record the accompaniment before class and play it for the students in class, so that they do not have to play the instrument when conducting student’s singing. On the other hand, the computer software and the
Internet technology bring a broader concept of music education. That is to say, students learn music not only in music class, but also outside of class. With online tutorial, online exploration or research, the “instructor” and material are always available. Via the Internet and music education software, master musician’s instructions are no longer few people’s privilege, since unlimited number of users can share this tutorial online.
Third, modern technology brings a more creative and intuitive learning environment to teacher and student. More creative means students can explore learning via technology
22 and acquire knowledge in an initiative way. With modern technology integrated to music education, the teacher became “the guide on the side” instead of “the sage on the stage.”12
For example, a composition software program could contain relative music drills such as listening, sight-singing, notation and harmony. Students can explore music knowledge and develop their musicianship via this software technology. “More interactive” suggests that students have more channels for communication. Even less active students can express themselves naturally via modern technology. For instance, the online forum, email, synchronous communication tools (such as MSN, QQ, Skype, iChat and Yahoo Messenger) are all possible channels of student’s interaction and communication. Introverted students might not perform well in class or in public. So they can use email, online chatting tools or
Weblog to get close communication with their classmates and teachers. The multimedia technology enables the teacher to bring fantastic sound, music, image, animation or movie to teaching materials. These new technologies can attract student’s interest, inspire their leaning and help them understand music better.
Four, technology enables teaching material to be more accessible. The more advanced technology creates better accessibility. Let’s go back to the original technology for accessing written material: after paper was invented by the ancient Chinese scientist Cai
Lun in 105 B.C. 13, the written material was able to be transferred with this light, dimensional resizable and low cost technology. However, the amount of written material
12 Downess, Stephen. “The future of online learning.” http://www.downes.ca/future/ 2004 13 Source: “The Four Great Inventions of Ancient China.” China Style. http://www.chinastyle.cn/cn/paper-printing/people/index.htm (March 9, 2006)
23 was still limited at that time since all messages should be written down on the paper by hand. In 1041, that is, 936 years after the invention paper, another Chinese scientist, Bi
Sheng invented the patch-printing technology. The written material was able to be mass produced via this technology, and the printing material became more affordable and accessible to common people. Today, we have improved the paper quality and printing technology, but we are still using the same idea to transfer teaching materials. We all know, books are heavy and bulky, and the amount of information that a single book can carry is limited. Still, the presswork only carries passive information such as text, table or image, but not sound, music or movie or interactive media.
Fortunately, the bottleneck of traditional printing and publishing technologies was broken by today’s digital technology. To begin with, by digitalizing and publishing teaching materials online, everybody can access them without time, district and distance limitation. The hyperlinks on one webpage can link different website resources together and save the reader’s time for searching. Also, the Internet is actually like a knowledge ocean with abundant resources, and it is getting richer every second. The online search engine, such as Baidu, Google and Yahoo provide various flexible searching ways to user, so that people can locate a certain topic in a second. Besides, most online resources are free to share with all users, though some of them have “content guard,” which limits to authorized users only. In addition, digital files are in compressed and very reasonable size.
They only need a piece of small computer hard drive to store, which save much of space, unlike those heavy books or expensive tapes that need lots of space to be stored. Of course,
24 the un-published digital files can also be transfer by email or synchronous communication tools and unlimited copies can be made without losing quality. For music educator, the most valuable advantage of digital technology is that music and movies can also be digitalized and transferred, as easily as text media. So modern technology not only lets text materials, but also lets multimedia materials going to music class and students’ houses.
Last, having the world as a resource permits students to experience models of music making which they can emulate in their own music making. We know children learning things by emulating and imitating. They have to be exposed in a real music environment if they want to learn music. After such “input” activities, they can have a better “output” naturally. Modern technology enables students to make music and enhance their musicianship in this extended way. For example, MIDI programs enable students to experiment with the elements of music or create their own compositions. The Karaoke system is another good example: By following the automatic accompaniment in the
Karaoke system, people learn how to sing by simple imitation, even they do not know music notation.
In short, with the Internet and digital technology, students are able to access abundant materials freely, easily, lively and without time and space limitations. Based on the 17th
CNNIC report, 38.3% of the Internet users in China use internet browser to find mp3
25 music or movies14. They appear to enjoy the convenience of digital and Internet technologies.
In fact, the convenience and benefits that modern technology brings us are mush more than we list above. As the technology keeps improving and new technologies develop, we are going to benefit from using technology for music education.
Innovation for Traditional Music Education
The world is always changing faster than we expect, so are education concepts and philosophies. As music educators, if we cannot capture the potential of new technology in education, we might be left behind by our students. We know today’s new generations are growing up in the Internet age. The information that they can access is substantive. The traditional means of education, that is, instructor centered, non-technological, merely providing information through lectures is not enough and less attractive to them. Teachers need to explore utilize new technologies to challenge the student’s involvement learning by creating.
Unfortunately, integrating new educational technology to music education seems one step behind the other subjects. In the first stage, most new music education technologies come out after the integrations of relative new technologies, especially music technologies.
For example, we first had sound technology, and the MIDI software and relative music education programs came out after MIDI technology. In the second stage, some music educators simply do not want to accept and integrate new technology to education. They
14 Resource : CNNIC 17th report Pp. 56.
26 prefer traditional education means even they know new technology attracts student interest.
Actually, new technology is generally easier to learn. Working with new technology should not be a problem for educators. The student’s motivation for learning will be deepen by the inspiration of teacher’s willingness to learn. So the most important point of education innovation is the educator’s concept of ongoing teaching and learning as a cycle of experience.
The traditional educational concept is gradually changing. Instead of providing handful of learning content to students, educators will be required to help their students to build learning platforms so that they can generate unlimited information and ideas for study. That is to say, modern technology and the Internet are expanding to include all subjects and create new ones. This is a trend that will undoubtedly continue.
As a consequence, modernizing music education is a matter that concerns all aspects of music curriculum, all music educators and their students. The social need, the student’s need and the educator’s need create the integration of modern technology in China, and provide an opportunity for dynamic interaction and growth.
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Chapter 4: Problems in the Way of Modernizing Music Education
Modernizing China’s music education is a long and arduous task. In this world largest developing country, the economic problem and diversity issue are two main obstacles of education development. However, reliability and security issues when using new technologies are still major problems that will be cleared up gradually as technology improves. Knowing the problems we have in the way of modernizing music education helps us maintain practical solutions.
An Embarrassing Barrier: the Shortage of Training and Facilities
The shortage of facilities and technical support is like a traffic jam in the way of modernizing China’s music education. In urban city area, most public schools have been facilitated with access to broadband, computer and the other modern technologies, but many rural schools still remain in the “Pre-Technology Era.” Even in the schools that possess of some advanced educational technology equipment, they receive very limited use. For example, the computer is only like a replacement of traditional typewriters in many schools, since most teachers only know Microsoft Word. Some teachers do want to integrate multimedia technology to education, but Chinese version software programs are very limited, and music teachers cannot get technical support when they have problems.
The local education authorities provide some training for their teachers, but this training mostly focuses on the repertoire of their computer test, which only emphasis theory more than operating skills, and do not really apply to education practice very much. Music teachers who want to learn music technologies must make their special effort, usually at
28 their own expenses.
Also, the shortage of professional technicians is an additional reason that school teachers cannot get sufficient training. Though China’s information technology industry is booming in recent years, the number of computer technicians is far from enough than society’s needs. Zhao Wenjiang, a senior officer of CCTV claims that China still needs 50 to 100 thousand computer graphic designers today, and the gap is hard to fill in a few years15. Although personal computers and the Internet are becoming more and more popular in China today, quite a few Chinese people still do not know how to use these fundamental technologies. From the following chart, we can see that lack of knowledge is the main reason that people do not use the Internet.
Useless, Unnecessary 9.80%
Too expensive 4.10%
No interested 5.20%
Lack time 13.20%
Lack facility 29.30%
Lack knowledge 38.70%
Fig. 5 The reasons that the non-internet users don’t use the internet
Source: Statistics selected form Statistical Survey Report on the Internet Development in China. 17th
Versions. (Pp 56.) Beijing: CNNIC, Jan. 2006.
Of course, this high portion of non-internet users includes lots of teachers. They need
15 Source: http://games.sina.com.cn (08-12-2005)
29 the relevant training badly, but the problem of computer technician shortage cannot be solved in a short time. So modernizing education has a long way to go, and modernizing music education might lag even further behind.
The shortage of infrastructure is another big problem that most countryside schools have. From figure 3, we can see that 29.3% non-internet users are lacking of basic facilities, such as computer and the broadband to go online. Also, 4.1% non-internet cohort said going online is too expensive. So, the economic problem still holds back some schools from developing in China.
For music educator, lacking of practical software is another problem that is as serious as lacking of hardware facilities. In the last two decades, many foreign music programs were introduced to China while many local technicians are developing their own.
However, some imported software programs are too expensive for local music educators.
For example, Sibelius3 is selling for about RMB 4,500 Yuan (equivalent to $490) in
Beijing, which is more than an average schoolteacher’s two-month salary. So, though those programs work really great, their share in the market is rather small since most people simply cannot afford them. Still, those expensive foreign software programs do not always work very well for music teachers because of the foreign language problem. As to domestic software products, they are more affordable than imported ones, but most of them are relatively simpler and are less functional. As a consequence, many music teachers are still using technologies in a limited and passive way, which is another barrier of modernizing China’s music education.
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Diversity Problem: A Conspicuous Regional Difference
In the last two decades, the differences between eastern and western part as well as urban city and countryside of China have become distinct. That is, the eastern part and urban areas have developed considerably, whereas the western part and rural areas remain for behind in development. Educational conditions and music education technology in different places follow this same pattern of regional diversity. For example, while some eastern urban schools consider replacing the computers to recent updated multimedia equipment and music software, most countryside schools in the western area lack funds to buy a television set or CD player. While most urban music teachers get professors or experts’ support under their school’s sponsorship easily, many countryside teachers have give up their weekends and travel a long way to the nearest cities to take basic computer courses with their own expense.
For the schools in Chinese west part and countryside area, a lack of facilities and resources are two critical problems. We can see how serious these problems are from the following statement.
Today, the diversity between eastern part and western of China is very similar to the
America’s 19th century. Base on the Chinese government’s division, the western area includes twelve provinces. They are Xinjian, Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou,
Guangxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu and Chongqing. The western area occupies 71.4% of China’s territory, but only has 28.8% of national population (2002) and
31
16.8% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 16 This is a map of the western area shares in
China (the left part 12 provinces):
Fig. 6: The map of the western area share in China (The 12 provinces on the left side.)
Source: http://business.sohu.com/7/0304/65/column219556530.shtml
Compare with the east part of China, the music education resources are very limited in the west area. There are only two professional music colleges, Sichuan Music
Conservatory and Wuhan Music Conservatory in the west, whereas the east part has six of them that include the best two, the Central Music Conservatory and Shanghai Music
Conservatory. Among 57 main higher education level music institutions of China that listed on the Appendix D, the western part only shares 14 of them. Also, Most university
16 Source: “The basic conditions of implementing the west exploration.” China net. http://china.org.cn/chinese/zhuanti/xbkf5/797214.html (March 16, 2006)
32 students are not willing to work at the western part after graduation because the payment is relatively low and the working condition there is not as good as the eastern area. As a result, the music education in the east part is more developed than the west part, as well as the use of music education technology.
The disparities between urban area and countryside are also similar to the diversity of eastern and western part. Although the Chinese government has adopted the urbanization policy since 1980s, the urban city population only shares 43% of China’s total population,17 and 745 million people still live in the countryside with lower income, less social welfare, poorer medical care and less education than the urban citizens. Worse still, the way that local government assigns educational investment is unequal. For example, in
2002, only 23% of governmental education investment went to the countryside area; the rest 77% was used for urban schools.18
This disparity and inequality creates countryside schools with poorer facilities and condition, less qualified teachers and resources than urban school. Ironically, when thousands of countryside labors go to work in the city area and bring their children with them, they have to pay a big amount of extra charge for their children’s studying at urban schools. Even under this discrimination, many countryside people still want to send their children to urban schools if they can afford the extra charge, since they know their children get better education in the city.
17 Source: The National Statistic Bureau of China, December 2005. 18 Ji Ming. “Equal Education: A New Question of this Ancient Country with Thousands Years’ History.” http://www.edu.cn/20050908/3150759.shtml (March 13, 2006)
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In terms of modernizing music education, we can see the countryside schools continue have more difficulty than the urban ones. Modernizing music education outside urban areas will be harder if the situation does not change. We know, China’s school education does not exclude schools in countryside or western era. Modernizing music education of course does not mean for urban schools only. So, this big plan will not be fulfilled unless the regional disparity problems are solved.
How can I trust technologies? ---Reliability and Security Issue
Reliability and security is actually a common problem of integrating new technologies to music education all over the world. If we do not recognize this problem, sometimes new technologies could become a waste of time, and not really promote music teaching and learning.
There are two aspects of this problem. On one hand, music education usually involves relatively more technologies than the other subjects. For example, a multimedia music classroom usually needs computer, music software programs, broadband connection, projector, projection screen, stereo system and synthesizer or MIDI keyboard. Using more equipment means more possibilities of technical problems, and the teacher needs more time to get used to and prepare for technology in the class. That is an important reason that many “technophobia” teachers are unwilling to use new technologies for music education.
On the other hand, even the most advanced education technology is only a tool, but not an omnipotent life-saver or a replacement of the teacher. The more we rely on new technologies, the more potential for problems might develop and the more we need to
34 learn. For instance, many of us might have the same experience, an unexpected collapse down of the computer operation system could result a total destroy of all documents we store in the computer hard drive. So we have to be aware of that even the latest technologies might still have some potential problems.
In short, content problems (like shortage and diversity), and technical problems (like reliability and security) we mentioned above need to be solved. Then the modernizing of music education in China will be accelerated and enable music technology to extend this experience to more people.
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Chapter 5: Suggested Strategies for Modernizing China’s Music Education
According to the problems we analyzed in Chapter 4, I propose four suggested strategies to modernize China’s music education. These four dimensions are equally important:
1. Music educators should improve themselves in order to better use technology for education.
Promoting acceptance of new technologies is the cornerstone of modernizing music education in China. That is to say, music teachers should be encouraged to adopt new technologies in music education. Only after the teacher’s acceptance of new education technologies can China’s music education be modernized. This is similar to the transportation vehicles. If we always preferred walking on feet and refused to accept automobile, we would never have industry and modern civilizations. If we did not accept the airplane, we could never travel three thousand miles in a day. Thus, as music educators, we have to accept new technologies and always be willing to learn. It is no necessary to be afraid of new technologies. For example, if we look back, from wire recorder to phonograph, from tape recorder to CD player, we actually did not spend much time to learn how to use each new technology, but we really got better music effect with technology upgrades. Now we have mp3 player or iPod with much smaller size than CD player but can carry much more songs in a time. After studying new technologies and integrating them into music education, we not only learn some new things, but our musicianship also has improved much; and of course, we get a new tool for education and
36 both teaching as well as learning will be benefited.
Also, developing music educator’s English is a shortcut for modernizing music education. Many advanced music education technologies only have English version. In order to introduce them to China, a musician should know both Chinese and English.
However, in China’s universities and colleges, the music major student’s English requirement is usually lower than non-music major student’s. This policy does not help
China promote music education technology. The prospective music educator’s English should be at least equivalent to the other student’s because it is really necessary. On the other hand, the current music educators should be encouraged to study English, so that they can better use or introduce foreign music education technologies.
2. Professional societies in music technology field can exert more influence of promoting music education technology in China.
All music education technology societies should develop their local chapters in different provinces and major cities, so that the maximum music educators can benefit from this exchange and promotion. Their activities should not be limited in a few major cities or a small group of people.
Also, national music technology societies can create an online resource network for music educators. We know each school or individual teacher’s music materials are limited, but the resources will become abundant if they come from all national-wide schools and music educators. The national online resource network is a cross campus resource sharing system. Here is a simple way to make it. All teachers can upload their music materials
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(include music, movie, text files with different formats) to this site. All materials must be classified and an internal search engine should be created, so that users can locate the materials they want quickly. In order to avoid the copyright problem, the materials can be shared with charge or previous contribution for this website. For example, if one uploads three pieces of new files that have not existed on this site before, this user can get three download from, and the credits can be accumulated. A list of “useful Websites about
Music Education Technology in China” is in appendix C. Some websites already have the similar exchange and share function we mention above, but most of them are not rich enough yet.
In addition, music education technology societies can play an important role of promoting Chinese music technology industry. The prosperity of the music technology industry, especially the music software industry will help promote technology in schools, because domestic designed software fits Chinese music educators’ needs better. For example, there are two different notation ways in China’s music curriculum, staff notation and numeral notation. The most popular notation such as “Sibelius” and “Finale” provide staff notation function only. But Chinese domestic designed software programs “TT
Composer” and “EyeSong” provide the function of both notation ways. And the staff-notated file and numeral-notated file can be transferred from each other in a second.
They are not as professional as some imported programs, but these programs are very practical for China’s music educators since numeral notation and staff notation are both included in school music curriculum. This is an image of the screen shot of the “TT
38
Composer” program with two notation functions. The upper part shows the numeral notation and the middle part shows the staff notation.
Fig. 7: Screen shot of “TT Composer ”program.
Via the network of China’s music technology societies, these two practical, low cost programs were able to be placed in many of schools and enhanced music education.
3. Schools should explore the potential of technology-assisted education.
Schools are the basic units of implementing educational plans. A school can accelerates its modernization by promoting technologically mediated courses, online learning, distant education and cross-campus collaborations. A technologically mediate course means the course is taught with multimedia technologies. This course needs extensive preparation, but it attracts students and helps them understand better. Online education and distant education let remote site learner share plenty of resources via
39
Internet or television without space or time limitations. Distant collaborations means two or more music classes in different places offered at the same time and students learn from each site via multimedia and synchronous communication technologies. At the end of collaboration, all students in different sides can do a collaborative project together. These three ways enable music education and technology to benefit learners. Online learning and distance education are very useful ways of compensating education for remote and less-developed areas.
4. The government should invest more on improving school’s facilities and providing sufficient technical support and training.
The school’s lack of facilities and technical support in China is not only due to the low share of per-capita GDP ($1,738 in 2005), but also because of the low educational investment by the government. In 2004, China’s gross educational expenditure was 724.26 billion Yuan (equivalent to $90.53), which only occupies 2.79% of China’s GDP. This portion is much lower than the world average level 5%.19 As the saying goes, “he who pays the pipe calls the tune.” Investing enough money is a precondition of improving education. It is funny to propose any “modernizing education” plan in China if the education investment still remains at this low level in the coming few years. So it is the central, provincial, and local government’s responsibility to increase the educational investment soon, that public schools can be developed to fulfill the “modernizing education” plan.
19 Source: Education Ministry of P. R. China, 2004 Educational Expenditure Report.
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Of course, the government education appropriations should not be distributed with regional discrimination any longer. That is to say, the eastern part and the urban cities should not be invested more than others. On the contrary, as a compensation of the previous discrimination, the schools at western area and countryside should have priority for the central government’s support.
As to education technology integration, the provincial and local government should provide better technical support for schools and give sufficient technical training for their teachers. Only basic computer operation training is far from enough. Every teachers needs to know specific education technologies in their disciplines. Schoolteachers need to choose technological training courses that can be directly applied to their teaching. For example, music teachers can get music education technology training; art teachers can go to graphic technology training. So, the central and local electronic education department or centers should play a better role to help promoting education technology. Music education can be modernized only after most music educators understand and are comfortable with new technologies. Only after the schoolteacher’s managing new technologies effectively can this tool really enhance teaching and learning.
In short, only with a combination effect of the government, professional societies, schools, and music educators can China really accelerate the speed of modernizing music education.
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Chapter 6: Conclusion
Compare to the U.S., China is left behind in modern technology in general. Two of my personal experiences make me rethink the importance of technology in our life as well as in education: Before I came to the U. S., I was told that America is “a society on the wheels.” This saying was proved by my first glance of New York. I found almost everybody is using wheel tools here: In a walking distant transfer, New Yorkers use baby carriage, trolley cart or wheel-bin to carry stuffs; for a distant traveling or transfer, they use train or automobile, which is much more in number than any of a Chinese city. Even disable person enjoy traveling around wherever they want via wheel technologies. What a good use of this lovely technology! However, things are totally different in Chongqing, the biggest capital city of western part of China. About 500,000 labors are still earning their living with their shoulders there20. These workers usually hang around the dock, railways station or coach station and help travelers or pedestrians to carry luggage or any heavy stuff with a shoulder pole every day. So they are called “Bangbang,” a homophony of “shoulder pole” in the local dialect. By earning one to two Yuan (equivalent to a quarter
U.S. dollar) per ride, they work sweatily with the most primitive way in a modern city.
What a poor technology they are using! The striking contrast of technology using between
China and the U.S. tells us: As a less developed nation, China needs new technologies badly. Education, especially music education is a field that needs modern technology most.
20 Source: Cao, Dequan. “The most feature labor workers of China: the stories of Chongqing ‘Bangbang’ group’s.” http://sina.com.cn
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That is why I chose this research topic.
In the music education field, the potential value of new technology is immeasurable.
As we discussed above, modern technology can be an effective tool to enhance teaching and learning inside and outside the music class. In a broader dimension, modern technology is also a good tool to preserve and enhance traditional music. On one hand, we have very developed sound and video recording technology today. Digital technology enables performances to be recorded or videotaped with high quality. We do not have to use a heavy wire recorder and a big bunch of wire to record a single piece of music today.
On the other hand, digital technology (such as a digital music performance instrument) can enrich traditional music and explores its potential. Digital recording and digital music making can meet many needs in music education, and should be areas for further study.
This research involved extensive use of computer technology. The rich resources of the Internet provide abundant materials. Different online search engines, such as Google,
Baidu, Yahoo and Souhu provide access to most data and reference materials. In addition, learning to use a music software program is an important activity to get advanced knowledge of modern music technologies. There is a clear trend in the new technology, that is, more and more software programs are replacing traditional hardware modules.
Now we do not always learn technologies with racks of devices and gadgets.
After trying several English version music programs in the last two years, I reviewed to some Chinese designed software programs such as TT Composer, Master Composer,
WaveCn and JP-Word. They are much simpler, easier and practical for Chinese users. I
43 am also glad to see that China’s music technology industry is growing much quicker than I expected. For example, more and more local-designed music software programs are coming out in recent years. These programs can meet China’s music educator’s urgent need to some extent. We know, in this huge and crowed underdeveloped country, even little innovation of new technology can benefit a large group of people. This is the same as the ancient thinker and politician, Zhu Geliang principle: Never do evil deeds no matter how trifling; never forget to do good, no matter how small21. So we cannot neglect
Chinese music technology industry though it has just started on a small scale. The Chinese native-designed music programs should be a topic for further research in music technology.
Also, the music education technology curriculum for current and prospective music educators is another field that needs further research. What kind of technology enhances music teaching and learning better? How should we promote those practical technologies in music education? What kind of music technology should be developed? A better curriculum for current and prospective music educators could be built if the further research could give a clear answer to these questions. In other words, China’s music educators should have a broad picture of these education technologies they need most.
Only after the teachers’ integrate those technologies can the modernizing music education plan be fulfilled.
21 Zhu, Geliang was the prime minister of Shu Kingdom in “Sanguo” Dynasty of China. He wrote this principle in the letter “Chu Shi Biao” to the Emperor Liu Bei in 227 A.D.. This principle became the most important merit criterion of a faithful servant after that.
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Even though China’s music education has improved, it has just started to modernize.
General school music education has only about 100 years history in China, and the history of professional music education is even shorter. As to using digital technologies for music education, it is only an experiment that has been undertaken at a few schools by some teachers in the last two decades. However, this pioneer experiment has given Chinese music educators much valuable experience and revealed the future expectation of China’s music education. Today’s educators can see a clear trend of the music technology development in this country. As the educational hardware and software are developed, more and more local music educators are working with the new technology, China’s music education will be able to catch up with the Western world level gradually.
It is very hard to set a fixed standard of “modernizing music education” since new technologies are continually improving. But we can at least predict that modernizing music education is a global effort and technologies will enhance music education and communication of world music. Like the telephone, television and other household appliances that we use everyday, more and more modern technologies will become common to music education. New technology’s potential will be further developed so that music education can be integrated with goals of general education.
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Ke, Desheng. “Computer Makes Your Music Flying”(Dian Nao, Rang Ni De Yin Yue Biao Qi Lai) Defang Music Center.
Liu, Changmin: “The Advantages of Using Computer for Music Class.” (Dian Nao Zai YinYue Li Lun )
Sun, Danyang. “Constructing Music Education Mode for High School in the IT Broad Era.” (Gou Jian Wang Luo Xin Xi Shi Dai De Zhong Xue YinYue Jiao Xue Mo Shi). Shanghai: Jianping Middle School.
Wang, Nannan. “Using Multimedia Computer for Music Education.” (Duo Mei Ti Dian Nao Zai Zhuan Ye Yin Yue Xin Shang Ke Zhong De Shi Yong.) Wuhan: Hangjian University.
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Wang, Xiaolong. “How Far is Digital Music Education From Us.” (Shu Zi Hua Yin Yue Jiao Yu Li Wo Men You Duo Yuan). Juling Art College.
Zhao, Yishan & Fu, Ni. “The Solfege and Music Theory Teaching at the Computer It Era.” (Dian Nao Wang Luo Shi Dai De Shi Chang Lian Er He Yue Li Jiao Xue.)
Zhang, Lan. “Teaching Solfege for College Level at a Digital Music Environment.” (Shu Zi Hua Yin Yue Huan Jing Zhong De Gao Xiao Shi Chang Lian Er Jiao Xue)Yunnan Art Instutute.
Zhang, Lijun. Designning CAI Based of Primary Music Class. (Xiao Xue Yin Yue Ke Tiang CAI Jiao Xue She JI.)
Zhu, Haojun. “The Digital Revolution of Traditional Music Education.” (Chuang Tong Yin Yue De Shu Zi Huo Ge Ming.) Jiangshu: Shuqian College.
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Appendix A: Chinese Inter Network Information Center
China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC)22, the state network information center of China, was founded as a non-profit organization on Jun. 3rd 1997.
CNNIC takes orders from the Ministry of Information Industry (MII) to conduct daily business, while it was administratively operated by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
Computer Network Information Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences takes the responsibility of running and administrating CNNIC. CNNIC Steering Committee, a working group composed of well-known experts and commercial representatives in domestic Internet community supervises and evaluates the structure, operation and administration of CNNIC. The Main Business of CNNIC:
1. Domain Name Registry Service
2. IP Address and Autonomous System Number (AS Number) Allocation Service
3. Catalogue Database Service: CNNIC is responsible for setting up and maintain
the state top level network catalogue database, providing information search
services of Internet user, web address, domain name, AS number and so on.
4. Technical Researches on Internet Addressing: For the sake of keeping pace with
the global development of the Internet addressing, CNNIC carries out relevant
technical researches and takes on technical projects of the state based on its
administrative and working experiences on traditional network technologies.
22 Source: selected from CNNIC website http://www.cinic.net.cn
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5. Internet Survey and Relevant Information Services: Since the forming of CNNIC,
it has actively carried out series of statistical surveys on the Internet information
resources for public welfare. The authority and objectivity of CNNIC’s statistical
survey reports were wildly recognized by domestic and international communities.
Some of indexes were brought into the National Informatization Quotient (NIQ).
Furthermore, CNNIC also provides the Internet technical query services, CNNIC
certification trainings and issue website page view certifications to the society.
6. International Liaison and Policy Research: As the national network information
center (NIC), CNNIC maintains cooperative relationship with many International
Internet Communities, working closely with NICs of other countries.
7. Secretariat of the Internet Policy and Resource Committee, Internet Society of
China (ISC)
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Appendix B: A Selected Music Software Programs List
1. Chinese domestic design software programs
A. “Master Composer” This is a notation program, which developed by Fengya Software Company in 1999. Now this program has been upgrated four times and developed to Jianpu notation, staff notation and mix notation three versions. Website: http://www.zuoqu.com/
B. “EyeSong” This is a notation program that designed by Tongli Software Company for Chinese user. It provides staff notation and numeral notation functions and their transformation. Website: http://www.eyesong.net/
C. “TT Composer” This is an easy-to-learn notation program that designed by the Centrumus Company. It provides staff notation and numeral notation functions and their transformation. The auto accompany function in this program is similar to “Band-in-a-Box.” Website: http://www.centrmus.com/cmetech/showtech.php?id=348
D. “JP-Word” This is a very simple numeral notation program. Its function is similar to Microsoft Word but more flexible. The developer website: http://www.happyeo.com/
E. “Zhenghan” This is a CD-ROM that developed by Beijing Golden Human Computer Company. It is similar to an interactive music cyclopedia, which is often used for music appreciation class. Website: http://eshop.hongen.com/WebShop/Products/0000/08/17/index.html
2. Imported software programs
A. Sonar Sonar is a very popular MIDI program that designed by Cakewalk Company. Website: http://www.cakewalk.com/Products/sonar/new.asp
B. Macromedia Authorware Authorware is the leading visual authoring tool for creating rich-media e-learning applications for delivery on corporate networks, CD/DVD, and the Web. Develop accessible applications that comply with learning management system (LMS) standards. Website: http://www.macromedia.com/software.authorware
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C. Auralia It is very comprehensive ear training program that designed by Rising Company of Australia. (Both Windows and Macintosh versions are available.) Website: http://www.rising.com.au
D. EarMaster This is a very nice ear-training software program designed by a Danish music software company. The training program is based on a “learn-by-doing” concept. Website: http://www.earmaster.com
E. Cakewalk This is a very good family software program for recording, editing, and playing music and sound on the desktop (Windows version only). Website: http://www.cakewalk.com
F. Pro Tool This is a professional MIDI software program (Macintosh version only). Website: http://www.protools.com
G. Musition This is a complete music theory training program that developed by Rising Software Company. (Windows version only)Website: http://www.rising.com.au
H. Authorware This is a very powerful multimedia software tool that designed by Italian Autoware Company. Website: http://www.autoware.com/english/index.htm
I. Tonica This is an interesting music education program for harmony lesson that designed by Software Partners Company of UK. Website:http://www.software-partners.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view &id=30&Itemid=41
J. Digital Performer This is a very powerful professional MIDI software program (Macintosh version only). Website: http://www.motu.com
K. Encore This is a simple but very useful staff notation program that designed by Passport Design Company. (Both for Windows and Macintosh environment)
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Website: http://www.passportdesigns.com/
L. Overture This is a very simple but very popular staff notation program that designed by the GenieSoft Company. It’s been translated in to Chinese version. (Windows environment only) Website: http://www.geniesoft.com/index.html
M. Sibelius This is a series of comprehensive music notation and music education program that designed by the Sibelius Group. It’s been translated into Chinese version. (Both for Windows environment) Website: http://www.sibelius.com
N. Finale This is a very powerful professional music notation program that designed by MakeMusic Inc. (Both for Macintosh and Windows environment) Website: http://www.finalemusic.com/
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Appendix C: Useful Website about Music Education Technology in China
1. Sinededia Blog (Beijing) Website: http://www.sinemedia.com/ This is a professional music technology website of China. Lots of free tutorial materials for music technology are available here. It is also an important online resource for Macintosh version music software.
2. Centrumus Company Online: http://www.centrmus.com/ This is one of the most influence music technology websites of China. The “Ecntrumus Technology” pages provide lots of free materials about latest music technology. The “Ecntrumus Forum” provides a communication platform for visitors.
3. China “Midifan” http://ch.midifan.com/ This is a computer music online community that provides online exchange of music technology. A digital journal is issued monthly.
4. The Sound of Music China: http://www.zgyyzs.com/ This is a very good website about music education, performance, composition and music business.
5. China Crisscross Musical education Net: http://www.ccmusic.com.cn/ This website provides computer music and keyboard instrument tutorial information and online forum for music education.
6. Popiano site: http://www.popiano.org/ This is an online exchange platform of the music notation program Overture. It provides free software download, online tutorial of using Overture and a great deal of free music scores (ove. version) download.
7. Rainbow Jianpu site: http://www.jianpu.com/ This website provides free numeral score download and tutorial of numeral notation editing skills.
8. Traditional Chinese Music site: http://bbs.guqu.net/ This forum provides free music score download and music exchange.
9. Guangxi Arts Institute, Computer Music Education Online Network: http://www2.gxai.cn/dnyy/dnzp/Index.asp This is a very nice online resource website about computer music.
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10. Yiya Music Education Online: http://www.cnlxx.com/yiya/index.asp This is a comprehensive music resource website that ran by Congninglu Experiment Primary School in Jiangsu Province.
11. Movingsand Music Network: http://www.yuepu.net/ This is a rich music resource website with a focus on music scores.
12. Hongxiao Music Online: http://www.hongxiao.com/Index.html This is the oldest and most popular personal music webpage that constructed by a music teacher, Zhao Hongxiao in Shanghai, China. His website contains 55 topics and almost covers all fields of music and music education.
13. Music Educator Online: http://www.yyjs.com/ This is a comprehensive music resource website for music educator.
15. Digital Music Education Center, Beijing Capital Normal University: http://www.bluedream.com.cn/ This website provides many music education technology papers, digital music institute information, online introduction of new music technologies.
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Appendix D: The Main Higher Education Level Music Institutions of China23
Name City Website The Central Conservatory of Music Beijing http://www.ccom.edu.cn/ Shanghai Conservatory of Music Shanghai http://www.shcmusic.edu.cn/ Wuhan Conservatory of Music Wuhan http://www.whcm.com.cn/ China Conservatory of Music Beijing http://www.ccmusic.edu.cn/english/ Tianjin Conservatory of Music Tianjin http://www.tjcm.edu.cn/ Shenyang Conservatory of Music Shenyang http://www.sycm.com.cn/ Xinghai Conservatory of Music Guangzhou http://www.xhcom.edu.cn Sichuan Conservatory of Music Chengdu http://www.sccm.cn/English/ Xi’an Conservatory of Music Xi’an http://www.xacom.edu.cn/ Nanjing Art Institute, College of Music Nanjing http://www.njarti.edu.cn/mc/ Yunnan Art University, College of Kunming http://www.ynart.edu.cn/ Music Xinjiang Art Institute, College of Music Urumuqi http://www.xjart.edu.cn/yyx/index.htm Guangxi Art Institute, College of Music Nanning http://mec.gxai.cn/ Education Jilin Art Institute, College of Music Changchun http://www.jlart.com.cn/yyxy/ind ex.htm Shandong Art Institute, College of Ji’nan http://www.sdca.edu.cn/ Music Capital Normal University, College of Beijing http://www.cnu.edu.cn/music/ Music Shandong Normal University, College Ji’nan http://www.music.sdnu.edu.cn/ of Music Fujian Normal University, College of Fuzhou http://www.muc.cn/ Music Shanghai Normal University, College Shanghai http://music.shnu.edu.cn/ of Music Northeast Normal University, College Changchun http://music.nenu.edu.cn/ of Music Shaanxi Normal University, College of Xi,an http://www.snnumusic.cn/Index.h Music tml Zhejiang Normal University, College of Jinghua http://yy.zjnu.net.cn/sy/index.asp Music (Continue on next page)
23 Data last updated on March, 2006.
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(Continue 1: The Main Higher Education Level Music Institutions of China)
Name City Website Central University for Nationalities, Beijing http://yyxy.cun.edu.cn/ College of Muisc Qingdao University, College of Music Qingdao http://ysxy.qdu.edu.cn/ Jiamusi University, College of Music Jiamusi http://www.jdmusic.org/ Dalian University, College of Music Dalian http://202.199.159.232/ Shandong University of Technology, Zibo http://yyx.sdut.edu.cn/ College of Music Hu’nan Normal University, College of Changsha http://yyxy.hunnu.edu.cn/ Music Chongqing Normal University, College Chongqing www.cqnu.edu.cn/all_dept/institu of Music te/music/ Shanxi University, College of Music Taiyuan http://www.sxu.edu.cn/yuanxi/yi nyuexy/index.htm Hangzhou Teacher’s University, Hangzhou http://yyxy.hztc.edu.cn/ College of Music South China Normal University, School Guanzhou http://music.scnu.edu.cn/ of Music Jiangxi Normal University, College of Nanchang http://www.jxnu.edu.cn/ Music Nanjing Normal University, College of Nanjing http://202.119.104.100/yyweb/In Music dex.htm Southwest University, College of Music Chongqing http://cyber.swnu.edu.cn/music/ Xinjiang Normal University, College of Urumuqi www.xjnu.edu.cn/yyxy/ Music Inner Mongolia Normal University, Huhehaote http://210.31.176.18/Academy/M College of Music usicology/summary.htm Huazhong Normal University, College Wuhan http://202.114.32.4/hsd/music/ of Music Guangxi Normal University, College of Nan’ning http://www.gxnu.edu.cn/md/hom Music epage.htm Guizhou Normal University, College of Guiyang http://www.gznu.edu.cn/college/ Music music/ PLA Art College, Department of Music Beijing http://www.pladaily.com.cn/item/jlwy dzt-new/wytt/jfjysxy/sgll-yyx.html Xiamen University, Music Department Xiamen http://210.34.12.153/
(Continue on next page)
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(Continue 2: The Main Higher Education Level Music Institutions of China)
Name City Website Zhengzhou University, Department of Zhengzhou http://www.zzu.edu.cn/music/ Music Sichuang University, Music Department Chengdu http://www.scdxart.com/ He’nan Normal University, Music Xinxiang http://home.htu.cn/yyx/ Department Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang http://210.30.208.144/ Department of Music Communication University of China, Beijing http://www.cctedu.com/newsite/c Department of Music ct_index.php Jimei University, Music Department Xiamen http://art.jmu.edu.cn/ Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu http://yscb.swjtu.edu.cn/yy.asp Department of Music Northeast University, Department of Shenyang http://www.ivytech.com.cn/ysxy/ Music Liaoning Normal University, Dalian http://www.lnnu.edu.cn/xdjyjx/lia Department of Music oshizhinan/blzn/blzn-6.htm Qinghai Normal University, Music Xi’ning http://www.qhnu.edu.cn/depart/ Department MusicSite/index.htm Quanzhou Normal University, Quanzhou http://www.qztc.edu.cn/ Department of Music Ningxia University, Department of Yinchuang http://yyx.nxu.edu.cn/ Music Education Hainan University, Department of Haikou http://hd40012.hainu.edu.cn/ys/m Music ain/ Suzhou University of Science & Suzhou http://www.gxnu.edu.cn/md/hom Technology, Department of Music epage.htm Heilongjian University, Department of HaErbing http://210.46.97.15/HD_Page/200 Music 5518173858-1.Html Yunnan Normal University, Department Kunming http://www.ynnu.edu.cn/yssz.html of Music
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Appendix E: The Main Music Societies of China
Chinese Musicians Association (CMA) Chinese Musicians Association is the central headquarter of all national music societies. It has 50 affiliated group members and more than 10,000 individual members.24 The CMA Website address is: http://www.cflac.org.cn/xh/yinyue/
The 50 Affiliated Group Members of CMA
1. Chinese Music History Association 2. Ma Sichong25 Research Society of China http://www.ccom.edu.cn/kycb/msc/jj/200506290021.shtml 3. Chinese Music Aesthetic Society 4. China “Nanyin26” Society 5. American Music Society of China 6. China Acoustics Association 7. Traditional Chinese Instrumental Music Association of China 8. China Society of Traditional Chinese Pipe Instrument Music 9. Chinese Traditional Music Association 10. China “Yangqin27” Society 11. China “Leiqin28” Society 12. China “Pipa29” Society 13. Beijing “Guqin30” Society 14. China “Erhu31” Society 15. China “Pharynx Voice” Education Center 16. Chinese National Music Choir 17. Beijing Contemporary Music Society 18. China Symphony Association 19. China Cello Society 20. Xinghai Choir 21. China Accordion Society http://www.accordions.com/china/ 22. French Horn Society of China 23. China Percussion Society http://www.percussion.org.cn/ 24. Bass Cello Society of China 25. Musical Saw Society of China
24 Base on the description on CMA website http://www.cflac.org.cn/xh/yinyue/ 25 Ma Sichong (1912 -1987) is a composer and violinist, one of the most influenced Chinese musicians of the world. 26 “Nanyin” is a traditional opera at the southern part of China. It is regarded as “life fossil” because its 27 “Yangqin” is a traditional Chinese musical instrument. It’s played by two bamboo sticks hitting the strings. 28 “Leiqin” is a two-string traditional musical instrument, which originally came from Shandong Province of China. 29 “Pipa” is a four-string traditional musical instrument of China. 30 “Guqin” is a traditional Chinese musical instrument that has seven strings. It’s a symbol of ancient scholar. 31 “Erhu” is a two-string, very popular traditional musical instrument of China.
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26. China Harp Society 27. China Clarinet Society 28. Piano Tuning Society of China http://pianoteck.nease.net/ 29. China Association of Children’s Violin Education 30. China Society of Music Composition Professions in Normal University 31. Orff-Schuwerk Society of China http://www.chinaorff.com/ 32. China Kodály Association 33. Music Education Association of China 34. China Society of Normal University Music Education 35. China Society of Normal University Choir 36. China Xiao Youmei32 Research Society 37. China Electric Piano Association http://www.dzqchina.com/ 38. Traditional Music Theory Society of China 39. Chinese Vocal Association http://v.tongde.com/bbs/ 40. World Music Association of China 41. China Society of Eastern Music 42. China Society of Music Therapy 43. Digital Music Education Academy of China 44. Chinese Music Educators Association 45. China Society of Music Professions at Normal University 46. China Society of Television Music 47. China “Guzheng33” Society 48. Electroacoustic Music Association of China http://www.emac.net.cn/ 49. Music Psychology Association of China http://mpchina.ccom.edu.cn/ 50. China Society of Guitar http://www.cngt.org/
Provincial Music Societies Each province has their own provincial musician associations with a name as “the Musician Association of ___ Province” or “___ Provincial Music Association.” Most provincial musician associations have some affiliated music societies, but their number is less than the national music society number. For example, the Musician Association of Jiangxi Province has it affiliated societies such as “the Instrumental Music Association of Jiangxi Province,” “the Percussion Society of Jiangxi Province.”
32 Xiao Youmei (1884-1940) a famous Chinese musician. He is regarded as the “father of Chinese modern music.” 33 “Guzheng” is a traditional Chinese musical instrument with 21 strings. It’s played with artificial finger nails.