Dr. John Gilbert MODERNIZING CHINA's MUSIC EDUCATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

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

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