Dr. Armstrong’s innovative, Web-based tutorial teaches the language of music.

Music students, majors and non-majors alike will benefit from a teaching enhancement grant awarded May 1 to Associate Professor of Music Robin Armstrong (left).

Music literature classes at McDaniel serve a broad diversity of students, from music majors with extensive backgrounds to non-majors who have played an instrument for many years to students with no experience whatsoever but an interest in expanding their musical horizons. One of the greatest challenges in teaching these courses is to come quickly to a common vocabulary of music for classroom discussion, according to Armstrong.

With this grant, Armstrong plans to create a Web-based tutorial for students to learn music vocabulary independently and, more importantly, at their own pace. This summer, using the software program, Garage Band, Armstrong will select short excerpts of pre-recorded music or create her own musical examples to illustrate key concepts such as melodic range, phrasing, and contour linked to the written definition. Students will be able to hear the concepts as they study their meanings. Also, the program will allow a simple melody to be expanded with an accompaniment to instruct students on the ideas of harmony and texture.

This web-based student tutorial will help novice music students and provide a solid review for others, freeing up classroom time to cover core content-related material. This tool will be made available to other music literature instructors and will serve as a learning model for faculty in other departments.

This summer Armstrong also plans to travel to Ghana with Cross-Cultural Solutions, an international volunteer program that provides hands-on learning about another country and culture.

Armstrong earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at California State University and a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan . She currently teaches African-American Heritage Music, Hispanic Music of Latin American, and History of Jazz.

The Ira G. Zepp Teaching Enhancement grant was established in 1995 through the generosity of Charles E. Moore, Jr., Class of 1971 and Carol Hoerichs Moore, Class of 1970. Applications are submitted to the Faculty Development Committee, which together with the Provost determines the recipient of this award.

For more information, contact Peggy Fosdick, director of communications, at 410-857-2293.