I have a few thoughts, which have arisen during this process. First, I would like to describe attitudes of our students and secondly, how the role of a music teacher is changing through the impact of videoconferencing.
In the interviews that Philip Donner made, the students were rather positive. They are of course polite, but I still believe that their enthusiasm was authentic. They felt themselves very comfortable in the conferences and the tool itself, which to them was totally transparent. The possible technical limitations did not seem to bother anybody. It is of course quite natural that the possibility to meet fellows from the other side of the world is fascinating.
There is actually nothing very special about this. Frank Clark's students were born at the same time as the first personal computers and Mikko, at our end point, is hardly older than the first web pages. What kind of feelings do we have towards copying machines, except hate? They are just part of everyday life.
Another interesting point I have learnt in this special group, has to do with the quality of interaction between teacher and students at both ends.
Distance education scholars quite commonly hold the position that there should be some face-to-face contacts before any real interaction in videoconference. When I started to use those units six or seven years ago, I thought the very same. But nowadays I'd disagree - at least a bit. I have had several courses, where I haven't physically met or even seen my students. From those experiences I have learned that meeting in flesh is good if we can arrange an encounter, but it is really not all that necessary.
To me the question is: How do I teach in this highly restricted environment? When we start teaching in a group, which we don't know one another beforehand. It will take time to become familiar with each other, but this is not because of using videoconferences or resorting to good old classroom teaching. Philip and I have never met with Frank Clark, but I don't think that this fact has diminished the intensity of our collaboration.
I would still like to touch upon the role of the teacher and her/his position in distance learning. We discussed that at some length after the last session before this conference.
Fred, could you kindly show our last clip.
The past years have taught me a lot to me. I have had to learn much more about the real essence of teaching and learning. Actually, I do think that this has made me a better teacher. I recommend this process also to you, despite the extra effort which needs to be invested in handling the technical overhead. After all there should be a little bit of craziness and not at too much laziness - that could be our motto.
The work process of the Syllabus Music Theory special group has given us quite a lot of material which we should study careful. And this may lead to the third phase of Fred's conception for our work: continuing collaboration. Perhaps we should even found a forum of exchanging expertise? Or could there be a possibility to establish an international graduate school of videoconference pedagogy?
I would like to conclude by saying that this cooperation has given us a good kick, and we want to go on. So on behalf of the special group: Many thanks to you Fred Rees. And thank you dear audience.
At this point Jennifer Sterling, the moderator of the music theory module makes her concluding remarks on her experience with the team members from Georgia, Kuhmo and Kuopio.