Let's see if this works
Well, I find my self in a predicament this afternoon. I worked most of the summer on a syllabus for a class I won't be teaching until next year (it's a Fall even). As it turns out, it looks like I'll be teaching a different course. I led a student through it as an independent study so I have a basic outline and idea.
Anyway - I am excited to see how well this "method" works as I scramble to map out this course, create some learning objectives, guides, tasks and assessments. Here I go again!
I am beginning to "chunk out" the main ideas for at least the first section so I have a place to begin. It is much easier (lazy way) to take it chapter by chapter from the book like we did in the independent study. I am now processing how to not only "teach" the course, but move it to an online presence as well.
As a musician (and punk rocker at heart) I have some issues with copyrights. People are getting rich and they aren't always the musicians/artists. I place a big question mark on the grey area between art and entertainment. I believe that people ought to get paid for their work and should be credited with their art. But like restaurants who buy "phrases" (hot eats cool treats, hot-n-ready, or I'm lovin it), I think it's a bit ridiculous when the market starts to interfere with what ought to be fair commons. I don't envy the people who have to police this stuff or make the rules.
I am currently working on teaching students to record. The last song we did cost me $300 to purchase 100 mechanical licenses (CD's) and 500 downloads (website) for people to listen to the music we recorded that other people wrote (times that by 8-10 songs). We're not going to make any money on this product selling it to our parents (or even come close to breaking even). It's frustrating. In fact, it is not sustainable for us to continue recording music and offering it to people to hear unless we start charging (and we likely won't sell enough). It's not a business, it's for education. So I have to try creative things like - public domain songs and original music, but no one recognizes or enjoys those nearly as much (especially the students). Ha - there is a rant!
Anyway - I am excited to see how well this "method" works as I scramble to map out this course, create some learning objectives, guides, tasks and assessments. Here I go again!
I am beginning to "chunk out" the main ideas for at least the first section so I have a place to begin. It is much easier (lazy way) to take it chapter by chapter from the book like we did in the independent study. I am now processing how to not only "teach" the course, but move it to an online presence as well.
As a musician (and punk rocker at heart) I have some issues with copyrights. People are getting rich and they aren't always the musicians/artists. I place a big question mark on the grey area between art and entertainment. I believe that people ought to get paid for their work and should be credited with their art. But like restaurants who buy "phrases" (hot eats cool treats, hot-n-ready, or I'm lovin it), I think it's a bit ridiculous when the market starts to interfere with what ought to be fair commons. I don't envy the people who have to police this stuff or make the rules.
I am currently working on teaching students to record. The last song we did cost me $300 to purchase 100 mechanical licenses (CD's) and 500 downloads (website) for people to listen to the music we recorded that other people wrote (times that by 8-10 songs). We're not going to make any money on this product selling it to our parents (or even come close to breaking even). It's frustrating. In fact, it is not sustainable for us to continue recording music and offering it to people to hear unless we start charging (and we likely won't sell enough). It's not a business, it's for education. So I have to try creative things like - public domain songs and original music, but no one recognizes or enjoys those nearly as much (especially the students). Ha - there is a rant!
Jon, thanks for your thoughts. I always appreciate your honesty and input. It's seems crazy to me about what can have copyrights and what is public domain. My favorite story of copyright success is that of the pet rock (netted 15 million dollars in the first 6 months), and has copyright laws and patents not allowing any other company to design pet rocks.
ReplyDeleteThe music industry( to my very limited knowledge of it) seems to be a amalgam of copyrights and bylaws that make it difficult for the creative individual to succeed monetarily without multiple people/companies/labels helping navigate everything and taking a piece of the pie as well. Like you said, the ones who profit typically aren't the artists. I couldn't find the link but I'll keep looking for it. I read a story of an entrepreneur who sells sound bites (door bells, screams, laughs, etc.) for profit and makes a pretty nice living doing that and he's the middle man.
Best of luck with your new class!