Milton M. Schimke, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Throughout the years of supervision and observation of student teachers and interns in music education, the presenter has pursed more efficient and effective means for carrying out this responsibility. With the arrival of desktop computers for Computer Assisted Instruction, thoughts of how a computer might be implemented in an observation setting often came to mind when observing a student teacher and hand-writing the typical observation report. The development of laptop computers and printers with battery packs appeared to provide the hardware for using this technology in an observation setting. Finally, in reviewing software for educational purposes, HyperCard 2.1 along with a Macintosh PowerBook computer became the software and hardware for applying computer technology to supervision and observation of student teachers and interns.

After learning and practicing the basics of HyperCard 2.1, the next step was to determine the criteria for structuring a HyperCard stack to supervise and observe student teachers and interns in music education. Since coming to UW-Eau Claire in Fall 1969, the presenter has been responsible for this instructional area and has maintained copies of observation reports in individual files for each music student teacher and intern observed. Therefore, twenty-three and one-half years of observation reports were available for review in designing the stack, Spring 1993.

All of the reports contained in the foregoing files were read and tabulated. The resulting statements, questions, comments and suggestions were rewritten as concisely and succinctly as possible in preparation for sorting and placing the information on individual cards in the HyperCard stack. First, the results were divided into six observation categories in a Main Menu as follows:

Next, each of the preceding observation categories was linked to a card representing sub-topics of the category. For example, the following are the sub-topics for Instructor Actions:

Finally, cards were prepared representing each sub-topic. These cards follow each of the sub-topics. As an example, the following represent the cards for Voice Projection:

The design of the stack includes buttons that make it possible to return to the main menu of observation categories at anytime or choose one of the observation categories leading to the list of sub-topics for each category. Buttons on the cards and the arrow keys on the computer also provide a means for navigating card-to-card.

The following hardware and software were used to develop the stack and are currently implemented in the supervision and observation process:

With the hardware and software described, the SuperVision and Observation with HyperCard stack is used as follows:

The presenter currently uses this HyperCard stack for the supervision and observation of student teachers and interns in music education at UW-Eau Claire. As discussed, the stack is structured so that card additions and alterations are possible and realistically anticipated in order to keep it up-to-date and relevant to the students observed. The current stack contains 495 cards.

The knowledge gained from learning HyperCard programming language and design in structuring this stack has provided valuable insights and ideas for additional applications of this technology for enhancing instruction. Ideas for using HyperCard technology are unlimited.