"You never change anything by fighting it. You change things by making them obsolete."
-Buckminster Fuller

Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota is on the fast track to the future. In the words of its President, Dr. Ellen Chaffee (State of the University Address, August 1995), it’s "a bullet train" to the 21^st century. In actuality, the process began approximately five years earlier, when in 1990, VCSU began moving in a new direction. Transforming a university system needed to be initiated well in advance to set a new course. Those early decisions led to the university receiving a $1.4 million dollar federal grant, facilitating a total notebook computer environment at VCSU … only the second in the nation to do so. (University of Minnesota Crookston, was the first). Waldorf College in Iowa implemented the same initiative the same year as VCSU. The new direction continued to support and promote the training of pre-service teachers, business graduates, and pre-professional students, concurrently weaving educational technology into the everyday lives of the university community. Several significant contributions to the state and national educational technology arena were made by VCSU in the past eight years:

Valley City State University offers four bachelor’s degrees with more than 75 courses of study, over 1,100 students, and 125 faculty & staff. VCSU has moved from traditional campus-based instruction to meeting the changing educational and training needs of the state’s citizens through technology-intensive learning with notebook computers, multimedia, and CD-ROMs; competencies, individual responsibility for learning, and documenting results for learning and teaching strategies; and new relationships with communities, employers, and society.

This paper will address the notebook initiative’s roots, diffusion, and eventual adoption and innovations experienced by the music department faculty. Valley City State University is a member of the National Association of Schools of Music with a small faculty of four full-time members and five adjunct faculty. The average age of the current faculty is about 37 years varying greatly in the degree of computer experience and level of comfort with technology. As research suggests, these may be factors in the adoption and integration of computers into a culture or society. Additional factors are time spent with the technology and level of involvement in the decision to adopt technologies. The level of integration into the music curriculum has been on an individual basis. However, the faculty is currently completing the final stage of planning for technology integration throughout the program. In a recent study provided by a staff member at VCSU for her doctoral dissertation, VCSU was compared to two other universities in the state with various time lines and methods of adoption of notebook initiatives. Corwin (1998) found that VCSU faculty were more involved with the initial decision, had a greater sense of responsibility to one another, administration, and students–which could be construed as a sort of "peer pressure"–and had a strong organizational culture of innovation. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) team that visited the university in 1996 wrote:

Valley City State University through its collaborative work with the Center for Innovation in Instruction (C.I.I.) … and through the initiative of its faculty in pursuing grants, has achieved a synergy of vision and mission in action which would not normally be possible for an institution of its size and financial resources. In this case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Noting that institutional culture is notoriously resistant to change, VCSU has achieved virtual transformation of the culture of the entire institution…these multiple efforts have worked in concert, focusing philosophy, and broad range of human and financial resources, to create institution-wide movement toward their long range vision to be a leader in technology in education.

Recent studies on campus indicate that sixty-three percent of the faculty have integrated computer use in their teaching in some form (Holleque, 1996, 1997). Current course syllabi reflect these changes and innovations throughout the campus. As the history of this initiative will show, this was not always the case. A needs assessment was conducted early in 1990 with the new State Board of Higher Education mission of technology leadership as the driving force. The rather dismal results showed that (1) students, faculty, and staff needed more and upgraded hardware and software, (2) ratings for technical support and training were low, and (3) funding was available for upgrades every 10 years if labs and desktop computers remained the mainstay. Work toward the new mission of technology leadership began with a grant for an assessment study that led to the eventual decision to use electronic portfolios and outcome-based abilities as the new technology-driven method of assessment. By 1992 all faculty had desktop computers on their desks and a Bush grant was in place for faculty development and training. The next big step would be to write grants that would provide additional funds to carry out the CD-ROM portfolio plan.

In the spring of 1995, the technology planning committee boldly chose to adopt the notebook environment with the approval of the faculty, staff, administration, and the student body. Thus, the initiative for a notebook environment began. VCSU received no additional state funds to make the transition to notebook computers. Expenses for the transition were covered by budget reallocation. For example, the university survived on a $10,000 budget for all equipment needs for two years. By February of 1996, all full-time faculty had IBM Thinkpad computers loaded with Windows 95, Microsoft Office, Novell Groupwise, Anti-Virus software, and Netscape. Students received computers in the fall of 1996, paying a technology fee of about $900 per year. Each multimedia classroom was equipped with a projection TV, scan converter, VCR, O.H. camera, and printer. Some rooms also contained stereo systems and videodisc players. Other classroom renovations included new desks, chairs, electrical outlets, and access to the computer network. Some chalkboards were replaced with white boards as well.

All administrative and faculty offices, nearly 30 classrooms, the library, and the dorms have direct Internet and LAN access. Universal accessibility has required a reorganization of nearly every course on campus in terms of curricular updates, as well as a restructuring of the assessments that have been a part of traditional learning environments. A portfolio assessment plan was adopted as a tool in the general education courses and major studies that will require students to create CD-ROM portfolios prior to graduation beginning with the present 1998-2000 bulletin.

The CD-ROM portfolio assessment project was funded for a five-year period in October of 1995 by a Title III federal grant under the Department of Education. This $1.7 million dollar grant was awarded to VCSU and its partner school, Mayville State University, which shares several administrative services including the President. The grant provided a five-station multimedia lab to train the students and faculty on the hardware and software and to create the CD-ROMs. A full time director of the grant program was hired to lead the training efforts. One of the most important success factors was the new Help Desk with a director plus twelve students offering online, telephone, and onsite assistance. The Help Desk also serves as the total service center for the notebooks including preparation, distribution, inventory, repairs, and loans. Faculty and staff training was accomplished in part with the addition of university courses available for credit. Finally, VCSU received another Bush faculty development grant worth approximately $60,000 per year over three years. This grant funded individual projects as well as departmental or institutional projects, travel to conferences, bringing in consultants, and onsite special training groups.

The initiative moved forward again in the fall of 1998 to include placement of similar workstations in each division so students would have better access to the equipment as well as providing the opportunity for divisions to add subject-specific software to enhance their portfolio projects. Students and faculty alike have access to the local area network and internet from these sites as well as from the notebooks, offering options for sharing the multimedia projects and for accessing information while preparing them.

A steady increase in the use of various software, different computer technologies, and required student use within the courses has occurred. A mentoring approach was used to accomplish that task, beginning with learning teams of representatives from each division. Title III funds were available for this team during their own training and for their time in training others. This approach worked very well to disseminate the information and training among faculty. Various monetary and equipment incentives were used along the way via the grants to keep the momentum moving forward. A serendipitous result of the mentoring approach was the creation of an environment of concern and the nurturing of others in the university community. A sense of teamwork and cooperation was obvious and proved to be a significant factor in the adoption of technology usage.

The full-time music faculty have all been mentored and have implemented at least one technology project per course toward student-produced electronic portfolios. Currently the department is working to map these projects across the major and minor degree programs for effectiveness in delivery and thorough coverage of the assessment goals. Following is a description of some of the projects and how they are embedded in the CD-ROM assessment tools developed by the university.

The purpose of the first project was to integrate a music theory portfolio project into the university-wide decision to implement assessment portfolios that reflect the results of research done by the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) in 1990. This commission’s research produced two major publications: What Work Requires of Schools (1991) and Learning a Living: A Blueprint for High Performance (1992). These publications define skills critical for success in school and in the workplace. These documents formed the basis of the VCSU Abilities.

Five abilities were chosen for inclusion in the portfolios. Each ability has several SCANS skills contained within it. Table 1 contains a list of the abilities with example SCANS skills within each. Students must demonstrate their skills within these areas through projects, which individual faculty devise and require as an integral part of their coursework.

Table 1.

All freshmen majoring in music must take beginning music theory; therefore, this course was chosen for a pilot project focusing on the Problem-solving Ability and the SCANS skill of Decision-making.

First, students were divided into groups of three or four to work cooperatively and provide evaluations. Then, a problem was posed in increments based upon the concepts covered in class. The first assignment was to compose a melody of 16 measures that had the characteristics of a "good" melody, as discussed in class. The students were then asked to write about how their melody evolved–how they made their choice of where to place the climax, for instance. Their criteria concerning what constitutes a "good melody" served as the basis of their melody evaluations by both themselves and their peer group. Next, they were asked to add sequences and extensions according to the "rules" they derived through reading the text and class discussions. The assessment procedure was consistent throughout the duration of the project. Each student, then, composed a melody from which every other assignment was built. Students were able to see how their initial ideas were changed and developed as they learned more about melodic structure.

The next step was to rewrite the melody according to 16^th century models. This meant a complete revision for many students in order to match the "rules" of that time period for horizontal intervallic structure, melodic direction, etc. Next, they were to add a counterpoint to their melody, being cognizant of the vertical intervallic structure and cadences. Following each revision procedure, the students were asked to write a reflective statement describing any difficulties they encountered, what they needed to change and why, and their impressions of the new arrangement.

After an introduction to figured bass, the students were to construct the inner voices of their two-voice piece in Bach chorale-style in first species counterpoint. Next, cadences were changed to match the style and the students were invited to add nonharmonic tones to the melody. The students continued to modify their pieces as they learned about seventh chords, phrasing, and periodic structure. The final compositions also included a secondary dominant, a modulation, and a return to the original key. Some handwritten work was scanned as part of the generative process of the project, an essential part of the portfolio assessment.

The pilot project was completed mainly by handwritten exercises. However, some of the work was completed in the Macintosh lab using Overture. The current project is constructed in Music Time, a program located in an IBM lab in the music school (The notebook computers were used for all other aspects of the project, including e-mail communication between students and with the instructor). A graphic was created from the notation and placed in an html document with a link to its matching MIDI file. The student and peer evaluations were not kept as a part of the portfolio. However, the composer’s reflective statements were included. If decisions were based upon the evaluations, the reflective statement included that reference. These statements helped to define the level of performance at which the student was operating while making the changes in the pieces.

Each SCANS skill has five levels within it for assessing degrees of proficiency. In Decision-making, level one is "understands decision-making process and recalls basic rules/principles allowing for the identification of goals and constraints." For instance, if the students completely rewrote the assignment several times, that might suggest that they were operating at a level three by analyzing the situation and the information, considering the implications, and compiling multiple viewpoints. If the students were able to define changes only where they were needed on the initial rewrite, they were more likely to demonstrate a level four performance. Level four indicators are demonstrated by generating and evaluating alternative solutions and formulating a plan of action as the result of the prediction of the results based upon prior knowledge or experience. Several students were able to reach level four, but only two were considered to have met level five in which they could judge consistency and precedence of their decision or clearly compare their work to exemplary models. Most students were able to create a satisfactory composition to match the assignment; however, many were unable to clearly verbalize about their work in a consistent manner. Not surprisingly, the two who were able to best verbalize their thinking processes were also older than average students.

The music history project was designed as a semester-long cumulative inquiry on a single topic, with each student in the class having a separate topic to research and then present as a final speech. The ability was Communication/Aesthetic Responsiveness with the SCANS skill of speaking. Students prepared a Power Point slideshow to accompany their speeches. Consider the following sample topic:

The approach to tonality is constantly changing. What are some of the different views on tonality that we have studied? What is considered consonant, and what is considered dissonant? During different periods that we studied this semester, how much dissonance or chromaticism was acceptable? Which composers were drawn to dissonance? Which composers strove for a more consonant sound?

The consistent theme found throughout these areas was the ability of Collaboration and Wellness. Various projects focused on the SCANS skills within this ability (e.g., responsibility, sociability, participates as a team member, and self-management). The traditional assessment tools of performance were revised to include the SCANS skills. The performances were videotaped and recorded. Then students were able to take these raw materials to the workstation to use Adobe Premier to combine video clips with audio–including transitions and voice-overs–and later burn their own CD-ROMs. Conducting classes and student teaching videos are handled in much the same way.

Two projects were considered especially important by the students themselves in the Fall 1998 semester. Both had been implemented the Spring 98 semester in Music for Elementary Students for nonmajors. The Fall 98 class was a combination of music minors and nonmajors. The first project was also shared in the Music in the Junior and Senior High School music majors as well.

The first project was a presentation using Power Point on the topic, "Teaching with the National Standards." This project was designed to meet the ability of Effective Citizenship/Global Perspective and the SCANS skill of teaching others. The students were to research the standards in addition to their learning from class discussion and readings to determine how the standards would personally affect them and their teaching practices. Other arts education classes were invited to the presentations and they were videotaped to air on the local VCSU TV network newscast. The presentations were compiled into html documents and placed on the class syllabus website.

A second project in the methods courses for elementary teachers involved research of three musical cultures, each using a different source of information. They were to use the internet, the university library, and an interview with a person from a different heritage from the predominantly Scandinavian or western European background of 98% of the student body. This project met the ability of Effective Citizenship/Global Perspective and the SCANS skill of working with diversity. Students found a variety of

sources, but confirmed that they learned the most from the live interview. One of the interviewees actually came to class and taught an ethnic dance from Bulgaria. The presentations were made with a Power Point slide show accompanying them and given to the class.

Another project from the brass methods class incorporated the ability of Collaboration and Wellness and the SCANS skill of teaching others. Students in brass methods study various pedagogies and the brass family of instruments. At the end of the semester, they fulfilled their internship in the beginning band program of the local public school, teaching beginners. The students prepare in-depth lesson plans with criteria for success, teach a series of lessons, and then evaluate their own success as teachers as well as their students' progress. The lessons are videotaped and later cut and pasted together to demonstrate teaching. The piano classes and other methods classes do similar projects, but use peer teaching instead of internships in the public school. A pedagogy internship is available in the Community School of the Arts, where students have access to young students for their "teaching others" project.

The final projects are saved and will later be incorporated into the CD-ROM portfolios in a format desired by the student. Some students will put all of their projects on a web page while others will use Power Point as the vehicle for display. Some may compile a series of "teaching others" projects into one overarching presentation that could show their growth. In helping others to learn

Over the course of a degree program in music education, many of the students will be able to clearly define their growth in this manner. And, by the time many of them are ready to burn their final CD-ROM portfolio, there may be a whole new way of compiling the projects! This is an ever-changing environment with one goal in mind–to be learner-centered.

The current project of mapping all of these individually-crafted projects into a unified whole as a department–then as a division–is an important component of the assessment program. Each division and department received this charge. When compiled, the divisions will revisit their choices of projects and work to balance the abilities and SCANS skills with a spiral approach to the levels of achievement to help students produce a meaningful assessment upon graduation.

The culture at VCSU is constantly changing and growing. The music faculty have many ideas that are in planning stages at the present time. The faculty is constantly looking for ways to integrate technology with the assessment tools and course content. Our present needs assessment indicates that digital audio equipment and recording facilities, as well as an acoustically-sound environment for performance, are essential. In order to produce high-quality CDs, these requirements must be addressed. Each year, the technology committee meets to determine the needs across campus and prioritizes them according to greatest necessity and urgency. Maintenance of the present system requires a major portion of the budget and in these economic times, expansion will be a challenge.

Valley City State University is a place where boundaries are always challenged, barriers often removed, and learning continues to be re-evaluated. The strategic plan emphasizes customized learning defined as "learning that enables each person or organization to have effective, convenient, and efficient access to an educational process that supports independent progress toward their goals." This vision provides strong impetus toward change and adoption of technology into every aspect of the university community–including music. Many music projects utilizing technology are integrated now and have received positive feedback from students involved. As the university moves forward, the hope of the music department is that funds will be available to upgrade equipment and performance facilities, provide software to each laptop as needed, and maintain solid support for building on a traditional program as well as in the technological arena. As a whole, the music faculty feel the need to "get on board" with the vision and mission of the university as good team members. However, there is lingering uneasiness about the future of a traditional music program for the preparation of K-12 teachers in this innovative environment. The unanswered questions include: "When tradition meets technology, is there a clear winner or loser?" "Can the two be truly compatible or will the one with the most momentum usurp the other?"