Peer Review

A Brief History of Singing

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Overview:: This site is an online text on the history of singing as it relates to opera and it's development. It is organized in sections by historical periods from antiquity to the present day. A glossary of terms is included at the end of each section and a bibliography of readily available English-language materials is also included.
Type of Material:: Reference material.
Recommended Uses:: This site should be used as an online reference to provide an overview of the art of singing as it relates to opera. It provides an excellent resource in any private vocal studio, voice class, or music history class.
Technical Requirements:: This site works well with any computer with an online connection.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: This site is designed primarily as a reference tool that provides a focused historical understanding of opera and the art of singing. While the site has no author specified learning goals it could easily be used in conjunction with assignments such as music history research and vocal studio projects.
Target Student Population:: This site is directed at anyone interested in singing. It is most appropriate for college freshman and sophomore music students. It is also appropriate for college level music humanities students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Basic computer and Internet skills are the only prerequisite knowledge needed to access and use this site

Rating:
Strengths:: The information on this site is well organized with an excellent bibliography.
Concerns:: As an overview this site provides a student with a coherent historical view of singing. It does not provide a comprehensive historical record and so should be viewed as a starting point in a student's historical understanding of this topic.

Rating:
Strengths:: The potential effectiveness of this site as a teaching tool is as a text custom written for the student exploring it's topic. The potential effectiveness of this site is also dependent on the context a teacher provides.
Concerns:: Absence of learning objectives limits this site's potential effectiveness as a
teaching tool. As a reference site rather than a "lesson", this site would
need considerable instructional structure for use with an assignment. The lengthy text for each topic does not lend itself to retention of the material by students. While the text is sub-divided by historical period the length of the text also may present problems for instructors wishing to adapt and organize the material for their own instructional sequence. The site also lacks any interactive component.

Rating:
Strengths:: This site is easy to use for both students and teachers.
Concerns:: The navigation from one section of the text to another is limited to a forward and return link at the end of each page. This aspect of the web design does not lend itself to easily navigating from one section to another.

Other Issues and Comments:: The "Antiquity to 1590" chapter includes a section on "Prehistoric Vocalism." This section, dealing with the unknowable origins of singing and language is, of necessity, conjectural.
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