The Identify Scale Degree Names is an interactive, iPad Drill and Practice exercise/quiz application. Students using this application will develop facility in identifying notes within major scales and natural, melodic and harmonic minor scales. Students are provided with the scale and a scale degree, they need to select the letter name of the appropriate note and hit the Submit button. There is a “Show Answer” button that students can use to receive immediate feedback on the answer.
Type of Material:
The material is a Drill and Practice that can be accessed via an iPad or on iTunes.
Recommended Uses:
This application is a Drill and Practice quiz that can be taken to learn and better understand scales and scale degrees.
Technical Requirements:
Users of this application need to have an iPad with IOS 4.0 or greater, or have an iTunes account via a browser.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The learning goal of this application is for students to be able to demonstrate that they understand scales and scale degree (i.e., Tonic) and can identify the appropriate answer to the quiz questions.
Target Student Population:
Students currently learning about major and minor scales. This may include students of a wide range of ages, from elementary school to introductory courses at the college level.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Knowledge of names of notes and sharp/flat/double sharp/double flat function; key signatures; construction of major scales; construction of natural, harmonic and melodic scales types; scale degree terminology (tonic, supertonic, etc.)
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This is a tool for skill checking and as such fulfills its function well. It is easy to use, and provides a good selection of prompts that tests student ability.
Concerns:
It would be great if this application would be more user friendly to other mobile devices beyond the iPad.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This application delivers what it promises - a drill on identifying scale degrees. The user is tested clearly and consistently. The tool allows learner to attempt answer, provides feedback in the form of "correct", "incorrect", and provides answer if desired.
Concerns:
The visual layout is slightly confusing, but not terribly so. The names of notes are provided in a table that stretches across screen in succession (allowing for enharmonic names of notes in sequence) in two rows.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
This is a simple tool that tests basic knowledge of scale degrees. It does so consistently and predictably.
Concerns:
The visual display is clear, though for this reviewer, it posed a slight issue because of its width.
Other Issues and Comments:
No other issues except to consider expanding this application for use with all mobile devices.
Creative Commons:
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