Anatomy of a Tone: A Highly Functional Web-Based Interactive Learning Module

Abstract: Northeastern University's Education Technology Advisory Committee (ETAC) consists of faculty who are specialists in bridging the gap between content development and instructional design. "Why does the note A' sound different on a flute compared to a violin?" is an interactive learning module that tackles the elusive concept of musical timbre. This is an example of an Embedded Learning Module (ELMO) that recently received a NSF (National Science Foundation) grant to explore a variety of methods to break down the barriers to teaching science to artists. Issues of planning, design, effective project management, interdisciplinary methodology and the integration of media are discussed, and the finished project presented. Anatomy of a Tone demonstrates an effective collaboration between students in Northeastern's flagship multimedia studies program, faculty mentors, experiential learning and successful integration of content development and instructional design, the result of a 20-week long planning, design and implementation project. Anatomy of a Tone may beviewed at: http://elmo.neu.edu/elmo_html/demos/beta music.html.