This is an introductory course in music designed to fulfill General Education requirements, so don't be concerned if you don't have a musical background. Music if fundamental to human nature so, if you are human, you should be able to do well in this course.

This is not a writing class, but it is a class that demands a lot of writing. In a conventional class there are many grading criteria available: attendance, class participation; quizzes, chapter exams, homework assignments, discussions, term papers, the look of comprehension on your face, etc. Essays and two concert reports replace much of that. Music can be difficult to describe in words, but you will get better as the semester passes.

Beginning Fall semester, 2004, Internet access will be needed to submit assignments and to do some interactive assignments during the course of the class. (If necessary, at least during Fall 2004 it may be possible to complete this class without the Internet, but it will be much more difficult.) More about Internet requirements are described below.

You will need the book and CD set that accompanies the video segments. It's a great series. Most, although certainly not all, Introduction to Music courses (also called Music Appreciation) in the United States present the nature of music through a mini-history of Western Music: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and all their buddies. The thing that attracted me to offering this telecourse was the way the information is presented in a more generic way, focusing on the functions and elements of music by presenting them through a broad spectrum of applications found through many cultures, including our own. It is often easier to perceive an aspect of music when it is not embedded in a system already familiar to your ears.

You will need access to the videotaped segments of the course. Each chapter's segment will be aired on Wyoming Public Television twice each week at times will they will determine. (KCWC has not yet published their schedule.) Casper College will air each segment one more time through CC's cable channel 3 in Casper. Some satellite dish systems may carry a PBS channel which shows their educational videos, but we have no control over their offerings. If you do not have assess to an of these broadcasts, or if you want to proceed through the course at a different pace, you can rent a set of the videos from RMI Media Productions, 1-800-745-5480 (http://www.rmimedia.com/).

Goodstein Library, on the Casper College campus, also has a set of the videos on reserve for viewing there. However you manage to see the videos, it would be good if you can see them more than once, by recording them, or by watching repeated broadcasts.

Assignments, grades, and additional study material will be available through a web site found at http://de.caspercollege.edu:8900/ You will need to register to use this site. However, registering for this site is not he same as registering for the class through the Registrar's Office.( General information, where you found this document, can be found at: http://wind.caspercollege.edu/~gundet/MUSC1000.html )

To make use of this site will need Internet access and a computer with the ability to play QuickTime multimedia "movies." The QuickTime Player is a free utility from Apple Computer. (http://www.apple.com/quicktime) It s available for both Macintosh and PC platforms. In this course, these QuickTime movies provide audio examples. You will need to use Netscape version 4.76 (This is a slightly older version available at http://home.netscape.com/download/archive.html?cp=dowarc.) or Netscape 7. (http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp). Netscape 6 will not work with WebCT, which is the software the college uses to deliver secure online content. You should not use AOL's browser; their proprietary format conflicts with a number of standards, including those used by WebCT. If you use a Macintosh computer, Apple's most recent Safari browser works. Microsoft recently disabled the ability of some versions of its Internet Explorer to use Nescape-style plug-ins, including the QuickTime examples used throughout the course. I think the current pages I post have circumvented that problem, but please check your equipment.

If you can see two images below, and hear music when you click on the 'Play' button (the sideways triangle), then you can use the material on the optional web pages.

The telecourse approach to college study is not the most common one, but there are certain advantages to such an approach. Please don't let these advantages beguile you into ignoring potential difficulties also inherent in this format. Some of the more obvious warnings:

Distance leaning isn't any easier than in a traditional classroom setting. Most people find it requires more work, rather than less.

Distance learning doesn't take any less time than a traditional course. You can certainly use your time more efficiently; no travel time to classes; no waiting for someone else to understand a concept you already grasp; using pockets of time available in your schedule; etc., but still you can expect to use anywhere from five to nine hours per weeks on this course, the same as a traditional course would be expected to take.

Distance learning is not for everyone. You must be self-motivating and organized. "Organized' doesn't necessarily mean "tidy." [Years ago AT&T did a study of creativity. They found that most creative people shared two traits: a sense of humor and the ability to work in a messy environment. I have dedicated my office to the exultation of creativity.] It just means that you are able to act in such a way as to set goals and meet them in a timely fashion.

Intro to Music syllabus

General Information on Intro to Music Biweekly Assignments

General Information on Examinations

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Dr. Terry Gunderson
125 College Drive
Casper, WY 82601
Telephone :(307) 268-2532
long-distance toll free number if you live in Wyoming: (800) 442-2963 ext. 2532
FAX (307) 268-3023

e-mail: terryg@caspercollege.edu
My home page: http://wind.caspercollege.edu/~gundet
Music Department's home page: http://www.caspercollege.edu/fine_arts
Casper College WebCT login page: http://de.cc.whecn.edu:8900