Music, Signals & Systems: Non-disciplined Education in a Multi-Campus Setting

Rowan University, Glassboro NJ

Investigators

Abstract

Participating Institutions: Rowan University, Kansas State University Project Description This project is offering a model for a general-education course that supports a view of knowledge as a continuum among all disciplines and will emphasize the synergies that exist between music and engineering. The course, "Music, Signals & Systems", will address the merged topics of music composition and electronic signal analysis and generation. The project involves collaboration among the Electrical and Computer Engineering Departments and the Music Departments of both Rowan University and Kansas State University. Through exploring creative music composition from an engineering systems point of view, students are being exposed to concepts that are fundamental to both music and engineering, emphasizing the synergy of the disciplines and fostering the students' creativity. The course, which doesn't have mathematics or music prerequisites, is serving as an example to counter the notion of "general education" as something that is outside of learning that is associated with specific degree program curricula. Topics are being treated from a holistic perspective involving combined systems-engineering and music-composition projects. Broader Significance The project promotes a view of knowledge as a continuum among all disciplines and will emphasize the synergies that exist between music and engineering. It hopes to provide students with an educational experience that will stimulate lifelong learning, offering a model for how the university can provide a learning platform that is appropriate for the needs of both student & faculty. It utilizes a commercial line of modular instruments to create a student-laptop based laboratory that can be moved to wherever the music may evolve.