This is a collection of more than 41,000 Spanish-language songs that go back to the early 1900s They were put online by the Chicano Studies Center, a research unit at the University of California at Los Angeles. The recordings are from the Arhoolie Foundation's Strachwitz Frontera Collection of Mexican and Mexican American Recordings. Due to copyright restrictions, only campus computers get full access. Off-campus users can hear 50 seconds of each song, see images of the record labels, and read background information about the recordings.
Type of Material:
Collection
Recommended Uses:
This material seems to be best suited as a primary and secondary source research for the topics identified in the Target Student Population section, and could have a wide variety of applications as a source for specified assignments, individual research, group study or self paced learning.
Technical Requirements:
Internet connection and browser
Identify Major Learning Goals:
This site can be used for researching music of multiple genres by Mexican and Mexican-American musicians. Users can listen to songs which are accessed easily by a built in search engine. Site also contains blog posts about the musical history relative to the recordings
Target Student Population:
High School, College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School
This material could be useful for research in the areas of music, musicology, music history, ethnomusicology, cultural studies, popular culture, and history
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Computer skills required are basic knowledge of using a web browser.
Familiarity with information literacy concepts such as controlled vocabulary/subject searching and primary vs. secondary sources would be helpful for getting the most out of this resource.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
Easy to search and find recorded material
Material plays directly on the page, no extra software required
Historical essay blog provides more knowledge
Recording pages contain all publisher information
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Provides authentic example listening material
The material is well organized, easy to use and thoroughly covers the material it was designed to address.
The material is also closely focused on a particular subject matter, but also has a variety of interdisciplinary applications.
Concerns:
No concerns.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Navigation is simple and straightforward, with principal navigatory elements always available in the same spot as you explore the site.
The design is clean and appealing, and incorporates elements of the included material (e.g. employing images of the record label - the cardboard insert in the middle of the record - as a visual representation of specific items)
The interface also employs judicious use of social media elements, such as the ability to share an entry on facebook or twitter, and also offers an option to receive content updates via RSS or email subscription.
Concerns:
No concerns.
Creative Commons:
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