In class, we've learned about Irish rock/pop music and some of the key artists/bands, and we’ve discussed social/cultural/political/economic influences/evolutions. In the first part of the fine RTÉ series, Bono – Ireland's Greatest?, linked above, presenter Dave Fanning champions U2 singer Bono and his inspirational global human rights campaigning and charity work. We’ve had some great beginning inquiry and discussions about music and Irish identity – “Irishness” and music.
Based on our individual and collaborative work, and our class discussion, here are a few beginning, general questions/inquiries –
What is your beginning understanding of some of the key individual Irish rock performers, bands, and songs, and their cultural context? How do you understand the relationship between Ireland’s popular music (including rock) and its wider connection to culture, economics, and politics? In what Irish rock bands do you see a confluence with Irish traditional music? Why and how is that significant?
Students will use these general questions/inquiries as a guide to begin their personal inquiry. They’ll continue their own cybersleuthing journeys to begin investigating/exploring/connecting with questions/inquires that personally resonate. They will continue to compile and organize, as they proceed, a categorized list of ideas, questions, sources and links. They’ll be able to cull from this list, many ideas and sources for formative blog postings and summative VoiceThread work.