In this day and age technology is the one aspect of our lives that evokes all the changes we see around us. Technology changes the way we drive, eat, dress, and even sleep. It changes the way we brush our teeth and even the way we entertain ourselves. Why then should education of all things be excluded from this ever growing list? Well quite frankly it isn't to me and there are plenty of individuals out there who agree with me.
I remember the first time I played a video game. As most people can attest, the hours spent in front of that relatively small and one dimensional computer taught me something about my dexterity; I didn't need my eyes to watch what I was going to press. I would eventually use this skill to play the piano and how well it translated. It wasn't until high school though when I stumbled across a marvelous program. A program that would forever change my life. It was a music notation program called Encore and it is very similar to others such as Finale and Sibelius. Encore helped me to understand how music worked on the written page. Eventually this became my "time consuming video game" because I spent hours figuring out how to use the software and also how to make the music I was writing sound like what I heard in my head or played on my piano. It made me fall in love with music in such a deep way that almost 10 years later I look back on that day with a fondness incomparable to anything else. It was because of the fun I had using the software that I grew to learn at a much quicker and deeper way than I learned anything else in school.
I was recently reading an article by Leila Viss, a music educator/ piano instructor who lives in Colorado. She is an avid user and supporter of iPad apps that are used to educate students in music. One app she has spoken fondly of is the Piano Maestro (formerly Piano Mania) app. This app helps teach students to read an play piano in a much more interactive and fun way than simple drills and constant repetitions could ever do. It has helped her teach in a more effective level wherever she has used it. To learn more about her and her experiences the link to her blog is here.
Another app that is well worth the research is NotateMe. This is another app like Encore but is made specially for tablets/iPads. This app has been used by Christopher J. Russell, the director of Choirs at Oltman Middle School in St. Paul Park, MN. Every student in his choir class has an iPad so he uses this wonderful opportunity to help them learn in a more interactive and effective way. In his article Using iPads and NotateMe For Dictation, he speaks about ways in which he could not only use his iPad to help students sight read better but also enhance their dictation. This is a great but also critical skill for musicians who are serious in their development to master. The fact that every student in his choir has an iPad though makes this app much more practical for his purposes. Here is a link to his blog.
Lastly I'd like to point out that even here in CT we have educators who are just as adamant about getting the modern day educator more adept at using newer technologies to help educate our students. Earl MacDonald is the Associate Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Connecticut and had an interesting point to bring out in his blog entitled Tomorrow's Jazz Program. One point he mentioned was that "we must not only stay current, but lead in finding new ways to utilize technology to our advantage." I must say that in light of the resources that are out there for musicians I couldn't agree with this sentiment more.
Technology has shaped every aspect of our lives and it is essential for us to accept the change but also take the lead in showing educators that with a little ingenuity and practice, we can help our students grow and learn in ways that last them a lifetime. How I love to see that look on one of my students' face when they discover how great and fun music is. It reminds me of my moment and it still to this day is the same look I give after every concert, practice session, or lesson.
I remember the first time I played a video game. As most people can attest, the hours spent in front of that relatively small and one dimensional computer taught me something about my dexterity; I didn't need my eyes to watch what I was going to press. I would eventually use this skill to play the piano and how well it translated. It wasn't until high school though when I stumbled across a marvelous program. A program that would forever change my life. It was a music notation program called Encore and it is very similar to others such as Finale and Sibelius. Encore helped me to understand how music worked on the written page. Eventually this became my "time consuming video game" because I spent hours figuring out how to use the software and also how to make the music I was writing sound like what I heard in my head or played on my piano. It made me fall in love with music in such a deep way that almost 10 years later I look back on that day with a fondness incomparable to anything else. It was because of the fun I had using the software that I grew to learn at a much quicker and deeper way than I learned anything else in school.
I was recently reading an article by Leila Viss, a music educator/ piano instructor who lives in Colorado. She is an avid user and supporter of iPad apps that are used to educate students in music. One app she has spoken fondly of is the Piano Maestro (formerly Piano Mania) app. This app helps teach students to read an play piano in a much more interactive and fun way than simple drills and constant repetitions could ever do. It has helped her teach in a more effective level wherever she has used it. To learn more about her and her experiences the link to her blog is here.
Another app that is well worth the research is NotateMe. This is another app like Encore but is made specially for tablets/iPads. This app has been used by Christopher J. Russell, the director of Choirs at Oltman Middle School in St. Paul Park, MN. Every student in his choir class has an iPad so he uses this wonderful opportunity to help them learn in a more interactive and effective way. In his article Using iPads and NotateMe For Dictation, he speaks about ways in which he could not only use his iPad to help students sight read better but also enhance their dictation. This is a great but also critical skill for musicians who are serious in their development to master. The fact that every student in his choir has an iPad though makes this app much more practical for his purposes. Here is a link to his blog.
Lastly I'd like to point out that even here in CT we have educators who are just as adamant about getting the modern day educator more adept at using newer technologies to help educate our students. Earl MacDonald is the Associate Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Connecticut and had an interesting point to bring out in his blog entitled Tomorrow's Jazz Program. One point he mentioned was that "we must not only stay current, but lead in finding new ways to utilize technology to our advantage." I must say that in light of the resources that are out there for musicians I couldn't agree with this sentiment more.
Technology has shaped every aspect of our lives and it is essential for us to accept the change but also take the lead in showing educators that with a little ingenuity and practice, we can help our students grow and learn in ways that last them a lifetime. How I love to see that look on one of my students' face when they discover how great and fun music is. It reminds me of my moment and it still to this day is the same look I give after every concert, practice session, or lesson.
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