Elementary Music/Music Technology Blog

 I just returned home from the first-ever MENC Music Education Week-Music Technology Academy, which was held in Arlington. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there as the sessions were good and I finally got to meet many music colleagues who I have followed on Twitter, posted responses on blogs, communicated with via email, or friended on Facebook. As I write that sentence, I stop to think again about how our students are growing up in this technological world and how enhancing a music classroom with technology can hook your students’ attention because they will be able to relate to your teaching tool. Once you hook your students, your music classroom will have endless learning possibilities.

I heard that Saturday’s Opening Plenary: Making a Case for Technology, was excellent as it brought up numerous topics and discussions for why technology would be a wonderful tool in the music classroom. I wished that I could have attended it, but I did not make it to Arlington in time. However, the moderator was Jim Frankel, and if I know Jim, I am sure that he podcasted the session.

I attended the session titled The Technology-Enriched Elementary General Music Classroom. Pam Hoffmaster and Becky Moseley, both music teachers in the Loudoun County School system, did a nice job presenting and demonstrating the Yamaha Music in Education (MIE) program. I always enjoy watching teachers present sessions because I can relate to their content and examples because it comes directly from their classrooms.

Peter Jutras, Barbara Freedman, Estelle Roth, and I presented at Sunday’s opening plenary: Software for Music Creation. We had a nice turnout and excellent questions from the audience. To read a thorough and wonderful post (in a twitter-style), please check out Andy Zweibel’s “Live Blog” of Technology Session at musicedmajor.net. If you would like to hear our opening plenary of Software for Music Creation, please visit my podcasting page on podomatic.

Before my husband, daughter, and I needed to head back to NJ, I caught one more session titled Technological Solutions for Teaching Composition. This panel consisted of Morton Subotnick-composer and software designer of Making Music, World of Music, and more- Joe Berkowitz-president of Noteflight, which is a wonderful online notation program (check it out today!)-and Jay Dorfman-TI:ME Officer and music education professor at BU. They spoke about technology and composition, how the youngest can compose simply by finger painting on the computer screen, sharing compositions, and more. It was moderated by Emile Menasche, the editor-in-chief for In Tune Monthly.

I enjoyed the two days that I attended this academy. My favorite sessions were ones that teachers were the presenters and the panel discussions. As I stated above, the teachers presenting make the sessions more “real” for me. The panel discussions are advantageous because you never know where they will go with their topics. They could hit a hot topic and a heated, and educational, discussion could follow.

Did you attend the academy? If so, what was your favorite part?