Pre-pandemic, technology integration into music lessons was helpful but not a necessity for effectively teaching elementary music. Those who believed technology integration was important for student engagement, as well as those comfortable with their technological skills, were experimenting with tools on an interactive board or through a website…

In this column, I discuss a soundscape composition activity that I implemented with primary/elementary music classes. During this activity, students used the iPad app, iMovie, to record, organize and edit sound to accompany photos of artworks that they had created. Overall, I found iMovie to be a useful app for music composition with general music…

There are many barriers to collaborative planning between music educators and special education paraprofessionals (SEPs). While allocated collaborative planning time would be best, the reality for many music educators and SEPs is that they are not given this time. I provide three alternatives to collaborative planning that were suggested by music…

iPads are becoming increasingly prevalent in schools and offer significant potential as both a compositional and pedagogical tool in general music classes. In this article, I discuss a composition activity that I implemented with general primary/elementary music classes in Australia. This activity involved using iPads, namely the apps iMovie and…

Padlet, an easy-to-use app, can be used to enhance student discussions and interactions with music content.

The implementation of the National Core Arts Standards has amplified the need for multiple approaches and opportunities for student responses and may compel music educators to use new tools. There are currently over one million available apps, and with the popularity of smart devices, student access to technology is increasing exponentially. Music…

Technology is constantly changing, and it can be challenging to move beyond the "bells and whistles" of a new app or piece of software to confirm worthiness for classroom use. This article explores the balance point between technology use and more traditional modalities in the music classroom.

It is vitally important for students to be creating music from the youngest age, and in all general music class settings. Now that the National Standards have been revised (renamed the National Core Arts Standards) and creating has been elevated to one of three artistic processes, the creative activities of composing, arranging, and improvising…

This article argues that "The Eclectic Curriculum in American Music Education" warrants consideration within current elementary general music education contexts. One way to consider this foundational text is in terms of how technology can serve as a tool for enriching instructional approaches. While handheld technology use within these…

Melodic Dictation Computerized Instruction (MEDICI), a system of lessons which runs on the Florida PLATO real-time interactive graphic computer system, is part of the required curriculum for freshman music majors at the Florida State University School of Music, and provides private tutoring and practice for each student. The program begins by…

Suggests that students can learn the physics of a musical note by learning how to synthesize sounds on a computer. Discusses ADSR (attack, decay, sustain, and release of a note) and includes a program (with listing) which students can use to examine ADSR on a Commodore 64 microcomputer. (JN)

A new state-of-the-art music technology center at the University of Northern Colorado features the latest systems for keyboard practice and composition, multimedia teaching tools, and recording studios. The technology has changed the teacher's role to that of coach, the student's to that of participant. Students learn at their own pace. (MSE)

Illustrates the possibilities for teaching and learning music materials using interactive multimedia. Uses HyperCard as a model to discuss how interactive media works and suggests some possible applications. Briefly describes some authoring programs. (MJP)

Utilizes the Gregoric Style Delineator (GSD) and other questionnaire instruments to determine the effects of learning styles on the effectiveness of music instruction via interactive audio CD-ROM. Results showed little statistical difference between learning styles. Includes concise descriptions of Gregoric and others' research into learning…

Explores the educational possibilities inherent in combining Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) with communications technology. A MIDI system (a combination synthesizer and computer) allows students to compose, record, experiment, and correct at one site. A MIDI file can be sent via e-mail to others for comments. (MJP)