This article gives a brief overview of Flipgrid and Seesaw, two free platforms that allow for video responses to prompts provided by the teacher. Flipgrid allows students to see other students' submissions and allows students to provide feedback to their classmates. Seesaw defaults to private submission of assigned activities in a variety of…

Triggers can be used in PowerPoint to start animations, but they can also be paired with other images to help make these images appear in a random order. This allows the teacher to begin where students are rather than being locked into a click sequence. When labeling a new concept for the first time, triggers can be particularly useful.

This article is an overview of the open source audio-editing and -recording program, Audacity. Key features are noted, along with significant features not included in the program. A number of music and music technology concepts are identified that could be taught and/or reinforced through using Audacity.

Nearpod is a great way to bring content and assessment into the music classroom. This article describes how to use Nearpod and potential applications.

In an age where the world is becoming ever more aware of paper consumption, educators are turning toward technology to cut back on paper waste. Besides the environmental reasons, a paperless music classroom helps students develop their musicianship in new and exciting ways. This article will look at the considerations for setting up a paperless…

This article explains how to create an animated listening map with Power Point to enhance student content understanding.

In today's complex music software packages, many features can remain unexplored and unused. Software plug-ins--available in most every music software package, yet easily overlooked in the software's basic operations--are one such feature. In this article, I introduce readers to plug-ins and offer tips for purchasing plug-ins I have…

Interactive whiteboards are increasingly used in school classrooms. SMART Boards have been adopted in many schools, including music classes taught by specialists. This article provides specific tips for using the most popular whiteboard application. The main features of the software as well as specific strategies for maximizing their use in the…

This article is a preview of Scott Watson's new book, "Using Technology to Unlock Musical Creativity" (Oxford University Press, 2011). The book's main contents are summarized and one of the volume's 29 lessons is provided to assist readers in evaluating the book for their use. Particular attention is given to Watson's success in making the…

Select features of interest to music educators are spotlighted in "Sibelius 6" (version 6.2.0 build 88) and presented under three headings: (a) Worksheets, (2) Plug-Ins, and (3) Potpourri. Guidance is given for accessing these features, and the commentary suggests their application in the music education classroom. (Contains 3 figures.)

A feature-laden software program such as "Finale" is an overwhelming tool to master--if one hopes to master many features in a short amount of time. Believing that working with a fewer number of features can be a helpful approach, this article looks at a select number of features in "Finale 2011" of obvious use to music educators. These features…

Video connects sight and sound, creating a composite experience greater than either alone. More than any other single technology, video is the most powerful way to communicate with others--and an ideal medium for sharing with others the vital learning occurring in music classrooms. In this article, the author leads readers through the process of…

One computer, one class, and one educator can be an effective combination to engage students as a group in music composition, performance, and analysis. Having one desktop computer and a television monitor in the music classroom is not an uncommon or new scenario, especially in a time when many school budgets are being cut. This article…

This article presents an interview with E.J. Choe, director of the Music Academy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, on how she became involved in the use of technology to teach piano and how the software program Band-in-a-Box has helped her in teaching her students. Choe shares that instead of sitting at a grand piano in her…

Readers have experienced the acceleration in music technology developments in recent years. The ease with which students and teacher can access digital audio files, video clips of music performances, and online instructional resources is impressive. Creativity "environments" were developed in a game-like format for children to experiment with…