Have you ever wanted to create a cool beat that is groovy and unique? Well make sure to check out the iOs app DM1 (Drum Sequencer 1) by Fingerlab. It turns your iPad into a easy to use drum beat machine and is a great tool for students to use to create their own beat in different styles, meters and tempos. A great feature is the Song Composer which allows you to create different patterns and then put them in an order to represent 'sections' in a song.
Now, although this is all very fun, there is a point to this introduction. Technology in music education is highly valuable and there are so many programs, apps and websites that facilitate fabulous, relevant and engaging music teaching. BYOD (Bring your own device) programs are more widespread than ever across Australian schools. The classroom is being extended by utilising the technology that students bring into it everyday and the aim of inclusivity is more achievable. Schools are working around ways of ensuring that every student is able to use technology, no matter what their economic status or cultural background is. The types of devices being used now not only include the traditional laptop but also tablets, iPads, and hybrid laptops (with 2-in-1 features).
Teachers must accept the challenge of choosing the right technology for their class and their lessons. Browser based or native programs are the topic of debate currently as each hold significant impacts on the flexibility of the classroom and the smoothness of the lesson. There is an increasing reliance on cloud based software and administrative programs as schools turn to online Learning Management Databases (LMS).
There is no longer a delay in the time that teachers can give resources, share ideas and feedback with their students and that makes the learning experience more engaging and motivating because it is immediate.
MUED4002 lecture: 19/10/18