Practical Music Education Technology (Essential Music Technology:The Prestissimo Series)

Today’s music teachers are caught in a conundrum about technology – while all are interested in it and told to utilize it in music instruction, a lack of equipment and funding act as enormous barriers to technology access. In fact, studies indicate that the mere perception of these obstacles may be partly responsible for the gap between these teachers’ interest in technology and the lack of technology integration in the classroom. As a result, students potentially miss out on active, hands-on music technology instruction at school. In Practical Music Education Technology, veteran music educators Rick Dammers and Marjorie LoPresti help music teachers introduce technology into the classroom by providing accessible strategies to support and enrich students’ musical learning. The authors highlight a plethora of free online tools at teachers’ disposal, and provide options that can be flexible for all school environments and types of teachers – from those with large budgets to those operating on a shoestring, from those well-versed in technology to non-experts. Each chapter outlines pedagogically appropriate resources and strategies that facilitate, support, and enhance music learning, performance, and creation. Additionally, model lesson plans featuring classroom-tested uses of technology aim to empower student engagement while also keeping music learning goals at the forefront. All teaching ideas presented can be tailored to individual teachers’ needs and preferences, making Practical Music Education Technology an essential guide to music technology for the everyday music teacher.