Technology has affected every aspect of our lives, no question. We compulsively check our smartphones at every spare moment, workplaces revolve around email and proprietary computer systems, even our children's toys have microprocessors. It's not unreasonable to realize that music education has not escaped this phenomenon.
There are myriad ways to utilize recent technology in order to enhance our curricula. Now that students have their own mobile devices (iPods, smartphones, tablets, etc), it's clear that they expect those devices to be a part of every part of their lives. They see their parents doing it, so why not? When I was in high school, a music technology class was just beginning, using keyboards with MIDI recording software and Finale. Not that many years later, all that hardware and software is almost unnecessary. All we need is a tablet and $5 on the app store.
Educators like Christopher Russell and Paul Shimmons dedicate entire blogs to mobile apps, specifically for the iPad, and how they are used in music classrooms. I'm particularly intrigued by Brandt Schneider's usage of SoundCloud, enabling his students to record and critique their own performances.
Some may be nervous to bring these newfangled techniques into their classrooms. I, for one, can't wait to take advantage of these technologies, and whatever the next new thing will be.
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