Technology and Media Selection for Music Education

 What apps should I use for music education, and specifically, for my secondary school curriculum in music?

Well, two apps came to mind first - ANKI, the recommended flashcard app, because my students seem completely out of touch with old-fashioned memory aids such as mnemonics and alliterative rhymes; and SWAY, a story-telling app which gives students the power to present stories to their teachers and peers. l

The first I chose especially for the form 5 students because CSEC isn't interested in delaying their examination dates despite the COVID19 delays and they'll be needing help with memorizing little things that will matter (and add up, if they lose marks for forgetting them)in the written examinations.

The second I chose for them also - as one of two apps recommended for students up to the American grade 12 - because as Albert Einstein is said to have stated: If you can't explain it simply you don't understand it well enough; and because stories are the oldest and surest way to explain the most things (that's my opinion and I'm standing by it).

With both the older and the younger kids I'd like to use COMPLETE EAR TRAINER which comes highly recommended as a relative pitch development tool. Relative pitch is essential to the functioning of all musicians at any level. Digital natives should especially enjoy its video-game-like finish.

For the keyboardists, I'd like to use PIANO MAESTRO, for the sight-reading skills it has the potential to develop; and for the students who long to play and sing their favourite songs by ear, I'd like to use ANYTUNE, which will help them gain instrument and vocal proficiency - and as such, confidence - alongside their ear and sight-reading training.


One of the things I learned from this activity is that finding an app on google doesn't mean it's easily found on Google Play. For instance, Sway is a Microsoft app so it wasn't on Google Play but it's one of my students who told me that. It's taught me too that using technology in teaching is definitely a mutual learning feedback loop!


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