iPad & The Future of Music Education

Posted in: In the Classroom, Music Technology

I know this is one of the most talked about items this month – not to mention the myriad of unboxing videos from every technology resource site. There are pros and cons for this device and yes it is like a giant iPhone and I agree it has a rather unfortunate name… But stop and think about the educational possibilities, or what are now becoming realities with this device.

The iPod Touch and iPhone would not have been much without the App Store attached to them.  Through this resource I have been able to buy/download music teaching applications, ear training apps, guitar tuners, metronomes, harmony and chord players, Chinese instruments and more!  The purpose?  To provide an opportunity for my students to engage with music physically (by touch), aurally and mentally that they might not have had with a textbook.  Furthermore, if the students are fortunate enough to have an iPod Touch or iPhone, they can obtain these reference/tutorial resources for themselves; opening up a world of possibilities for engaging homework, research and presentations in education.  See the PDF below of my iphone and the apps I use in the classroom.

But all of this has been a little limiting:
1. The iPhone is small and not easily shown to a class of 24 students
2. The iPhone cannot have its apps presented onto a projector or interactive whiteboard
3. While laptops are still the most preferred tool in the classroom they are not tactile like the iPhone

This is where the iPad comes in!
I had posted a link to an article by James Frankel in my last blog post about the futuristic purposes of iPad devices in the classroom.  Our dreams are fast becoming a ‘tactile reality.’  Muzibook’s iPad Sheet Music first and foremost is a wonderful application that will be featured in many music classrooms to come.

Watch the videos below to see some more tantalizing music education packages coming to the iPad!

Create Digital Music posted a collection of What’s Coming in the music field of iPad apps and I have to say I am very impressed.  The sheer volume of new products being designed for music on the iPad has me churning out different scenarios for teaching harmony, keyboard or world music in the classroom.

And if you wanted a way to make sure you had everything organised for the next lesson, open Things while you walk to the next classroom.

Then to top it all off – iLounge says there is already a dock to VGA cable converter for sale in the Apple Store.  The whole screen, apps and all, could be presented from a projector.  Now imagine an iPad, in a music classroom, with high quality applications (that cost little), available for exploration by a year 7 or year 12 class.

But wait there is more… According to Mac Rumors Apple are offering educational discount packs.

I guess the only thing to do now is sit, wait and hope that when I can buy one it has evolved into the ultimate educational tool for my students and I.  For now, I will have to stick to my Macbook Pro :)