Music Lessons using Interactive Whiteboards

Posted in: In the Classroom, Music Technology, Worksamples

Interactive Whiteboards can be an inspirational tool for education.  In my opinion, music teachers have much to gain from using them.  This post will be the first of many to include links, lessons, keynotes, software and instructional videos on how to integrate these tools into the classroom.  Feel free to leave comments or ask questions about music education and the use of emerging technology in the classroom.

My school only obtained an IWB this year and it is a Promethean Activ.Board running their native, aptly named software, “Inspire.”
The software itself can be downloaded free from their website.  Yes, free, but with some limitations.  So if you wanted to get started making some interactive lesson plans go for it!  If, on the off chance you don’t have that much time, visit Promethean Planet to download some free resources made available to the online IWB community.  Or subscribe to an interactive whiteboard blog for a steady flow of ideas.

As I began to experiment on the IWB it struck me that not only could an IWB run its own software and make flipcharts/notebooks, (which I think Apple’s Keynote could do better anyway), but it opened up the possibility for an interactive classroom.  That is, everything from the smallest listening activity to the most complex theory or aural lesson could involve every students eyes, ears, hands and minds.  Thus ultimately leading to longer lasting authentic learning experiences.  I have since compiled a series of links to websites, software I use for my senior classes and ways that I  present each topic that I teach.  I still have a fair way to travel in my research and mastery of these software packages but I am sharing them with you :)

Here is a short video of my laptop and some ideas for your interactive whiteboard.  You will find links to websites, software and the games featured in the video here.

Lastly, I demonstrated the use of the IWB to parents and staff at our school open day last term.  I used most of the software featured in the above video and navigated through certain apps and games to show how they worked in the classroom.

This video is the first of many to come.  The files demonstrated in the video are linked at the bottom of this post.

• Year 7 Melodies Term 1 2010

• PDF of Treble & Keyboard Worksheet

• Yr 8 Rock Concepts Keynote.zip (videos not in file but links are there)