The focus for Module two was on using technology with creativity, including composing and improvisation.  The use of creativity in the music classroom is often overlooked by educators.  In many music classrooms, time constraints and pressures to meet other expectations get in the way of incorporating creativity.  

Composing and improvising, though, are important ways of interacting with music for all music students.  Not only are they important to teach in their own rights, they are both ways in which to help solidify concepts that music teachers would already be incorporating into the classroom anyway.  Composing and improvising, especially through technology, are also ways in which music educators can reach those students who would otherwise have no interest in being part of an instrumental ensemble or theory class (Bauer, 2014).

This week, we were introduced to many programs and websites that are free of charge to a school district or classroom.  There were several that I thought would be of benefit in my 4th, 5th and 6th grade strings classes.  The composition websites, MuseScore and Noteflight in particular, I thought would be very useful both for assignments for students as well as for my own use for my classroom.  I think that MuseScore is a program that I would like to use for myself while Noteflight is a program that would be great for students to use.  Being that MuseScore is an app that needs to be downloaded onto a computer, it seems to be more of a permanent application.  Since the Noteflight program is a website with a log-in screen, it seems that it is more mobile for student use.  For instance, if I wanted to start a project with students in the classroom and have them finish it at home, this would be a very easy task.  Also, it seems that if I had a composition that I wanted students to play along with, it would be very easy to share it with students through their account of Noteflight.  

There were several improvisation websites and apps that were also introduced in this week’s module.  Many of these apps and websites seemed to be more geared toward students who would be at a more advanced level with improvisation than my students are.  I would like, though, to eventually have my sixth grade students at a level with improvisation where they are comfortable enough to use some of the apps and websites presented this week, especially Band in a Box and iReal Pro.  

Bauer, W.I. (2014).  Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music.  New York, NY: Oxford University Press.