This document discusses how blogging and social media can help music teachers create a better classroom. It argues that blogging allows teachers to engage in ongoing professional development by sharing ideas and questions with other teachers. Blogging can also help teachers more smoothly manage their programs by distributing information to students and parents through blogs and RSS feeds rather than paper copies. Finally, blogging and microblogging platforms like Twitter can engage students by having them reflect on and discuss their learning. The presentation provides examples of how teachers can use blogs and social media to share schedules and reflections, facilitate student discussion, and enhance their own learning and preparation.

1. Music Teacher 2.0 Blogging Your Way to a Better Classroom

2. Music Teacher 2.0 Blogging Your Way to a Better Classroom

3. Before We Begin… Session Materials: http://musicedmajor.net/medforum Audio Podcast-available afterwards On Twitter? Use #mt20 for discussion! Not on Twitter yet? Just text to “40404” Questions? Ask away! Now… take out your phones!

4. A Quick Poll

5. What IS Blogging, Anyway? blog we weblog

6. What IS Blogging, Anyway? Blog – A journal written online and accessible to users of the internet Blog – An online, regularly updated journal or newsletter that is readily accessible to the general public by virtue of being posted on a website Blog - A website where entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order

7. What IS Blogging, Anyway? A blog is a tool for content creation and sharing. In other words, a blog is… A Teaching Tool! Blogging can very easily help you create a better music classroom.

8. A “Better Music Classroom” Characteristics of a good music classroom: Well-prepared teacher Degrees – Compare Years Professional Development Smoothly-managed program Paperwork Collecting/Spreading of Information Engaged Students! Interested in the material Excited to learn

9. Well-Prepared Teacher Professional Development As We Know It: Journals/Periodicals In-Service Days Conferences What type of effect do these create? How do we replicate this effect?

10. Blogging for Professional Development Writing a Blog Share your thoughts/ideas Ask questions – answers via comments Reading Blogs Read others’ thoughts/ideas Help with others’ questions Blogging is Professional Development!

12. RSS/Syndication What is it?? RSS Syndication brings the information to you Blog Syndication Integrated in Blog Platform FeedBurner Podcast Syndication Blog Integration—Plugins iTunes Integration! Feed Readers—Google Reader, Bloglines, BlogBridge

13. RSS/Syndication Resources OPML – File containing multiple RSS Feeds Music Education OPML Project Web-based RSS Aggregation MusicEdNews.com Professional Development in a Box!

14. Smoothly Managed Program

15. Smoothly Managed Program FACTS Paperwork takes time Some paperwork can be reduced using blogging This doesn’t apply to everything! Blogging can help us distribute information to students and teachers Remember RSS?

16. Let’s Compare… Trip Itinerary Paper Copy Via Classroom Blog Get parent emails at beginning of year Subscribe them to email RSS Updates Type up itinerary online on blog Click “Publish” 80 emails go out to all the Moms/Dads with your itinerary Type up itinerary in Word Print itinerary Make 80 copies Distribute in class Find 57 on floor after orchestra Of the other 23, only half make it into Mom/Dad’s hands Make 57 copies the next day Find 32 on the floor

17. Advantages to Using a Blog Environmentally friendly – less copies! 100% Guarantee that parents receive the information Keeps your classroom clean!

18. Engaged Students FACTS: Students like being knowledgeable Modern Students: Typing > Writing Students probably know more about technology than you And That’s OKAY!

19. How Do We Harness This? Weekly Reflection Blog General Music – What I learned this week Performing Ensembles – Rehearsal reflection Blog Comments Students comment on each others’ posts Weekly Listening – Post recording, students comment

20. Twitter: Micro-Blogging Twitter Basics 140-character “Tweets” to followers Don’t need to accept a new follower Replies, Retweets (FWD) Twitter is NOT about telling people what you ate for breakfast! Twitter IS a blogging platform Twitter IS a tool for content creation and sharing. Twitter IS an incredible medium for professional development

22. Guest – Dr. Joseph Pisano Grove City College (Grove City, PA) Associate Chair Fine Arts/Music Associate Director of Bands Director of Jazz Studies Online Presences MusTech.net MusicEdNews.com MusicPLN.org

23. Questions? For more information: http://musicedmajor.net http://education-sms.net Twitter: @Zweibz7 Email: a.zweibel@umiami.edu Don’t forget! Materials/Audio available at: http://musicedmajor.net/medforum