Music Ed Readings- Week of September 14

I thoroughly enjoyed both readings this week. The first, from the Music Educators Journal, explained to the reader how to build a Personal Learning Network, and discussed the possible components of that network. One thing that was very intriguing to me was the concept of Wikis. When I initially saw the title of that section, I thought that it was only referencing the website Wikipedia. It surprised me to know that there were many different Wikis, even in the realm of Music Education, that could be beneficial.
I found the second reading, by Bauer, to be very informative. Although at first I thought the article was a tad dry, Bauer's use of multiple facts definitely captured my interest. Although I wish it weren't true, it didn't necessarily surprise me that music teachers don't really utilize technology in the classroom. In my school, we used Sibelius in Music Theory, but that was about it. I think that classes could have been a little more varied and interesting had more technology been integrated.  I although that it was very interesting that the author noted that it is not how much or how often technology is integrated into the classroom, but specifically for what purpose it is used and how it is used to enhance learning. Using a smart board and just teaching a regular lesson doesn't necessarily utilize technology to the fullest extent, but perhaps using a technical musical program on said smart board or explaining to students how to use this program is a better use of technology.