out experts in their subject area and invite them to share in the classroom or the rehearsal hall.
Connecting with Experts
Skype makes it possible for educators
to seek out experts in their subject
areas and invite them to share in the
classroom or the rehearsal hall.
Later, I invited Patrick J. Burns,
a composer from Montclair State
University, to join another one of my
ensembles for a question-and-answer
session during a regular school day.
The questions and comments from
the students were very thoughtful
and engaging.
It made me wonder how many
other experts in other fields could be
brought in to speak with students so
that they might consider a different
career or get a better understanding of
the paths that lie ahead.
Skype with no problem.
They were impressed
with how simple it
was to make this
connection.
It afforded
them the
opportunity
to be very
direct with
their ex-
planations
about their
pieces so
that both the
audience and
ensemble could
better identify
with them.
We are seeing a paradigm shift
in education, where the teacher is
no longer the absolute authority of
knowledge in the classroom. I would
like to think that Skype can make every classroom bigger and more open
to all experts in every field. Educators
shouldn’t fear this aspect of technology, but instead tap into its potential.
What 10 years ago would have taken a
satellite and a television truck can now
be accomplished using two laptops
and a couple of webcams.
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/PRAWNY
—Travis J. Weller has been the director of bands
at Mercer Area Middle-Senior High School in
Pennsylvania since 1995. He graduated from
Duquesne University in Pittsburgh with a
master’s degree in music education.
Welcome
This new ISTE 100 Member
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