I am very pleased and humbled to have been offered the keynote presentation at the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids this coming year (2011).   The Conference will be held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel from January 20th through the 22nd.  This unique confernce combines a number of associations into one conference:

• MASTA – Michigan Chapter, American String Teachers Association
• MMEA – Michigan Music Educators Association
• MSBOA – Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association
• MSVMA – Michigan School Vocal Music Association

The title of my keyonte presentation is:

21^st Century Skills and Music Education –The New Relevance of Music Teachers

I will also be presenting two additional sessions: one NoteFlight and the other about MusicPLNs and Web 2.0 for Music Teachers.   I hope you will join me at this conference if you are in the area!  Here is the MMEA Blurb:

21^st Century Skills and Music Education –The New Relevance of Music Teachers

 Like every other discipline, Music Education is being faced with a myriad of widely available new technologies that are already being incorporated into our profession.  Some of these technologies have been adopted by Music Teachers and most are already being used by our students.  Business and Industry leaders are very concerned that our students have the ability to be creative in their future jobs.   Because learning music is by its very nature “creative”, there has never been a greater relevance or need for music instruction to be given to our students; not only the “traditional” music students, but all students.  

Through an examination of the newly created 21^st Century Skills Map by The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills, this session will look at how these “new” skills can be combined with Music and the Arts instruction.  The emphasis of this session will be about 21^st Century Skills for students, but will also focus on the need for Music Teachers to acquire and utilize 21^st Century Skills in their learning environment(s).

 Bio: 

Prof. Joseph M. Pisano is an Associate Professor of Music and Music Technology and the Associate Chair of Music and Fine Arts at Grove City College, Grove City PA.  His duties at Grove City include teaching Music Technology, Jazz History, Instrumental Conducting, and serving as the Associate Director of Bands.  

Abroad, Dr. Pisano is an active instrumental conductor, adjudicator, jazz trumpet player, Fine Arts Advocate, and the founder of a number of very popular music, education, and technology Websites including: MusTech.Net, MusicEdNews.Com, and the MusicPLN.org.  Dr. Pisano also serves as a SoundTree Clinician, TI:ME Instructor, affiliate member of the Support Music Coalition, and writes the Monthly Teacher’s Guide for the print magazine, IN-Tune Monthly. 

Well if you haven’t seen iSchoolBand and are an ensemble director, you might just be missing the “easy” button with regard to the administration of your group(s).  iSchoolBand is the only platform of its kind to offer a complete music administration team “in a box”. 

iSchoolBand not only offers Inventory Management, Event management, and Fundraising tools, it offers a complete Web 2.0 communications and public relations network for your students in a completely, private and secure environment.  The iSchoolBand platform is truly spectacular and rich with all of the new technology that your kids are already familiar with and using.  

As an incentive this year, iSchoolBand is sponsoring a “back to school program/contests” for both students and directors using the iSchoolBand program.   If you haven’t checked this program out, you can experience a full/live demo by visiting their site and clicking the “demo” button.  You can also check out the full demo video of their software here:

I’ve posted about this software numerous times over the last couple of years and stand behind what the iSchoolBand team is doing.  This platform is truly easy-to-use,  how-it-is-supposed-to-work, get-it-done software.    I use this software myself.  

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Read the rest of iSchoolBand ~Just In Time For School! (268 words)

• Finishing up class for the morning and just got my invite to the new REALTIME Twitter streams with TweetDeck!!! I'll try over lunch! #
• RT @Zweibz7: Did you see pisanojm's post on the status of the MusicPLN after 1 week? Check it out: http://bit.ly/cbjNQN #
• VFCC grad-glass this morning: Interactive subject BloqQuests -Exploring Student Created Content/ThinkQuests/Advanced Internet Searching #
• Friend and Composer Patrick Burns starts New Publishing company: Bandworks~ http://bit.ly/bX8rwO Check it out @njcomposer #musedchat #
• Looks like MusicPLN.org will reach 400 users late tonight or early tomorrow. Music Education PLN #musiced #mpln #musedchat #music #
• Just responded to: Looking for best blog site for class. http://musicpln.org/37QqzWe #
• I used synchtube (synchtube.com) with the FVCC students this morning. Great way to look at YouTube videos as a group. #
• VFCC Class working with Lesson Plans and Sound Production: Now covering Soundation/Aviary/and Commercial Production Software…. #musedchat #
• Looking for the "singing guys" URL -application where you can arrange the cartoon singers for diff. beats etc… Can't find it… any help? #
• Hey all, good morning! Lot's of conversation on the #MPLN this morning. Getting ready for day 3 of VFCC class. #
• Good Night All, early day with VFCC! Teaching integrating tech. into curriculum tomorrow is Music Production. #musedchat #musiced #
• Ladies and Gentlemen the MusicPLN.org added 50 Music Educators today! Very cool… #musedchat #
• Morning quick break with VFCC class. Starting to Post Lessons on User Created WordPress sites (currently private). #
• Did we find out what happened to @Zweibz7 ? #
• Good morning MPLN/Twitter folks. Another long day for me teaching Tech. Integration into the Music Curriculum. #musedchat #
• Anybody using the Yamaha MIE system… are there any reviews to be found anywhere? I can't find them. #musiced #
• RT @thomasjwest: A short walkthrough of managing the info stream on #MPLN http://youtu.be/TEwS8eLgq8Y |Yes! #
• Only 4 projects to finish 2night! arghhh……………….. #
• The MPLN becomes one week old -What's Next? Find out at Musicpln.org. #musiced #musedchat #musiced #
• ok I'm off the #musedchat official timeline… Thanks everybody! #
• And join us at the MusicPLN.org for continued Professional Development among Music Educators. #musedchat #
• Please also, don't forget to add the friends you've made tonight to your Twitter Group! #musedchat #
• Special thanks to @thomasjwest for saving the day and moderating tonight! #musedchat #
• Ladies and gents… only 2 mins left for tonights chat! Wow this has flown! and for me -very informative this time around! #musedchat #
• While technology is fun at pre-k through 2… IMHO focus needs to be on singing, movement, internalization AND, of course, fun… #musedchat #
• RT @girlfromPBO: you can't expect preKs to just sit and listen. #musedchat #
• Jump right in series link for info: http://bit.ly/9RiTdE #musedchat #
• Have any of you used the jump right in series in pre-k kindergarten? (based on Dr. Gordon's theory of music) #musedchat #
• have any of you used kinder-musik? Curious… http://www.kindermusik.com/defaultb.aspx #musedchat #
• "but the methods" re: dalcroze/eurythmics pre-k-2nd #musedchat #
• So how many of you incoporate dalcroze/eurythmics into pre-k-2 Not just simply movement buy the methods? #musedchat #
• RT @ColinTGraham: @drtimony Yes, and 5 year olds love the 'fart' from Racketts! Especially if they get to try it out too! #musedchat #
• How often do you all see music being cross-curricular with other teaching at this early age? (regular teacher) #musedchat #
• How often do you all see your kindergarten kids for music classes? What is typical? #musedchat #
• Good to see you @mrsteigerwalt! Have fun at the conference. #musedchat #
• For the next 40 mins. my tweets will pertain to the #musedchat Music Educators Join us for our weekly chat! Monday's at 8PM-EDT #
• Just responded to: The impact of Social Networking for advocacy http://musicpln.org/3BbL9Ae #
• RT @teaching_music: Harry Begian Passes Away at Age 89 | http://bit.ly/cr8qzK #mpln -RIP Dr. B. #
• Thanks guys…hoping to see some of them on the edchat tonight…. none of them use Twitter….until now! #
• Hey, I'm testing the #musedchat for the class talking about 2night.. give some #musedchat shouts. #musedchat #
• Hey, I'm talking about Twitter and #musedchat to my VFCC class right now. #
• Anyone going to be on around 3:30 EDT to say hello to my Master's STudents via Twitter? #musedchat #musiced #mpln #
• Breaking for lunch… Good run this morning: TI-ME Standards, Better Searching, Google Docs, dimdim, Skype, ITIP lesson planning… #
• Approaching 3 hours in with the Technology in the Music Curriculum class via VFCC… Great class this year! #
• At home working on a couple of posts and preparing for my TI:ME 2C course tom. for Valley Forge Christian College. Busy, yep! and lovin it! #
• Start off Monday right… your favorite beverage and 10-20 mins with the Music Ed. PLN: Join us at http://musicpln.org #musiced #musedchat #
• Will be posting a "road map" of up-coming enhancements on the MusicPLN.org tomorrow…stay tuned! #mpln #musedchat #
• Sorry… was away for a couple of Days. 2 posts tomorrow: 1 at musicpln.org & 1 at mustech.net -Will be teaching Time 2C course next week. #
• Membership in the MUSICPLN.org is approaching 300! If you are a music teacher please consider joining us. #musedchat #music #education #

I recently posted a large article over at the MusicPLN.org (MPLN) about the state of the site.  I am very excited to say that, by ALL accounts, the site has been a smashing success.  Not only because of the number of Music Educators that have signed up for it, but because of the sustained conversations that are happening across it.

It is now obvious to me and others using the MPLN that this this Social Network is not only filling an existing “hole” or “gap” in our current  Music Education Community,  it is spurring a type of electricity that is energizing our “base” and creating a lot of excitement.    Quite frankly, this type of discussion is desperately needed among our practitioners -this and more.   In a time when it seems like all of the “cards” are “stacked” against us in the public and private school systems, along comes the liberation that this kind of dialog and community provides and inspires hope.

If you are a Music Educator and looking to start a conversation with your peers and experience Professional Development on a 24/7 basis, check out the MusicPLN.org -you might just find a home.

Excerpt from the recent post on the MPLN:

Ladies and gentlemen, I am thrilled to say that the state of the MusicPLN.org is THRIVING!    In only one week we have managed to increase in size to 335 active members.   This is an increase of close to 500% of the combined number of Alpha and Beta Team members that existed at the launch one week ago today.

A quick check of the statistics of this site will reveal that there have been almost 700 personal updates made on our site, nearly one hundred topics have been created in the forums and there are almost 600 posts within them.   By all accounts -this is a musical “conversation” that is explosive.

While I knew that the time was right for me to start the MPLN,  I am still amazed by how quickly this site is being found and adopted.   One of the key features that may account for some of the success of this site is the people that were hand selected to help form the foundation of the launch team.   I am very thankful for them as well as all of the BETA team members that helped early in the development stages of the site.   Also, looking at another key element of the success of this site was the rapid awareness of the MPLN’s existence.  This was spread by a large, networked “core” of us that were already connected online through our successful music blogs and social site activities, in particular, Twitter.

• Egads! ha.. can't type that without smirking… filling out my calendar for next two semesters! Completely Full!!! egads! … LOL! #
• Ok.. New group… Have at it! #
• Music Ed. River Project (MERP) up to 242 Connected Sites -check it out @ mustech.net and other great Music Education Websites! #
• Tweeting about Launch all week: f you missed it here is the PR about the PLearning Network for Music Teachers: http://bit.ly/9zpj7z #music #
• RT @ColoradoASTA: Calling all private string teachers in Col! We are wanting to gather with you and have some good… http://fb.me/AkoZ6iZJ #
• The Music Professional Learning Network has just Launched-Music and Pre-Service Music Teachers, PLS join us! #edchat #music #musedchat #mpln #
• RT @brandtschneider: got the iPad grant!!!!! Congratulations! #
• 3rd day of the Launch of the Music Learning Network:550 updates, 71 forum topics/350 posts in them! Join us! http://musicpln.org #musedchat #
• I've just added the ability to embed Screenr and Animoto into the MPLN. Simply copy the URL of either site into the ActivityStream and t… #
• Getting ready for version two of the Must Have Freebies for #musiced See 2009 version here: http://bit.ly/acwxxB #mpln #musicedchat #
• I'm now just starting to see the ramifications of Twitter's new "plan" in services-not working: Screwed by Twitter": http://bit.ly/9mCvp2 #
• First Impressions of the MusicPLN.org http://musicpln.org/BSanf7d #
• Just responded to: Theory Background Help http://musicpln.org/BxKmf7d #
• It's obvious that a, large, existing communication gap is going to partially filled by this PLN and other similar emerging technologies. #
• It's unbelievable to me how many comments on the MusicPLN.org site are already talking about the transforming nature of the site…continued #
• RT @jwpepper: Just in from our editors, here are the best of the new winter-themed works for choirs http://bit.ly/ckZCmC #choir #musiced #
• The Music Educator's Professional Learning Network Launched 12 hours ago! Check it out today! http://musicpln.org #musedchat #edchat #
• Hey, Where has @fergaloid been? #wheresferg #
• #trumpetchat Start Chat: "Hey, I can play Dizzy's solo faster than him!" "Me, too","Me, too", –> one hour. End Chat.#oldjokenewTWIsT. #
• Just uploaded the Raw #mustech transcripts to Andy… Over 450 Tweets in one hour today folks! Sorry I couldn't be there today! #
• Just responded to: Theory Background Help http://musicpln.org/s8Lmf7d #
• Just responded to: Using Cloud or online apps for productivity http://musicpln.org/5xLmf7d #
• Please join us on Twitter Tonight for the #musedchat find out the 411 on it here:http://bit.ly/aCtMw8 and at musicemajor.net #musiced … #
• Working on a great integration with goodreads and the #MPLN (soon). Check it out and join today if you are inclined… http://bit.ly/axpEo6 #
• RT @mrsbrownmusic: Just registered for the Mus. Prof. Learning Network @ http://bit.ly/bpssZx Have you?If not, join me fellow Mus.educators! #
• #musedchat topic tonight: What are ways we can teach across the curriculum in the music classroom? Join us! #
• MusicPLN.org Music Site over 105 users in less than 2 hours! Music Teachers pls. join us at musicpln.org #musedchat #musiced #
• MusicPLN.org folks, if you haven't received your e-mail validation, please check Spam/junk folders then DM @pisanojm or @Zweibz7 #
• Wow, almost 90 members on the MusicPLN.org already! I'm very excited. Join us Music Teachers! #
• Wow, I'm floored already up to 77 members at the Official MusicPLN.org Laungh today! Rock on! #musiced #
• Great post by @doremegirl http://bit.ly/b6A68V About the transforming power of an online PLN like the MPLN #musedchat #musiced #
• Ok the MPLN is officially Now OPEN! –> Dead Silence …. Cue: Crickets Chirping #musedchat #
• RT @jimfrankel: 10, 9, 8, 7…#mpln #
• RT @MusicEdTech: Staying at a 5 star hotel with 1 star Internet connection #ineedastrongWIFI4MPLNlaunch then it's not really a 5star is it? #
• RT @palmerjosh: RT @MusicEdTech: RT if you are excited about the launch of MusicPLN.org at noon EST today! #
• Andrew Garcia Posts about the MPLN and launch at mymusictech: http://bit.ly/ckty4f #musedchat #musiced #
• I'm pretty excited about the launch today T-minus 5 hours… Very cool! #
• Ok the MPLN official Press Release is out! Opens tomorrow at 12:00 noon… Get ready for something Big! http://bit.ly/9zpj7z #
• Official Press Release of the MusicPLN.org (MPLN) launch to be out within 30 minutes. #musicedchat #musiced Stay tuned… #
• The MusicEd River Project (MERP) is now connecting 200 sites. Find it in the sidebar at http://mustech.net & great music sites! #musedchat #
• RT @Zweibz7: Have YOU voted in the #MusEdChat topic poll this week? http://bit.ly/bKVVOY only 3.5 hours left! #
• Long day at the #mpln .. Lott's to do tomorrow! #
• Some great discussion happening on the MPLN tonight! Public opening on Monday! Announcements/Info out tomorrow on MusTecch.net #musedchat #
• Yep… the server is down at the musicpln… will be back up in 15 to 20 mins… #
• I'm a pepper -you're a pepper, wouldn't you like to be a pepper too? http://youtu.be/gQPN3UKQM-U #thingsthatmakeyou smile #
• Thanks for the #ff Back at you @SmartMusic and @abodaq #followfriday #musedchat #
• RT @pisanojm: Update: @ischoolband just releases a new and cool LOOK! Check it out: http://bit.ly/bAUAmU #
• Update: @ischool band just releases a new and cool LOOK! Check it out: http://bit.ly/bAUAmU #
• RT @clb1015: Playing around on the #mpln website, the future's so bright I gotta wear shades! #fb #
• The Music Education Twitter List has connected over 2200 Twitter Users with each other! http://bit.ly/cfMuKC @musicedchat #
• RT @pisanojm: #followfriday #musiced folks be sure to check out my Music PPL twitter list: http://bit.ly/cfMuKC #musedchat #mpln #
• #followfriday #musiced folks be sure to check out my Music PPL twitter list: http://bit.ly/cfMuKC #musedcaht #mpln #
• Ok, ladies and gents if you were selected for a FRIDAY PRE #MPLN launch your credentials have been sent! Enjoy! #musicedchat #
• Stats: MusicPLN.org visited by 2500+ Unique IPs in the Month of July already! Pretty exciting! #mpln #
• INBOX…down to 213 non-spam messages….ugh…. Still at 10 to accomplish 2night….. going slow. #
• Wow-some of the "new" information that goes through the MusicEd/Tech Listservs & E-mail chains is years behind where we are. #getwithit #
• I see a # of PPL excited about a # of blog posts-yet no one is commenting on them-change your standard operation and leave a comment 2day! #
• 10 MAJOR THINGS TO ACCOMPLISH tonight… Let's see how this goes…. arggh….. #wishIhad5graduatestudentsand1secretary #

It’s official -the MusicPLN.org site launches today!   It has been a long road getting ready and I am very excited that this day has arrived.   If you’ve missed the tremendous excitement and anticipation about this site and consider yourself a”connected music educator”, then you must have  been on an extended sabbatical or something!  

The official Press Release may be found by clicking here, feel free to Re-Tweet, Re-Buzz, and Re-publish it in anyway. 

I would like to take the time thank each and every member of the MPLN launch team for their support, ideas, and testing of the site these past months.  Your help and expertise has been greatly appreciated! (You can see detailed information about them here)

• Dr. James Frankel
• Amy Burns
• Doug Butchy
• Justine Dolorfino
• Barbara Freedman
• Andrew Garcia
• Jason Heath
• Marcia Neel
• Katie Wardrobe
• Andy Zweibel

…and, I would like to thank all of the members of the BETA team for helping test the site out (and finding even more bugs!).   You have all done “Yeoman’s work!”.

Please join us today for the Launch today… you might just find yourself at the very “start” of something “big!”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 Music Education Professional Learning Network Opens to Public

Grove City, PA – July18, 2010  — The Music Education Professional Learning Network (MPLN) opens to the public, at12:00 pm EDT, on July 19, 2010.  

The MPLN is a new Website specifically developed for music educators, pre-service music teachers, and teaching musicians of any kind.   As its base framework, it incorporates the BuddyPress and WordPress Social Networking (SN) platforms, but also includes integrations with Twitter, FaceBook, and other existing SN platforms.  As a SN platform, this site seeks to promote elongated discussions about important topics facing music educators today. 

Founded by Dr. Joseph M. Pisano the Associate Chair of Music and Fine Arts at Grove City College, the site’s official Launch Team includes ten of the top Music and Technology Integrators today including: Dr. James Frankel (President of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction and Managing Director of SoundTree), Ms. Amy M. Burns (President of the Technology Institute for Music Educators) and Ms. Marcia Neel (President of Music Education Consultants, Inc.). 

“The mission of the MPLN is to generate better, more accessible,  information about music, education, and technology and to use technologies to bring musicians of all types together to benefit by it, discuss it, and collaborate with it for the generation of even better and even more accessible information about music, education, and technology…” 

The site requires independent registration, but is dedicated to providing its services for free to all music educators –everywhere.  Find the MPLN at http://musicpln.org.

ENDS
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250 words

• RT @awillis2: TI:ME has posted grant info for music, jazz, composition, and online teaching: http://bit.ly/aHsot7 #musedchat #mpln #
• Great Slide Show "Robo Cop Ran Dos". Screen Tech. in Famous Movies(iterminator 84' shows boot up from 5.25 floppy!) http://bit.ly/9q1AIa #
• RE: Early Friday Invites for the MusicPLN.org for Music Educators…Your email will be sent EARLY on this coming Friday! Thanks! #musedchat #
• Twitter Music Educators: If you didn't get an EARLY Twitter Invite today.. don't worry the MUSICPLN.org goes Public on Monday! #musedchat #
• And the Last Early Twitter Invite goes to @abodaq !!! Thank you all! (I feel like an auctioneer!) #musedchat #
• 4 Free passes left to the early Friday invite @ http://musicpln.org-If interested for a invite please tweet me #musicedchat #musiced #edchat #
• Ok 5 Free passes left to the early public invite for Music Educators to the Music PLN..Tweet Me if you want one. #musedchat #
• 5 in 5 minutes! 7 left… Music Educator Twitter folks Early Pass to the MPLN on this Friday! Tweet Me if interested. #edchat #musedchat #
• I will be giving out a dozen early passes to the MusicPLN via Twitter on Fri. of this week! Interested please Tweet me! #musedchat #musiced #
• RT @Zweibz7: @justine_robin Seriously, I was just going to post that same thought!!! #
• RT @randy1043: Line 6 digital wireless technologies ensures zero audio degradation. http://dld.bz/g8xa #
• RT @Zweibz7: New poll: What would you like to discuss on this week's #MusEdChat (7/19/10): http://twtpoll.com/meub3j #
• RT @keithmason: Music Tech for ME podcast will be back! Stay tuned for details in the very near future! #
• RT @justine_robin: RT @bmuench: $1.99 for 99 classical tunes on amazon today http://amzn.to/cWwUhL #musedchat #mpln – awesome! #
• Stay tuned for a ground breaking announcement at MusicTechForMe.com and @keithmason in the upcoming week! #
• The Music Education River Project (MERP) up to 150 sites, checkt it out at http://mustech.net in the sidebar. Pls Join if you write MusEd #
• RT @LindsayMorelli: I'm really interested in Ss leadership-TY for great input! Will have a reflection on Talk Music Forum soon! #musedchat #
• RT @Zweibz7: @DoremiGirl thanks, and thanks for joining us! Your presence is always noticed and enjoyed #MusEdChat #musedchat #
• Thanks to all! @zweibz7 will have the chat transcript up at http://musicedmajor.net Check out the ones you've missed! #musedchat #
• Thanks you all for the great Chat today! Don't forget to add these folks to your Twitter list of Following/followers! #musedchat #
• Also remember if you have Ss leadership, the goal is not to have a "click" of elites, but a "cadre" of servants of the group. #musedchat #
• Only ten minutes left for the official #musedchat time! #
• Ss leadership should never be put in the situation where CLEARLY the teacher should handle. #musedchat #
• You cannot put Ss into leadership roles without discussing epectations and continually guiding them…we have a stake as well. #musedchat #
• RT @jimfrankel: I believe students can really shine in a leadership role, but the teacher has to create the right environment #musedchat #
• Is @rdammers on? I missed it! #musedchat #
• An article, by me, about leadership roles of DM: http://bit.ly/aoy09c #musedchat #
• You can, many times, assess leadership effectiveness by judging enthusiasim, excitment, as well as goal obtainment. #musedchat #
• How do you foster leadership in your classes and among your students? #musedchat #
• Question: What do you all do to encourage leadership among your Students and Colleagues? #musedchat #
• Just because you are a teacher, doesn't mean you are a leader or inspirational… we need to look at ourselves too. #musedchat #
• Classroom leadership is a KEY to how can we get students to WANT to learn the materials though leadership and inspiration… #musedchat #
• RT @ohiostmusicman: If auditions are demoralizing, then maybe we are framing it wrong to the students #musedchat #
• We cannot simply strive for a majority of adequacy … leaders must know what better is and motivate people to break the mold. #musedchat #
• Sometimes the best players ARE NOT the best leaders in a group. #musedchat #
• Being Excellent at something nessitates the need for perspective, patience, and discipline… leadership roles all the same #musedchat #
• RT @rlinv: My students that quit when not picked as leaders were students that wanted to be able to "boss" not "lead". #musedchat #
• again depends on the situation and the area and the community… #musedchat #
• Leaders also must be shown what it is to be a leader… which in my book the heart of a servant is key #musedchat #
• Everyone cannot have a leadership role all the time, but they all should have equal opportunity to try for those roles. #musedchat #
• RT @cybraryman1: How do you fairly choose student leaders without causing problems? #musedchat #
• Leaders are born… but ALSO, as is true in education, Molded. #musedchat #
• RT @MrSteigerwalt: @Zweibz7 Well first off it is certainly an extrinsic-motivator #MusEdChat #musedchat #
• Students gain an increcible amount of on-site, task oriented training being leaders. Hard to get by books… #musedchat #
• The next hours tweets will be part of #musedchat ~Join us! #
• Got a couple of questions about joining the #musedchat Check my 411 about how to participate here: http://bit.ly/aCtMw8 #
• New Music Twitter folks:Create an Instant PLN on Twitter with my Music Educators 2 follow list: http://bit.ly/1zvJa1 #musiced #ff #musedchat #
• Here is a 1.5 TerraByte Drive for 79.99 U.S… Geez these things are getting cheap… http://bit.ly/9cMVKg #

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m pleased to announce a Formal opening date for the Music Education Professional Learning Network.  After a couple of delays, I believe we are, indeed, on track to publicly open a week from today at noon!   I am very excited about the potential that this brings for the Music Education Community at large.  It is my hope that this site will continue to usher in the deluge of new collaboration among Music Educators that started withthe advent of Web 2.0 and widely available broadband connectivity.

There have been a number of great posts about the Music Education PLN made by the Launch Team and Beta Members over the past couple of weeks.   Please check these out (note ~they may show an earlier, July 16th, Launch Date -the official Launch Date is now July 19th):

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Read the rest of MusicPLN.org To Go Live At 12:00 Noon (EDT) on Monday, July 19th. (169 words)

• MidWest Clinic is getting fancy with their pop-up clinician blurbs… http://www.midwestclinic.org/clinicians/ #
• great talks and ideas tonight with @zweibz7, @thomasjwest and @joshpalmer on the #mpln #
• RT @thomasjwest: Anyone know of an online job board for #christian #schools ?? #mpln #edchat #musedchat #
• Support TI:ME. Shop the SoundTree Online Store (http://store.soundtree.com) and use coupon code summertime2010 to… http://fb.me/DSCFjQtP #
• You're Good Enough, You're Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like You! Love it! Loved the show! #
• Twitter keeps reducing API calls…. crype, what's next… maybe they should just turn it off for a day and fixx all this… #
• MusicPLN BETA/ALPHA team stay tuned today or tomorrow… info on how to get a FREE NAXOSLIBRARY account! #
• Only 7 Minutes left in the chat! #musedchat #
• Yes… Teach Music BECAUSE you WANT to, not because YOU HAVE to! Excellent. #musedchat #
• On the Instrumental side of things… a band director must also master administration of many things… #musedchat #
• I also feel a successful music teacher has to have a "stage like" presence on and off the podium…dynamic, personable, etc. #musedchat #
• …nor to admit they don't know something and inspire a sense of learning to their students from themselves… #musedchat #
• Back on topic… a music teacher must be secure in their knowledge of music, but also not afraid to learn new things… #musedchat #
• RT @thomasjwest: Students want their teachers to make music fun and still push them to excel. #musedchat #
• RT @girlfromPBO: @LindsayMorelli that's true, a good teacher is always growing and improving and the program should as well! #musedchat #
• we must also meet the students where they are and become part of their world…social-technological-and music choice… #musedchat #
• Many people won't become musicians but those that do certainly want to be good at what they do. #musedchat #
• I think we currently spend too time knocking successful ensemble programs lately.. .they are one aspect of what we do… #musedchat #
• Motivating Students to WANT to learn music apart from schools is a good start…. #musedchat #
• It's easy to block in TweetDeck just filter the hashtag… #musedchat #
• Today's Topic Recap: What does it mean to be a successful music teacher in today's society #musedchat #
• Looks like a great run out already! #musedchat #
• Excited for today's Music Education Chat! Hello everybody! #musedchat #
• For the Next 60+ Mins. My Tweets will be part of the #musedchat Come Join us! #mpln #musiced #
• Testing to the #MPLN Reminder #musedchat today at 8PM EDT! Time of Post on Twitter 4:57PM EDT #
• MusicPLN folks: Reminder 8PM EDT MusEdchat today! #
• #musedchat 2night!-BeThere-Topic: What does it mean to be a successful music teacher in today's society? #mpln #
• I'm very excited about the iPad app. I just reviewed & am uploading integrating the PO-EM project & iPad0it's AMazing! http://bit.ly/cmseTM #
• RT @thomasjwest: A sneak peak at the fantastic new Music Professional Learning Network website! http://screenr.com/bTR #
• Ok, I'm truning the Twitter Back on… let's see how it behaves today on the #MPLN #
• Happy 4th of July to all my Fellow United States Citizens! I love this country and the freedom it brings! #letfreedomring #thisismycountry #
• Night all, just finished a number of NEW FAQs and a new "upcoming features/Known bugs" public-side page of the task lists we use. #
• Currently updating and adding questions/answers to the FAQ section of the #MPLN #musedchat #
• What do you want to talk about for Monday's #musedchat Vote now, 1 day left! : http://bit.ly/bE8kGM #
• Happy Birthday @doremegirl !!!! May it be amazing! #mpln #musedchat #
• Twitter has so many things temporarily disabled I can't do any of by tweet-fu integration magic for my sites…. hope it clears up soon. #
• Oh twitter, how far from your branches you have fallen…let's get it right and keep it from stallin' http://bit.ly/cINuKU @twitter #fixit #
• Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the Great One, Composer Travis J. Weller to the Twitterverse #musiced #musedchat !?! #
• Some of you that were having Registration Problems with the BETA INVITE try again… if it doesn't work e-mail me or DM me… #
• Ok… I'm out for the night! #
• Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the Great One, Composer Travis J. Weller to the Twitterverse: @travisjweller #musicedchat #
• Totally geeked! just added awesome hover over avatar profile function to the MusicPLN.org. #
• Twitter crashes is going to make us all move to BUZZ @twitter #
• will the twitter outages force us to move to BUZZ? @twitter #
• Fixing something on the PLN, will be down for 5 minutes. #
• #followfriday Music Educators -MY Official List of Music Educators to Twitter Follow: http://bit.ly/cfMuKC #musiced #mpln #musedchat #
• Wow, the MusicPLN is on fire this morning! #mpln #musedchat #
• BTW following @musicednews (Murry the Music bot) will update you on hundreds of Music Education Posts each month…. #musiced #musedchat #
• If you were contacted for a BETA INVITE, your Registration info has been sent out! You should have it now! See you on the #mpln #musedchat #
• Working on sending out the remaining BETA invites in the next hour… #
• Just rolled out the introduction videos for the MusicPLN.Org -Check them out on my Youtube channel here: http://bit.ly/cjpmAt #musedchat #
• All Music Bloggers/Website folks, consider joining my New MusicEd River Project (MERP)-Check sidebar of MusTech.Net for more info #musedchat #
• Just waiting for the new MUSICPLN Screencast I made to finish processing then I will post here and on MusTech.Net #
• If you make it to the PLN in the next 15-20 mins, I'll be on the musicplnchat- click the button on the taskbar. #mpln #
• Sending out some early #mpln beta invites earlier today… stay tuned today and check your email (and/or spam folders!) #

Music iPad App Review #5: Early Edition

Screen-Shot:

(Scroll Down to Watch the Video Review)

Developer Description:
Finally – your own personal, daily newspaper! The Early Edition takes all of the news sources that you enjoy and presents their content in a format which is familiar, stylish and intuitive.

And now now in 1.1 you can import feeds from Google Reader or OPML file, discover feed URLs by entering web links and even categorize your news feeds into sections, just like a traditional newspaper!

Each time you collect news, articles from your source list are collected and assembled into a daily edition and stored in Archives for later reference.

With The Early Edition you can skim through pages of article teasers or tap a headline to view the article in full screen. And if you want to share a story, the action button lets you copy or email the link or send it to Instapaper for reading later.

If you’re someone who checks the news throughout the day, tapping the Fetch button will collect new stories since your last fetch and add them to the front of the paper.

Developer Website: http://www.glasshouseapps.com/apps.html#t1

iTunes Direct Link: Click Here for the Direct Link to the Application

Application cost: $4.99 U.S.

MusTech.Net Quick Text Review:

This is a must-have application for all those interested in an interesting way to read RSS feeds and import OPML files into an iPad RSS reader.   In my mind, this Application completely negates the need to create specific applications based on RSS topics for the iPad.   The real GEM of this program is how neat, useful, and visually appealing the integration is with RSS and OPML files.  

Make Early Edition  instantly useful by downloading the PO-EM file of RSS feeds.  This file contains DOZENS of Music Education related topics written by the top Music Educators using Online Technologies today:
http://mustech.net/projects/poem

To find the other Technology-related Websites OPML file that I discussed in the YouTube review, go here:
http://mustech.net/2010/05/24/best-tech-news-site

Enjoy!

(...)

Read the rest of Early Edition ~iPad App Review #5 -Incredible RSS Magazine Style Reader (109 words)