The iPad in Music Education - First Impressions
Posted by jamesfrankel on January 30th, 2010
Well by now you have no doubt heard of the game-changing device from Apple called the iPad. As a huge fan of Apple products, I am always swept up in the frenzy over a major new product release, and the iPad is certainly something I would like to have in my ever growing collection of gadgets. While walking my dog in the woods this morning I thought about how the iPad could fit into music education, and education in general. Here are my first impressions: while certainly very cool, it’s not quite ready for widespread adoption in K-12 education. However, the day when devices such as the iPad will become the norm in classrooms is not that far off.
The iPad has some wonderful features: multi-touch 10″ screen, iBookstore, enhanced app experience, 10 hour battery life, and optional built-in wifi. It also has some serious shortcomings: no USB port, no Flash support, no third-party application support (you can’t run Sibelius, Finale, or even GarageBand), and the usual closed Apple platform (it’s either Apple’s way or you hack). The iPad is basically an iPod Touch on steroids, but it is not quite the device that I was hoping for in terms of education.
With these issues in mind, I personally do not believe that this first version of the iPad will have widespread adoption in K-12 classrooms. Without the ability to use software titles such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint (although the iWork titles will be available for the iPad in redesigned versions) you are stuck with the apps available on the iTunes Apps Store. While there are over 140,000 to choose from you are forced to use only Apple products or Apple approved apps. Now, those apps and products are terrific and I love my iPhone, iPod Touch and MacBook Pro but I don’t think the entire education world is ready to throw all of their eggs into the Apple basket. From a business standpoint, the folks at Apple are absolutely brilliant; but from an education standpoint, this is only a first step toward the digital classroom of the future. I simply wanted a bigger step.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some incredible music apps on the store, and no doubt you have your favorites. I can’t wait to see things like Bebot, Thereminator, iDrum, and the incredible apps that are coming down the pike on the iPad. The bigger screen size will make the iPad an amazing personal music making device. Music teachers who are currently using iPod Touches in their classrooms will certainly make the most of the new iPad. But can you imagine if the iPad was able to load non-app software titles such as Sibelius and Finale and had a USB port to attach a USB keyboard controller? I would never leave the house! I know that there is Bluetooth capability and the device will prompt some manufacturers to start making Bluetooth keyboard controllers, but I want to start making music now! With no Flash support, some of the best online music applications (Noteflight, MusicTheory.net, NYPhilKids.org) are off limits (at the moment) with the iPad (though fixes to correct that are currently in the works). Apple’s refusal to support Flash is maddening - can’t wait until the folks at Adobe fix this.
The iBookstore will no doubt start stocking educational textbooks, and this will certainly be a welcome advance for students to start reading digital textbooks. But again, if it is not on the iBookstore - tough. Why? Money I guess, or maybe I am a little bitter because I just got a Kindle; but until Apple opens up their devices (which will likely never happen) to third party, non-Apple-approved publishers, they are limiting the capabilities of the devices. Digital sheet music distribution is also severely limited on the iPad - something I was truly hoping would be supported. While it is possible to email students PDF files of their music, or possibly even “bump” the file from the teacher iPad to the students’ iPad, it is too clumsy right now to start putting iPads on music stands. Maybe one day.
In short, I would love the device for my own personal use, and while my wife will kill me if I buy one, I will be one of those who presses his face up to the Apple Store window glass longing for one. However, my first impressions of the iPad as a device for widespread use in music education have come up short. Sure, there will be teachers who will do incredible things with iPads in their classrooms, but these instances will be more of the exception than the rule. Apple has, most certainly though, opened up the door to a possible revolution in education where devices like the iPad will be the norm in classrooms. I am excited to see future versions. Tomorrow I will post my vision of how iPads could be used in music education in the future. With some minor adjustments, they could just be the biggest game changer that music education, and education in general, has ever seen.
I know that this will be a hot button issue with music educators, and I am very interested in your impressions of the iPad. What do you think? I’d love to hear from you.
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January 30th, 2010 at 9:15 am
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January 30th, 2010 at 9:24 am
Spot on with your views, Jim. The iPad is going to have the iWork applications which will make it nice for college students but I don’t see this having an impact in the K-12 market. It would have been nice to see one USB input, perhaps in future generations. Even with one input one could use the iPad as a trigger instrument or sampler.
It would be cool to see Promethean or Smart create an application to interact with its whiteboards though!
January 30th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Thanks for your comments Gabe. I didn’t know that the iWork applications would be available. Wow. That changes things a bit as far as productivity tools are concerned, but I would really like to see support for products like Sibelius and Finale. I like your Smartboard idea very much Gabe! Maybe someone will read it and create an app.
January 30th, 2010 at 11:51 am
Jim, I agree with your views on the iPad and K-12, at least in its current pricing and configuration.
As regards Noteflight on iPhone and iPad, though, I wanted to point out that Noteflight is not tied to the Flash platform, and we do plan to port our notation tools to portable Apple devices because of their usability and popularity with musicians. Adobe is also making tools available to migrate Flash and AIR applications to the iPhone/iPad which may help accelerate this process or provide a short term fix for some vendors.
January 30th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Thanks for the info Joe! So happy to hear that Noteflight will be available on the iPad.
I was just trying Noteflight on my iPhone - couldn’t use the notation tool - and figured that it was an Adobe problem. Good to hear that a fix is in the works. I will correct that in my post.
January 30th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Jim,
Like others I agree with your viewpoint - I was hoping that at least for composers they would be able to do music compositions programs we all are used to doing or for that matter at least iLife with Garage Band on an iPAD. But maybe with Noteflight something might be able to be used. I think if Apple had this price and include the other apps and connection devices, well I think everyone would be investing in and iPad when it is released to the public. I just hope Apple will realize this before other companies start producing similar devices with similar items included. (maybe by the holidays or this summer)
January 31st, 2010 at 11:49 am
Jim-
Some wonderful thoughts on the iPad. I was one of those who streamed the keynote live, and cheered and booed with the crowd on certain aspects of the device. While I agree with you on most of the short comings of the iPad (and yes, to the dismay of my dear hubby I will spend my savings and be an early adopter) the iPad will not change music education because of the its inherent short comings, but of the short comings of education.
Teachers - music teachers, too - are just not trained for 1 on 1 education. There is still a very large ‘look at me’ aspect to education. Sadly, I can rarely think of a band or choral director who will step off the podium to encourage personal music learning. In these music classes, and they are the majority, personal learning tools such as iPods/iTouches are frowned upon if not outright banned. There are many reasons for this occurrence, lack of time and money are the usual excuses, but I feel that it is an insecurity in educators to trust technology. They made music acoustically - without computers - and that was fine for them - why isn’t it fine for the current generation? Children need to learn to make music without computers because computers break, technology changes, and the old ways are better….etc., etc., etc.
I really hope I am wrong. I know several vibrant music educators who are leaders in engaging with technology. And I hope that Apple sees the opportunity to run third party applications as a win-win situation for everyone involved. If you look at the advances in OS between the 1st iPhone and the current 3GS, it has come a long way in a short time. But until education as a whole moves away from the current paradigm, the iPad, or any other device no matter how awesome or pitiful, will not impact K-12 music education. Sadly.
Thanks for doing all you do.
January 31st, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Kathy,
Thanks so much for your comments. I completely agree with your all of your points about music education and eduction in general not being ready for one-to-one computing. I spend nearly every day of my professional life trying to convince people that technology is not the enemy, but an incredible tool for creativity. Unfortunately, cultivating creativity in a traditional classroom setting is messy. Some are not ready to get their hands dirty - and some simply don’t know how or why they should. Hopefully the energetic and creative teachers out there will have their message heard and their will be widespread adoption of these types of technology in all classrooms. The future is so clear, but sadly many in education refuse to see it or don’t want to look.
Best,
Jim
February 1st, 2010 at 8:06 am
Anyone who doesn’t see the revolutionary possibilities of this device for education is fooling themselves. The price point is going to be low, internet access will be simple, plenty of inexpensive and appropriate apps already available (and now larger than life) and Apple’s stated commitment. No doubt there are limitations but remember that we are looking at the first generation iPad (not even “legal” yet with the FCC) and I am confident that future versions will address the concerns. My biggest complaints with the device for education purposes is a lack of flash, multitask capability and camera. What do you want to bet that Apple eventually gets Adobe’s cooperation, multitasking becomes available even if in some kind of unexpected permutation (split screen?) and a camera gets added?
February 1st, 2010 at 4:56 pm
I would like to be able to load in scores and parts into the iPad to make it an electronic music folder. Unfortunatly the device will not support that. Too bad.
February 1st, 2010 at 5:27 pm
[…] Well by now you have no doubt heard of the game-changing device from Apple called the iPad . As a huge fan of Apple products, I am always swept up in the frenzy over a major new product release, and the iPad is certainly something I …Read More […]
February 2nd, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Jim,
I sent your vision of iPad in the music ed classroom to my principal and tech director. I teach K-3 music and was asked today if I’d be interested in piloting an iPad in the classroom next year - actually a set of 20! Would I????
So….looks like I’ll get one in April and be able to start brainstorming. I know I won’t be able to use many of the programs I currently use on them - like Groovy Music and Music Ace, but hopefully I’ll be able to access the plethora of online tools. I’ll have to see what uses flash and what doesn’t (for example - Carnegie Hall Listening Adventures - does is use flash). In the meantime I can search for apps to use and sites to visit. I am looking forward to discovering how the iPad can be used to enhance and reinforce my curriculum. I’m also looking forward to reading your ideas and experiences.
Best,
Shawna Sabransky
February 11th, 2010 at 8:01 am
MusicReader is preparing an application to display sheet music on the IPad:
http://www.musicreader.net/index.php?target=news&mode=details&news_id=38