The next web2.0 tool that I like and use is Skype. Skype saves me so much time and money it is unbelievable and this is important because of the music departments nonexistent budget. I have always wanted the ability to have guest artist come into the classroom and do workshops with the students. But living on an Island makes this expensive and difficult at best. So, we have to rely on when some of our local musical greats like: Ron Blake (Saturday night live band), Rashawn Ross (Dave Mathews Band) Ruben Rogers (Joshua Redman Trio) get a little vacation and come home. But with Skype I can bring them in whenever they have a few free moments to discuss and demonstrate some concept with little fuss and I can record it all and show it to multiple classes and have the students email questions and track them around the world I think skype is my favorite web 2.0 tool so far. To be able to ask a professional steel band teacher in Trinidad a question about the pan and get feedback for the students instantly and free or charge is just POWERFUL.
I hadn't thought of using Skype in that way of connecting to famous artists and bringing them into the classroom virtually. I'm always trying to get local artists to come speak in my classroom or do workshops too. Skype can really open up the doors for this because I also live in an area where art isn't too prominent and it would be very difficult to bring famous artists down here. I'm going to look into this some more and see what I can set up. Thanks calvin!
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