Digital Teachings

Last time I gave you some courses that are available online to help further your music education. These courses are good for people who are somewhat advanced or have money to spend on the online courses that actually charge for their services. I have been primarily focusing on the younger age group but I wanted to give the more mature readers something they could use.
From the comments, I see that the information I have been posting is quite useful.
I wanted to get back to the kids for just a moment. I have mentioned the inner city kids of Chicago and some of the after school programs available to them. So what about other places in this country? I mean this is, the internet.
There is a media that is becoming popular for some children across the nation who have the accessibility to a band/music class. It is called Smart Music. Smart Music is a digital teacher that parents can purchase for $36.00, a year. Smart Music does not require an instructor or a music stand. This software teaches these young musicians and vocalist tempo adjustment to play by ear. Smart Music has a feature that tells the player when they make a mistake, as in pitch or rhythm. This gives them the opportunity to correct their mistakes before proceeding forward to the next exercise.
In Sudbury, Massachusetts, music teachers are using this software in the classroom and if anyone reading this knows or remembers what we all did at the beginning of music class before we played a piece of music. We tuned our instrument. Smart Music comes equipped with a tuner and a metronome. The tuner allows the student to tune visually (and like some of us who didn't have this kind of opportunity in band class) they also learn aurally. The students can tune their instruments just before class begins and gives the teacher more time to focus on a piece of music. Schools that still have a music program and can afford this in their budget can purchase it for $100 a year.
According to the Boston Globe, Sudbury is not the only school with this access. Other schools include, Belmont, Norfolk to Uxbridge - 91 Massachusetts schools in all. Ninety-one schools! This is just in Massachusetts alone. Like the famous Chicago Cubs announcer once use to say. "Holy cow!"
What's wrong with this state (Illinois)?! I did look on Smart Music's website to check out some of the success stories and there is a school near my neighborhood that uses this software, Gordon Tech High School. "I like the overall improvement motivation and musicality", Peter Roothaan, Gordon Tech Band Director.
If the student has this program at home, they can view their class assignments at home. When they have completed the assignment they can then send it via internet back to their teacher to grade. There is even an app for smartphones that the teachers can use to review, grade and comment on students assignments.
"Music educators caution that the software is a complement - not a replacement - for hands-on instruction." (O'Brien, Keith. Harried schools trumpet digital music teacher Technology eases pupils' boredom, directors burden. Boston.com. 11Oct.2007. Web. 13Feb.2013)

Above is a video that introduces the founder of MakeMusic Inc. who created Smart Music. This video shows and describes how Smart Music works.
Thank you all for viewing my blog and I shall return with more digital learning media for you or a kid you might know.