MUS 150 Scholarship Reflection

In the article “Handheld Technology as a Supplemental Tool for Elementary General

Music Education1” Katie Carlise explores how handheld technology can be beneficial for

elementary music education. Carlisle also discusses how the technology can complement

Dalcroze, Kondaly, and Orff instructional approaches. Within each instructional approach,

technology serves as a tertiary focus and instrument play is a secondary focus. Each instructional

philosophy has a different primary focus. At the time the article was published (2014),

technology integration was not as common in elementary school classrooms, however, this is no

longer the case. Technology such as virtual instruments and metronomes can provide a different

kind of feedback to students who may struggle with traditional instruments. This could be

incredibly useful for students with sensory issues and learning disabilities. I found this article to

be very interesting because I had never considered how useful technology could be when

teaching music. I never would have thought to try virtual instruments if a student was struggling

due to sensory or other issues. Before reading this article, I always thought that the best way to

learn music was traditional hands-on learning with the instruments but this article made me

consider a different perspective. In the elementary grades, music education should be more

focused on self-expression and creativity. Using handheld technology is an excellent way to

encourage both musical and other creative endeavors. Handheld technology can also be an

excellent resource if a school lacks access to a wide variety of different instruments. Every music

teacher should reconsider the way they use technology in their classrooms.

1
Carlisle, K. (2014). Handheld Technology as a Supplemental Tool for Elementary General Music
Education. General Music Today, 27(2), 12–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/1048371313505590