Educating the 'Net Generation': Enhancing student engagement with Web 2.0 tools and mobile technology in music education

Abstract

Current undergraduate students are known as 'The Net Generation'. These students have never experienced a world without information and communication technology. It is claimed that these students have gained specific technical skills, new ways of thinking and different learning preferences, which require a new educational approach. Online education is increasing and the effectiveness of online courses in certain areas of learning is still debatable, especially for music education. Instructors and instructional designers need to effectively use new technologies to enhance the delivery of music education to new generations who understand these teaching methods. Using Web 2.0 tools to create fun and engaging learning can not only encourage, but also engage students in learning musicology in a progressive way. The challenge is to deliver a unit fully online and not 'reinvent the wheel' as such with traditional academic content. Creating and incorporating these tools add a richer online environment for students studying music online.