1. Microsoft in the classroom story: Using Ink tools for annotating, collaborative OneNote and video conferencing
Task: Students in senior music are required to do a number of compositions throughout the 2 years of senior study. Here are some methods I can/have used at Abbotsleigh with other teachers.
Naomi Manning
Senior School ICT Integrator

2. Using Ink tools to annotate on the board
Group composition using Ink Tools and SMARTboard
Initially a composition is done as a group to clarify processes of composition. The blank staves are on the board and the class compose using the piano in the room with a student writing using Ink Tools on the board with a SMARTboard pen (by using it through the SMARTboard the class can write directly on the board up the front). This way they have the freedom to write and erase, but with a ‘digital paper’ that can be sent to all at the end
Students find the digital annotation and collaboration relevant and engaging.

3. Individual composition and collaborative feedback on OneNote
Now the students use Sibelius to compose their pieces.
Collaboratively the teacher and students can comment on each others work by sharing their pieces as a PDF in a collaborative OneNote shared on the virtual classroom (written in SharePoint). The OneNote is set to read and write for the class and teacher. It is for teacher/peer formative feedback
Students also annotate PDFs on the board together for group discussion using digital ink
I regularly train staff in using OneNote in this way as this is a widely applicable 21st century teaching strategy.

4. Virtual Composer in Residence (ongoing via videoconferencing)
Once the student has their work in a draft form I have set up a mentoring relationship with Cleveland Institute of Music for students on the composition process.
Students PDFs of their work to the Head of the Composition Dept and then they workshop it individually with him. This is a global expert that we connect with regularly and students problem solve over distance – the technology has allowed us to connect with him.
Mostly we use Polycom HD but we also have Lync at the school and have used this in some contexts. Click picture to see video.

5. Student Testimonials, sharing and videos
“[Video-conferencing has] opened my eyes to how advanced the technology of the world is today. I was amazed with the fact we were able to communicate and see someone across the world with only milliseconds of a delay.”
Click to see a video about this and other projects; the blog I write and curate for the school about video conferencing, read about the IT Excellence we won for this project, See below to read a media article in the July Australian Teacher Magazine about it.