Using Technology to Spark Passion in the Classroom Post-Pandemic: Keeping your Technology L.I.T.

Presenters, Ashley Conway and Emily Williams Burch How do we make sure that by the time our music education majors reach the classroom, they know it is where they are meant to be? Many student teachers reach the classroom only to experience feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or face challenges they were not expecting. How can we, as future teacher educators, give our students that exposure and experience to the classroom frequently and early in their degree programs? Technology, of course! Attendees will explore a variety of platforms, projects, and democratically designed assignments that ensure pre-service teachers get as much time in the classroom as early as possible. Drs. Burch and Conway focus on student reflection, discovery, and building in opportunities for transferring knowledge and creating the best foundation for future educators to thrive. This session will also offer ideas for collaborations and partnerships for K-12 schools looking to stay connected to colleges and universities and find ways to link their students to worlds outside of their communities and the possibilities of college. Dr. Emily Williams Burch and Dr. Ashley Conway’s paths crossed in 2020 when they met through ACDA’s International Activities. Both have taught multiple levels and in multiple states. Currently, Dr. Burch is the Coordinator of Music Education and Professor at the University of South Carolina, Aiken. She is also the Founder/Artistic Director of RISE Chorales (based in Savannah, GA), and an Artistic Advisor for Perform International and choral specialist for Quaver Music. Be sure to catch Dr. Burch’s podcast “Music (ed) Matters” wherever you listen to podcasts. She holds degrees from Louisiana State University, Florida State University and the University of South Carolina. Dr. Conway is the Choral Director and Adjunct Professor of Music Education at Brenau University in Gainesville, GA. She holds degrees from Brenau University, the University of Georgia, and Arizona State University. When she is not teaching or collaborating with colleagues like Dr. Burch, Dr. Conway loves to spend time with her husband and two daughters.