Tag: technology

Microphone Tips for Teachers

Having reliable sound equipment and a microphone that is easy to use is essential for dance teachers who need to project through a large space. However, sometimes all those wires, input/output holes and dials make using a microphone unmanageable. Have no fear, though! Dance teacher and businesswoman Christy Lane shared her eight microphone tips for […]

Technology: RoboForm

RoboForm roboform.com Password management software Your studio’s online accounts, like banking, Facebook and e-mail, each demand their own secure password. But the tricky mix of numbers, signs and upper and lowercase letters can be difficult to remember, and keeping them on a Post-it or in a Word document on your computer isn’t safe. Highly encrypted […]

Technology: Square

Square squareup.com/register Portable POS System Its small credit-card reader looks innocent, but Square is a POS powerhouse—and it got a few updates recently. At its most basic, the free app/account for iPhone, iPad and Android provides users with a Square Reader that plugs into mobile devices to accept credit and debit card payments; businesses pay […]

Want digital lesson plans? There are apps for that!

Q: Now that I’ve become more comfortable with my iPad, I’m ready to update my lesson plans and organize them in a more efficient way. What are your favorite apps for lesson plan digitization? A:There are several apps out there, primarily focused on joining your lesson plans to a calendar for easier organizing. The two […]

Creating a Class Blog

Q: I’m thinking of creating a class blog. Do you have any suggestions for reliable and secure blogging sites? What are your recommendations for how to best use a class blog? A: A secure class blog is a tremendous tool for fostering discussion and creating community. It allows you to literally expand your class outside […]

Technology: HootSuite

Social-media dashboard Not just another social-media task, HootSuite is a tool that can streamline your online marketing efforts by helping you organize posts and better manage your time. After you register, the site creates a personal dashboard that gives you access to your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ accounts all at once. Instead of having […]

Technology: QLab

QLab Show control software Requires Mac OS X Figure53.com/qlab Manning a sound booth during performances takes patience and the ability to multitask. QLab, software that helps create, edit and sync music cues, streamlines tasks during a show, as well as the process for preparing final cuts of music. Instead of editing files in a finicky […]

Incorporating Skype into Classes

Q: Over the holidays, I used Skype to chat with family members who I was unable to visit. I’ve been trying to think of ways to bring this concept into a classroom—any ideas? A: We might not be in “The Jetsons” era yet, but video calls are real. Even better, they are free. Skype, which […]