Putting Educational Innovations into Practice.

Merlot and Research projects?

I'm new to Merlot and to the music board (still finishing up Grape camp before the Wed. 3/21/13 meeting!).

I'm interested in Merlot's potential from several perspectives:

1. Potential to conduct research projects with other Merlot board members. (with some aspect of Merlot or Merlot materials as a dependent variable).

2. Potential to use Merlot with my college students (music in general studies; also music education students).

3. I've also been thinking about ways that Merlot's music listings can be kept relevant and current.

I do understand and value that Merlot web links are expert-reviewed and vetted. However, I also wonder if we might be able to augment and update the listings by involving our students. For example, music education students need experience in locating and evaluating websites for their own pre-service teaching (and I believe there are many instructional websites for pre-college music teachers). Might students in our own programs be a source of "junior" reviewers and website sources/seekers?

4. I understand it, the Music Editorial Board is just now being re-energized. I am wondering what our primary initial long and short term goals and priorities are.

Perhaps all of this will become clearer to me as I come to understand Merlot better.