OXFORD – The pubic education system has changed dramatically in the past decade with the advent of technology geared toward enhancing the accessibility of learning tools for students. Whereas inches-thick textbooks and paper study guides were utilized by teachers of past generations, today's students are now utilizing tablets and online tutorials as a means to tailored education.

When opportunity knocked for a new hire at the Oxford High school, music teacher Corey Riley was there to answer. Oxford Academy High School had been awarded a technology grant which supplied the school with ten new iMac computers.

“I knew that the Macs were not assigned to any one department, so I wrote a curriculum that would make the best use of them for the music department,” said Riley, Ohio State University 2010 Graduate. “These computers are used in recording and production studios across the country, and I was aware that all I would need to teach my students the essentials of digital production was right there.”

With the aid of a smaller accompanying grant that Riley wrote, the digital music workstations would be complete with the MIDI keyboard controllers and studio-grade reference headphones students would need to get the most potential out of the technology that was already available.

“My goal with this was not to just create another music class to for the students, but to build and design a high-quality music class and really teach them everything that I could in a year about music technology,” Riley said.

Music education is defined by the federal government as a core subject area of study, and Riley points out that New York State places an increased emphasis on music technology integration than the majority of other states. Riley said, “This is the next step in making music teachers more relevant and proving to administrators that it's viable.”

“No matter what career path or field they go into, these students will utilize the skills they've learned here for the rest of their lives,” Riley explained as his group of afternoon students worked quietly at the workstations.