An Innovative Blended Learning Program Is Bringing Music Education to Detroit Youth | Higher Education - eLearningInside News

Detroit has long been home to one of the richest music scenes in the United States, according to Cait Etherington, writer and education/training consultant with over two decades of experience.

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From Jazz to electronic music, the city has turned out some of the nation’s most well-known musicians, DJs, and music producers. Unfortunately, it is also a city that has long suffered from urban decay, high unemployment, and low high school performance and retention rates. As part of an innovative program, the renowned Berklee College of Music, University of Michigan, and Coursera are now teaming up to help the Detroit-based Making It Happen Foundation help more youth prepare for careers in Detroit’s legendary music industry.

The Making It Happen Foundation 
The Making It Happen Foundation (MIHF) was founded eighteen years ago in Detroit. The foundation’s mission is to “improve and sustain innovative, youth-centered technology and music programs within urban school districts and community based organizations.” Specifically, by offering courses in music production, song writing, sound engineering, and digital media, the foundation seeks to give high school students the skills needed to start exploring future careers in the music industry. For example, in the foundation’s sound engineering course, secondary-level students learn to edit and mix digital music, learn to use industry-standard plug-ins to finalize and polish tracks, and explore tools such as equalization, panning, time and space effects, and automation...

The Berklee College of Music, University of Michigan, and Coursera Collaboration 
On October 18, Coursera posted an article about their collaboration with The Making It Happen Foundation on their own site. Working with two postsecondary-level partners, Michigan State University and the Berklee College of Music, Coursera is helping the Making It Happen Foundation give even more Detroit students access to music and art courses. Students will also have access to other selected courses on the Coursera platform.
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Source: eLearningInside News