The Role of Technology in Music Education: a Survey of Computer Usage in Teaching Music in Colleges of Education in The Volta Region, Ghana

The study sought to find out the role of computer technology in music education in Colleges of Education in the Volta Region of Ghana. It aimed at surveying the use of computer technology for teaching music and exploring the instructional prospects for computer technology usage in music in Colleges of Education. The study employed Rogers’ Diffusion Innovation theory and descriptive survey research method. Data was collected from the respondents using questionnaire, interview, and observation. The study revealed that even though about 90% of the music tutors have good academic qualification and over five years teaching experience, lack of competence in handling computer technology in teaching music among some music tutors and incoherent ICT initiatives hindered proper application of computer technology in the field of music education. It is however envisaged that increasing access and coherent computer technology initiatives will be paramount for the teaching of music in the Colleges of Education

Entre la tradición y la innovación: el uso de libros de texto y contenidos didácticos digitales en las aulas

El Ministerio de Educación de Italia ha promovido, desde 2013, el uso de textos digitales o mixtos (impresos-digitales) en el aula por medio de una ley (Ley 128/2013). Desde entonces, la adopción del libro de texto no es obligatoria en nuestro país: las escuelas italianas, según su autonomía, pueden utilizar materiales didácticos de editoriales, recursos educativos abiertos o textos de elaboración propia. La ley da legitimidad a las experiencias de algunas centros educativos italianos que están innovando en el uso de los libros de texto y están implicadas en un proceso de auto-producción de contenidos (libros de texto o CDD, Contenidos Didácticos Digitales). Este artículo describe el trabajo de estos centros educativos dentro de una comunidad de práctica denominada «Avanguardie Educative». Se analizan las creencias y actitudes de los profesores sobre «estudio», «libro de texto» y «textos digitales» para obtener aspectos innovadores y también para observar las dificultades y obstáculos durante el proceso de innovación, no siempre bien estudiado.Since 2013, the Italian Minister of Education promoted the use of digital or mixed paper-digital texts in the classroom by means of legislative act (Lex 128/2013). Since then, adoption of the textbook is not mandatory in our country: Italian schools, according to their autonomy, can choose to adopt teaching materials from publishers, Open Educational Resources, or auto-produced texts. The law legitimates the experience of some Italian schools that are innovating the use of textbooks and are involved in a process of auto-production of content (textbooks or DDC, Didactic Digital Content). The article attempts to describe the work of these schools within a network of practice named «Avanguardie Educative». It intends to analyse teachers beliefs and attitudes upon «studying», «textbooks» and «digital texts», to capture innovative aspects, but also to look at dificulties and obstacles along the path of innovation, not always so clear and well defined.peerReviewe

Teaching and learning in virtual worlds: is it worth the effort?

Educators have been quick to spot the enormous potential afforded by virtual worlds for situated and authentic learning, practising tasks with potentially serious consequences in the real world and for bringing geographically dispersed faculty and students together in the same space (Gee, 2007; Johnson and Levine, 2008). Though this potential has largely been realised, it generally isn’t without cost in terms of lack of institutional buy-in, steep learning curves for all participants, and lack of a sound theoretical framework to support learning activities (Campbell, 2009; Cheal, 2007; Kluge & Riley, 2008). This symposium will explore the affordances and issues associated with teaching and learning in virtual worlds, all the time considering the question: is it worth the effort

REACT Symposium - Reflective and Critical Approaches to Teaching and Learning of Music Performance: book of abstracts

No abstract available.publishe

Transforming pre-service teacher curriculum: observation through a TPACK lens

This paper will discuss an international online collaborative learning experience through the lens of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The teacher knowledge required to effectively provide transformative learning experiences for 21st century learners in a digital world is complex, situated and changing. The discussion looks beyond the opportunity for knowledge development of content, pedagogy and technology as components of TPACK towards the interaction between those three components. Implications for practice are also discussed. In today’s technology infused classrooms it is within the realms of teacher educators, practising teaching and pre-service teachers explore and address effective practices using technology to enhance learning

Teaching and Learning of Cultural Heritage: Engaging Education, Professional Training, and Experimental Activities

The preservation of cultural heritage through education and training has always been a relevant issue and, sure enough, can contribute to the accomplishment of the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030 (e.g., 4: Quality education, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 11: Sustainable cities and communities). The pandemic experience substantially influenced this topic for two key reasons. First, it has revolutionized the approach to teaching and learning activities, involving technological and digital innovations in this area for extreme and urgent necessities. The second aspect is that it has encouraged the rediscovery of minor heritages closer to one’s own territorial identity, strengthening the link with the local community. Understanding the role and importance of cultural heritage begins in the school; therefore, education is an essential and indispensable stage. At all educational levels, beginning with primary school, the necessary training activities for specific professional figures should be implemented. The transformation related to the cultural heritage professional figure must include both awareness of heritage value and excellent practical and theoretical skills. The research presented focuses on proposing new training paradigms that are highly professionalizing and involving

A survey of digital music technology implementation by graduate and undergraduate piano pedagogy faculty in American colleges and universities.

Distributions of 4 new summative scales revealed high usage of both generic and digital music technologies, with generally positive faculty attitudes toward digital music technologies. Respondents were placed into Rogerian adoption categories. Similarities were observed between these 5 types of technology adopters and Rogers' (2003) bell-curve model, but a more linear adoption-diffusion pattern was observed than was predicted by Rogers' S-curve model.The purpose of this study was to assess the current level of adoption and diffusion of specific digitally based instructional and music technologies by pedagogues in American graduate and undergraduate pedagogy programs. Data were collected from faculty members who listed piano pedagogy as an area of teaching interest in the Directory of Music Faculties in Colleges and Universities, U.S. and Canada, 2005--2006. The questionnaire sought information about faculty pedagogues, their attitudes toward and usage of generic and digital music instructional technology, and their categorization as Innovators, Early Adopters, Early Majority, Late Majority, and Laggards according to Rogers' (2003) model of technology adoption and diffusion.Based on 238 valid responses (34%), data results showed that the sample was 60.1% female. The majority (68.4%) belonged to 1 or more professional organizations, attended conferences annually (54.9%), with 42.2% attending at least 1 digital music workshop per conference. Respondents reported frequent usage of generic digital technologies but even greater use of digital music technologies. No significant gender effects were observed, but one-way ANOVA tests revealed that younger faculty members were significantly more likely to use digital music technologies (F = 2.9, p = .023). Significant correlations were observed between the usage of digital music technology and organizational memberships (r = .164), conference attendance (r = .157), and digital music workshop attendance (r = .492). Using correlation and regression tests, respondent attitudes were shown to be positively and significantly related to the use of generic digital technology and digital music instructional technology (r = .369, r = .664, respectively; p = .000)