Music-based iPad app preferences of young children

Abstract

Music-based technology is frequently included in early childhood classrooms as an attempt to incorporate music education in the curriculum. However, there is a lack of research that addresses the educational benefits of music-based tablet applications (apps) for young children. Researchers in this study explored the preferences of 4-year-old children (N = 16) for music-based apps in a preschool setting. They found that children preferred those apps that had a high frequency of visual stimulation, were easy to navigate, and/or had familiar music. Although children in the study engaged in social interaction, there was a lack of outward musical behavior. It is anticipated that a knowledge of children's preferences for music apps will assist with the provision of developmentally appropriate and interactive music-based technology for young children. Additionally, understanding the qualities of music apps that are most likely to promote musical responses (such as singing, rhythmically chanting, moving, or combinations thereof) may help developers create music-based technology that will provide the maximum educational benefits for young children.

Research advancement and foci of mobile technology-supported music education: a systematic review and social network analysis on 2008-2019 academic publications

“…Jenson et al (2016) explored how high school-aged students learning music through mobile games significantly impacted their music knowledge and skills. Burton and Pearsall (2016) further found that young children preferred apps with high frequency of visual stimulation and familiar music, which could be a reference to developers aiming to design mobile apps for young children. This implies the need to implement mobile learning in music education, also considering the interests and needs of different user groups for mobile technologies, especially young children.…”

“…In addition to the discussion of learning achievements in MTSME, researchers have also explored the effects of mobile learning on students' learning motivation for popular music composition (Chen, 2020). Recently researchers have begun to pay more attention to the music learning experience with technology and to further explore key elements of application design to influence user satisfaction (Burton & Pearsall, 2016;Moreno, 2014). Researchers have also investigated music educators' technology preference for adopting specific technology to teach or learn music (Waddell & Williamson, 2019).…”

Tecnología digital en la educación musical infantil

“…Muchas de estas herramientas están presentes en el aula de manera formal (Bucura & Weissberg, 2017) o no formal (Solis, 2019). Así, es imprescindible identificar las características de las aplicaciones musicales que prefieren los niños pequeños y las que promueven el mayor número de respuestas musicales (Burton & Pearsall, 2016).…”

A strategic approach to music listening with a mobile app for high school students

“…Technology is frequently included in early childhood classrooms as an attempt to incorporate music education in the curriculum. Burton and Pearsall (2016) explored the preferences of 4-year-old children for music-based apps in a preschool setting. They found that children preferred those apps that had a high frequency of visual stimulation, were easy to navigate, and/or had familiar music.…”