Teachers’ Perspectives about Implementing ICT in Music Education

Abstract

This article provides insights into the current state of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) implementation in music classrooms throughout Queensland, Australia, through the perspectives of classroom music teachers with regard to organisational practices that influence the implementation of ICT in music education. Using explanatory sequential mixed methods, a quantitative survey gathered music teachers' perspectives regarding the availability of ICT resources, ICT support, teacher confidence, current teaching practices and professional development. Six qualitative semi-structured interviews were then conducted to investigate further the identified themes. This paper discusses the analysis of the quantitative survey results. Findings suggest that the F-10 Australian Curriculum needs to define the term ICT to provide greater clarity for teachers. Further, due to a lack of ICT resources and support, classroom music teachers limit their pedagogy to whole class activities which rely on a limited number of ICT resources due to availability, familiarity and reliability. Teacher confidence is directly affected by professional development opportunities. The benefits of professional development opportunities are perceived to be short-term when ICT resources are inadequate. Classroom music teachers identified that the most significant barrier to ICT implementation is the need for access to adequate quantities of ICT resources, ICT funding and ICT support.

Music Education Teachers’ Knowledge and Use of ICT at Spanish Universities

“…On these lines, Bauer and Dammers (2016) found similar problems in NASM schools (USA), where teachers regarded a lack of resources and funds as common obstacles for integrating technologies into the music teacher education curriculum. The same is true in Australia, where Eyles (2018) stated that music teachers identified that the most significant barrier to ICT implementation is the need for access to adequate quantities, resources, funding and ICT support. However, in other countries, such as Taiwan, the government has been implementing since the 1990s a series of educational policies and investments in resources that have proven their benefits (Chen, 2012).…”

“…Previous studies in other countries have shown how beneficial it is to establish this professional profile (Gorgoretti, 2019). Furthermore, to develop correctly the knowledge and use that interest us here requires properly equipped classrooms and educational policies that match any needs that arise in music education (Eyles, 2018). The UNIVERSITIC 2017 report by the Association of Rectors of Spanish Universities (Conferencia de Rectores de Universidades Españolas) stated that the commitment to ICT as a tool and support for teaching had reached saturation, with a small reduction in this commitment being observed.…”

Escenarios innovadores en Educación Física: El trabajo de la expresión corporal y musical mediado por la robótica (Innovative scenarios in Physical Education: body and musical expression work mediated by robotics)

“…El cuerpo se mueve de forma instintiva, primitiva, donde la unión entre música y movimiento suponen un medio de expresión idóneo en el que, además, se desarrollan esquemas propios de relación espacial y temporal (Bautista, Tan, Ponnusamy & Yau, 2015). Diversos autores han defendido que las TIC pueden servir de suplemento y aliciente para optimizar la enseñanza de dichas materias (Eyles, 2018;Hernández, Cardona & Hernández, 2016;Giráldez, 2010;Ruismäki & Juvonen, 2009). Existen contenidos concretos del ámbito musical que pueden verse altamente beneficiados por la implementación de las TIC, siendo especialmente propicios para tal fin los contenidos relacionados con el movimiento y la expresión corporal (De Castro, 2015) así como la creación e improvisación musical (Serrano, 2017).…”

Investigating The Implementation of ICT In Education Reformation: National Instructor Teachers’ Perspectives

“…This way, the sharing, and collaboration may carry a higher possibility for other teachers to implement ICTs in the classes since it may promote some important aspects such as teachers' confidence, learning, reflection, and moral support (Johnson, 2003). However, if the ICT resources are insufficient or even inaccessible especially for teachers to practice skills and increase familiarity with ICT, the benefits for teachers' professional development will be only short-term (Eyles, 2018). Therefore, the government should address this problem especially for those who are not yet able to access and implement ICTs in their class.…”