Variations on the Loops: An investigation into the use of digital technology in music education in secondary schools

This thesis examines how nine teachers in four New Zealand secondary schools are using digital technology in music education in order to gain a greater understanding of how it is used, why it is used and what constraints may exist that hinder implementation. This thesis contends that although there was evidence of considerable use of digital technology in the schools, particularly in composition activities, a range of factors are influencing the choices teachers are making as to how they are using it. Despite the potential digital technology may have to transform classroom activities in music education, usage, in most cases, remains fundamentally conservative and heavily informed by traditional Western art music practices. A multi-site case study approach guided this investigation. Initial descriptive numerical data were gathered from teacher and student questionnaires. Further data came from the semi-structured interviews with teachers and small groups of students in each of the four cases. Findings from the data showed that although the teachers participating in the study had a range of digital technology available to them and they made use of it on a regular basis, a range of factors influenced the choices they made when using it in their classrooms. Amongst this range of factors influencing the choices they made, the most important appeared to be the requirements of an external examination system that is remains informed by Western art music practices and in particular on the cognitive dimensions of analysis, harmony, music history, traditional aural skills and an understanding of music notation and theory. Even though there are specific references to a range of VARIATIONS ON THE LOOPS x styles and genres in the mandated national curriculum, Western art music practices remain most important to most of the teachers. Findings from the student data showed that the students participating in this study appeared to have a high level of digital literacy and were able to use digital technology in both formal and informal learning situations. A number of the students also discussed and demonstrated their informal music learning skills in performance and composition activities. For these students, contemporary music practices are very important to them and if they do not receive the information they need at school they know how to access it using a range of digital devices in an informal learning environment. This thesis contends that to be a successful music educator in the 21 century, the ability to work with Western art music practices and contemporary music practices is becoming an increasingly important skill. VARIATIONS ON THE LOOPS xi List of publications arising from the thesis Wise, S. (2008). Using ICT in the Music Room: Possible Implications for Secondary Music Teacher Training. New Zealand Journal of Research in Performing Arts and Education: Nga Mahi a Rehia, 1(1). Wise, S. (2009). The Impact of ICT in secondary music education. Music Forum: Journal of the Music Council of Australia, 16(1), 41-45. Wise, S. (2010). Teacher and student perceptions of digital technology in secondary school music education: a case study. e-journal of studies in Music Education, 9(1), 46-60. Wise, S. , Greenwood, J., & Davis, N. (2011). Teachers’ use of digital technology in secondary music education; perceptions and issues British Journal of Music Education, 28(2), 117 134. VARIATIONS ON THE LOOPS xii Conference Presentations Wise, S. (2008). Using ICT in the Music Room: Possible implications for secondary music teacher training. Paper presented at the Australian and New Zealand Association for Research in Music Education (ANZARME), Melbourne. Wise, S. (2009a). Case Study 1: School C. Paper presented at the XXXIst ANZARME Annual Conference and 1st Conference of the Music Educators Research Centre (MERC), Akaroa. Wise, S. , Greenwood, J., & Davis, N. (2009b). Nine teachers' perceptions of ICT in secondary music education. Paper presented at the Music 09 (MENZA), Christchurch. Wise, S. (2010). Teachers’ perceptions of the impact of ICT in secondary music education. Paper presented at the 29th ISME World Conference on Music Education, Beijing, China. Wise, S. (2011). Students’ perceptions of digital technology in Music Education. Paper presented at the XXXIII ANZARME Annual Conference, Gold Coast, Queensland. Wise, S. (2012). Students’ perceptions of digital technology in Music Education. Paper presented at the 30th ISME World Conference on Music Education, Thessalonkiki, Greece. VARIATIONS ON THE LOOPS xiii