MUSIC TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM 1

Music Technology in the Classroom

Joey Morrow

James Madison University

Abstract

This study examines the inconsistency of teacher’s belief that music technology will make a

positive impact in the classroom and the actual implication of such principles. Studies have

shown that music teacher agree with the statement that the use of electronic instruments will

improve learning in a music performance class. Fifty-six percent of music teachers feel as

though they could offer a technology-based music class. Meanwhile, sixty-six percent of

principles think that a technology-based class would be a positive offering. Furthermore, this

study aims to address the challenges that music teachers face when trying to incorporate the use

of music technology in the classroom. This includes lack of funding, lack of proper training, and

availability of resources. Funding is becoming less of a problem due to free resources such as

GarageBand and programs such as The Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow. Additionally, the most

reported means of training for music teachers is self-taught with regards to learning about music

technology as of 2012. Music technology instruction at collegiate music institutions appears to

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be growing so these statistics may be changing as more preparation for future music educators

is increasing at collegiate music schools.

Benefits of Integrating Music Technology in the Classroom

Using turntables, MIDI controllers, and digital audio workstations (DAWs) are a relatively new

development in the music making field. This means that music educators and principles at public

schools have to determine the value of adding these new elements into the curriculum. Studies

have found that classes that integrate the use of music technology have students that understand

musical concepts better and enjoy the process more than the students that do not have music

technology integrated into their learning. This was found during a study in which two groups of

students were taught one a control group with no music technology incorporated into the

classroom and the other with music technology incorporated into the classroom. After surveying

and testing the students after instruction with these parameters, they found that the students that

had music technology incorporated into the class did better on a comprehension test and enjoyed

the class more (Lin, 2005).

Despite the benefits, music teachers are left wondering if digital and analog music

production is a form of instrumental music. Since the definition of music is a device used to

make music, the form in which music is made is not as important. The goal of producing music

no matter what instrument is being used is to get an emotional response from the listener.

Challenges of Integrating Music Technology into the Classroom

Challenges of funding have historically been an issue for public schools especially when it

comes to the arts so it comes as no surprise trying to have a music technology component in a

public school music class has those problems as well. Luckily with the development of free
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software and a greater access for the internet for students, this means that more students and

teachers can access DAWs and other programs to create music with the help of technology.

Another challenge is that most of the music technology classes are created by individual music

teachers so that is something that can be difficult for a teacher to do in a public school when

approval is needed from principles and possibly other administrators. The music teacher,

students, and administration all have to value music technology and be comfortable with the

music teacher’s ability to teach the material.

Training Music Teachers

Formal training music teachers to be proficient in music technology is a relatively new thing. As

figure 4.3 illustrates, the majority of the music teachers are self-taught in respect to certain

aspects of music technology. The question that this data raises is whether or not learning music

technology is best leaned through teaching oneself. There are also other factors to consider as

well such as access to in-service training and how much of the participants learning is blended

together with each form of learning.

In a survey of collegiate music schools, 47% of the programs reported their students

participated in a course in music technology designed for all music majors, 33% required a music

technology course specifically oriented to music education majors, 13% had students enroll in a

technology class for education majors (non-music specific), and 78% integrated information and

experiences related to the pedagogical uses of technology into music education classes (Bauer,

2016). This means that as time progresses more research will need to be done to see if the

implication of music technology classes at the colligate level will impact the amount of

classrooms that implement music technology into the curriculum in the public school system.
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM 4

Reprinted [adapted] from “The Effects of Music Teacher Beliefs, Training, and Resources on Use of Technology,”
by Sorah, D. W., 2012, page 68. Reprinted [or adapted] with permission.
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Conclusion

The discrepancy between music teacher’s desire to incorporate music technology into the

classroom and the lack of knowledge is something that is in the process of being developed. As

more training is provided to that of the teachers and future music educators there will be more

music technology components in the music classroom. As for now, continuing to support

teachers wishing to incorporate music technology in some way is the best way to continue

growing the number of music technology-based classes. Since this area of music education is a

relatively new one, the need for more research on the effects it can have on students is crucial as

the benefits of having more outlets for people to express themselves musically are extensive.

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