Australian music education training and teaching practice: investigating the latitude of ICT resourcing and application

Abstract

Covid-19 disrupted the way in which music teachers taught across education settings. It challenged and opened up new possibilities to think about pedagogy, content, assessment, and delivery. This paper forms part of a national study Reimaging the future: music teaching and learning, and ICT in blended environments in Australia. The authors are tertiary music educators working in initial teacher education (ITE) programs. In this paper, they discuss two questions: what can be learnt from teachers across education settings as they embraced pedagogical challenges? What are the implications for future focused classrooms? A mixed methodology were employed drawing on quantitative and qualitative data through an anonymous Qualtrics survey. The data reported were collected in Phase One March-April 2021 (N=105) and Phase Two December 2022-February 2023 (N=108) using thematic analysis to identify and analyse patterns of meaning. Three emergent themes: changes across teacher practice, collaborating and connecting practice through ICT, shifts in teacher confidence and competence are discussed. The study highlights the changes and reform required for ITE programs as students prepare for future focussed classrooms that meet the demands of the 21st Century. The findings may resonate with other countries, and generalisations to other learning areas cannot be made. Recommendations are offered that highlight the need for ITE programs and in-service for teachers to rethink, reframe and reimagine the latitude of ICT resourcing and application in music teaching.