The use of ICT in Secondary Music Education and its relationship with teachers’ beliefs

Abstract

One of the most notable effects that COVID 19 has engendered in education is the ICT use in teaching at all educational levels. This study provides data on the ICT usage by teachers in the teaching of Music in Secondary Education in Andalusia (Spain). It also explores the relationship between ICT practices and teachers' perceptions of the educational value of ICT for teaching and learning. The empirical results obtained indicate that Secondary Education Music teachers use ICT in their teaching in a highly heterogeneous manner, with limited use prevailing. A statistically significant relationship is also observed between ICT practices in music teaching and teachers' beliefs regarding the educational value of ICT as a tool for teaching and student learning.

No longer optional: The Infusion of Digital Technology in Praxical Secondary School Music Education

“…Third, some teachers reported high levels of self-efficacy in teaching with digital technology, even though they also believed they possessed low levels of skill in using digital technology (see 7.2.2). This contrasts with the trend observed in recent empirical literature that connects technical skills with beliefs, where the level of technical knowledge influences beliefs about digital technology and ultimately their usage (Eyles, 2018;Portero & Bravo, 2022;Zhang et al, 2021). Therefore, this study provides evidence that challenges the Will-Skill-Tool model (Knezek & Christensen, 2016) which proposes that will and skills can be separated.…”

“…Other empirical research has found that teachers who lack confidence in their digital technology skills are less likely to use digital technology in their teaching practices (Tondeur et al, 2017;Wozney et al, 2006). A recent empirical study conducted in Spain, involving 153 teachers (a similar number to the sample cohort in this study), found that low levels of skill and knowledge were the likely reason for teachers' low levels of confidence and self-efficacy in using digital technology (Portero & Bravo, 2022). The general theme in the literature is that teachers' levels of skill, knowledge and self-efficacy in using digital technology influence how they use and experience digital technology in the classroom (Bowman, 2012;Lai & Hong, 2015;Scherer et al, 2019).…”

“…The majority of the existing education research on digital technology is focused on its use (Cuban, 2001;Hokanson & Hooper, 2004;Rogers, 2000). A smaller body of empirical research exists that considers the influence of teacher beliefs on how they use it in the classroom (Ertmer et al, 2015;Eyles, 2018;Portero & Bravo, 2022;Teo & Zhou, 2017). Despite the rapid evolution of music education with digital technology over the last 30 years, very little is known about the interface between digital technology, how music teachers make curriculum decisions and their beliefs.…”

“…Determining the factors that influence teacher beliefs about digital technology use has been the focus of general education technology research (Davis, 1989;Ottenbreit-Leftwich et al, 2018;Petko, 2011;Tondeur et al, 2017), and with music (Dwyer, 2016;Hargreaves et al, 2007;Portero & Bravo, 2022). Authors contend that there is a strong relationship between teacher beliefs about digital technology and their use of digital technology (Ertmer et al, 2015;Eyles, 2018;Portero & Bravo, 2022;Teo & Zhou, 2017). Examining the ways in which digital technology is integrated provides insights into the beliefs teachers hold.…”

“…The existing beliefs teachers hold can be a barrier for if, and to what extent they adopt digital technology in the classroom (Burke et al, 2018). For example, how music teachers react to and understand new uses of digital technology is strongly influenced by whether they see these practices as an innovation that is a dramatic change in music education, or a tool to support current practice (Portero & Bravo, 2022). What is clear from the research, is that existing teacher beliefs are an important part of the broad understanding of the relationship between beliefs and barriers for the use and integration of digital technology.…”