Gamification and mobile learning: innovative experiences to motivate and optimise music content within university contexts

ABSTRACT

This study aims to analyse the extent to which gamification tools and multimedia resources (i.e. Cuadernia, Kahoot, Quizizz, and Socrative) can serve in learning strategies for education, achievement, participation and motivation during student teacher training in the subject of Musical Education and its Didactics and within the general context of higher education. We use a quantitative methodological approach with a quasi-experimental design and surveys as assessment tools. All 62 participants were studying Musical Education and its Didactics in their Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education at a private Spanish university and had finished their internship period. Application of the gamification strategy proved effective for dynamic teaching-learning. Findings show how the appropriate teacher training in didactic use of information and communication technologies (ICT) can achieve positive educational results when used correctly. ICT teaching practices for music education should be implemented with an adequate didactic approach for best results.

KEYWORDS:

• Information and communication technologies
• music education
• active learning
• good practices
• higher education

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the Teacher Training music students who participated in this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elena Carrión Candel

Elena Carrión Candel is a Professor of Musical Education and its Didactics at the Faculty of Education of the University Camilo José Cela. She holds a Degree in History and Sciences of Music, and a Degree on Primary Education, as well as a PhD in Research in Arts and Humanities. Before lecturing at university, she taught in primary and secondary education. She was a keynote speaker at various educational research and innovation congresses. At present, her research activity focuses on the study and development of digital and multimedia resources, along with gamification techniques that improve the teaching-learning process.

Manuel Jacinto Roblizo Colmenero

Manuel Jacinto Roblizo Colmenero is a Professor of Sociology of Education at the Faculty of Education of the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Albacete Campus). He holds a Degree in Philosophy and Sciences of Education from the University of Valencia, a BSc (Honours) in Social Sciences, with a Sociology degree from The Open University, and a PhD in Political Science and Sociology from Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED). He has published more than 40 scientific articles in specialised journals and chapters in various books, as both an author and co-author. He has had research stays at Harvard University, St. Kliment Ohridsky University in Sofia (Bulgaria), and the Institute of Sociology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. His preferred line of research is oriented towards the incidence of new technologies in education. He is the Head of the Department of Philosophy, Anthropology, Sociology and Aesthetics (University of Castilla-La Mancha).