Music learning in preschool with mobile devices

ABSTRACT

Mobile and game-based learning are novel approaches characterised by the use of mobile devices and enabling learning anywhere and at any time. In this paper, we share an experience-based design and a pilot study to introduce music learning in preschool education. SAMI (Software for music learning in early childhood education) is a mobile application consisting of four games which main objectives are ear training, sound discrimination and music composition. The pilot study carried out in a real-life setting with third-year kindergarten children provides empirical data about music learning outcomes and compares an experimental group of children using SAMI with a control group which follows the traditional Montessori bells method. Our study results reveal a number of key findings for the design of preschool mobile games and the potential of using mobile technologies for music learning in early childhood.

KEYWORDS:

• Children
• music education
• tablet
• e-learning
• elementary school

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCiD

MPuerto Paule-Ruiz http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0286-5430

Víctor Alvarez-García http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5418-3031

Juan Ramón Pérez-Pérez http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8643-3103

Additional information

Funding

This work has been partially funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (Spain) under the National Program for Research, Development and Innovation project EDU2014-57571-P. We have also received funds from the European Union, through the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF); and the Principality of Asturias, through its Science, Technology and Innovation Plan (grant number GRUPIN14-100).