The effects of an individualised ICT-based music education programme on primary school students’ musical competence and grades

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an information and communications technology (ICT)-based individualised music education programme on primary students’ musical competence. A 2 × 3 aptitude treatment interaction factorial design was used to assess the impact of the programme as a function of students’ musical aptitude (MA) (low–average–high) and type of intervention (experimental vs. control). Participants were a convenient sample of 90 fifth- and sixth-grade students drawn from one public primary school in Albacete, Spain. Results indicated that average and high musically able participants developed a significantly higher competence in audition, vocal expression, instrumental expression, musical language, movement and dance, as well as in arts and culture in the ICT-based than in the non-ICT-based programme, while those with low MA appeared to benefit more from the non-ICT-based programme suggesting that students responded differently to the two types of interventions. Results are discussed in terms of implications to better adapt music teaching for student diversity.

Keywords:

• individualised music instruction
• primary school
• ICT
• musical competence
• Spain

Notes on contributor

Juan R. Hernández-Bravo, Ph.D. with European Mention, is a primary school teacher of music and an Associate Professor in the Department of Didactics of Music, Arts, and Corporal Expression at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain. His research interests include the integration of ICT tools in music education, as well as instructional adaptations of music to student diverse learning styles. Recently he has been involved in several European educational research projects focused on ICT and music.

María C. Cardona-Moltó, Ph.D., is a professor of research methods in special and inclusive education at the Faculty of Education, University of Alicante, Spain, institution where she directed for more than a decade the doctoral programme on Attention to Diversity in Educational Contexts. Her research interests focus on diversity and inclusive education, co-teaching, and teacher education for diversity. Currently, she is serving on various national boards and expert panels for programme verification and faculty accreditation.

José A. Hernández-Bravo, Ph.D. with European Mention, is a primary school teacher of music and an Associate Professor in the Department of Didactics of Music, Arts, and Corporal Expression at the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain. His research interests focus on teaching music for diversity, inclusion, and intercultural education. He has participated in several European educational research projects on music education in collaboration with various European universities.