Technology Integration in Music Education and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic caused schools to implement a variety of teaching modalities, with technology playing a central role in teachers’ work. Music education was no exception. Music teachers were required to use educational technology in new ways throughout pandemic teaching, but it was unknown if the pandemic would foment meaningful changes to ongoing educational praxis or represent a temporary adaptation in teaching. This descriptive qualitative study explored music educators’ experiences teaching with technology during the COVID-19 pandemic and their expectations for using technology in their classrooms moving forward. Fourteen music educators from throughout the United States participated in two semistructured interviews describing their work during and through the pandemic. Findings indicated that pandemic music teaching environments and the complexities of teaching in new modalities intensified known barriers to technology integration, such as access, training, and alignment with teachers’ pedagogical values (Ertmer et al., 2012; Francom, 2020). Participants actively evaluated and curated technology for use in their classrooms, with varying levels of access and support. Music teachers engaged in self-directed professional development, relying on colleagues and online professional communities on social media. Although music teachers reported greater comfort with technology for music teaching, many welcomed a return to normal learning environments as pandemic constraints eased. Findings suggest that pandemic-related adjustments to teaching practices will not foment sustainable technology integration in participants’ music classrooms.