Abstract:

The use of technology has been gaining more prominence in the field of music. Numerous DVDs that gives step-by-step instructions to learn a music instrument are available in the market. In fact, these “easy to carry around instructors” makes learning accessible, at anytime and anywhere. Therefore, can music teachers be substituted by technology?

My research was based on a sample group of students in my pedagogy class. The class consists of students majoring in different instruments, and they had to give each other pedagogy lessons on their instruments. All of them were beginners learning a new instrument, and they were expected to have a lesson once a week. Each student was required to give some lessons to teach one another their instruments using the “traditional” manner, which means both student-teachers and their students will be in the same room. Everyone then had to use technology to teach their students in at least one of their lessons. They taught each other using skype in different rooms. A 20-min lesson will be conducted, and after the lesson, each student and student-teacher will be given a questionnaire to evaluate the process.

The session will be presented using both video footages and sharing with the audience the processes of my research. I would be exchanging ideas and information with the audience on how one can use technology in their instrumental teaching. Survey questions and the evaluation on the outcome of my research will be shown during the presentation.
Instrumental teaching has all along been involved with only the instructor and student without any technology involved. Therefore, this presentation, which utilizes technology to enhance the learning and teaching process, will be innovative and refreshing to teachers as well as students.

Music has traditionally been taught by having an instrumental instructor sitting next to the student during the lesson. With the advancement of technology, the music field should also be able to utilize technology to develop the musicality of students. Music teachers can never be absolutely replaced by technology, but how can one utilize technology to enhance our teaching? I would like to present to the audience that different pedagogical methods, using both traditional and modern technology, can be applied simultaneously to raise the level of performance in students. I will be sharing my knowledge and expertise in my research through this paper presentation.

Keywords:

Music, technology, pedagogy, instrumental teaching.