Innovations and illustrations of digital teaching practice in Australia during the pandemic: variations on a theme

ABSTRACT

This article reports on a national study, Re-imaging the Future: Music Teaching and Learning, and ICT in Blended Environments in Australia, which examined music educators’ engagement with technologies and pedagogies during the pandemic. Data were collected via online survey (N = 105) between March and April 2021 and thematically analysed to answer two questions: What innovative approaches did music educators employ while teaching online? How did teachers use technology and media to support student learning? The two emerging themes (adaptive teacher practice and illustrations of learning) demonstrate how teachers modified their use of ICT, music technology and pedagogy to sustain online delivery of the curriculum. These display variations of teaching practice, diverse application of media (audio and video) and increased digital literacy. Participants implemented a myriad of twenty-first-century skills and technologies within their teaching. Recommendations are provided, embracing the ways Australian music educators responded to the challenges, exploring innovative digital teaching practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital teaching practice
• ICT
• music technology
• online learning
• professional learning

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brad Merrick

Brad Merrick is a Senior Lecturer (Music and the Arts Education) at The Faculty of Education, at the University of Melbourne. Brad completed his PhD in Music Education at the University of New South Wales. He is a past Chair of the International Society for Music Education (Music in Schools and Teacher Education) commission, and currently serves as a member of the ISME International Board. As the current President of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Research in Music Education (ANZARME), he is actively involved in undertaking research into teacher education, online learning, music technology, motivation and advocacy.

Dawn Joseph

Dawn Joseph is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Education (Deakin University). She serves on international and national editorial boards of refereed journals. Her research includes music education, community music, African music, and ageing and well-being in the Arts. She was twice Chair of the Australian Society for Music Education (Victorian Chapter) and served on the National Committee. She is presently a committee member on the Australian New Zealand Association for Research in Music Education.