A JOURNAL SUMMARY (9)

Field Experiences Using iPads: Impact of Experience on Preservice Teachers’ Beliefs

Jill A. Reese, Rachel Bicheler, and Callan Robinson

Journal of Music Teacher Education 1 –16

National Association for Music Education 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/1057083715616441 jmte.sagepub.com

Technology is becoming an important aspect of 21st-century learning. In Music Teacher Education, using technology for creating and performing music are becoming more common. As the result, music educators begin to transform their classrooms by integrating technology in general music and ensemble settings. Using iPads, as one of the popular technologies, can be such an alternative to create a more interesting class in Music Teacher Education. According to these reasons, Jill, Rachel, and Callan conducted a research to answer two research questions; (1) what are preservice teachers’ perceptions of their experiences using iPads to create music and to teach? (2) How do these experiences influence their perceptions of the technology’s effectiveness as a teaching tool?

The writers stated their research as a phenomenological case study since it describes the meaning, structure, and essence of the lived experience of the phenomenon for the group of preservice teachers. For the purpose of their research, they decided to use written reflections, as it was a familiar form of expression for the preservice teachers. The participants were nine preservice music education majors at a public university in northeastern United States.   

The data was collected over five weeks. In the weeks 1 and 2, preservice teachers were provided iPads with music apps to explore for 2 weeks. During the 2 weeks of exploration, the preservice teachers talked to two experienced teachers (via Skype) whose students have used iPads to create and perform music. In the weeks 3 Through 5, the preservice teachers created lesson plans to engage the students in creating and performing using the iPads.

The finding of the research concluded that the preservice music teachers perceived technology as a successful tool to engage students in creating and performing, to break barriers that prevent some students from creating and performing, and to create a supportive environment for students to build confidence in their abilities. Also, the lived experiences of the preservice music teachers suggest that direct experiences using technology in classes and field teaching experiences influenced their interest and ability to use technology in the classroom.