Comparing Novel and Established Technology in an Elementary Music Classroom

Abstract

Students currently enrolled in school are accustomed to a world filled with technology. When utilized correctly, technology has the potential to greatly support student learning throughout all areas of education. This study aimed to investigate student learning as compared between two pieces of music technology: the iPad and the KAiKU Glove. The iPad is an established piece of music technology, whereas the KAiKU Glove is a newly-developed, touch-based electronic glove designed for music education. Two groups of Finnish students participated in the study during their elementary music classes, one class learning with the iPad and the other class learning with the KAiKU Glove. Knowledge retention and knowledge growth were assessed through quantitative measures. The students’ perceptions of the two technologies were also compared between the classes using Likert scale self-reports, which examined each technology’s ease of use and association with a traditional classroom instrument. The study found that while both classes experienced knowledge growth, the iPad scored slightly higher on a post-intervention test of musical knowledge when compared to the KAiKU Glove class. The study also revealed nonsignificant data indicating students in the iPad class found their technology easier to use than students in the KAiKU Glove class, as well as significant data that the iPad users felt a greater association between their technology and traditional classroom instruments. While this study showed more slightly positive results for the iPad class, the positive results also experienced by the students using the KAiKU Glove suggest that new music technology can be comparable to existing music technology. The study provides supporting evidence for the inclusion of new music technology in the elementary music classroom.