A survey to assess the technology literacy of undergraduate music majors at Big -10 universities: Implications for undergraduate courses in music education technology

摘要

Understanding pre-service music teachers' past experiences and attitudes towards technology are important components in designing undergraduate music education technology courses. A survey was conducted to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of freshman music majors.;This study had four objectives: (a) determine the status of freshman music students' experiences, attitudes, and skills, both in general and music technology; (b) assess relationships between these experiences to specific demographic information; (c) determine the uses of technology of the high school music teachers of these students; and (d) use the analysis of these relationships as a basis for designing and modifying the curriculum of music education technology courses.;Through a questionnaire, data were collected from freshman music majors (N = 311) at five randomly chosen public Big-10 universities. It contained two sections: demographic, indicating the location and types of previous interactions with technology, and the Technology Experience Questions (TEQ), a three-part self-assessment of skills, attitudes, and perceived control.;Analysis showed significantly higher levels of technology skills, attitudes, and perceived self-control present for four of the demographic sub-groups studied. These, in order of highest significance, were those students who: (a) used music technology at home, (b) are male, (c) used music technology hands-on as part of their music ensemble class, and (d) who indicated their music teacher used technology in some way. Additionally, participation in a non-performance music class that used technology scored significantly higher only in the area of music technology knowledge. Differences in choice of major (performance vs. education), high school setting, high school size, or participation in a general computer course showed no significant differences.;Overall, students indicated a high level of comfort using technology with which they were familiar, but their experiences using music technology were limited and their understanding extremely poor. However, increased amounts of direct interaction using technology, in relatively unstructured settings, appears to be a unifying factor of the sub-groups which scored significantly higher.;Recommendations are given for the curriculum of music education technology courses along with strategies for integrating technology experiences throughout the music education curricula. Suggestions are also given for the professional development of inservice teachers.