Learning a skill, or learning to learn? Supporting teachers’ professional development in music education technology

Abstract

Music education technology continues to open significant possibilities for composing, improvisation and other creative music-making activities in school classrooms. However, these possibilities are not always fully realized in the everyday life of the school, often due to limitations in teachers’ digital competencies. This article aims to examine the conditions necessary to facilitate continuing education that best supports teachers’ professional development in digital technology-supported classroom composition. By analysing the data material collected during a development project Future Songwriting (2018–20), this case study examines how professional development in music education technology was enhanced or constrained by the project. Future Songwriting was a European cooperation project, co-funded by the European Commission under the Creative Europe programme along with seven consortium partners and designed to provide teachers in three European countries (Finland, France and Germany) with hands-on training to upgrade their skills and knowledge related to the use of music education technology. This article focuses on the activities that took place in Finland (five schools) and Germany (five schools) from March 2019 to October 2020. Although many elements in the project promoted the participating teachers’ skill development and knowledge acquisition, opportunities for the teachers to engage in critical reflection to develop capacity in learning to learn in digital environments were limited. The article discusses the possibilities of continuing education projects for enhancing teachers’ digital identities.