Adding to the knowledge of the TPACK framework: a case study of female identity in performance, education, and technology – Frontiers

 

Report on Technology Integration in Music Education and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report examines the integration of technology in music education, analyzing its challenges, opportunities, and impact through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis highlights that effective technology integration is crucial for achieving SDG 4 (Quality Education) by enhancing pedagogical practices and accessibility. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this digital transformation, underscoring the need for resilient educational infrastructure as outlined in SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). A significant focus is placed on SDG 5 (Gender Equality), addressing the persistent gender gap in music technology and presenting a case study of female leadership as a model for empowerment. The report proposes that teacher knowledge frameworks like TPACK are insufficient without considering teacher identity, which is vital for ensuring teacher well-being and professional resilience, thereby supporting SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Ultimately, a holistic approach that combines knowledge, identity, and adaptability is essential for creating equitable, inclusive, and sustainable music education for all, in line with SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

1. Technology in Music Education: A Vehicle for SDG 4 (Quality Education)

The ubiquitous nature of technology presents a significant opportunity to advance SDG 4 by ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education in music. Technology in this context is multifaceted, encompassing tools that support learning, administration, community interaction, and music creation itself.

1.1 Frameworks for Quality and Inclusivity

• Information and Communication Technologies (ICT): Defined as tools for transmitting, storing, creating, and sharing information, ICT is fundamental to modernizing music pedagogy and making it more accessible.
• Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK): This framework is essential for achieving quality education by guiding educators to effectively integrate three core components:
  1. Content Knowledge (CK): Understanding of the subject matter (music).
  2. Pedagogical Knowledge (PK): Understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies.
  3. Technological Knowledge (TK): Understanding of how to use digital tools and resources.

  The intersection of these domains (TPACK) enables the development of sophisticated and effective teaching that leverages technology to support specific learning goals.

1.2 Barriers to Achieving Quality Education

Despite the potential, several challenges hinder the full realization of SDG 4 in music education:

• Lack of Teacher Familiarity: Educators with practical, performance-based backgrounds may lack the experience and confidence to integrate technology, particularly for tasks like digital composition.
• Technophobia and Resistance: A reluctance to adopt new technologies remains a significant barrier, often stemming from a preference for traditional face-to-face interaction over the perceived benefits of technology.
• Insufficient Institutional Support: A lack of time, funding, and access to technology in teacher education programs prevents pre-service teachers from developing the necessary skills in authentic contexts.

2. The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Catalyst for Innovation and Resilience (SDG 9 & SDG 4)

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid and unprecedented shift to online learning, acting as both a threat and an opportunity for music education. This crisis highlighted the critical importance of resilient digital infrastructure (SDG 9) and accelerated innovation in teaching practices, contributing to lifelong learning goals (SDG 4).

2.1 Challenges and Adaptations

• Forced Adoption: The participatory and hands-on nature of music teaching meant the field had largely avoided online delivery. The pandemic required educators to adapt their pedagogies to a new, technologically mediated context.
• Lack of Preparedness: Many teachers lacked the technical and pedagogical knowledge for effective online instruction, leading to anxiety, frustration, and concerns about teaching performance. This underscores a gap in providing decent work conditions and support (SDG 8).
• Institutional Responsibility: The crisis revealed that institutional support, professional development, and clear expectations are vital for compensating for individual teachers’ perceived lack of readiness.

2.2 Opportunities for Growth

• Enhanced Competence and Confidence: Increased use of technology during the pandemic led to higher levels of competence and confidence among teachers.
• Development of New Communities: The shift online fostered communities of practice where educators could share pedagogical approaches and strategies, promoting collaboration and partnership (SDG 17).
• Innovation in Pedagogy: The limitations of remote learning spurred creative solutions, proving that technology can extend, rather than just replace, traditional teaching methods.

3. Advancing SDG 5 (Gender Equality) in Music Technology

A critical issue in music education is the significant gender imbalance in technology-focused areas. Addressing this disparity is essential for achieving SDG 5, which aims to end all forms of discrimination against women and girls and ensure their full participation and equal opportunities for leadership.

3.1 The Gender Gap in Music Technology

• Systemic Barriers: Curricular separation of “music” and “music technology” in some systems has created a gendered divide, with lower enrollment of women in technology-centric courses.
• Socio-Cultural Factors: Gender is a key factor in how accessibility to music technologies is framed within social and cultural contexts, often reinforcing stereotypes and disadvantaging female students.
• Lack of Awareness: Educators may not recognize how their instructional methods or classroom dynamics favor certain learning preferences, inadvertently perpetuating gendered norms.

3.2 A Case Study in Female Leadership and Empowerment

The report’s case study focuses on a successful female musician, educator, and entrepreneur who is a leader in technology integration. Her career serves as a powerful model for achieving SDG 5 by:

1. Challenging Stereotypes: Her success in a technology-rich field demonstrates female capability and leadership, providing a crucial role model for aspiring female musicians and technologists.
2. Navigating Barriers: The participant reported facing gender-based assumptions about her technical abilities but overcame them through persistence, problem-solving, and seeking out expert communities.
3. Leveraging Mentorship: Her development was significantly influenced by female mentors who fostered curiosity and a problem-solving acumen, highlighting the importance of mentorship in building confidence and identity.

4. Extending Frameworks for Sustainable Teacher Development (SDG 4, 5, & 8)

While the TPACK framework provides a foundation for knowledge, it overlooks the critical role of teacher identity. To build a resilient and effective teaching workforce capable of delivering on the SDGs, it is necessary to consider not just what teachers know, but who they are as professionals.

4.1 The Role of Teacher Identity

Teacher professional identity encompasses the beliefs, motivations, self-efficacy, and commitment an educator brings to their role. A strong identity is linked to well-being, job satisfaction, and teaching quality, directly supporting the principles of decent work (SDG 8).

4.2 The TPACI Framework: Integrating Identity

This report proposes an extended framework, TPACI, which integrates identity into each of TPACK’s constructs:

• Content Identity (CI): A teacher’s self-perception as an expert in their subject.
• Pedagogical Identity (PI): A teacher’s core beliefs and values about what constitutes good teaching.
• Technology Identity (TI): The extent to which an individual views the use of technology as integral to their sense of self.

This holistic view suggests that knowledge alone is insufficient. A positive identity with technology, driven by curiosity and confidence, motivates educators to gain skills and overcome challenges, creating a virtuous cycle of professional growth. This is particularly crucial for closing the gender gap (SDG 5) and ensuring all teachers can deliver quality education (SDG 4).

5. Key Findings and Recommendations for Achieving the SDGs

The case study of a female leader in music technology integration reveals key attributes that foster success and align with the Sustainable Development Goals.

5.1 Attributes for Sustainable Practice

• Adaptability: A willingness to evolve with new technologies, adapt to student needs, and repurpose existing tools for new pedagogical challenges.
• Problem-Solving: A mindset focused on finding solutions to technical and pedagogical problems, driven by curiosity rather than fear of failure.
• Collaboration and Mentorship (SDG 17): Actively participating in and learning from professional communities and mentors to overcome challenges and foster innovation.

5.2 Recommendations for Policy and Practice

To leverage technology in music education to advance the SDGs, the following actions are recommended:

1. Integrate Identity into Teacher Education: Teacher training programs must move beyond technical skills to cultivate a positive professional identity with content, pedagogy, and technology. This will build a resilient workforce capable of delivering quality education (SDG 4) under decent work conditions (SDG 8).
2. Promote Female Mentorship and Leadership: To advance SDG 5, educational institutions must actively promote female role models and create mentorship opportunities in technology-heavy fields to challenge stereotypes and empower the next generation of female leaders.
3. Invest in Accessible and Resilient Infrastructure: In line with SDG 9, institutions must provide the necessary technological tools, support, and infrastructure to ensure that all educators and students can participate in modern learning environments, thereby reducing inequality (SDG 10).
4. Foster Collaborative Innovation: Support the creation of communities of practice and partnerships (SDG 17) where educators can share knowledge, co-create resources, and collectively solve the challenges of digital transformation in education.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   The entire article is centered on improving the quality of music education through the effective integration of technology. It explores teacher training, pedagogical frameworks (TPACK), the development of skills for both teachers and students, and the creation of high-quality educational resources. The impact of COVID-19 on educational delivery and the need for teachers to adapt and acquire new skills are central themes, directly aligning with the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.

2. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   The article explicitly addresses gender inequality within music technology education. It cites research indicating lower enrollment of women in technology-focused music courses and a significant gender imbalance in specific programs. The text highlights that “investigations spanning the last 40 years evidence practices that lead to or reinforce differences and cause females to be neglected and disadvantaged in the area of music technology.” It also discusses the gender stereotypes the female case study participant faced, reinforcing the relevance of this goal.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   This goal is relevant through the article’s focus on leveraging technological infrastructure and innovation to advance education. It discusses the development of online learning platforms (e.g., eNovative Piano), the use of specific hardware and software (digital keyboards, MIDI, OBS), and the importance of reliable internet access for modern teaching. The case study participant’s work in creating a company that provides “multimedia resources and curricula” is a direct example of innovation in the educational industry.

4. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   The article touches upon reducing inequalities in two main ways. First, it addresses the gender inequality discussed under SDG 5, which is a key aspect of SDG 10. Second, it implicitly refers to socio-economic inequality through the mention of “digital poverty.” The participant’s reflection on what students “can or are willing to access” and the challenge that “If the student cannot use it, then it’s not usable” points to the need to bridge the digital divide to ensure equitable access to education.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  • Target 4.4: “By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.” The article’s focus on teaching music technology skills is directly related to preparing students for the modern music industry, which increasingly relies on technology.
  • Target 4.c: “By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries…” The core of the article analyzes what makes a qualified teacher in the digital age, examining teacher readiness, confidence, knowledge (TPACK), and identity. It highlights the need for better teacher education and professional development to handle technological integration.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  • Target 5.1: “End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.” The article identifies a historical and ongoing gender bias in music technology, where practices can “cause females to be neglected and disadvantaged.” The case study participant also recounts facing stereotypes “‘cause you are female.”
  • Target 5.b: “Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women.” The article presents a case study of a female leader who has used technology to build a successful career and business, serving as a role model. It also recommends that teachers adopt “strategies that might result in more inclusive pedagogical practices” to support girls’ engagement with technology.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  • Target 9.c: “Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet…” The article discusses the importance of internet access for teachers and students, mentioning that “most of these teachers appeared to be quite comfortable with using technology and reported having Internet access in their studios.” It also acknowledges challenges related to access, such as “digital poverty.”

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex… or economic or other status.” This is addressed through the article’s call to tackle the gender imbalance in music technology and its acknowledgment of “digital poverty” as a barrier to equitable educational access.
  • Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome…” The article advocates for changing pedagogical practices to be more inclusive, thereby reducing the inequality of outcome where females are underrepresented in music technology fields.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions or implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Teacher readiness and confidence with technology: The article refers to surveys and studies measuring teachers’ “proficient levels of readiness to integrate technology” and how their “levels of competence and confidence” increased during the pandemic. This can serve as an indicator for Target 4.c.
• Enrollment of women in technology-focused courses: The article explicitly states that technology-focused music courses have “lower enrolments of women” and that the “gender imbalance” in A Level Music Technology is “stark.” These enrollment statistics are direct indicators for Target 5.1 and 5.b.
• Availability of technology in educational settings: The mention of teachers having “Internet access in their studios” and the development of piano labs “equipped with student computers” serve as indicators for the technological infrastructure mentioned in Target 9.c.
• Use of inclusive pedagogical strategies: The recommendation that “teachers be mindful of the different ways in which girls and boys approach music technology to integrate strategies that might result in more inclusive pedagogical practices” implies that the adoption rate of such strategies is a measurable indicator for Target 10.3.
• Accessibility of online educational resources: The case study participant’s company offering its platform “for free during COVID-19” and her goal to “make quality instruction accessible to anybody in the world” point to the accessibility and affordability of digital learning tools as an indicator for Target 10.2.
• Teacher professional identity and self-efficacy: The proposed TPACI framework and the measurement of teacher identity domains (self-efficacy, commitment, etc.) can be used as indicators to measure the effectiveness of teacher training programs (Target 4.c).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs	Targets	Indicators Identified in the Article
SDG 4: Quality Education	4.4: Increase the number of people with relevant technical and vocational skills. 4.c: Increase the supply of qualified teachers.	Number of students acquiring skills in music technology. Teachers’ self-perceived levels of competence and confidence in using technology. Proficiency levels of teachers’ readiness to integrate technology. Development and adoption of frameworks like TPACK/TPACI in teacher education.
SDG 5: Gender Equality	5.1: End all forms of discrimination against women and girls. 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology to promote the empowerment of women.	Enrollment rates of women in technology-focused music courses. Gender balance in specific programs (e.g., A Level Music Technology). Prevalence of gender stereotypes reported by female educators. Adoption of inclusive pedagogical practices to support female students.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure	9.c: Increase access to information and communications technology (ICT).	Percentage of teachers/studios with reliable internet access. Availability of technology-rich learning environments (e.g., piano labs). Development and use of innovative online learning platforms and multimedia resources.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	10.2: Empower and promote the inclusion of all, irrespective of sex or economic status. 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome.	Reduction of the gender gap in music technology fields. Measures to address “digital poverty” among students. Accessibility of quality instruction and resources to all, regardless of location or economic status (e.g., free online offerings).

Source: frontiersin.org