Several research deals with using of digital devices effect on students’ motivation
on music lesson. However, only a small number of publications focus their impact on
the development of musical abilities and knowledge. Therefore, in our seven month-long
experiment, we aimed to improve musical abilities and musical knowledge in a digital
learning environment among first graders.
We had an experimental (N=135) and a control group (N=111) in this study. The newly
developed Music Island computer program (Szabó, 2018) was used in the experimental
group. The computer program based on the Hungarian national core curriculum. We also
applied several other computer applications in the experimental group. The Rhythm
Master was used to practice rhythm tasks and the NotateMe Now application to learn
music scoring. The students worked individually on their own tablet on music lesson.
We applied the traditional teaching methods in the control group.
Musical ability was measured by a musical ability test (Surján & Janurik, 2018). It
consisted of two parts. The first part (64 items) involved discrimination tasks; the
second part (30 items) measured reproduction skills, singing and rhythm clapping.
(Cronbach-: discrimination .80; reproduction .94; total test .91). Musical knowledge
test covers eight components: rhythm writing (3 tasks); solmization (4 tasks); name
of instruments (4 tasks).
We applied a pretest-posttest experimental design. On pretest there was no significant
difference between the experimental and the control groups in musical ability and
socioeconomic status. However, results show a significant difference between the two
groups in the development of reproduction skills on the posttests (experimental: M=41.28,
SD=24.26; control: M=33.11, SD=21.99, p=0.008; Cohen-d=0.35) and musical knowledge
(experimental: M=84.77, SD=14.34; control: M=72.92, SD=23.57 p<0.001, Cohen-d= 0.61).
Based on our results, we can say that music and singing lessons in digital learning
environment were more effective than the traditional music teaching method.
