EDI in Swedish Music Education : Transforming Traditions and Navigating Challenges

In Sweden's upper secondary school aesthetic program, educators face significant opportunities and challenges in teaching students who utilize Electronical Digital Instruments (EDI) as their primary instrument. Since 2017, students have leveraged EDI, employing computers, user-configured software, and performance controllers to play and create music. This transformative approach challenges traditional music teaching methods, offering students a meaningful musical education that nurtures their identity and empowers them to reinvent musical traditions. EDI players explore diverse electronic music styles and cultivate advanced techniques through their unique electronic music system configurations.This 3.5-year research project delves into the implications of teaching and learning with EDI for both teachers and students in aesthetic programs and music teacher education. University researchers collaborate with upper secondary school teachers, as well as educators and students in music teacher education, to develop scientific knowledge and EDI teaching guidelines.This project addresses a notable gap in the professional and research landscape, as there is limited understanding of EDI's role in music teaching and learning. Drawing parallels from the music technology field (King, Himonides & Ruthmann, 2017), the study employs Educational Design Research (McKenney & Reeves, 2012) principles to analyze teaching outcomes through iterative cycles. Classroom interventions, individual and focus group interviews, music labs, and guideline tests contribute to the comprehensive analysis. Regular collaborative meetings facilitate the analysis of teaching practices, methodological discussions, and processing of relevant research material.The project not only advances the scientific understanding of EDI in the current educational context but also contributes to the development of concrete teaching models. These models, grounded in research and practical experience, bear relevance to technology integration in the music ...