Music teachers' approach to digital tools : - a qualitative study from a sociocultural perspective.

This study aims to deepen knowledge of active ensemble and music theory teachers' approaches to the use of digital tools and digital technology as a tool for students' musical development in music education. To investigate music teachers' approaches to the subject, four individual semi-structured interviews, with two music theory teachers and two ensemble teachers, were conducted. Data collection has undergone a thematic analysis from a socio-cultural perspective, to analyze the connection between digital tools and students' musical development. The results of the study show both positive and negative effects digital tools have on music teaching. Positive effects that music teachers highlight with the application of digital tools are the teachers' lesson preparations that become more effective, and that lessons can be more individually adapted. In addition, interviewed music teachers highlight how students can use digital tools both before and after school when studying subject-relevant material. Negative effects the music teachers highlight are that the function of digital tools as an aid can result in students taking shortcuts for faster results. Music teachers describe that digital tools and programs make music moreaccessible, which can give students the impression that the theory behind making music is irrelevant. The aid that was meant to facilitate something efficient may instead be an obstacle to students' development of musical tools, an obstacle to musical learning