Technology enhanced one-to-one pedagogy: bringing the music studio lesson into the 21st century

Within Australia and Britain, most applied music lessons take place in private with a single teacher and student–the one-to-one model. For many years, particularly in the tertiary sector, it has been perceived that teachers of this model are resistant to change, not following trends in education. However, as cultural norms accept innovative technologies and ways of communicating, applied music teachers are also beginning to embrace technologies to enhance student learning. The purpose of this paper is to propose three ways in which learning and teaching in the one-to-one applied music lesson may be enhanced by the use of readily available technologies. First, we discuss the potential for videos of student performances to be shared in an online space, providing opportunities for self and peer evaluation. Second, we provide examples of how a smartphone may be utilised during the lesson in ways that serve as a prompt and reminder to guide practice when the teacher is not present. Third, we explore the applications of the “flipped classroom” concept for the one-to-one lesson, as a way of making the best possible use of the limited time that the teacher and student spend together