Qualitative Case Study on Practices of Music Creation Classes Using Digital Technology: Based on Actor-Network Theory

Abstract

This study aims to explore practices of music creation classes that utilize digital technology based on actor-network theory. For this purpose, the study conducted a qualitative case study of four middle school music teachers who incorporate digital technology in their music creation classes. The study revealed that the interaction between human and nonhuman actors in and out of school differed among teachers, such as the combination of heterogeneous things, entanglement of what is mine and what is not, alliances with actors beyond the school, and coexistence of old and new. The study also found that nonhuman actors exerted their own positive or negative thing-power on teachers, such as new attempts and challenges, becoming teachers as co-learners, excessive focus on technology, and unexpected occurrences, resulting in changes in teachers’ teaching practices. Based on these findings, it was suggested that there is a need for research that considers a variety of human and nonhuman actors involved in teachers' teaching practices and comprehends music creation classes using digital technology more diversely.