Exploring the Components of Digital Literacy for Music Teachers

As information and communication technologies have advanced rapidly and remote education has expanded due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital literacy has been recognized as one of the essential competencies for teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore and derive elements that constitute music teachers' digital literacy. The components of music teachers’ digital literacy were proposed by defining its concept and analyzing components of general digital literacy, components of teacher digital literacy, and technological pedagogy and content knowledge. The components of music teachers' digital literacy are largely divided into five following elements: understanding and utilizing digital technology, digital ethics and safety, digital thinking and problem solving, digital communication and participation, and digital music teaching competency use in music. 13 sub-elements were derived from these five elements. This study can be helpful to improve music teachers' professional standards and develop in-service programs for music teachers. Eventually, study findings may lead to improvements in the quality of music education. Also, it is hoped that follow-up research will involve broader expert interviews or a Delphi study to develop a framework for music teachers’ digital literacy.