Digital tools, referring to a wide range of hardware and software, are increasingly integrated into music education due to advancements in technology and growing accessibility. This trend is evident in an increasing number of teachers utilizing digital tools in their classrooms and a growing body of studies examining how these tools can support children's learning. In elementary school-related studies, the primary objective of using digital tools is to increase student engagement, which in turn can support the development of musical skills and learning motivation. This systematic review evaluates the current state and effectiveness of interventions in this field. A total of 2,382 records were identified, with 15 studies meeting the inclusion criteria (e.g., studies from peer-reviewed journals, including at least one digital tool, and focusing on elementary students). These studies examined outcomes such as musical performance, music theory skills, creativity, and proficiency in digital tool use. Most studies reported positive effects of using digital tools on musical skills. In several studies, the interventions not only improved measured musical skills but also had significant impacts on motivation and engagement. To assess the trustworthiness of these interventions, the review conducted a comprehensive critical appraisal of their methodological designs. The findings revealed that all studies exhibited certain limitations in their study designs, which undermined the strength of the available evidence. This review highlights the variety of interventions, measurement approaches, and outcomes in this field, acknowledging the challenges of this diversity in drawing overall conclusions. It highlights the necessity of rigorously designed interventions in future studies and provides valuable insights into the effective and broader application of digital tools in elementary music education.

Musical education hinges on students’ mastery motivation and self-concept, which are crucial for effective musical learning. Despite the acknowledgement of their individual importance, the relationship between these factors within music education remains unexplored. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the dynamics of mastery motivation (MM) and its relationship with self-concept (SC) in the context of music education. A survey was administered to 139 Hungarian grade 7 students, employing a musical MM questionnaire, a musical SC inquiry, and the collection of demographic information collection. We employed descriptive statistics (IBM SPSS 23), a Rasch analysis (WINSTEPS), and correlational and regression analyses (R programming and SmartPLS4) for data analysis. The findings demonstrated that the utilized instruments were reliable and valid in measuring students’ MM and SC in music education. This study revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.778) between students’ MM and SC, with moderate to strong inter-relationships among various subfactors. Furthermore, comparisons unveiled significant disparities in musical MM across school levels, with higher MM and SC observed among female students. Furthermore, gender, a musical family background, and awareness of musical lesson usefulness were predictive factors for both students’ MM and SC within music education. This study provides valuable insights for professionals and policy makers to enhance music education, nurturing students’ musical growth effectively. By understanding the relationship between MM and SC and considering predictive factors, stakeholders can develop strategies that optimize the impact of music education on students’ musical development.

Korunk diákjai alapvetően különböznek az őket megelőző generációk tanulóitól, mivel életüket jelentős mértékben átszővi a digitális világ. Az IKT-eszközök, az új módszertani elemek és a hagyományos módszerek közös alkalmazása növelheti a zenetanítás hatékonyságát. Az ének-zene órák élvezetesebbé, és reményeink szerint hatékonyabbá tételéhez szeretnénk hozzájárulni egy saját fejlesztésű programmal. A Zenesziget egy online és offline is játszható program, amely az edutainment és gamifikáció filozófiájára és gyakorlatára épít. A 2017/2018-as tanévben összesen 142 első évfolyamos tanuló körében kezdtük el a program tesztelését négy ének-zenetanár bevonásával. Ebben a tanulmányban a Zenesziget funkcióit mutatjuk be, valamint az egy tanév alatt szerzett tapasztalatokat, visszajelzéseket tesszük közzé.

This study aimed to explore students’ musical genre preferences, exploring variations across gender and age groups in Hungary. Additionally, we investigated the relationships among the popularity of musical genres and connections between musical programs and related activities. With the help of stratified sampling, we examined the opinions of students aged 9–19 about each genre (N = 1159) using specific musical examples. In this study, musical genres were classified into four main types based on related music videos, including classical popular music (CPM), rock music (RM), classical art music (CAM), and folk music (FM). Different types of analyses, such as t-tests, one-way and two-way ANOVAs, and correlational analyses such as correlation coefficients (r), chi-square tests, and eta squares, were employed in this study. The results showed that the popularity of the four pieces of music classified as CPM, RM, CAM, and FM had a moderately strong correlation with each other. The correlations between FM, CPM, and RM did not differ from each other, but they showed significantly weaker correlation values than the correlation between FM and CAM. Moreover, significant differences were found in the students’ perceptions of the genres based on their gender and age groups. Among the four performances, the girls had a greater preference compared to the boys for each one, except for the folk music piece. The youngest age group (9–12) showed the highest preference for the CPM, although the difference compared to the oldest age group (17–19) was not statistically significant. Therefore, this study is beneficial for music education, focusing on students’ genre preferences, including CPM, RM, CAM, and FM.

Performance-based tools to assess school readiness domains such as Approaches to Learning are lacking in Low and Middle-Income Countries such as Kenya. This study aims to develop the Kenyan version of the FOCUS app (Finding Out Children's Unique Strengths), a game-like computer tablet assessment of two Approaches to Learning domains: mastery motivation and executive functions. We used a design-based research approach to develop and validate the FOCUS app, initially designed for the US and Hungarian Cultures, to suit the Kenyan context. We later followed children longitudinally from preschool to grade 1, to assess the applicability of the FOCUS app to the two grade levels. Results showed that the FOCUS app is valid and reliable. There was no significant difference in mastery motivation between the two waves. The FOCUS App can complement other school readiness tools to assess Approaches to Learning as one of the strategies to enhance school and life success.

This study aimed to investigate differences in mastery motivation (MM), mastery pleasure (MP), and self-concept (SC) in singing based on class type (specialized non-specialized music classes) and gender across four grades: 1, 3, 5, and 7. It also explored the relationships between students’ demographic variables and the fundamental motivational factors in music education such as MM, MP, and SC. A survey questionnaire was administered to 586 elementary students in grades 1, 3, 5, and 7 in Hungary. The findings showed that the students from specialized music classes had higher MM, MP, and SC compared to those from non-specialized classes. Female students demonstrated higher MM, MP, and SC in signing across all grades, 1, 3, 5, and 7. Moreover, a negative correlation between grade and these factors showed that the younger students had higher MM, MP, and SC in singing than the older students. Demographic factors such as gender, grade, and class type, except for parental education, significantly influenced students’ development in MM, MP, and SC in singing. This study highlights the importance of specialized music education and early engagement in developing MM, MP, and SC in singing, suggesting that appropriate approaches based on age and gender could enhance students’ musical development.