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.

The impact of social media use on student academic achievement is complex and varies across studies, likely due to diverse usage motives and mediating factors. This study investigates the mediating role of daily time usage on the relationship between social media use motives and GPA among 301 Vietnamese university students, guided by the uses and gratifications theory. Following a rigorous validation process, we confirmed the applicability of the Social Networking Usage questionnaire within the Vietnamese context. Our findings revealed a complex relationship between social networking motives and GPA. While entertainment motives demonstrated a directly positive influence on GPA, information-seeking motives showed no significant relationship, either directly or indirectly. Critically, our results suggest that daily time spent on social networking acts as a key mediator in the interplay between academic and socialization motives and GPA. Specifically, we observed opposing effects: while academic motives indirectly benefitted GPA, socialization motives negatively impacted GPA. However, these opposing effects were channeled through daily time usage, suggesting that increasing time spent on social networking, regardless of the initial motive, ultimately detracts from academic performance. Our findings suggest that students need to be mindful of how their SNS usage motives influence their time allocation and, consequently, their academic performance. Universities may employ time management training and encourage academic uses of SNSs while advising students to limit non-academic SNS use, particularly during study periods, to minimize distractions and maximize learning time.

Social networking sites (SNS) have become an integral part of daily life, yet little is known about how different purposes of SNS use influence meaning in life (MIL). This study seeks to bridge that gap by examining the relationship between SNS use purposes and MIL through the lens of the Uses and Gratification Theory. A total of 303 undergraduate students from a university in Vietnam participated in an online survey. The construct validity of MIL and SNS measurements was supported, demonstrating strong convergent and discriminant validity. Using structural equation modeling, we found that SNS use for academic and social purposes had the most significant impact on MIL, whereas informational and entertainment purposes showed no effect. Furthermore, students’ recent semester grade point average had a minor influence on MIL and did not mediate the relationship between academic SNS use and MIL. A robustness check confirmed consistent results across gender, age, and number of close friends. These results suggest that SNS provides various gratifications that contribute to students’ sense of MIL. Moreover, this study pioneers the examination of the connection between daily SNS activity and MIL within the scientific literature.

Digital technologies are increasingly integrated into primary education, yet evidence remains limited regarding how digital game-based learning (DGBL) affects the relationships among musical knowledge acquisition, aural skills development, and classroom motivation. To address this limitation, this study examined the effects of DGBL in a music education context using a Cluster‑Randomized Controlled Trial. Participants were 277 third-grade students who took part in an eight-week intervention. Outcomes were estimated using Rasch‑scaled measures, and motivation measures were validated through Cronbach’s α and confirmatory factor analysis. Linear mixed models showed significant gains in musical knowledge and all six motivational factors in the intervention group, whereas a marginally significant effect was observed for aural skills, suggesting that the intervention dosage may have been insufficient. Aural skills significantly moderated the effect of DGBL on musical knowledge. We observed a possible “autonomy paradox”: aural skill gains were negatively related to empowerment, raising the possibility that scaffolded autonomy may be especially important in teacher-centered contexts such as China. The results underscore the importance of designing DGBL experiences that accommodate differential learning outcomes and suggest that DGBL implementation must be carefully adapted to local pedagogical contexts.

As artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into social-emotional learning (SEL) initiatives, the need for evidence-based policy has become paramount. We systematically reviewed 65 peer-reviewed papers that examine the intersection of AI and SEL to investigate how these studies articulate policy implications. Our analysis revealed a substantial “policy deficit” in the current AI × SEL literature: nearly three-quarters of the studies did not mention policy implications at all. Using the “WH-question” framework (Who, What, Why, When/Where, and How), we map the policy implications narratives present in the literature and show that they often lack the specificity and actor-oriented guidance required for effective evidence-informed policymaking. We find a significant association between publication venue and policy engagement, suggesting that current academic incentive structures may prioritize technical innovation and pedagogical feasibility over explicit engagement with governance and regulation. This study identifies a “techno-solutionist” trap, where technical potential is foregrounded while the institutional conditions for responsible implementation remain under-specified. We conclude by proposing a shift from “implication-as-afterthought” to “implication-as-methodology” and offer a set of actionable guidelines for researchers, editors, reviewers, and policymakers to bridge the gap between AI innovation and educational governance. Rather than presenting policy as a generic ethical horizon, we argue that AI-SEL studies should systematically specify Who should act, What actions are recommended, Why these actions are needed, When and Where they apply, and How strongly they are framed, thereby strengthening the translation of AI × SEL innovation into educational policy and practice.