Mobile technology in dance education: a case study of three Canadian high school dance programs

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe prevalence of technology used in education is evident across many disciplines. Big Data, Massive Open Online Course, and e-Learning are buzz words in educational settings, yet they seem to be non-relevant to the majority of dance educators, especially those teaching dance at secondary level. Overall, the absence of research on technology use in high school dance education creates a void. This ethnographic research is designed to address this issue and to fill the gap by focusing on Generation Z (individuals born after the Millennials) and their teachers in three public high school dance programs in the Greater Toronto area in Canada. While it explores recent studies on technology integration in dance education, it also looks at the effectiveness of using technology, especially how mobile devices work and the role they play in teaching and learning dance. Results indicate that despite initial difficulties, both high school students and their teachers benefit from technology integration in dance classes. Some technological approaches (web podcast and blogs) work better than others (website and virtual learning platforms, e.g. Moodle and Blackboard). Concerns about confidentiality and capability of using technology in dance teaching and learning are discussed and strategies to problem-solving are also shared.