Tactus: Didactic design and implementation of a pedagogically sound-based rhythm-training computer program

Abstract

This article presents the design, implementation and evaluation of a computer program (Tactus) for musical rhythm training (perception, production and representation) at conservatories, music schools and universities. Firstly, a computerprogram- based rhythm-training model designed in an earlier study was adopted in order to derive a technical checklist to analyse existing commercial rhythm-training software. This original model had been prepared with several sources of information: music education methods, teaching praxes and conservatory faculty members’ opinions and perceptions. Secondly, these existing commercial programs were analysed and several problems related with didactics were detected. Finally, as a consequence, a new computer program was conceived using the didactic design derived from the training model. This design included characteristics related to the following: content order, didactic approach and activities (perception–production, creation, reading– writing), didactic resources (ostinati, real music from several cultures, non-conventional and conventional notation), as well as evaluation of students’ performance. Tactus was finally evaluated at eleven music education institutions in Spain and Chile by adult and young students (n=185) as well as teachers (n=51) with qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The high scores obtained in the evaluation suggest a high applicability of Tactus as a useful didactic medium in the processes of rhythm teaching and learning in real classroom situations. It can also be suggested that one reason for the high scores could be the aforementioned characteristics of Tactus and in particular the fact that Tactus does not follow the typical top-bottom approach in teaching rhythm, but instead allows users to firstly, perceive and produce; secondly, represent the sound; and finally, read and understand the theory subjacent to the western rhythm metric system.