Technological advancements continuously transform how people engage with music, fostering new expressions, creativity, and avenues for learning (Mygdanis & Kokkidou, 2021). Children in the digital age experience enriched digital-musical opportunities from an early age (Leong, 2012), which they expect to encounter in the music classroom (Tobias, 2017). Given the challenges and new possibilities in teaching and learning, Education 4.0 emerges as a paradigm where emerging technologies create a radically different learning framework compared to traditional methods (Halili 2019).

This study examines the creation of learning environments from the perspective of Music Education 4.0, with a focus on the design and implementation of interdisciplinary ST(R)EAM scenarios in primary education. The primary aim is to explore students’ experiences with the integration of immersive technologies (virtual & augmented reality) and artificial intelligence (AI) in music teaching and learning. The practical application took place in a music club at a private school in Athens over a 25-week period, involving 23 students from grades 3 to 5. The activities combined music production practices, coding, the maker movement, immersive technologies, and AI. The study followed the qualitative approach of Design-Based Research, emphasizing the design, development, and evaluation of interventions within authentic learning environments (Barab & Squire, 2016). Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, observational recordings, informal discussions, and student portfolios.

The findings emphasize the added value of designing and integrating practices and strategies within the framework of Music Education 4.0. The students demonstrated strong interest and enthusiasm for participating in the processes. The emerging learning environment enhanced their musical and technological skills while fostering 21st-century competencies, including critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving. Overall, the results underscore the crucial importance of developing and implementing technology-enhanced music-educational scenarios, thereby contributing to the establishment of innovative learning frameworks that reflect current digital and multimodal music literacies. From a broader perspective, it is essential to emphasize the importance of a critical approach to the accessibility of technological tools. Although the specific scenarios do not necessitate high technical demands, the integration of emerging technologies may restrict their broader application unless openness and adaptability are ensured within the music classroom.

• Interdisciplinary approaches in music education
• Digital environment and music Education

Dr. Yannis Mygdanis is a music educator, composer, music education software designer, and postdoctoral researcher at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). He serves as an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Music Studies at NKUA and teaches in the postgraduate program “Music education in formal and informal settings” at the same university. Additionally, he works as a music educator at the elementary school of Pierce – The American College of Greece. He has presented research at more than 45 international conferences on music, education, and technology and has published over 45 articles in chapters, peer-reviewed journals, and conference proceedings.

Smaragda Chrysostomou is Professor of Music Pedagogy and Didactics, at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, teaching in undergraduate and postgraduate courses. She teaches postgraduate courses at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. She coordinates the ‘Arts and Culture’ team at the National project ‘Digital transformation and enrichment of educational context’. She served on the Board of the International Society for Music Education and its Executive Committee as well as the MISTE Commission. She is the Director of the Music Education Lab and the postgraduate program (MA) “Music Education in formal and informal environments” in her Department. ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7937-5566