Enhancing music education in Maltese secondary schools : introducing sound design through experiential and practical learning

Abstract

This study examines the lack of sound design in Maltese Middle school music education and proposes an innovative toolkit for teachers to address this gap. Although sound design is a core component of contemporary media and composition practices, it remains excluded from Malta’s national curriculum, which continues to prioritise traditional performance, notation, and historical analysis. Drawing on Dewey’s (1938) philosophy of experiential learning and Elliott’s (1995) praxial approach to music education, the study positions sound design as an inclusive and practical entry point into creative music-making, particularly for students who are less engaged by conventional methods. The project aims to incorporate sound design into classroom practice by developing a pedagogically informed and accessible resource aligned with curriculum outcomes. This toolkit is designed to support music educators in delivering creative, student-centred lessons that promote critical listening, experimentation and collaboration. By emphasising digital media tools and hands-on experiences, the resource demonstrates how sound design can broaden the scope and relevance of music education. The methodology entails a review of international sound design teaching resources, followed by the design and development of a teacher toolkit. This encompasses a curated library of 50,000 sound effects and a structured instructional manual organised according to Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning cycle, incorporating the Crawl, Walk, Run, Fly framework. The toolkit integrates free professional software, such as DaVinci Resolve 19, Audacity, and SoundQ, allowing students to engage in authentic tasks like recording, editing, layering, and synchronising sound to video. The findings highlight key limitations in existing resources, including the lack of accessible sound libraries and unclear instructional pathways. In contrast, the proposed toolkit incorporates scaffolded learning experiences that promote technical skill, creative thinking, and peer collaboration. Initial implementations suggest that students respond positively to the hands-on nature of sound design, producing meaningful and imaginative work. The study concludes that sound design represents a valuable and underutilised method for engaging students in creative music education. It offers practical tools for enhancing classroom delivery and aligns closely with current trends in digital pedagogy and interdisciplinary learning. The findings suggest that the proposed toolkit has the potential to increase student motivation, encourage independent and collaborative learning, and develop critical listening and creative skills—key attributes for deeper learning, improved problem-solving, and greater learner autonomy, which collectively support stronger educational outcomes.