The Use of Reflective Practices, Project Work, and Digital Resources in Teaching Folk Instruments at Children’s Music Schools

This article explores the modernization of folk instrument lessons in children’s music schools by emphasizing the role of innovative pedagogical technologies in developing students’ professional and creative competencies. We focus on three interconnected stages of the educational process: reflective practices, project-based teaching/learning and purposeful digital technology integration. This study illustrates the way in which the combination of these approaches is providing students a more student-centered learning environment that encourages students to consciously or alternatively own and manage their own learning activities. This leads to not only competent performers but also critical responders to the musical text, creative interpretive agents, individual project development and independent musicians who are able to operate with musical materials in a digital learning environment. The findings highlight the pedagogical potential of modern technologies in enhancing the quality and relevance of folk instrument education in contemporary music schools.