The impact of digital technologies in the sound experience: new ways of learning

Abstract

Listening, a crucial component to enrich and give meaning to learning processes, is at the centre of a profound transformation driven by digital technologies. The latter offer new opportunities to enhance the listening experience and promote new transversal skills. This paper explores how emerging digital technologies can foster the integration of sound practices in educational processes, focusing on interactivity, immersion and personalisation. Through the integration of sound, movement and sensory feedback with digital tools, it is possible to amplify embodied learning: in fact, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies allow rethinking the relationship between body, sound and space, enhancing engagement and knowledge and skills acquisition processes. Although the digital era offers new forms of accessibility and personalisation, favouring asynchronous and adaptive learning, some significant challenges remain, such as sensory overload, unequal access to technologies and ethical issues related to data collection.