Content Adaptation, Validation, and User Experience of the Music Island App for Chinese Elementary Music Education

Background/purpose. This study examined the adaptation and user experience of the Chinese version of the Hungarian music teaching software Music Island, addressing the need for localized digital tools to support elementary music education in China. The objective was to assess its user experience for both teachers and young learners within the national curriculum context.

Materials/methods. Over the course of a year, the adaptation retained core gamification elements while integrating translated text, localized audio, and culturally relevant materials. Content and face validity were evaluated by six music education experts and three elementary school teachers. Additionally, 124 elementary students participated in a one-month, one-group, posttest-only user experience study.

Results. Expert review indicated I-CVI ≥ .78 across items and modified kappa (k*) ≥ .74 after revisions, supporting clear and culturally appropriate content. Student feedback reflected high perceived ease of use and engagement. The adapted content was considered linguistically clear, pedagogically appropriate, and culturally aligned with Chinese aesthetic values, supporting its use in classroom-based music instruction. Major revisions focused on translating and localizing textual and audio components, and integrating culturally relevant materials aligned with national curriculum standards.

Conclusion. The findings support the feasibility of adapting international music software to align with local curricular goals and learner needs, offering insights into future cross-cultural educational technology development. However, the study was limited by its short-term, posttest-only design. Future research should incorporate longer and more rigorous interventions.

Keywords: Digital music education, Educational technology, Chinese elementary education, User experience, Classroom feasibility

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