Local Cultural Governance and Educational Innovation: A Mobile Learning Model for the Traditional Instrument Khong Wong Yai in Thailand

Abstract

This article explores how digital mediation reshapes the transmission of Thai traditional music through the case of the Khong Wong Yai  learning application. Developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the application addresses issues of accessibility, inequality, and the sustainability of cultural education. Grounded in ethnographic observation and participatory design, the study integrates a usability evaluation (SUS = 84.2) with qualitative feedback from students and instructors of the MSE 214 Khong Wong Practicum course. Findings reveal that digital simulation not only supports self-directed practice but also reconfigures the embodied learning of rhythm, timbre, and melodic contour characteristic of Thai classical performance. Users reported improved understanding of tonal structure and cultural meaning, suggesting that technology can mediate between traditional apprenticeship and contemporary modes of learning. The article argues that such digital interfaces function as new cultural spaces where heritage, pedagogy, and identity converge—demonstrating the potential of digital innovation to sustain musical heritage and foster social change in modern Thailand.