Doing music education differently, for our brain’s sake.
originally written Sunday 22nd October 2017
edited Wednesday 15th April 2020
edited Wednesday 15th April 2020
The dominant pedagogical approaches to music education in Australia have been driven by the western classical tradition with, in recent years, a bit of rock music thrown in. While the introduction of rock was an attempt to re-engage students and combat the large drop out numbers, it was, as Ethan Hein notes, too little too late, and student numbers continue to decline: “…rock stopped being the driver of our musical culture sometime in the early 1990s”. (Hein, 2016)
Furthermore, as Lucy Green points out, the inclusion of rock came without any shift in pedagogy:
“…popular music has been in the school curriculum…for many years but what we’ve tended to do as teachers is to approach (it) in the same way that we would approach classical music…” (Green, 2011)
In her research for the University of London’s Ear Playing Project, Green describes the increased engagement and retention of students through the popular music pedagogy of learning by ear. This ties in with Anita Collins’ findings that neuroscientists have established very close links between the music processing and language processing networks of our brains. (Collins, 2014)
In his review of Ableton’s online music teacher, Peter Kirn states “…there’s a common myth that music production tools somehow take away from the need to understand music theory. I’d say exactly the opposite: they’re more demanding.” (Kirn, 2017)
Using computer software to understand, decompose and recreate is no less valid a music theory tool than a pencil and a stave.
I agree with Hein that we don’t want to dispense with classical music or with music theory, but if we are to engage and retain larger numbers of students in music education – and foster greater numbers of people with greater cognitive capacity – then we need to start where students are "...in the present with what is popular and familiar. And then work ... outwards and backwards". (Hein, 2015)
And there's a challenge in itself. Starting where the student is at, not the teacher, who's own musical preferences and skill sets may remain firmly rooted in rock and pop from the 60's to the 90's. That works fine if the student's musical passions are found there also - but what if they're not?
From here the next challenge is - once we've engaged students where they are at, once they have developed sufficient skills, confidence and understanding to grow beyond what they know, how and where do we take them then? What is the role of music educators in using music education as a tool to broaden intercultural understanding? I would argue that our role in this is vital. Music is itself a universal language. What better language to use as a tool for developing students identities and understanding of themselves as global citizens.
As a first step, governments and school funding bodies and school administrators will need to pay attention to the research and begin to fund specialist music teachers in every primary school to ensure universal access to quality music education from an early age. And vitally, we must be brave enough to reimagine what we do, but also why it is so important. Good quality, well designed and inclusive music education has the capacity to significantly re-engage disaffected, disadvantaged and marginalised students. The latest research findings in the UK based on the Birmingham City University study, Exchanging Notes, concludes that cultural experiences offered through high quality, inclusive, student focussed music programs have “positively affected young people’s educational progression, their social and emotional wellbeing and perceived value of school".
Re-engaging marginalised students is surely our most vital call to action as educators. Perhaps this is one of the keys.
Dani Burbrook ©
Birmingham City University - Youth Music 2019, 4 year action research "Exchanging Notes - research summary report, <"https://www.musicmark.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/EXCHANGING-NOTES.pdf>
Letts, R. 2017, Summary of research paper, Arts for arts sake? The impact of arts education <http://musictrust.com.au/music-education/research/art-for-arts-sake-the-impact-of-arts-education/>
The Music Trust 2017, Some Interesting Music Education Research Outcomes, <http://musictrust.com.au/music-education/research/some-interesting-music-education-research-outcomes/>
Hein, E. 2016, “Afrofuturist Pedagogy”, Ethan Hein Blog, <http://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2016/afrofuturist-pedagogy/>
Hein, E. 2015, "Classroom Music is Alien", Coursera, The place of music in 21st century education, online course video <https://www.coursera.org/learn/music-education/lecture/BM92q/classroom-music-is-alien>
Kirn, P. 2017, “Ableton built a free browser playground to teach how music works”, Create Digital Media, <http://cdm.link/2017/05/playground-learning-music-free-browser-ableton/>
Collins, A. 2014, What if every child had access to music education from birth? online video, TedX Talks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqgenARzlE
Green, L. 2011, What can teachers learn from popular musicians? online video, UCL Institute of Education https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r8zoHT4ExY
Furthermore, as Lucy Green points out, the inclusion of rock came without any shift in pedagogy:
“…popular music has been in the school curriculum…for many years but what we’ve tended to do as teachers is to approach (it) in the same way that we would approach classical music…” (Green, 2011)
In her research for the University of London’s Ear Playing Project, Green describes the increased engagement and retention of students through the popular music pedagogy of learning by ear. This ties in with Anita Collins’ findings that neuroscientists have established very close links between the music processing and language processing networks of our brains. (Collins, 2014)
In his review of Ableton’s online music teacher, Peter Kirn states “…there’s a common myth that music production tools somehow take away from the need to understand music theory. I’d say exactly the opposite: they’re more demanding.” (Kirn, 2017)
Using computer software to understand, decompose and recreate is no less valid a music theory tool than a pencil and a stave.
I agree with Hein that we don’t want to dispense with classical music or with music theory, but if we are to engage and retain larger numbers of students in music education – and foster greater numbers of people with greater cognitive capacity – then we need to start where students are "...in the present with what is popular and familiar. And then work ... outwards and backwards". (Hein, 2015)
And there's a challenge in itself. Starting where the student is at, not the teacher, who's own musical preferences and skill sets may remain firmly rooted in rock and pop from the 60's to the 90's. That works fine if the student's musical passions are found there also - but what if they're not?
From here the next challenge is - once we've engaged students where they are at, once they have developed sufficient skills, confidence and understanding to grow beyond what they know, how and where do we take them then? What is the role of music educators in using music education as a tool to broaden intercultural understanding? I would argue that our role in this is vital. Music is itself a universal language. What better language to use as a tool for developing students identities and understanding of themselves as global citizens.
As a first step, governments and school funding bodies and school administrators will need to pay attention to the research and begin to fund specialist music teachers in every primary school to ensure universal access to quality music education from an early age. And vitally, we must be brave enough to reimagine what we do, but also why it is so important. Good quality, well designed and inclusive music education has the capacity to significantly re-engage disaffected, disadvantaged and marginalised students. The latest research findings in the UK based on the Birmingham City University study, Exchanging Notes, concludes that cultural experiences offered through high quality, inclusive, student focussed music programs have “positively affected young people’s educational progression, their social and emotional wellbeing and perceived value of school".
Re-engaging marginalised students is surely our most vital call to action as educators. Perhaps this is one of the keys.
Dani Burbrook ©
Birmingham City University - Youth Music 2019, 4 year action research "Exchanging Notes - research summary report, <"https://www.musicmark.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/EXCHANGING-NOTES.pdf>
Letts, R. 2017, Summary of research paper, Arts for arts sake? The impact of arts education <http://musictrust.com.au/music-education/research/art-for-arts-sake-the-impact-of-arts-education/>
The Music Trust 2017, Some Interesting Music Education Research Outcomes, <http://musictrust.com.au/music-education/research/some-interesting-music-education-research-outcomes/>
Hein, E. 2016, “Afrofuturist Pedagogy”, Ethan Hein Blog, <http://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2016/afrofuturist-pedagogy/>
Hein, E. 2015, "Classroom Music is Alien", Coursera, The place of music in 21st century education, online course video <https://www.coursera.org/learn/music-education/lecture/BM92q/classroom-music-is-alien>
Kirn, P. 2017, “Ableton built a free browser playground to teach how music works”, Create Digital Media, <http://cdm.link/2017/05/playground-learning-music-free-browser-ableton/>
Collins, A. 2014, What if every child had access to music education from birth? online video, TedX Talks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueqgenARzlE
Green, L. 2011, What can teachers learn from popular musicians? online video, UCL Institute of Education https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r8zoHT4ExY