Listening to the Crystal Ball

THE FUTURE OF THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CURRICULUM

21st Century Trends

Technology

Collaboration
Knowledge Student focused

Learning skills
Creativity Character

Technology
Convergent

Portable
Pervasive Transparent

(Greenwood, 2008)

Collaboration
Web 2.0

cognitive surplus (Merchant, 2007)

Wikis

Knowledge
Knowledge is now a force rather than an object

Knowing information is no longer enough; students

need to be able to do something with that knowledge:

Draw knowledge from different disciplines and systems of thought Create new knowledge

(Gilbert, 2007)

Student-focused
Dewey: connect with and appeal to students

interests Multiple Intelligences Differentiated Instruction Student-Centred Learning Curriculum as a transaction between teachers and students rather than the transmission of knowledge Curriculum as process/praxis involves interaction between teachers and students

Learning Skills

Creativity and Innovation Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Communication and Collaboration Information Literacy Media Literacy Technology Literacy Flexibility and Adaptability Initiative and Self-Direction Social and Cross-Cultural Skills Productivity and Accountability Leadership and Responsibility

(The Partnership for 21st Century Skills)

Creativity
a.k.a. innovation, thinking outside the box...

Gilbert: knowledge leads to creating new knowledge

Sir Ken Robinson: creativity should be ranked

equally with numeracy and literacy Future success will require being able to create new solutions to problems and issues that dont even exist yet

Character
Education as holistic development of the student

Goes beyond learning skills to the character of

students Teamwork, responsibility, respect, honesty, kindness, optimism, empathy, courage, integrity, perseverance (DDSB Character Traits) Includes concern for the environment

Issues Facing Instrumental Music Education

An outmoded teacher-focused, transmission of

knowledge style of teaching common in music education today The dichotomy between school music and music outside of school The lack of integration of technology in music education Need for a new curriculum to locate use of technology in music education, to allow for new multimedia genres, and to reflect blurring of traditional areas of curriculum performing, composing, listening

e.g., Students use computers to alter sounds as they are being produced in a performance. Is this composing or performing? Is it either?

Teacher-focus
Dependence on master-teacher

Little room for student choice or voice 10-second rule of Band leading
Transmission of knowledge, chosen by the teacher

from a canon of masterpieces Extensive use of rote learning (Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge) and repetition (practice) Students have little or no say in what they learn, how they learn it, or how they will demonstrate their learning

School Music v. Real Music

Instruments used: when was the last time you heard

a massed recorder ensemble outside of school? How many people have tickets for the next Concert Band show? Learning styles: commercial musicians, while they do have extensive knowledge of theory, rely significantly on aural abilities they learn how to play by ear Use of technology: every commercial musician has the technology in their basement/pocket to compose, record, produce and distribute their music

(Non) Integration of Technology

In the real world, musicians use technology daily to

compose, perform, record, produce and distribute music Hardware and software are very affordable; having your own recording studio is now viable (essential) for many musicians Very little of this technology has made its way into the music classroom

Some score-editing & arranging software Theory/aural drill programs High school sound engineering courses (rare)

The Future Music Curriculum: Visible Solutions

Project-based learning:

Jamming

Connects with students informal music learning

Change it Up On the Record Each of these has an element of student choice and self-direction.

Problem-based learning:
Problem-based learning has the potential to connect music classroom with music in the real world

Use technology which gives students immediate feedback

on composing work

e.g., Finale program: music-scoring software which plays students music back immediately

The Future Music Curriculum: Over the Horizon

Teaching of musical cognitive and aural development

will be more driven by research. Current practices generally involve exposing students to as much good music as possible, playing music individually and in groups, and aural drills. There seems to be little informed practice among music teachers based on in-depth understanding of how these cognitive and aural abilities develop, or how to best develop them

The Future Music Curriculum: Over the Horizon

Broader definitions of performance and composing

that allow more students to manipulate musical elements without having to master traditional instruments or traditional notation

computer-based composing through digital interfaces with existing instruments, beginning with keyboard, but extending to other instruments manipulation of musical elements using symbols other than standard music notation using technology to manipulate sounds during performance as a creative act

The Future Music Curriculum: Over the Horizon

Sound engineering and production courses as a core

part of the high school music curriculum Programs that use and teach the principles of sound engineering and production in elementary schools, along with recording hardware (microphones, mobile soundproof booths, etc.)

The Future Music Curriculum: Over the Horizon

Broadening definitions of music I have been waiting a long time for electronics to free music from the tempered scale and the limitations of musical instruments. Electronic instruments are the portentous first step toward the liberation of music. Edgard Varse, avant-garde 20th century composer, in 1931

 Exploration of broader definitions of music, as seen in

classical music during the 20th century:

Dissonance as the norm (Stravinksy et al) Extremes in all musical elements Use of indeterminate pitches, quarter tones, tone clusters Sound from the human environment and natural environment as music Composing and/or performance guided by chance, or with chance elements Mathematical-based system of tonality (Serialism) Use of repetition (Minimalism) Synthesis of a wide range of musical styles Use of non-instruments (e.g., radios, found objects)

Few of these have found their way into the music classroom to any significant degree.

The Future Music Curriculum: Over the Horizon

Personal computing devices (netbooks/tablets) will

become standard classroom equipment:

Keyboard labs on class sets of iPads Portable recording of individual and class performances Sound and video editing

The Future Music Curriculum: Over the Horizon

Virtual instruments: mouthpieces connected to

computer which registers embouchure and breath control, and accurately produces tone, articulation and dynamics. These will make it easier for beginners to produce pleasant tones quickly, which will encourage rapid progress early on. As students progress, they will switch to analogue instruments, although as this technology advances, that may no longer be the case.

Electronic versions of band instruments already exist

The Future Music Curriculum: Over the Horizon

Collaboration Between students in different locations Between teachers With professionals
Mentoring Research

Remote learning

Group compositions Real-time performances, diverse locations

Sources
Allsup, R. & Benedict, C. (2008). The Problems of Band: An Inquiry into the Future of Instrumental Music Education. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 16(2), 156-173.

Beckstead, D. (2001). Will Technology Transform Music Education? Music Educators Journal, 87(6), 44-49. MENC: The National Association for Music Education. Retrieved 31/10/2010 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3399692
Cain, T. (2004). Theory, technology and the music curriculum. British Journal of Music Education, 21(2), 215 221. DOI: 10.1017/S0265051704005650 Gilbert, J. (2007). Knowledge, the disciplines, and learning in the Digital Age. Educational Research Policy Practice 6, 115122. DOI 10.1007/s10671-007-9022-1 Greenhow, C. (2008). Connecting informal and formal learning experiences in the age of participatory media: Commentary on Bull et al. (2008). Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 8(2). Retrieved from http://www.citejournal.org/vol8/iss3/editorial/article1.cfm Machlis, J. The Enjoyment of Music (New York: Norton and Company, 1970), 324. Cited in Beckstead (2001), page 45. Merchant. G. (2007) Writing the future in the digital age. Literacy, 41(3), 118-128. Retrieved December 7, 2010 from http://blog.rogerfrancis.info/files/9/2/2/3/1/121276-113229/Merchant.pdf The Partnership for 21st Century Skills http://www.p21.org/index.php