Resources for Engaging Students in Deeper Musical Learning
As teachers, we oſten hear that our class- rooms should be more student-centered and we should seek to facilitate student learning. Such an approach is grounded in constructivist theories of learning which hold that learners construct their own knowledge and mean- ing through active interaction with the world around them. Te more engaged students are in their own learning, the richer the knowledge and meanings they are likely to form. Music educators can encourage this deeper learn- ing by creating experiences in which students pose and solve musical problems (Wiggins, 2015). Tese experiences can occur in all music classrooms and can occur within a single class period or expand over several class periods. For example, students might offer suggestions for phrasing within a large ensemble rehearsal, or students might engage in a chamber music unit in which they determine (or perhaps compose) the repertoire and rehearse themselves. Many schools are encouraging more project-based learning, and Tobias, Campbell, and Greco (2015) provide a step-by-step process for imple- menting this in the music classroom. Te resources below provide examples of a variety of activities, projects, and experiences for the music educator who seeks to engage students in deeper musical learning.
Annotations by Molly Baugh Books
Green, L. (2008). Music, informal learning, and the school: A new classroom pedagogy. Aldershot, England: Ashgate Publishing.
In this book Lucy Green describes a project in which music educators engaged students in the informal learning practices of popular musi- cians. Students formed small groups, selected a song, and learned to perform the song on
Molly Baugh
instruments (guitars, drum kits, keyboards, and hand percussion) by listening to a recording of the song. No direct instruction was given, and the music teacher’s role was to observe and to offer assistance when students requested it. Students valued opportunities to learn music of their choice and teachers valued the learning that students acquired through solving “real” musical problems. Further information and resources can be found at
www.musicalfutures. org
Webster, P. (2011). Construction of music learning. In R. Colwell & P. Webster, eds., MENC handbook of research on music learning, (pp. 35-83). New York, NY: Ox- ford University Press.
In this chapter, Webster outlines the princi- ples of constructivism and their implications for music education. He presents summaries of prominent scholars in this field, explores examples of the application of constructivism in music classroom, and summarizes research studies of constructivism within the areas of general music, large ensembles, collegiate music, and technology. For those interested in a contrasting view to constructivism, Richard Colwell’s chapter, “Roles of Direct Instruction, Critical Tinking, and Transfer in the Design of Curriculum of Music Learning,” is included in the same volume.
Wiggins, J. (2015). Teaching for musical under- standing, (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Now in its third edition, Teaching for Musical Understanding is a guidebook for teachers who wish to implement activities that will encour- age students to think and interact more deeply with music. Grounded in social constructivism, Wiggins encourages teachers to consider musi- cal learning through musical problem solving.
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