I have been passed that I took the course ‘The place of music in 21st-century education’ as it gave myself lots of great ideas moving forward and reaffirmed some older ideas in how to teach and enthuse learners.

Firstly it reminded me of the importance of my role as a music teacher, as James Humberstone (2016) said ‘that for many students you may be the only music teacher that they come across in their whole lifetime.’ That it is up to ourselves to give a lasting impression of what quality music education is.

It has primarily made myself ask what is the role of the music teacher and what do we want students to learn as a music teacher. First and firepower we want students to enjoy music education and be happy and fulfilled learners. Secondly that students develop their creativity, that they are allowed inquire to come up a wide variety of expression and outcomes. Finally developing musical skills as a musician, but learning in a way that suits the individual needs of the students.

This is where pluralist music learning can play a key role in music education. That we understand all our students are different with different ways of learning and different cultures. That we recognize that students learn differently too. Therefore having different approaches to the same outcome provides more scope to create an education that is tailored to students needs. At the same time, allowing students to toa wide range of musical exposure, of styles, genres and approaches to music.

Therefore I am relooking at my units to see if the units are allowing for a pluralistic approach to learning. They are allowing room for creative thinking and for developing musical skills. I would also categorise the units into three areas presenting, creating and exploring for the middle years. This also aligns with the new IBDP coursework units starting this year. Therefore there is continuity in students learning.

Exploring is allowing for inquiry-based learning and project-based learning. That students have to find out, research, develop skills, and find musical information to carry out their project-based learning.

Creating is about problem-solving, challenging ideas, problem-solving and coming up with solutions. Developing creative thinking skills is not just about coming up with new ideas, but also testing them, being reflective and looking for areas of improvement. 

Presenting is about how you give the idea, whether it is as a performance, or a recording or a film? Does the creation need editing? Will it be produced online? What makes a good presentation? Why is it important in music?

The bottom line is to be a pioneer in music education and to rethink music education, but not necessarily abandon its traditional roots. There is a place for all kinds of music in music education from classical music to rock and pop as well as everything in-between. Therefore adopting a pluralistic approach allows for an educational shift to focus on creativity at the core of music, which in turn builds innovation. 

It is also important to note that at the heart of music is community. The stronger projects that have been developed at school are when the students come together. This why things like concerts, ensembles and productions are important as it teaches students to be part of a community but also create something that is better than themselves. To rely on others and work together for common goals.  

The University of Sydney (2016) The place of music in 21st Century Education. Available at ​https://coursera.org/share/141ffc5479f6b8f7253103b458cb66d5 Accessed on 3rd August 2020

​A pluralist approach to music teaching is recognizing that there is more than one way to be creative and to produce music. James Humberstone, explains this as a ‘Classical Approach’ and a ‘DJ songwriting’ approach. A pluralist approach can provide many more options than this. The idea is that there is no one size fits all in education. 

One example is a unit that I run which focuses on music that inspired change or dealt with a social issue. The unit allows for scope for the students to explore and be creative. The assessment is based on the main areas of presenting, creating and performing. Therefore students have to give a presentation on a song or piece of music on an issue that the student is invested in. Including the musical qualities of the song. How it was composed and what inspired the composer. The student then takes those ideas to create their own song about the social issue and then record or perform the music. It allows for inquiry, it allows multiple genres to be explored and a range of skill developments personalised for each student. It is also authentic as the student writes about an issue that they care about, they understand more about the context of music written in a similar genre and they can draw on both musical and conceptual ideas to create their own music. It also allows for a varied approach and output that students can share and inspire one another. 

Humberstone, J. (2015)  Defining Creativity for a More Pluralist Approach to Music Education. University of Sydney 

You were introduced to the DAW (or sequencer), the step sequencer, and a range of notation software. Do you feel you would like to explore any of these technologies further?

In our school, we have already set up initiatives to examine and expand music technology including the possibility of adding a recording studio into a new building. In the meantime we took a smaller room and added some recording interfaces as well as a midi keyboard for students to explore and create music of their own. 

Have you been persuaded that the DJ-producer does have an awful lot of sophisticated musical skills?

DJ’s have to have a great deal of understanding of the elements of music and how they work together. DJ’S are also using their listening skills critically for sustained periods of time. They are listening to the mix, samples, tempo, pitch, texture and hearing how they are fitting together. Then making the decision of how to change and manipulate the elements to keep the music dynamic and interesting. This is either improvised or rehearsed like any skilled instrumentalist. They also have to understand and rehearse their instrument like any other skilled musician. What a DJ has done has expanded the parameters of what a musician can be. It open up the possibilities of music and what makes a musician in the future. 

Do you agree with David Price that learning has gone "OPEN"?

I agree that learning has gone more open but it is not completely open. One example is the TES online resources which I was originally for teachers to offer resources and materials free to other teachers. A few years ago they changed their policy to allow them to charge for the resources they create. It changed from a great Creative Commons project to an enterprise for people to earn a little extra money. Therefore online there is a great abundance of open source material available to use along with a wealth of paid or subscription material. If people want a quality resource or a quality or an accredited course they are still willing to pay money for the qualification. 

What were the best examples of OPEN learning that you found either in the course content, in your own searching, or the work of your peers?

​I was able to find a whole wealth of open resources on the internet and compiled them in my blog post. For music learning I thought the Beat goes On, Ollie Tumner is fantastic four demonstration videos of how to do body percussion. It is great as it is interactive, fun and a great building block for building rhythms. 
What does Project-Based Learning (or the other BLs) have to offer Music Education? And what does Music Education have to offer Project Based Learning, and all learning, in the 21st Century?
I have promoted a great deal of project or inquiry based learning in my own teaching with great success. Designing the project Orem starts with the outcome of what I want the students to learn and produce and work backwards with what skills are needed to develop and scale to produce a successful learning outcome. 

This is a list of Open Learning sources I have found out there that maybe useful for music educators.

Daily Body Percussion Sessions from Ollie Turner and Beat Goes On. Tune in daily to try out different body percussion techniques 

Cool for School - Dance Moves 

Make a homemade instrument - Some ideas to design and create your own instrument

Play rhythms and percussion using cups - With Kaboom Percussion

Online Guitar Lessons - With Little Kids Rock

Create music with the Sampulator

Explore the Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra - With Carnegie Hall

Discover Opera - The Royal Opera House - London

Play the Ukulele - Play with Bree

Arts Live - Activities at home

The Digital Concert Hall - By the Berlin Philharmonic is now free 

Polish up those DJ Skills 

Fender is offering Free Guitar Lessons

Drum School Lessons

Live Stream Classical Concerts - Source - Classic FM 
Classic FM has released an extensive list of live stream musical concerts.

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