Reading No. 1
Repositioning ‘The Elements’: How Students Talk about Music
It is understandable that the elements of music were created due to the demand for higher academic standards. However, I agree with Rose and Countryman that the elements of music should not limit students from expressing their personal experience with the music. If I were a band director I would not use the term syncopated rhythms and bright timbre to describe a dance feel. I would simply say bouncy so that the student can make a real life connection and apply that to their instrument. The elements of music should be one form of educational literacy but it should not be forced through the music curriculum as the only way of expressing oneself when listening to music.
In my own personal experience, I have witnessed how listening to music can create a unique relationship between the students but also between the student and the teacher. Using terms such as groove and “knock-you-over brass section” gives other students and the teacher an insight on how that person experienced the music. Sure it is not the “correct” terminology but it does provide more information about emotion and individuality rather than syncopated rhythms or a smooth texture. I think that it is important to make these unique relationships between other students and the teacher because it is important to take the time to understand how that student thinks and perceive things. It is also interesting when they don’t have the same opinion as you or use different descriptive words to describe their experience. I think what makes these relationships unique is that by using different terminology you are connecting with the student to their level of knowledge rather than forcing the knowledge you know onto the student. This makes teaching a little less selfish in that sense.
I was shocked by this fact, “5.7% of students enroll in Grade 12 music. This statistic is troubling given that adolescents report that listening to music is their favorite activity” (49). It shouldn’t be as shocking just because from Grade 9 to Grade 12 my class decreased by a lot but it is still shocking that this is the reality all over North America. Rose and Countryman say that a bizarre misfit explains why most people don’t participate in Grade 12 music but I disagree. The bizarre misfit basically says that music education excludes students who lack the advantages of private lessons on musical literacy. However, in my own experience more than half of my Grade 12 music class did not have private lessons on their instrument and none of them struggled enough to give up on music. I found that almost everyone that had stopped taking the class was due to that they didn’t have enough electives to take the course.
I was angered by the story between Kailee and Marie because I have encountered this problem through many years of attending Music Alive and Kiwanis Music Festival. These festivals don’t allow you to choose repertoire that is considered pop culture. It is understandable for students to enjoy and put more effort and passion into playing a pop culture piece over a classical work because they can relate to the music more. Pop culture pieces can have the same difficulty as a classical work so why are these festivals not allowing bands perform any repertoire they want? I think that these festivals shouldn’t limit the repertoire that is allowed to be played by these bands because if the students will give a better performance on a pop culture piece rather than a classical work then they should be allowed to show the adjudicator their interpretation of the music. However, I do not think that you should always allow your students to just play pop culture pieces. Yes they are fun to play, however, I think that teaching the diversity of music extremely important and the repertoire played should be diverse as well.
I understand that the elements of music have created many barriers for music educators because they feel like they can’t cross a metaphorical line because it will ruin their professional identity. Rose and Countryman use the term norm to explain how music educators can’t go beyond the norm. I find it a little strange that there is a norm to music education. I understand that music teachers have to follow a curriculum but you would think that they would get a bit more freedom because that’s what music needs, freedom to explore. If you don’t allow your students to explore and be creative then what are they really learning?
I think that Rose and Countryman create very compelling points that should be investigated further to improve future music education programs.
Bibliography:
Rose, L. S., & Countryman, J. (2013). Repositioning "The Elements": How Students Talk about Music. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education 12(3): 45–64.
Repositioning ‘The Elements’: How Students Talk about Music
It is understandable that the elements of music were created due to the demand for higher academic standards. However, I agree with Rose and Countryman that the elements of music should not limit students from expressing their personal experience with the music. If I were a band director I would not use the term syncopated rhythms and bright timbre to describe a dance feel. I would simply say bouncy so that the student can make a real life connection and apply that to their instrument. The elements of music should be one form of educational literacy but it should not be forced through the music curriculum as the only way of expressing oneself when listening to music.
In my own personal experience, I have witnessed how listening to music can create a unique relationship between the students but also between the student and the teacher. Using terms such as groove and “knock-you-over brass section” gives other students and the teacher an insight on how that person experienced the music. Sure it is not the “correct” terminology but it does provide more information about emotion and individuality rather than syncopated rhythms or a smooth texture. I think that it is important to make these unique relationships between other students and the teacher because it is important to take the time to understand how that student thinks and perceive things. It is also interesting when they don’t have the same opinion as you or use different descriptive words to describe their experience. I think what makes these relationships unique is that by using different terminology you are connecting with the student to their level of knowledge rather than forcing the knowledge you know onto the student. This makes teaching a little less selfish in that sense.
I was shocked by this fact, “5.7% of students enroll in Grade 12 music. This statistic is troubling given that adolescents report that listening to music is their favorite activity” (49). It shouldn’t be as shocking just because from Grade 9 to Grade 12 my class decreased by a lot but it is still shocking that this is the reality all over North America. Rose and Countryman say that a bizarre misfit explains why most people don’t participate in Grade 12 music but I disagree. The bizarre misfit basically says that music education excludes students who lack the advantages of private lessons on musical literacy. However, in my own experience more than half of my Grade 12 music class did not have private lessons on their instrument and none of them struggled enough to give up on music. I found that almost everyone that had stopped taking the class was due to that they didn’t have enough electives to take the course.
I was angered by the story between Kailee and Marie because I have encountered this problem through many years of attending Music Alive and Kiwanis Music Festival. These festivals don’t allow you to choose repertoire that is considered pop culture. It is understandable for students to enjoy and put more effort and passion into playing a pop culture piece over a classical work because they can relate to the music more. Pop culture pieces can have the same difficulty as a classical work so why are these festivals not allowing bands perform any repertoire they want? I think that these festivals shouldn’t limit the repertoire that is allowed to be played by these bands because if the students will give a better performance on a pop culture piece rather than a classical work then they should be allowed to show the adjudicator their interpretation of the music. However, I do not think that you should always allow your students to just play pop culture pieces. Yes they are fun to play, however, I think that teaching the diversity of music extremely important and the repertoire played should be diverse as well.
I understand that the elements of music have created many barriers for music educators because they feel like they can’t cross a metaphorical line because it will ruin their professional identity. Rose and Countryman use the term norm to explain how music educators can’t go beyond the norm. I find it a little strange that there is a norm to music education. I understand that music teachers have to follow a curriculum but you would think that they would get a bit more freedom because that’s what music needs, freedom to explore. If you don’t allow your students to explore and be creative then what are they really learning?
I think that Rose and Countryman create very compelling points that should be investigated further to improve future music education programs.
Bibliography:
Rose, L. S., & Countryman, J. (2013). Repositioning "The Elements": How Students Talk about Music. Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education 12(3): 45–64.
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I think you’ve really grasped the arguments being made by the authors, and it’s wonderful to see you putting those ideas in dialogue with your own. Allow me to push back a little on one of your points: as students who dropped band in grade 12 at your school encountered scheduling issues, how many were actually participating before that point? Were the numbers perhaps limited already by influencing factors such as the ones the authors discuss, and then further diminished by school-specific issues? Of course, I don’t know, but it’s this kind of outward, broad gaze that might help us see things differently when we’ve been up close to a particular situation.
Best,
Eric
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I think you’ve really grasped the arguments being made by the authors, and it’s wonderful to see you putting those ideas in dialogue with your own. Allow me to push back a little on one of your points: as students who dropped band in grade 12 at your school encountered scheduling issues, how many were actually participating before that point? Were the numbers perhaps limited already by influencing factors such as the ones the authors discuss, and then further diminished by school-specific issues? Of course, I don’t know, but it’s this kind of outward, broad gaze that might help us see things differently when we’ve been up close to a particular situation.
Best,
Eric
Reading No. 2
Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education's Sake
“Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education’s Sake” by Lesley Dawe addresses the growing problem of little room for creativity and interpretation in the music curriculum. While reading this article, I reflected how creativity was used in my music program in high school and was shocked with what I realized. My high school has an arts program, which meant that instead of taking music for one semester I got to take it for both semesters. You are admitted into this arts program by audition. I found that the open band class focused on ensemble work while the arts program class had more diversity and creativity as we learned about world music and worked on solo repertoire.
I was somewhat shocked about this stereotype, “After all, it was the role of my teachers and conductors to tell me how things should sound, or be played, because in my mind they had the experience and knowledge of what was best.” (22). I strongly believe that music education isn’t a one-sided relationship. It is not the job of the teacher to tell you what to do rather they are there to guide you along the right path. Dawe describes the relationship between the teacher and student as co-learners and I completely agree with this statement. If there is open communication and the teacher is also learning from the student then it creates a safe environment where more risk-taking can occur. This can also make performing for a student feel like they are in a safe judgment free environment.
In a recent conference, Cadenza 2018, the Ontario high school music curriculum was explained to me. The curriculum is split up into three sections foundations, reflecting/analyzing, and creating/performing. There is only two projects in which the student gets to use creativity and interpretation, a composition and a solo repertoire. I personally don’t think that is enough use of creativity in the classroom however I think it is important to look at it from a different perspective. Many people come into high school with either a lot or no knowledge on how to play an instrument. Therefore, it is understandable that you have to teach basic knowledge such as the elements of music to create a foundation for the student. However, that does not excuse the fact that teachers are ignoring creativity as an important factor of teaching music. A teacher can help create the foundation of knowledge while promoting creativity and interpretation in their playing. Overall, I think that no matter what it is important to have the use of creativity and interpretation in the classroom in order to maintain engagement from the students.
Bibliography:
Dawe, L. (2016). Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education’s Sake, Canadian Music Educator, (57) 2, pp.22-24.
Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education's Sake
“Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education’s Sake” by Lesley Dawe addresses the growing problem of little room for creativity and interpretation in the music curriculum. While reading this article, I reflected how creativity was used in my music program in high school and was shocked with what I realized. My high school has an arts program, which meant that instead of taking music for one semester I got to take it for both semesters. You are admitted into this arts program by audition. I found that the open band class focused on ensemble work while the arts program class had more diversity and creativity as we learned about world music and worked on solo repertoire.
I was somewhat shocked about this stereotype, “After all, it was the role of my teachers and conductors to tell me how things should sound, or be played, because in my mind they had the experience and knowledge of what was best.” (22). I strongly believe that music education isn’t a one-sided relationship. It is not the job of the teacher to tell you what to do rather they are there to guide you along the right path. Dawe describes the relationship between the teacher and student as co-learners and I completely agree with this statement. If there is open communication and the teacher is also learning from the student then it creates a safe environment where more risk-taking can occur. This can also make performing for a student feel like they are in a safe judgment free environment.
In a recent conference, Cadenza 2018, the Ontario high school music curriculum was explained to me. The curriculum is split up into three sections foundations, reflecting/analyzing, and creating/performing. There is only two projects in which the student gets to use creativity and interpretation, a composition and a solo repertoire. I personally don’t think that is enough use of creativity in the classroom however I think it is important to look at it from a different perspective. Many people come into high school with either a lot or no knowledge on how to play an instrument. Therefore, it is understandable that you have to teach basic knowledge such as the elements of music to create a foundation for the student. However, that does not excuse the fact that teachers are ignoring creativity as an important factor of teaching music. A teacher can help create the foundation of knowledge while promoting creativity and interpretation in their playing. Overall, I think that no matter what it is important to have the use of creativity and interpretation in the classroom in order to maintain engagement from the students.
Bibliography:
Dawe, L. (2016). Fumbling Towards Vulnerability: Moving Out of the Familiar for Music Education’s Sake, Canadian Music Educator, (57) 2, pp.22-24.
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I like the way you’ve distinguished the teacher’s role as a guide from telling students what to do. In what ways are these positions different? Especially when thinking of teachers as co-learners, there is some role in between authoritarian and equal that I think you’re getting at, but what are its distinct properties? Also, what about the idea that creativity and interpretation are only possible in composition and solo performance? I brought this up at the end of Wednesday’s class about marching band, but it’s something that I’m curious about. What opportunities might be present for creativity, interpretation, and artistic expression in other settings such as ensembles?
Best,
Eric
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I like the way you’ve distinguished the teacher’s role as a guide from telling students what to do. In what ways are these positions different? Especially when thinking of teachers as co-learners, there is some role in between authoritarian and equal that I think you’re getting at, but what are its distinct properties? Also, what about the idea that creativity and interpretation are only possible in composition and solo performance? I brought this up at the end of Wednesday’s class about marching band, but it’s something that I’m curious about. What opportunities might be present for creativity, interpretation, and artistic expression in other settings such as ensembles?
Best,
Eric
Reading No. 3
"Unmasking the Hidden Curriculum in Canadian Music Education" by Ed Wasiak addresses the issue of music educators having exclusion and oppression as part of what they call the hidden curriculum. While reading this article, I had mixed opinions about their arguments. One major point that they bring up is the stereotypes in regards to who is teaching. The assumption is that male educators will conduct bands and women conduct choirs. This stereotype isn't only in regards to educators but students as well since it is assumed that boys play trumpet and girls play flute. The stereotype even continues towards performers; black men play jazz and women sing jazz. This assumption upsets me because it makes me feel like that is the norm and as a future educator I must abide by it. However, through high school and participating through multiple festivals I have noticed this stereotype and after reading this article it has made me question why this happens. Is it because perhaps more males enrol in university for instrumental and females in vocal? Or perhaps employers unconsciously choose candidates that support the stereotype. However, even though I have noticed this stereotype I don't think that is always true and I have confirmed this buy hearing about my friends previous music educators. It is also somewhat true, in my opinion, that female composers are un heard of but these stereotypes should not hold back future educators, composers, and performers from achieving their goals.
Another point that was brought to my attention in this article is exclusion in the classroom and students feeling misrepresented. It is hard for me to know if my previous classmates have felt misrepresented in the class activities, as they have not voiced their opinion to me. However, I am sure there have been forms of exclusion in the classroom in the form of choice of repertoire and even the material learned in class. In my high school we had the opportunity to learn about different music around the world. This class, however, was only available to those who auditioned and got accepted into the arts program meaning that the open band class didn't get the exposure to this material. We were able to experiment with the different types of world music through various projects that required thinking and understanding of the culture. My point being that this special course excluded those from the regular band class to this information and diversity. I can understand that it may be hard to fit this into the daily activities but I think that there should be some aspect of diversity or even allowing the students have more control over their learning. Meaning that maybe including a project in which they can compose or make a presentation about that cultural music. This exclusion is plausible to be evident in the choice of repertoire as well. The Canadian music education system is focused on Eurocentric beliefs and professional identity, meaning that music educators will pick repertoire that is considered western music. This could lead to students feeling misrepresented as they are only focusing on western music beliefs rather than a different culture. The article mentions that students with fewer advantages such as private lessons and owning their own instrument can feel excluded because the teacher focuses on those with more advantages. I agree that those advantages exist, as I am one of them, however, I don't think that the student would feel as excluded because in my experience the teacher focused on the other students rather than me. My experience though does not mean that form of exclusion isn't still happening.
The idea of social justice issues and democracy is not how I would have thought of music education a few years ago, as it has never applied to me, partially I think because of my advantages. This article brings up the idea of music education being a way to teach students to contribute to a democratic society. Normally, and I have noticed this, music educators make the musical decisions for the class being repertoire choices or musical interpretation within the piece. By allowing students to make these decisions as well, we as educators are preparing them to live as productive citizens who can make their own decisions whether it be political or musical. I have never really thought of music education being a way to teach us democracy but I think that it is important for future educators to understand not only what they are teaching students in the moment but also what they are preparing them for the future.
.
Bibliography:
Wasiak, E. (2017) Unmasking the Hidden Curriculum in Canadian Music Education, Canadian Music Educator, pp. 19-27.
"Unmasking the Hidden Curriculum in Canadian Music Education" by Ed Wasiak addresses the issue of music educators having exclusion and oppression as part of what they call the hidden curriculum. While reading this article, I had mixed opinions about their arguments. One major point that they bring up is the stereotypes in regards to who is teaching. The assumption is that male educators will conduct bands and women conduct choirs. This stereotype isn't only in regards to educators but students as well since it is assumed that boys play trumpet and girls play flute. The stereotype even continues towards performers; black men play jazz and women sing jazz. This assumption upsets me because it makes me feel like that is the norm and as a future educator I must abide by it. However, through high school and participating through multiple festivals I have noticed this stereotype and after reading this article it has made me question why this happens. Is it because perhaps more males enrol in university for instrumental and females in vocal? Or perhaps employers unconsciously choose candidates that support the stereotype. However, even though I have noticed this stereotype I don't think that is always true and I have confirmed this buy hearing about my friends previous music educators. It is also somewhat true, in my opinion, that female composers are un heard of but these stereotypes should not hold back future educators, composers, and performers from achieving their goals.
Another point that was brought to my attention in this article is exclusion in the classroom and students feeling misrepresented. It is hard for me to know if my previous classmates have felt misrepresented in the class activities, as they have not voiced their opinion to me. However, I am sure there have been forms of exclusion in the classroom in the form of choice of repertoire and even the material learned in class. In my high school we had the opportunity to learn about different music around the world. This class, however, was only available to those who auditioned and got accepted into the arts program meaning that the open band class didn't get the exposure to this material. We were able to experiment with the different types of world music through various projects that required thinking and understanding of the culture. My point being that this special course excluded those from the regular band class to this information and diversity. I can understand that it may be hard to fit this into the daily activities but I think that there should be some aspect of diversity or even allowing the students have more control over their learning. Meaning that maybe including a project in which they can compose or make a presentation about that cultural music. This exclusion is plausible to be evident in the choice of repertoire as well. The Canadian music education system is focused on Eurocentric beliefs and professional identity, meaning that music educators will pick repertoire that is considered western music. This could lead to students feeling misrepresented as they are only focusing on western music beliefs rather than a different culture. The article mentions that students with fewer advantages such as private lessons and owning their own instrument can feel excluded because the teacher focuses on those with more advantages. I agree that those advantages exist, as I am one of them, however, I don't think that the student would feel as excluded because in my experience the teacher focused on the other students rather than me. My experience though does not mean that form of exclusion isn't still happening.
The idea of social justice issues and democracy is not how I would have thought of music education a few years ago, as it has never applied to me, partially I think because of my advantages. This article brings up the idea of music education being a way to teach students to contribute to a democratic society. Normally, and I have noticed this, music educators make the musical decisions for the class being repertoire choices or musical interpretation within the piece. By allowing students to make these decisions as well, we as educators are preparing them to live as productive citizens who can make their own decisions whether it be political or musical. I have never really thought of music education being a way to teach us democracy but I think that it is important for future educators to understand not only what they are teaching students in the moment but also what they are preparing them for the future.
.
Bibliography:
Wasiak, E. (2017) Unmasking the Hidden Curriculum in Canadian Music Education, Canadian Music Educator, pp. 19-27.
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. Wow, you’ve raised a lot of important points! I think it’s so important that you are critically examining your experience for instances of privilege and social justice. Being aware of our position is a very important step in identifying and addressing injustices. As for democracy in music education, sure it’s true that the teacher making all the decisions represents a particular power structure. But is democracy more than just welcoming students’ opinions on repertoire or performance practices? What values does this represent, and how else might they surface in teaching and learning?
Best,
Eric
Thank you for your thoughtful response. Wow, you’ve raised a lot of important points! I think it’s so important that you are critically examining your experience for instances of privilege and social justice. Being aware of our position is a very important step in identifying and addressing injustices. As for democracy in music education, sure it’s true that the teacher making all the decisions represents a particular power structure. But is democracy more than just welcoming students’ opinions on repertoire or performance practices? What values does this represent, and how else might they surface in teaching and learning?
Best,
Eric
Reading No. 4
“The Invisible Student: Understanding Social Identity Construction within Performing Ensembles” written by Ryan M. Hourigan brings up the extremely important idea of students constructing their social identity in the classroom. While reading this article I had a sense of guilt for something that I didn’t realizing I was doing and could have prevented. Throughout high school I have witnessed cases somewhat like Jason’s in which students are shy and don’t interact with other student’s in the class. When it came to group work or ensemble work I would automatically gravitate towards my friends without looking around to see if someone didn’t have a group. I didn’t consciously realize I was doing this until I read this article and was quite shocked with myself that I had done that. It is interesting how despite a student’s personality, you can still exclude someone by accident without realizing it. Maybe this is because we weren’t taught to recognize this? Or perhaps educators have done the work for us and solved the issue of exclusion? Now thinking about it, it is outrageous how educators have to take all responsibility for helping out the ‘invisible’ students because it should be a team effort. Educators shouldn’t have to force these students into groups or to socialize with other students. The students themselves should be looking around the room and making sure no one is excluded. However, I do understand that in some situations that ‘invisible’ student refuses to communicate with others despite the multiple attempts from other students. In this case, the teacher should give more guidance to that student or even seek other resources. I think that it is important to teach students at a young age about inclusivity because overtime it will become a habit and we can then avoid these situations in the future. “The basic understanding is that how a person feels about his or her value to the group can directly affect his or her self-worth and self-identity” (35). We are not only dealing with social identity here, we are also dealing with that student’s mental health and by ignoring this issue we as educators are depleting their abilities. The main point here is that educators should not have to take full responsibility for helping that student find their social identity, we should be creating a team-based environment in the classroom in which the students also take responsibility. Educators should support students in their exploration of their own social identity as well as learning from others.
Hourigan continues by explaining ways to help guide or assist the ‘invisible’ students through the first stages of creating their social identity at the beginning of the year. The idea of assigning a freshman to a senior is debatable in my books because you don’t know how that student will react. It gives that ‘invisible’ student someone to get support from other than an adult but I would still be scared to interact with them because they are older. Of course, this is just my opinion of how I would feel, it is not necessarily the same for all students. Maybe try pairing them up with someone that is just a year older to bridge the age gap closer if that makes the ‘invisible’ student more comfortable?
The idea of there being a distinct relationship between self-concept and group behavior is key when it comes to social identity because it is how the student sets themselves up but also how they act in a group setting. Therefore, it is super important that teachers and students don’t continue to exclude students who need the extra guidance to find their social identity.
Bibliography:
Hourigan, R. M. (2009). The invisible student: Understanding social identity construction within performing ensembles. Music Educators Journal, 34-38.
“The Invisible Student: Understanding Social Identity Construction within Performing Ensembles” written by Ryan M. Hourigan brings up the extremely important idea of students constructing their social identity in the classroom. While reading this article I had a sense of guilt for something that I didn’t realizing I was doing and could have prevented. Throughout high school I have witnessed cases somewhat like Jason’s in which students are shy and don’t interact with other student’s in the class. When it came to group work or ensemble work I would automatically gravitate towards my friends without looking around to see if someone didn’t have a group. I didn’t consciously realize I was doing this until I read this article and was quite shocked with myself that I had done that. It is interesting how despite a student’s personality, you can still exclude someone by accident without realizing it. Maybe this is because we weren’t taught to recognize this? Or perhaps educators have done the work for us and solved the issue of exclusion? Now thinking about it, it is outrageous how educators have to take all responsibility for helping out the ‘invisible’ students because it should be a team effort. Educators shouldn’t have to force these students into groups or to socialize with other students. The students themselves should be looking around the room and making sure no one is excluded. However, I do understand that in some situations that ‘invisible’ student refuses to communicate with others despite the multiple attempts from other students. In this case, the teacher should give more guidance to that student or even seek other resources. I think that it is important to teach students at a young age about inclusivity because overtime it will become a habit and we can then avoid these situations in the future. “The basic understanding is that how a person feels about his or her value to the group can directly affect his or her self-worth and self-identity” (35). We are not only dealing with social identity here, we are also dealing with that student’s mental health and by ignoring this issue we as educators are depleting their abilities. The main point here is that educators should not have to take full responsibility for helping that student find their social identity, we should be creating a team-based environment in the classroom in which the students also take responsibility. Educators should support students in their exploration of their own social identity as well as learning from others.
Hourigan continues by explaining ways to help guide or assist the ‘invisible’ students through the first stages of creating their social identity at the beginning of the year. The idea of assigning a freshman to a senior is debatable in my books because you don’t know how that student will react. It gives that ‘invisible’ student someone to get support from other than an adult but I would still be scared to interact with them because they are older. Of course, this is just my opinion of how I would feel, it is not necessarily the same for all students. Maybe try pairing them up with someone that is just a year older to bridge the age gap closer if that makes the ‘invisible’ student more comfortable?
The idea of there being a distinct relationship between self-concept and group behavior is key when it comes to social identity because it is how the student sets themselves up but also how they act in a group setting. Therefore, it is super important that teachers and students don’t continue to exclude students who need the extra guidance to find their social identity.
Bibliography:
Hourigan, R. M. (2009). The invisible student: Understanding social identity construction within performing ensembles. Music Educators Journal, 34-38.
Reading No. 5
“Think Everything’s “Normal?” Then It’s Time to Reconsider and Promote a New Narrative of Disability” written by Drew Serres goes into depth with the idea of why we shouldn’t consider people with disabilities not ‘normal’. The term “Culture of Normalcy” can explain how we are treating those with disabilities as we create an illusion of a ‘normal’ way of living or existing. When relating this to education I have noticed different ways that the school system handle’s those who are deemed ‘not normal’. I lived in the United States of America for about four years of my life, from kindergarten to grade 3, and I had struggled with my speech as I assumed I had an under developed learning for it through out that time there. How the school system in the US dealt with it was for me to meet with a specialist once a week and I would miss an hour of a certain lesson to work on improving my speech. However, this was not a disability that I had it was just a concept that needed extra guidance. Other students that the label of 'not normal' were a part of a separate class that had lower expectations from the curriculum. I was friends with someone from that class and only really got to spend time with her during recess and sometimes when I got permission to leave class to go see her. This pattern of a separate class for those labeled 'not normal' continued when I moved back to Canada and entered the elementary school stream. I am not quite sure why a "special needs" class is necessary because if the whole point is to have lower expectations then why can't that still apply to them in a class with the rest of their age group? Being a friend of a student who is labeled 'not normal' and needed to put in a separate class has allowed me to understand that it is hard on them as they are isolated from the rest of the students and therefore is harder to create a social identity as they can only interact with others during recess or outside of school.
Serres explains the multiple factors that negatively supports this issue including; the Medical Industrial Complex, Charity/Government Social Institutions, Dominant media, and the Education System. Hearing about Mia Mingus’s case I was shocked because why should she be forced to wear something if it’s not absolutely necessary? Unless, however, she was forced to wear that leg brace to prevent any pain or physical harm to her. Also, the idea of Government Social Institutions is also isolating those labeled ‘not normal’ as individuals who have problems. By doing this, we are not helping them learn how to be independent individuals but instead giving them dependent living which in a sense makes them feel vulnerable and not valuable to society. I agree with, instead of promoting dependent living with an individual and a support guide, promoting community living in which two or more individuals with disabilities live with each other’s support and learn from each other. This is a much more effective way to still have support but to also allow the individual to learn how to live independently. The media also has a big role in negatively supporting this issue because the language they use influences society to use the same language. The media has a lot of power over society because it is a big influential factor for how other people behave or form their opinions. Therefore, when they broadcast news about certain disabilities and use the language ‘crippled’ or ‘the hero who overcomes’ it takes away their identity.
The solutions that Serres provides at the end of the article are crucial to be taught through many forms such as the media, the education system, the medical system and more. These solutions include; recognizing that disability is an identity, end the use of ableism language, stop promoting “normal” life as the way to live, focus on treating society over the individual, create a medical system that focuses on the patient’s needs, promote independent living policies, give schools more resources so that they can provide accommodations over :special education”, and have the media show that disabilities is just another part of human identity.
I think that it is super important to allow those who are disabled to create their own identity and not have society force them into an identity that they are not. All the factors mentioned above force people into an identity that society has created for them and allows others around them to make assumptions about their personality that is based off of their disability rather than who they are as a person. There shouldn't be a need to act awkward around those who have a disability and/or isolate them because of it.
Bibliography:
Serres, D. Think Everything’s “Normal?” Then It’s Time To Reconsider And Promote A New Narrative Of Disability. Retrieved from http://organizingchange.org/think-everythings-normal-then-its-time-to-reconsider-and-promote-a-new-narrative-of-disability/
“Think Everything’s “Normal?” Then It’s Time to Reconsider and Promote a New Narrative of Disability” written by Drew Serres goes into depth with the idea of why we shouldn’t consider people with disabilities not ‘normal’. The term “Culture of Normalcy” can explain how we are treating those with disabilities as we create an illusion of a ‘normal’ way of living or existing. When relating this to education I have noticed different ways that the school system handle’s those who are deemed ‘not normal’. I lived in the United States of America for about four years of my life, from kindergarten to grade 3, and I had struggled with my speech as I assumed I had an under developed learning for it through out that time there. How the school system in the US dealt with it was for me to meet with a specialist once a week and I would miss an hour of a certain lesson to work on improving my speech. However, this was not a disability that I had it was just a concept that needed extra guidance. Other students that the label of 'not normal' were a part of a separate class that had lower expectations from the curriculum. I was friends with someone from that class and only really got to spend time with her during recess and sometimes when I got permission to leave class to go see her. This pattern of a separate class for those labeled 'not normal' continued when I moved back to Canada and entered the elementary school stream. I am not quite sure why a "special needs" class is necessary because if the whole point is to have lower expectations then why can't that still apply to them in a class with the rest of their age group? Being a friend of a student who is labeled 'not normal' and needed to put in a separate class has allowed me to understand that it is hard on them as they are isolated from the rest of the students and therefore is harder to create a social identity as they can only interact with others during recess or outside of school.
Serres explains the multiple factors that negatively supports this issue including; the Medical Industrial Complex, Charity/Government Social Institutions, Dominant media, and the Education System. Hearing about Mia Mingus’s case I was shocked because why should she be forced to wear something if it’s not absolutely necessary? Unless, however, she was forced to wear that leg brace to prevent any pain or physical harm to her. Also, the idea of Government Social Institutions is also isolating those labeled ‘not normal’ as individuals who have problems. By doing this, we are not helping them learn how to be independent individuals but instead giving them dependent living which in a sense makes them feel vulnerable and not valuable to society. I agree with, instead of promoting dependent living with an individual and a support guide, promoting community living in which two or more individuals with disabilities live with each other’s support and learn from each other. This is a much more effective way to still have support but to also allow the individual to learn how to live independently. The media also has a big role in negatively supporting this issue because the language they use influences society to use the same language. The media has a lot of power over society because it is a big influential factor for how other people behave or form their opinions. Therefore, when they broadcast news about certain disabilities and use the language ‘crippled’ or ‘the hero who overcomes’ it takes away their identity.
The solutions that Serres provides at the end of the article are crucial to be taught through many forms such as the media, the education system, the medical system and more. These solutions include; recognizing that disability is an identity, end the use of ableism language, stop promoting “normal” life as the way to live, focus on treating society over the individual, create a medical system that focuses on the patient’s needs, promote independent living policies, give schools more resources so that they can provide accommodations over :special education”, and have the media show that disabilities is just another part of human identity.
I think that it is super important to allow those who are disabled to create their own identity and not have society force them into an identity that they are not. All the factors mentioned above force people into an identity that society has created for them and allows others around them to make assumptions about their personality that is based off of their disability rather than who they are as a person. There shouldn't be a need to act awkward around those who have a disability and/or isolate them because of it.
Bibliography:
Serres, D. Think Everything’s “Normal?” Then It’s Time To Reconsider And Promote A New Narrative Of Disability. Retrieved from http://organizingchange.org/think-everythings-normal-then-its-time-to-reconsider-and-promote-a-new-narrative-of-disability/
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I love how personally you’re taking responsibility for inclusion as of reading the Hourigan article! Does this sound familiar: “Whose job is it to make sure everyone has someone to talk to?” What kind of responsibilities do you think that encourages?? In the Serres article, I really want to challenge you to think differently about something you wrote. The purpose of “special needs” classes is not simply to have lower expectations. Students with exceptionalities in many cases actually learn differently and need different kinds of instruction and activity to be successful, which can be better provided in an alternate environment. Sometimes their abilities may differ, but sometimes the way they reach the same expectations is what differs. Regardless, although I think Serres would likely believe many students are diagnosed as needing alternate services incorrectly, he would probably agree that when they actually are necessary, the narrative surrounding them is what should change most so as to no longer conceive of this as negative, undesirable, or abnormal. According to Serres, why do you think Mia Mingus would have been forced to wear the braces if they were not absolutely necessary for her to function? Is there anything similar we do as educators?
Best,
Eric
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I love how personally you’re taking responsibility for inclusion as of reading the Hourigan article! Does this sound familiar: “Whose job is it to make sure everyone has someone to talk to?” What kind of responsibilities do you think that encourages?? In the Serres article, I really want to challenge you to think differently about something you wrote. The purpose of “special needs” classes is not simply to have lower expectations. Students with exceptionalities in many cases actually learn differently and need different kinds of instruction and activity to be successful, which can be better provided in an alternate environment. Sometimes their abilities may differ, but sometimes the way they reach the same expectations is what differs. Regardless, although I think Serres would likely believe many students are diagnosed as needing alternate services incorrectly, he would probably agree that when they actually are necessary, the narrative surrounding them is what should change most so as to no longer conceive of this as negative, undesirable, or abnormal. According to Serres, why do you think Mia Mingus would have been forced to wear the braces if they were not absolutely necessary for her to function? Is there anything similar we do as educators?
Best,
Eric
Reading No. 6
“Another Perspective: The iPad is a REAL Musical Instrument” written by David Williams covers the idea of using iPads in the classroom as musical instruments. The idea of using iPads in the classroom as instruments is somewhat bizarre in the sense that they are used in ensembles. I have worked on iPads in high school for compositional projects and used electronic recordings in ensemble repertoire, but I have never heard of an iPad ensemble. The idea of this ensemble intrigues and troubles me at the same time. I do believe that we can use technology to our advantage to help student’s progress and learn new concepts but I am afraid that an iPad ensemble does not provide the same skills that a regular wind instrument could. When Williams compared the attributes of an iPad to an oboe I could understand and was shocked on how some things are similar. These attributes include; improving technical proficiency, be used to showcase musicality, the importance of practice. I was troubled with the idea of an iPad creating musicality because, in my experience, you can’t improve the quality of tone, add crescendos and decrescendos, and timbre. My experience with making music with iPads however was with Garage Band and in that program you are quite limited with musical choices. I am sure there are other programs out there that do provide musicality options that I am not familiar with. The idea of the ensemble still troubled me because to me it seemed like it would be hard to put together. Williams did mention the problems that occurred within his ensemble such as time keeping. I could imagine myself getting very frustrated because not everyone would be starting and ending together. Another problem that I can see happening is the size of the ensemble. You would need to have a relatively small ensemble so that you don’t have a mess of different sounds from each individual. I would think that problem, however, would be dealt with by having multiple small ensembles. The biggest problem that I can see though is that most school can’t afford these iPads and the software to create music. I am on the fence about the iPad ensemble at the moment just because it is a grey area for me and don’t use those kinds of software’s to make music. I do, however, would like to give it a try in the future to test it out and see if it produces better results in terms of creativity and musical individuality.
I am curious to know what age group this ensemble is targeted towards. In my opinion, I would think this ensemble would better for the elementary school age for a few reasons. I think that creativity and music composition should happen at a younger age rather than in high school. I believe this because if we start exposing young students to this type of exploration than they can have more confidence and have a better understanding of musicality. I never really understood musicality until I came into university and never really gained the confidence to explore that until now. I also think that starting at a young age gives them a vague base to music. By giving young students a vague base and building up from there gives them more control of their learning and guides them into discovering the information for themselves.
There is a big controversy about the use of technology in the classroom and I was skeptical about it myself, however, Williams brings up the benefits of the iPad in the classroom that I never realized were there. These benefits include; improving the aural process and improving creativity. I didn’t know of the importance of the aural process until this year and I do believe that it is a very important skill for the future. “Being bound to notation would limit the musical possibilities from which we could explore” (97). I think that this is one of the greatest problems that musicians have to this day, in which we are bound by notation. It should be important that we learn to go beyond the notation in order to improve our creativity and interpretation.
The idea of the ensemble is weird to me, however, I really enjoyed hearing that the ensemble collaborated with the different art practices. It is important to me that you don’t only learn from your practice but other practices as well because it gives you a different perspective. Therefore, I would like to try this in the future and see what benefits it provides.
Bibliography:
Williams, D. A. (2014). Another Perspective The iPad Is a REAL Musical Instrument. Music Educators Journal, 101(1), 93-98.
“Another Perspective: The iPad is a REAL Musical Instrument” written by David Williams covers the idea of using iPads in the classroom as musical instruments. The idea of using iPads in the classroom as instruments is somewhat bizarre in the sense that they are used in ensembles. I have worked on iPads in high school for compositional projects and used electronic recordings in ensemble repertoire, but I have never heard of an iPad ensemble. The idea of this ensemble intrigues and troubles me at the same time. I do believe that we can use technology to our advantage to help student’s progress and learn new concepts but I am afraid that an iPad ensemble does not provide the same skills that a regular wind instrument could. When Williams compared the attributes of an iPad to an oboe I could understand and was shocked on how some things are similar. These attributes include; improving technical proficiency, be used to showcase musicality, the importance of practice. I was troubled with the idea of an iPad creating musicality because, in my experience, you can’t improve the quality of tone, add crescendos and decrescendos, and timbre. My experience with making music with iPads however was with Garage Band and in that program you are quite limited with musical choices. I am sure there are other programs out there that do provide musicality options that I am not familiar with. The idea of the ensemble still troubled me because to me it seemed like it would be hard to put together. Williams did mention the problems that occurred within his ensemble such as time keeping. I could imagine myself getting very frustrated because not everyone would be starting and ending together. Another problem that I can see happening is the size of the ensemble. You would need to have a relatively small ensemble so that you don’t have a mess of different sounds from each individual. I would think that problem, however, would be dealt with by having multiple small ensembles. The biggest problem that I can see though is that most school can’t afford these iPads and the software to create music. I am on the fence about the iPad ensemble at the moment just because it is a grey area for me and don’t use those kinds of software’s to make music. I do, however, would like to give it a try in the future to test it out and see if it produces better results in terms of creativity and musical individuality.
I am curious to know what age group this ensemble is targeted towards. In my opinion, I would think this ensemble would better for the elementary school age for a few reasons. I think that creativity and music composition should happen at a younger age rather than in high school. I believe this because if we start exposing young students to this type of exploration than they can have more confidence and have a better understanding of musicality. I never really understood musicality until I came into university and never really gained the confidence to explore that until now. I also think that starting at a young age gives them a vague base to music. By giving young students a vague base and building up from there gives them more control of their learning and guides them into discovering the information for themselves.
There is a big controversy about the use of technology in the classroom and I was skeptical about it myself, however, Williams brings up the benefits of the iPad in the classroom that I never realized were there. These benefits include; improving the aural process and improving creativity. I didn’t know of the importance of the aural process until this year and I do believe that it is a very important skill for the future. “Being bound to notation would limit the musical possibilities from which we could explore” (97). I think that this is one of the greatest problems that musicians have to this day, in which we are bound by notation. It should be important that we learn to go beyond the notation in order to improve our creativity and interpretation.
The idea of the ensemble is weird to me, however, I really enjoyed hearing that the ensemble collaborated with the different art practices. It is important to me that you don’t only learn from your practice but other practices as well because it gives you a different perspective. Therefore, I would like to try this in the future and see what benefits it provides.
Bibliography:
Williams, D. A. (2014). Another Perspective The iPad Is a REAL Musical Instrument. Music Educators Journal, 101(1), 93-98.
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I’m inclined to agree that an ipad may not require the same skills as a traditional oboe, but that makes me question, what skills are important as a musician? As an oboist, embouchure is important, but not as a percussionist, so does what the ipad lacks really take away from it being an instrument, or just a different kind of instrument? Similarly, physically controlling tone and timbre are not issues on a synthesizer, but they are widely considered instruments now. Also, I just love how even though you’re not comfortable with the idea of the ipad in ensembles you see the importance of learning from others’ perspectives and being willing to try!
Best,
Eric
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I’m inclined to agree that an ipad may not require the same skills as a traditional oboe, but that makes me question, what skills are important as a musician? As an oboist, embouchure is important, but not as a percussionist, so does what the ipad lacks really take away from it being an instrument, or just a different kind of instrument? Similarly, physically controlling tone and timbre are not issues on a synthesizer, but they are widely considered instruments now. Also, I just love how even though you’re not comfortable with the idea of the ipad in ensembles you see the importance of learning from others’ perspectives and being willing to try!
Best,
Eric
Reading No. 7
“Toward Convergence: Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture” written by Evan S. Tobias considers that inclusion of what he calls a participatory culture. A Participatory culture is introduced into the classroom by allowing students to interpret music in different ways such as; covering, arranging, parodying, satirizing, multitracking, remixing, sample-based product, creating mash-ups, creating tutorials, discussing, feedback, and remediating. Students then have the opportunity to share their creations on an online platform, which is then open for discussion and feedback from not only their peers but also the general public.
As a student I have had many chances to use technology in my music education that has benefited me in some way. I had the chance to explore composition through garage band and little on my instrument. I really do like when the opportunity arises to use technology in music projects because I feel like I have more freedom and is easier to use rather than learning new instruments to create a composition. This idea of giving students to explore the different ways to interpret music and share it is a useful project. I believe that it gives students more freedom to do what they want and therefore will actually enjoy doing it, which means they will put more thought and effort into it. The most important part of this project, in my opinion, is the reflection process and feedback that the students can give. Not necessarily constructive feedback but rather questions as to why they chose to do a remix, or why they chose to include a certain element. This type of reflection is important for students to understand how there are many different interpretations and everyone experiences music differently. These projects could also help strengthen the student’s musical identity as they explore through different types of interpretation. Students also have the opportunity to share their creations on a platform such as Youtube. This is a platform that allows for open discussion from not only people who have experience with music but also those who do not have experience. However, I do caution the use of big platforms such as Youtube because the general public can see it and that includes those who have their own opinions that may not like the interpretation and therefore may put rude comments on the video.
I was curious with some of the different interpretations listed in the chart so I went to Sound Cloud and Youtube and found some interesting results. On Sound Cloud I found an interesting mash-up of Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” with small clips from Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, Owl City, Maroon 5, Akon, A-ha, Flo Rida, Fall Out Boy, Daft Punk, Kelly Clarkson, My Chemical Romance, B.O.B., Mika, and The Killers. When I first looked at the title I was shocked because I thought that it was just going to be a bunch of noise and no musical line. I was pleasantly surprised when I started listening to hear that it flowed nicely. It brought up questions as to why they chose those songs, how did they place it together? Most of the comments I saw were very positive and it shows how powerful this type of project can be. On Youtube I found a video in where they played the Havana track in the back but sang different songs on top. I have also seen videos in which they take classical music and interpret it in a more modern way such as turning Mozart’s Turkish March and turning it into a trap beat. All these interpretations were very interesting to watch and made me question the progress of the project.
SoundCloud Mash-Up:
https://soundcloud.com/ericbennettmusic/jason-mraz-vs-green-day-vs-black-eyed-peas-vs-owl-city-vs-iyaz-vs-maroon-5-vs-akon-vs-a-ha-vs-flo-rida-vs-fall-out-boy-vs-daft-punk-vs-kelly-clarkson-vs-mcr-vs-b-o-b-vs-mika-vs-the-killers-1
“Toward Convergence: Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture” written by Evan S. Tobias considers that inclusion of what he calls a participatory culture. A Participatory culture is introduced into the classroom by allowing students to interpret music in different ways such as; covering, arranging, parodying, satirizing, multitracking, remixing, sample-based product, creating mash-ups, creating tutorials, discussing, feedback, and remediating. Students then have the opportunity to share their creations on an online platform, which is then open for discussion and feedback from not only their peers but also the general public.
As a student I have had many chances to use technology in my music education that has benefited me in some way. I had the chance to explore composition through garage band and little on my instrument. I really do like when the opportunity arises to use technology in music projects because I feel like I have more freedom and is easier to use rather than learning new instruments to create a composition. This idea of giving students to explore the different ways to interpret music and share it is a useful project. I believe that it gives students more freedom to do what they want and therefore will actually enjoy doing it, which means they will put more thought and effort into it. The most important part of this project, in my opinion, is the reflection process and feedback that the students can give. Not necessarily constructive feedback but rather questions as to why they chose to do a remix, or why they chose to include a certain element. This type of reflection is important for students to understand how there are many different interpretations and everyone experiences music differently. These projects could also help strengthen the student’s musical identity as they explore through different types of interpretation. Students also have the opportunity to share their creations on a platform such as Youtube. This is a platform that allows for open discussion from not only people who have experience with music but also those who do not have experience. However, I do caution the use of big platforms such as Youtube because the general public can see it and that includes those who have their own opinions that may not like the interpretation and therefore may put rude comments on the video.
I was curious with some of the different interpretations listed in the chart so I went to Sound Cloud and Youtube and found some interesting results. On Sound Cloud I found an interesting mash-up of Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” with small clips from Green Day, Black Eyed Peas, Owl City, Maroon 5, Akon, A-ha, Flo Rida, Fall Out Boy, Daft Punk, Kelly Clarkson, My Chemical Romance, B.O.B., Mika, and The Killers. When I first looked at the title I was shocked because I thought that it was just going to be a bunch of noise and no musical line. I was pleasantly surprised when I started listening to hear that it flowed nicely. It brought up questions as to why they chose those songs, how did they place it together? Most of the comments I saw were very positive and it shows how powerful this type of project can be. On Youtube I found a video in where they played the Havana track in the back but sang different songs on top. I have also seen videos in which they take classical music and interpret it in a more modern way such as turning Mozart’s Turkish March and turning it into a trap beat. All these interpretations were very interesting to watch and made me question the progress of the project.
SoundCloud Mash-Up:
https://soundcloud.com/ericbennettmusic/jason-mraz-vs-green-day-vs-black-eyed-peas-vs-owl-city-vs-iyaz-vs-maroon-5-vs-akon-vs-a-ha-vs-flo-rida-vs-fall-out-boy-vs-daft-punk-vs-kelly-clarkson-vs-mcr-vs-b-o-b-vs-mika-vs-the-killers-1
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Bibliography:
Bennett, Eric. “Mega Mash (Jason Mraz vs. Green Day vs. Black Eyed Peas vs. Owl City vs. Maroon 5 vs. Akon vs. A-ha vs. Flo Rida vs. Fall Out Boy vs. Daft Punk vs. Kelly Clarkson vs. My Chemical Romance vs. B.O.B. vs. Mika vs. The Killers).” SoundCloud audio, 4:33, 2010,
https://soundcloud.com/ericbennettmusic/jason-mraz-vs-green-day-vs-black-eyed-peas-vs-owl-city-vs-iyaz-vs-maroon-5-vs-akon-vs-a-ha-vs-flo-rida-vs-fall-out-boy-vs-daft-punk-vs-kelly-clarkson-vs-mcr-vs-b-o-b-vs-mika-vs-the-killers-1.
“Camila Cabello - Havana (SING OFF vs. My Little Sister),” Youtube Video, 3:51, Posted by “Conor Maynard,” December 25, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_SA2QkZd24
“Mozart Meets Trap (tribal vs. Himself),” Youtube Video, 2:30, Posted by “tribal,” April 4, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXuuiFuuT4o
Tobias, E. S. (2013). Toward Convergence Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture. Music Educators Journal, 99(4), 29-36.
Bennett, Eric. “Mega Mash (Jason Mraz vs. Green Day vs. Black Eyed Peas vs. Owl City vs. Maroon 5 vs. Akon vs. A-ha vs. Flo Rida vs. Fall Out Boy vs. Daft Punk vs. Kelly Clarkson vs. My Chemical Romance vs. B.O.B. vs. Mika vs. The Killers).” SoundCloud audio, 4:33, 2010,
https://soundcloud.com/ericbennettmusic/jason-mraz-vs-green-day-vs-black-eyed-peas-vs-owl-city-vs-iyaz-vs-maroon-5-vs-akon-vs-a-ha-vs-flo-rida-vs-fall-out-boy-vs-daft-punk-vs-kelly-clarkson-vs-mcr-vs-b-o-b-vs-mika-vs-the-killers-1.
“Camila Cabello - Havana (SING OFF vs. My Little Sister),” Youtube Video, 3:51, Posted by “Conor Maynard,” December 25, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_SA2QkZd24
“Mozart Meets Trap (tribal vs. Himself),” Youtube Video, 2:30, Posted by “tribal,” April 4, 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXuuiFuuT4o
Tobias, E. S. (2013). Toward Convergence Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture. Music Educators Journal, 99(4), 29-36.
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I agree that it’s important to consider the public element of participatory culture. Do you think that it is a necessary component though? Could students learn and engage with music in ways that reflect participatory culture without sharing them publicly? Would that change the nature of the engagement? Could publishing with comments disabled be a viable solution? Also, I really appreciate you going beyond the reading to explore some current examples of the kinds of products associated with participatory culture!
Best,
Eric
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I agree that it’s important to consider the public element of participatory culture. Do you think that it is a necessary component though? Could students learn and engage with music in ways that reflect participatory culture without sharing them publicly? Would that change the nature of the engagement? Could publishing with comments disabled be a viable solution? Also, I really appreciate you going beyond the reading to explore some current examples of the kinds of products associated with participatory culture!
Best,
Eric