The Place of Music in 21st Century Education
I've been doing James Humberstone's excellent MOOC as PD. I'm using it to help me think outside the square whilst writing the VCE Unit 3-4 Music Investigation Course at Virtual School Victoria. I'll be writing some ideas and responses below. Probably not so much related to Jazz but related to Music Education for sure!
Here's a YT link to some of James' excellent work, The Science of Dubstep on TED.
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In response to TED: Daphne Koller “What We’re Learning From Online Education”.
Also points raised in EduTECH by Stephen Heppell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teWsnG5G0fA
Firstly, I’d like to say that I’m a massive fan of online education providers such as Lynda, Coursera and Youtube.
It is the greatest gift this generation could ever hope for. Knowledge is no longer in the hands of the elite. You don’t need the grades to enter that prestigious, leafy and expensive institution to gain access to further education. Your parents did not need to sacrifice their wellbeing or happiness from working multiple jobs for decades to afford this tuition for you that they did not have. Education is no longer confined to the classroom. I can learn what I want, when I want, where I want. I regularly avail myself of this, as it is Professional Development; but it is also because I am interested in things and I like to learn.
I am empowered however. I was lucky enough to be born in a Worlds Most Liveable City and had access and opportunity to education, healthcare, nutritious food, clean water, clothes and with a roof over my head. Like Koller, I was born into educational privilege.
Not everyone is as lucky, however.
My current employer is a major provider of distance learning to primary and secondary school students. It has become the default educational provider for students that experience challenges: social/emotional, anxiety, depression, medical, physical, school refusal, ASD, gender identity issues; as well as other difficulties. These students often feel they don’t fit in at school. It also caters for students that wish to study subjects at VCE that are not offered in their bricks and mortar school that do not experience these challenges. It used to be called “correspondence school”, for students who are also living in regional and remote areas, or perhaps have parents/guardians that have to travel as part of their work. It is fair to say that there has been substantial increased need for our educational delivery; with the number of students now in the many thousands.
The internet; as well as other tools available, is the facilitator that enables us to provide this opportunity
Education is far more than the content you learn. Arguably the other soft skills such as empathy, creativity, collaboration, and effective communication strategies are learned as a by-product of engaging with education. Indeed, identified by the World Economic Forum’s Innovation Agenda, (no doubt what Australia’s Innovation Agenda is also based upon) we also need skills and competencies such as critical thinking, problem solving and emotional intelligence. But how do we develop these values in people engaged in a 19th century Educational model; situated in a society that is change-phobic and has vested interests in maintaining (and perpetuating) the class system status quo; governed by politicians that are completely incapable of providing broadband internet infrastructure necessary for online learning; who are also incapable of implementing Gonski’s Education review to the extent that is needed?
Coursera can provide the best courses, the best teachers, etc; but this often seems to be at the pointy end of educational delivery where the elite still exist. It is true that an an extraordinary paradigm shift has occurred with MOOC-style learning mechanisms, and their highly organised and resolved structure enables teachers to employ their use so as they can spend valuable face-to-face time on more beneficial activities and interactions. However, this forms only part of the story of what students need out of learning. The follow up to online learning: whether it be activities to integrate learning; assessment tools that formalise understanding; or practical application and demonstration of techniques learnt from these online courses are what is needed to make the endeavour worthwhile. Arguably, a suitably qualified teacher functioning as a facilitator would be best placed to enable this ideal situation to occur.
Lynda Tutorials that are great:
https://www.lynda.com/Music-Theory-tutorials/Music-Notation-Basics/492722-2.html
https://www.lynda.com/Pro-Tools-tutorials/Pro-Tools-12-Essential-Training/385356-2.html
Favourite Youtube Musicologist:
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