The Past, Present and Future of Music in Education: a transdisciplinary framework designed to promote re-engagement and reform in music education for teachers, students and the community

Abstract

This thesis explores and analyses the discipline of music education by situating it within a transdisciplinary contextual framework. Its aim is to develop a simple, practical model to help teachers, particularly generalist classroom teachers, reflect on their own musicianship and that of their students and the community, as a means of increasing engagement in music both in school and beyond. It emerges from, and builds upon, the work of the Music Engagement Program at the Australian National University, where music is conceptualised in such a way as to increase the confidence and abilities of all teachers to offer music making opportunities to their students. Despite evidence to suggest that music making is a universal human trait, studies indicate a decline in active music making, particularly in countries such as Australia with ‘Western’ style school systems. There is evidence to suggest that aspects of music education may be contributing to this decline. The adults teaching music can be affected by negative feelings about their own musical capacities, perpetuating this lack of confidence in the next generation. Solutions to date have not produced reforms that successfully overcome these systemic problems on a large scale. This study develops through a set of nine ‘iterations’, each exploring a different realm of knowledge, some not commonly applied to the field of music education. Each iteration acts as a disciplinary ‘lens’ through which new data and perspectives are explored and considered, including: 1) language and etymology; 2) the conceptualisation of problems in current music education; 3) the origins of music; 4) thought and practice in ancient Greece and Rome; 5) the development of ancient performance spaces; 6) the influences of the early Christian church; 7) 20th century educational reformers; 8) the practice of the Music Engagement Program; and 9) the development of a framework in consultation with teachers. The framework that emerges through the iterative research process is refined through consultation with practising teachers in Iteration 9. The practical framework is designed to spark a process of reflection and debate amongst educators, articulating the different outcomes that stem from underlying educational beliefs at opposite ends of the spectrum. At one end of the spectrum is the belief that music is a specialised talent that requires specialist instruction. The outcome of this belief is that the bulk of the population disengages from, or lacks confidence in, their music making capacities. At the other end of the spectrum is the belief that music is a universal human impulse, which can be released and encouraged through education, but which is not reliant on specialised instruction. The outcome of this belief is that multiple pathways may be developed for and by each individual. The original contribution of this study is the provision of a historical and cultural framework of a scope that captures the extent of the influences converging on educators today, for use as a dialectical tool for debate, reflection and reform. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the ramifications of the framework for practice, research and policy.