Learning through producing : the pedagogical and technological redesign of a compulsory music course for finnish general upper secondary schools

Abstract

This scientifically oriented applied study is comprised of two blind peer-reviewed articles, two sets of e-learning materials, and a summary report. The study focuses on developing practical e-learning materials and theoretical principles for a novel pedagogical approach named Learning Through Producing (LTP). The rationale for the developmental work arose from the notion that collaborative and technologically aided creative music making seems to take place only randomly in many Finnish secondary music classrooms although core curricula for Finnish general upper secondary schools have guided music teachers to implement collaboration, creative work and the use of technology to their teaching for decades. The intent of LTP is to open up one possible way of systematically broadening the scope of institutional general music education, from reproduction and performance towards sustained interaction with shareable musical artefacts such as tracks and music videos.

The LTP approach was developed in the context of the Finnish general upper secondary school compulsory music course, using design-based research as a methodological toolkit. After the initial principles of LTP were addressed and the preliminary conceptual prototypes of the e-learning materials were developed, both sets of e-learning materials were re-developed, first with author's own students (1st and 2nd research cycle), and then towards the end of the research period in four different Finnish general upper secondary schools (3rd research cycle), with the intent of creating new understandings that would lead to developing the generative principles of LTP.

The conclusions of the study are primarily drawn from an analysis of the student-participants' course diaries, surveys, and video-recorded group interviews. The findings indicate that when musical knowledge and skills are constructed through arranging, songwriting, sound engineering, recording, and mixing students are able to work in their zone of proximal development, form music-related communities of practice, negotiate their musical identities, and work with tools and musical materials that they find relevant. LTP also seems to offer the possibility of harnessing the use of digital technology for musical learning in general upper secondary school. However, technology should not be used to replace, but rather augment the use of traditional instruments and face-to-face interactions with peers and teachers. The findings further suggest that, in order to effectively and purposefully learn music through producing, most students benefit from being introduced to the use of musical elements and tools in various cultural situations before the creative work in producing teams takes place. While a collective knowledge and skill base can be successfully built through hands-on music making in the music classroom, the use of e-learning materials and mobile devices can successfully provide opportunities for personalized learning. However, wider and longer term studies would be required to assess these finding outside the scope of Finnish general upper secondary school compulsory music course.