Community learning beyond the classroom: Analyzing music students’ motivation when engaging in extracurricular practices

Abstract

This paper examines in what ways extracurricular group practices serve as learning-openers or learning-restrainers for the members of a community of musical practice. The terms learning-opener and learning-restrainer have been coined to understand and categorize learning processes within the lifelong learning approach. Within the social constructivism paradigm, the concept of community of practice by E. Wenger is a central notion in the study, complemented by the concepts of motivation and engagement.

Through a qualitative approach, the case of a saxophone ensemble in the context of Finn-ish high education has been analyzed. Semi-structured interviews (3) served as data col-lection method. The findings describe the most relevant learning-openers and learning-restrainers studied in the case: the influence of learning architecture in motivation and engagement, the characteristics of a democratic work dynamic, obstacles in identity and sense of belonging processes, and the conception of extracurricular practices as a bridge towards professional life.

The conclusions of the research show how learning architecture might be an essential element in shaping group’s identity and its members’ sense of belonging. Group dynam-ics such as democratic work environment, movable leadership and dialogue might func-tion as learning-openers when developed within a clear structure. Educational institu-tions could benefit from promoting extracurricular activities with initiatives such as of-fering economic support, providing suitable facilities, or fostering interaction within the members of the community.