Changing Perspectives and Pedagogy Through Collaborative Learning Communities

• In Event: Knowledge Transfer Through Professionally Embedded Collaborative Learning Communities

Abstract

This paper reports on a KNAER project entitled “Engaging Students through Collaborative Music Creation” involving a partnership among two university research centres and three school districts with the goal of motivating and implementing change in teachers’ perspective and pedagogy. Music is one of the most potent forces in students’ lives, but existing program approaches do not engage many, leaving the musical potential of many students undeveloped. Recent research has shown that student engagement in “control” of the musical means and medium as well responsibility in initiating and facilitating learning leads to greater engagement and student participation (Green, 2002). Green (2008) further demonstrated the benefits of teaching in the schools in the way popular musicians in the community learn and work which typically includes significant amounts of improvising, composing, and recording music. The latest Ontario Ministry of Education Arts Curriculum (2010) calls for a strong role for creative music making including composing and improvising. However, Bartel & Cameron (2002) found that music teachers had the least confidence to teach composing and improvising.

Consequently the objectives of this project were first to (1) foster student engagement through collaborative music creation including improvisation, composition, and recording. To achieve this the goal, the project was to (2) develop collaborative learning communities among teacher to encourage their engagement in research and research application in their professional practice. Since teacher knowledge and confidence, paradigmatic resistance to the inclusion of improvisation and composition, and established community expectations for public performance militate against teachers changing their program, the support and motivation of a collaborative learning community is crucial. Changing the teachers’ pedagogic perspective and personal sense of efficacy was the primary challenge. An additional “byproduct” objective of the project was to (3) develop effective embedded Professional Development practices for music/arts educators.

The project was organized with 10 collaborative learning communities (CLCs) in the Waterloo and Toronto areas of Ontario, Canada. Participants were given 5 day equivalents of release time to pursue a project with their students, implementing some form of composing, improvising, and recording. CLC’s had the opportunity to explore, read, attend working improvisation or composition sessions, and interact with an expert in the field, Peter Wiegold from London England. CLC projects were facilitated by the project leads through site visits.

This paper reports on the results of this CLC project including the personal challenges and gains of the participants as they engaged in a process of change to their practice. We focus especially on the role of collaboration and collegial support in new pedagogic attempts. In addition we examine participant perspective on CLC as a form of professional development.

Authors

• Lee R. Bartel, University of Toronto

• Lee Willingham, Wilfrid Laurier University

• Linda Cameron, University of Toronto - OISE