Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-7tdvq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-16T07:16:24.397Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Beyond a constructivist curriculum: a critique of competing paradigms in music education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2013

James Garnett
James Garnett*
Affiliation:
Institute of Education, University of Reading, London Road Campus, 4 Redlands Road, Reading RG1 5EX, UKj.s.garnett@reading.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The distinction between learning to perform on an instrument or voice and learning music in a wider sense is one that is made in many countries, and is especially pertinent in England in the context of recent policy developments. This article argues that, whilst this distinction has come to represent curricula based on the opposing paradigms of behaviourist and constructivist approaches to learning, this opposition does not necessarily extend to the pedagogy through which the curricula are taught. A case study of the National Curriculum in England highlights the characteristics of a curriculum based on constructivist principles, along with the impact this has when taught in a behaviourist way. It is argued that conceiving the curriculum in terms of musical competencies, and pedagogy in terms of musical understanding, would provide a basis for greater continuity and higher quality in the music education experienced by young people.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , July 2013 , pp. 161 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BAMFORD, A. & GLINKOWSKI, P. (2010) Wow, it's Music Next: Impact Evaluation of the Wider Opportunities Programme in music at Key Stage Two. Leeds: Federation of Music Services.Google Scholar
BLACK, P. (1999) Assessment, learning theories and testing systems. In Murphy, P. (Ed.), Learners, Learning and Assessment (pp. 118–134). London: Paul Chapman.Google Scholar
COX, G. (2001) ‘A House Divided?’ Music education in the United Kingdom during the Schools Council era of the 1970s. Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, 22, 160–175.Google Scholar
COX, G. (2002) Living Music in Schools 1923–1999. Aldershot: Ashgate.Google Scholar
CUNLIFFE, L. (1998) Art and art education as a cognitive process. In Burden, R. & Williams, M. (Eds.), Thinking Through the Curriculum (pp. 47–71). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
DEARING, R. (1994) The National Curriculum and its Assessment: Final Report. London: SCAA.Google Scholar
DES (1990) National Curriculum Music Working Group Interim Report. London: Department of Education and Science.Google Scholar
DES (1992) Music in the National Curriculum. London: Department of Education and Science.Google Scholar
DFEE (1995) National Curriculum for Music. London: Department for Education and Employment.Google Scholar
DfE (2011) The Importance of Music – a National Plan for Music Education. London: Department for Education. Available at www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00086–2011 (Accessed 21/6/12).Google Scholar
EMERY, H., WILMOT, J. & MURPHY, R. (1998) Consistency in Teacher Assessment and the Impact of SCAA Guidance Materials at Key Stage 3 in the Non-core Subjects: Report to QCA. Nottingham: School of Education, University of Nottingham.Google Scholar
FAUTLEY, M. (2010) Assessment in Music Education. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
FERM, C. (2008) Playing to teach music – embodiment and identity-making in musikdidaktik. Music Education Research, 10, 361–372.Google Scholar
FINNEY, J. (2011) Music Education in England 1950–2010: The Child-centred Progressive Tradition. Aldershot: Ashgate.Google Scholar
GARNETT, J. (2011) Thinking the music of the future: the music theory of the National Curriculum. NAME Magazine, 33, 5–8.Google Scholar
GLASERFELD, E. (1995 a) A constructivist approach to teaching. In Steffe, L. P. & Gale, J. (Eds.), Constructivism in Education (pp. 3–15). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
GLASERFELD, E. (1995 b) Radical Constructivism. London: Falmer.Google Scholar
GRIFFIN, L. L. & PATTON, K. (2005) Two decades of teaching games for understanding: looking at past, present and future. In Griffin, L. L. & Butler, J. I. (Eds.), Teaching Games for Understanding (pp. 1–17). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.Google Scholar
HARGREAVES, D. J. (1996) The development of artistic and musical competence. In Deliége, I. & Sloboda, J. (Eds.), Beginnings: Origins and Development of Musical Competence. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
HARGREAVES, D. J., PURVES, R. M., WELCH, G. F. & MARSHALL, N. A. (2007) Developing identities and attitudes in musicians and classroom music teachers. British Journal of Education Psychology, 77, 665–682.Google Scholar
HARRIS, R. & BURN, K. (2011) Curriculum theory, curriculum policy and the problem of ill-disciplined thinking. Journal of Education Policy, 26, 245–261.Google Scholar
HENLEY, D. (2011) Music Education in England – A Review by Darren Henley for the Department for Education and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. London: Department for Education. Available at www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/AllPublications/Page11/DFE-00011-2011 (Accessed 21/6/12).Google Scholar
LAWTON, D. (1996) Beyond the National Curriculum: Teacher Professionalism and Empowerment. London: Hodder & Stoughton.Google Scholar
MATTHEWS, F. (2011) Adopting an integrated approach to musical learning in whole class instrumental and vocal lessons. In Beach, N., Evans, J. & Spruce, G. (Eds.), Making Music in the Primary School (pp. 66–73). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
NATIONAL STRATEGY (2006) KS3 music: A Professional Development Programme. Available at http://www3.hants.gov.uk/music (Accessed 21/6/12).Google Scholar
NAUGHTON, C. (1998) Thinking about and through music. In Burden, R. & Williams, M. (Eds.), Thinking through the curriculum (pp. 72–83). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
ODAM, G. (1995) The Sounding Symbol: Music Education in Action. Cheltenham: Stanley Thornes.Google Scholar
OFQUAL (2011) Subject Criteria for GCSE Music. London: Office of Qualification and Examination Regulation. Available at http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/downloads/category/192-gcse-subject-criteria (Accessed 21/6/12).Google Scholar
OFSTED (2009) Making More of Music: An Evaluation of Music in Schools 2005–2008. London: Ofsted. Available at http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/making-more-of-music-evaluation-of-music-schools-2005-08 (Accessed 21/6/12).Google Scholar
OFSTED (2012) Music in Schools: Wider Still, and Wider. London: Ofsted. Available at http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/music-schools-wider-still-and-wider (Accessed 21/6/12).Google Scholar
PAYNTER, J. (1982) Music in the Secondary School Curriculum. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
PAYNTER, J. (1997) The form of finality: a context for music education. British Journal of Music Education, 14, 5–21.Google Scholar
PAYNTER, J. & ASTON, P. (1970) Sound and Silence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
PITTS, S. (2000) A Century of Change in Music Education. Aldershot: Ashgate.Google Scholar
QCA (1999) The National Curriculum: Music. London: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.Google Scholar
QCA (2004a) Music: 2002/3. Annual Report on Curriculum and Assessment. London: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.Google Scholar
QCA (2004 b) Music: 2003/4. Annual Report on Curriculum and Assessment. London: Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.Google Scholar
QCA (2007) The National Curriculum. London: Department of Children, Schools and Families and Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority.Google Scholar
REGELSKI, T. A. (1986) Concept learning and action learning in music education. British Journal of Music Education, 3, 185–216.Google Scholar
REID, A. (2001) Variations in the ways that instrumental and vocal students experience learning music. Music Education Research, 3, 25–40.Google Scholar
SOLOMON, P. G. (2003) The Curriculum Bridge. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.Google Scholar
SPRUCE, G. (2007) Culture, society and musical learning. In Philpott, C. & Spruce, G. (Eds.), Learning to Teach Music in the Secondary School (Second Edition) (pp. 16–27). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
SPRUCE, G. (2011) Integration: setting the scene. In Beach, N., Evans, J. & Spruce, G. (Eds.), Making Music in the Primary School (pp. 63–65). London: Routledge.Google Scholar
SWANWICK, K. (1979) A Basis for Music Education. London: NFER.Google Scholar
SWANWICK, K. (1999) Teaching Music Musically. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
SWANWICK, K. & TAYLOR, D. (1982) Discovering Music. London: Batsford.Google Scholar
SWANWICK, K. & FRANCA, C. C. (1999) Composing, performing and audience-listening as indicators of musical understanding. British Journal of Music Education, 16, 5–19.Google Scholar
WILLIAMS, M. & BURDEN, R. (1998) Pulling it together: the challenge for the educator. In Burden, R. & Williams, M. (Eds.), Thinking through the Curriculum (pp. 189–197). New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
YOUTH MUSIC (2002) Creating a Land with Music. Available at http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/assets/files/HEFCEreport1.pdf (Accessed 21/6/12).Google Scholar