Secondary School Music Curriculum Research Articles

Design and Development of e-MARZ: A Practical Guide to Implementing Cost-effective VR Experiences for Music Education

The study introduces e-MARZ, a Virtual Reality (VR) software designed to tackle challenges faced by music educators in enhancing music appreciation lessons within the Malaysian lower secondary school music curriculum. The research aims to improve student engagement, provide immersive and interactive learning experiences, and develop a user-friendly VR application. A video production process was employed to create 360-degree music performance videos, which were integrated into the e-MARZ software via interactive modules. This article mainly discusses the development and evaluation aspects, utilising the modified ADDIE Instructional model, m-ADDIE, during the development phase. The e-MARZ prototype underwent evaluation using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) for quantitative data collection and analysis to assess usability, with a sample of five music education experts and 82 secondary school music students. Limitations of the study include the use of 360 media of live performances tailored for secondary school students' music appreciation and employing 3DOF (degrees of freedom) instead of the more advanced 6DOF, potentially impacting the generalisability of findings and the scope of achievable VR experiences. Despite these limitations, the high usability scores obtained during the evaluation, as measured by SUS and PSSUQ, indicate the software's effectiveness in addressing its intended challenges. The e-MARZ software offers an immersive, user-friendly VR experience that is cost-effective and compatible with various devices. This research provides insights into producing cost-effective, user-friendly VR applications using 360 media, promoting accessible VR application development in education. As a result, the study transforms students' engagement with music appreciation, fostering a more immersive, interactive, and enjoyable learning experience.

System Construction of Intercity Culture and Xinjiang Music Integration in the Context of “One Belt, One Road” Based on SCP Model

Abstract Music content needs to draw nutrients from excellent regional culture, and excellent regional culture needs to be carried forward through music, so the integration of intercity culture and Xinjiang music is in line with the development and inheritance of music culture. This paper briefly introduces the analysis model of the SCP paradigm and the music recommendation algorithm improved by K-Means and Canopy clustering algorithms and analyzes the integration of intercity culture and Xinjiang music in the context of “One Belt One Road” based on the SCP model and the improved algorithm. The analysis shows that music lessons incorporating intercultural culture account for about 25% of the lesson time in Xinjiang’s primary and secondary school music curriculum, and in 2013, the content of Xinjiang’s local music culture at the junior high school level accounts for more than 35% of the total lesson time in the music curriculum. Intercultural culture and Xinjiang music are gradually merging, and music education will play a large role in further educational reform in terms of cultural transmission and integration.

Some direction: towards a C21 secondary school curriculum

ABSTRACT In this third and final paper from the Delphi study One Direction, we report on participants’ responses to four secondary school music curriculum scenarios. These scenarios present four possible directions for a C21 secondary school music curriculum. The scenarios were devised from a combination of ideas derived from the data from the earlier stages of the study (McPhail, G., and J. McNeill. 2019. “One Direction: A Future for Secondary School Music Education?” Music Education Research 21 (4): 359–370; McNeill, J., and G. McPhail. 2020. “One Direction: Strategic challenges for Twenty-first Century Secondary School Music.” Music Education Research 22 (4): 432–446) and the concept of specialisation from Maton’s Legitimation Code Theory. By asking an international panel of leading music education researchers and teachers to respond to the scenarios, we are able to argue that ‘one direction’ is unlikely to emerge for secondary school music education, but we discuss the responses, and the scenario dimensions regarded as most likely and desirable. What appears certain is that there will be a continuing weakening of the boundaries between types of knowledge and stylistic arenas suggesting a dialectic relationship between the legitimating principles most valued.

Effect of Christian Related Music on Choice of Music as a Study Subject by Muslim Students in Mombasa County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content of the secondary school music curriculum to establish the effect of the presence of Christian related music in the curriculum on the choice of Music as a study subject by Muslim students in Mombasa County, Kenya. The study used a survey research design. The sample population consisted of 27 participants as follows: 2 music teachers, 8 students, 8 parents, 1 Kenya Institute Curriculum Development Officer at the national level, 1 Quality Assurance and Standard Officer and 7 career masters. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussion, which was analysed using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Findings show that Christian beliefs compete with Islamic beliefs thus Muslim students find it offensive to pursue the subject and learn Christian related music and values therein. In conclusion, Christianity and Islamic beliefs are two dominant religions that are competing rather than complementing religions; Muslim students find it hard to pursue music subject due to the elements of Christian related music in the curriculum. The study recommends that the choice of music subject by Muslim students is dependent on the provision of Islamic music in the music curriculum and must be incorporated to attract their enrolment.

Educational Change and the Secondary School Music Curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand. Edited by Graham McPhail, Vicki Thorpe, and Stuart Wise (2018)

Educational Change and the Secondary School Music Curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand, edited by Graham McPhail, Vicki Thorpe, and Stuart Wise (2018), presents a wide variety of perspectives on curriculum matters in contemporary music education in New Zealand. This review gives an overview of the main themes presented by the editors and contributors, which include the concern that under present education policy, secondary students are liable to receive an incoherent music education that does not include important concepts that are necessary for success in tertiary music study. Contributors to the book also consider issues such as the use of computer technology in the music classroom, the teaching of composition, and initiatives such as the Smokefree Rockquest which present students with access to the local music industry. The book also situates the present state of New Zealand music education in the context of local politics and international educational movements, and considers how music teachers might respond to cultural diversity in their classrooms.

Creating a Functional Musician: A Performance Workshop Model

This paper examines the innovative re-alignment of one Australian tertiary music program in response to economic imperatives and a rapidly evolving marketplace. A 'functional musician' is technically sound, versatile, adaptive, collaborative, empathetic, creative, and capable of adapting to most professional situations. Conservatoire training models designed to produce classical musicians specialising in performance or education do not necessarily meet industry needs in twenty-first century Australia. Following changes to the secondary school music curriculum, undergraduate students are arriving at University with different musical skills. Responding to these changes, the University of Southern Queensland has adapted its tertiary classical music degree programs to create a new 'workshop model' for Music Practice courses to produce employable music graduates with adaptable skills suitable for the diverse Australian musical sector. The new model had its initial implementation in semester 1 (February-June) 2012. Data was collected from two student surveys and from student reflective journals; it is intended that these form the beginning of a longitudinal survey. Analysis of the initial data indicates the workshop model is successful in many of its aims, but shows some areas needing refinement.

An Australian Perspective: Technology in Secondary School Music

Introduction Since late 1960s issues surrounding technology in education have evolved to reflect contemporary times. No longer is emphasis on incorporating computers and technology into education, but on using them efficiently for teaching and learning. This paper will explore how technology has been included in Australian secondary school music curriculum since late 1960s, discussing significant events in recent history of Australian music education, such as arrival of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) in 1982. This overview of history of technology and particularly music technology in Australia provides some context for its present status. The history of present provides a way to understand past. It is used to: Expand boundaries of possible approaches to contemporary problems by using historical investigations to permit thinking of those problems in different ways.... histories of present take as their starting point questions posed in present and seek to make terms through which those problems are currently understood an object of inquiry. (1) The histories of present Victorian curricula can be understood in this context as the making of histories that locate present as a strange, rather than familiar landscape, where that which has gone without saying becomes problematic. (2) This paper focuses on Victoria, a state in Southeast Australia which contains large city Melbourne. Providing an explanation for each state and territory in Australia would be beyond scope of this paper. However, it is intended that this will be a snapshot of status of technology in music education in Australia. Australia does not have a national school system. Instead, state and territory governments have constitutional responsibility for schooling. However, at a national level, strategic policy development and delivery of educational programmes and services are coordinated through Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training, and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA). The Commonwealth government works cooperatively with states and territories and non-governmental school authorities in pursuit of national goals that focus on learning outcomes of students and provide a framework for national reporting on student achievement and for public accountability by school education authorities. (3) The Department of Education, Science, and Training (DEST), also provides national leadership and works collaboratively with various states, territories, industry, agencies, and community in support of these objectives. DEST explains their role as: We develop and implement policies to ensure continuing relevance of education, science, and training to contemporary needs and growing requirements for lifelong learning. We also ensure high quality and value for money in delivering Government funded programmes. (4) Some of these national government pronouncements and programs will later be explored as they are relevant to recent past and present inclusion of technology in music education. Technology in Australian music education before MIDI Although this paper mainly considers music technology in secondary schools, it is important to first chronicle arrival of technology in university music education. University composers and lecturers used new technology, helping it evolve, and their effect of their work rippled across secondary school music education in Australia. The Elder Conservatorium at University of Adelaide (5) has an established history and pioneering reputation towards electronic music and music technology. In 1962, Dr. Henk Badings (6) (1907-1987) was first to introduce music concrete and electronic music to Adelaide University. English composer and educator Peter Tahourdin (1928-), who graduated from London's Trinity College of Music in 1952 where he studied composition with Richard Arnell (7) (1917-), became second visiting composer at University of Adelaide in 1964, lecturing in analog synthesis techniques. …

A Study on Secondary School Music Curriculum in New York

A Study on Secondary School Music Curriculum in New York

Kicking the habitus: power, culture and pedagogy in the secondary school music curriculum

Within a theoretical framework drawn from sociologists of education Bourdieu and Bernstein, this paper will examine some of the findings of an ethnographic case study conducted with a secondary school music teacher and one class of her pupils in Wales. This teacher attracted 25% of Year 10 (14-year-old) pupils to study music as an optional subject against a national background of 8% average. The study attempted to examine the lived experiences of the participants in music at home and school. Teacher and pupils had much to say about music teaching and learning in the classroom and beyond. Much of the success of this particular music curriculum model appeared to stem from the teacher's ability to empathise with her pupils’ musical interests and recontextualise the National Curriculum for music to reflect these. Pupil voice was instrumental in curriculum design and delivery and the teacher showed the empathy required to ‘kick’ her Western Art Music-informed habitus to enable her to enter her pupils’ musical worlds. There were however points of tension between teacher and pupil evaluations of the curriculum reflecting differences of habitus and unequal distribution of power: the ultimate power over curriculum and pedagogy rested firmly with the teacher. Furthermore, in order to work with her pupils in the time allowed the teacher had to make compromises as to the instruments she could allow the majority of her pupils to play. For many of her pupils, this did not appear to present a problem but for a significant number it alienated them from their music education. ‘Informal’ pedagogy might offer a solution to these problems by locating the production and development of musical knowledge with the pupils themselves – for the pupils at the research school this would mean, among other things, allowing groups of pupils opportunities to choose their own curriculum material, providing opportunities for pupils to work in groups sharing knowledge of ‘real’ instruments and techniques and a substantial alteration of the balance of power in lessons, allowing pupils increased control over the pace and sequence of their learning. If such pedagogy is to become more widespread, there are big questions to be asked about the type of person suited to becoming a music teacher and the sort of music education and initial teacher education and training they require. How we as a profession respond to the challenges ahead may well be crucial to the future survival of music in schools.

The use of ICT to support the development of practical music skills through acquiring keyboard skills: a classroom based study

This paper concerns the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in music classrooms, with the focus on the secondary school music curriculum in the United Kingdom. In particular, it reports on a study of learners in a UK school using software designed to support practical music skills. The paper begins by briefly raising and summarising some key issues for the use of ICT in the UK music curriculum arising from current research and practice in music education. In this context the study is described, which was carried out in a British secondary school with 36 pupils in year 8 (aged ≈13). This study investigated whether a commercial CD-ROM entitled Teach Me Piano Deluxe, which was designed to teach music practical skills was able to support pupils’ acquisition of music keyboard skills. The results showed that there was a significant improvement in reading music (staff) notation and rhythm skills. The study suggests that this is one of the ways in which ICT may be useful for learning practical music skills in the music classrooms. Such potential improvement in practical skills may, in turn, enable pupils to approach music-based activities such as: composing, performing or listening in the classrooms, with greater confidence, a deeper level of understanding, and appreciation.

Curriculum Stagnation: The case of singing in the English National Curriculum

Singing is a cultural activity that is much approved of and one that has been consistently cultivated in all times and places. However, despite its statutory place in the English secondary school music curriculum, it has in practice a twilight existence and marginal role: teachers find it difficult to give it the significance that they frequently claim for it. This conundrum is examined by analysing the views of 40 secondary teachers. Building on the common sense ideas of the teachers, a case is made for singing as an intellectual tool and social force. The argument is developed in the context of the English national curriculum, which is currently concerned to induct pupils into principles of democracy and citizenship. But can such arguments inspire action? This is thought to be unlikely as possibilities for actual change in practice remain faint as a centralised curriculum and its inspection regime continues to inhibit teacher initiative and development.

Techniques of Composition in the British and Irish University Curriculum

Most university students of music, including many who are accomplished both academically and as instrumentalists, consistently under-achieve in the subject areas commonly known as ‘techniques of composition’. Why this is so, and how this aspect of the university curriculum has come about in Britain and Ireland, are the subjects of this paper. At a time when formal methods are being replaced by free composition in the secondary school music curriculum, the future direction of third-level studies is very much in doubt. Because school-leavers are less well equipped than formerly in musical rudiments and basic harmony, some university music departments have abandoned techniques teaching altogether – those where it is retained being seen as bastions of conservatism. In view of the obvious shortcomings of existing methods their demise is understandable. Future developments, however, must not be determined by reaction, but guided by research.

Guitar Class: A Multifaceted Approach

A well-designed guitar class can provide an attractive addition to the secondary school music curriculum. Lee R. Bartel discusses the many options provided by a guitar program and shows how teachers call on all facets of guitar pedagogy to meet the needs of today's students.