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A Minds-On Approach to Active Learning in General Music

Scott, S. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:21:26 PST

Minds-on engagement in active learning is explored through the experiences of Margaret Sanders, a general music teacher. Minds-on learners think about their experiences. They are actively involved as questioners and problem solvers while they complete musical tasks and reflect on their work after it is completed. Minds-off learners focus on their actions but not on the thinking required to complete a given task. This idea is explored in relation to the use of classroom routines to direct instruction. Routines serve a valuable function in moving students through their school day, assisting their progress from class to class to their dismissal at the end of the day. However, teachers may assume that students are involved in minds-on learning when, due to instructional routines, students’ responses represent a minds-off engagement in their learning. Teachers of general music must constantly challenge students in unexpected ways to maintain their minds-on engagement in music.

Best Practices for Young Children's Music Education: Guidance from Brain Research

Flohr, J. W. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:16:30 PST

This article reviews best practices for young children’s music experiences in light of developments in brain research. The first section reviews research music and brain topics including neuromyths, effect of music on structural brain changes and general intelligence, plasticity, critical and optimal periods, and at-risk student populations. The second section applies brain research to development and instructional strategies in the elementary music classroom.

Can Neuroscience Help Us Do a Better Job of Teaching Music?

Hodges, D. A. — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:42:29 PDT

We are just at the beginning stages of applying neuroscientific findings to music teaching. A simple model of the learning cycle based on neuroscience is Sense -> Integrate -> Act (sometimes modified as Act -> Sense -> Integrate). Additional components can be added to the model, including such concepts as active rather than passive learning, learning activates reward centers, all learning is emotionally colored, plasticity, neural pruning, nature and nurture, critical and optimal periods, the pattern-detecting brain, imitation and the social learning brain, group learning, empathy and social emotions, learning is multisensory, and learning requires memory. When this model and the components are applied to music teaching, they confirm best practices. Innovation pedagogical strategies will be forthcoming when there is a better understanding of the brain and music learning.