Content uploaded by Gwen Moore
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Gwen Moore on Jul 16, 2020
Content may be subject to copyright.
1
Musical Futures in Ireland: Findings from a Pilot Study in Primary and
Secondary Schools
Gwen Moore
aDepartment of Arts Education & Physical Education, Mary Immaculate College, University
of Limerick, Ireland
Dr Gwen Moore gwen.moore@mic.ul.ie
Dr Gwen Moore is Senior Lecturer and Director of Teaching and Learning at Mary Immaculate
College, University of Limerick. Following a decade teaching music in secondary school, Gwen was
appointed to MIC in 2006 where she has been lecturing in music education since. She completed her
PhD in Music Education at the Institute of Education, University College London under the
supervision of Professor Lucy Green. She is author and co-author of articles in peer-reviewed journals
and edited books. She serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Music Education
and the edited books series Popular Musics Matter: Social, Political and Cultural Interventions.
This research was funded by the Irish Research Council under its New Foundations Award Scheme in
November 2015.
No potential conflict of interest is reported.
2
Musical Futures in Ireland: Findings from a Pilot Study in Primary and
Secondary Schools
This paper reports on a pilot study of the Musical Futures approach conducted in two
secondary and two primary schools in Ireland. A case study approach underpinned the
methodology for the study which included a survey questionnaire of students, semi-
structured interviews with music teachers and principals, non-participant observation and
focus groups with the students. Findings resonate with previous Musical Futures studies
internationally, for example, motivation for learning, developing critical listening and
ensemble skills, and enthusiasm for music as a subject. The paper will consider the
implications of the study for music education policy and practice in Ireland. Insights from
the study will provide key recommendations for incorporating Musical Futures in similar
contexts.
Keywords: Musical Futures; informal learning; non-formal teaching; teachers; students;
primary; secondary;
Introduction
Since Green’s (2002) seminal publication on how popular musicians learn, the concept of
informal learning in music education has been cited on numerous occasions and has been
implemented in practice through the Musical Futures (MF) research project in over six hundred
schools internationally (Hallam et al 2017). First implemented as a music education action
research project, drawing on research on informal learning generally associated with popular
music (Green 2002) and how this can be meaningfully applied in the classroom (Green 2008)
‘pathfinder projects’ were established in the UK in 2003 (Price 2005). Studies have shown that
the MF project has had a significant impact on a) enhancing teaching and learning in schools,
b) increasing pupil motivation, and c) contributing to a national strategy for music and young
people (D’Amore 2009; Green 2002; 2008; Jeanneret 2010; O’Neill et al 2011; Hallam et al,
2015). As an indicator of its global influence, MF has been incorporated into curricula in
Canada and Australia and has given rise to a wealth of collaborative scholarly outputs, for
3
example: Finney & Philpott (2010); Hallam et al, (2009; 2011; 2015); Lamont et al (2003);
O’Neill et al (2011); Wright et al, (2012).
At the heart of MF is the premise that young people’s existing passion for music should
be acknowledged and built upon in classroom music (Musical Futures, 2010). Less didactic
strategies and an emphasis on aural, collaborative learning are emphasised in the MF approach.
MF is founded upon principles of non-formal teaching led by adults and informal learning led
by students (Green 2002; 2008). Numerous evaluations of the MF approach have been
conducted in international contexts focusing on the impact on learners (Benson, 2012; Evans,
Beauchamp and John 2015; Hallam, Creech and McQueen 2015; Jeanneret 2010; John and
Evans 2013; O’Neill and Besflug 2011; Younker et al 2012). Studies have also examined
teachers’ perspectives (Jeanneret et al 2012; Gower 2012; Hallam et al 2015). The latest
research on the impact of the MF approach on teachers and their pedagogy and skills found a
significant impact on teachers’ pedagogical approaches whereby the principles underpinning
the approach such as playing by ear became more embedded in teachers’ planning and
pedagogy (Hallam et al 2017).
Despite the celebrated success of Irish popular musicians in public discourse (O’Flynn
2009), informal/non-formal learning in Irish secondary school music receives very little
attention in Irish educational policy and scholarly output (McCarthy 1999; O’Flynn 2009;
Moore 2014). Moreover, a hierarchy of values in relation to musical genres, knowledge and
skills has permeated Irish music education policy and practice at secondary and higher
education levels whereby Western classical music and formal pedagogy tend to predominate
(Moore 2012; 2015).
Research on informal learning within the Irish context is particularly scant apart from
a few studies. This could be due to the prevalence of more informal approaches to the learning
of Irish traditional music in community contexts and online (Waldron 2010; Kenny 2013).
4
Downey (2009) examined similarities and differences of informal learning in Irish music and
the informal learning of students’ popular music making described in Green’s (2008) research.
She notes that Irish traditional music is a part of popular music culture in Ireland and that an
increasing number of students present as Irish traditional music vocal/instrumental performers,
either solo or group performance for state examinations. As Irish traditional music already
features significantly in music education curricula at primary and secondary levels, it could be
argued that MF approaches might be more readily received. Equally, it could be argued that
contention for space in the curriculum for both Western classical and Irish traditional music
could obfuscate the role that popular music can play in these contexts also.
Music Education in Ireland
Similar to the UK, music at primary level in Ireland is taught mostly by generalist teachers.
Such teachers are already charged with delivering a very broad curriculum, thus having
excessive demands placed on them. Recurring issues of self-confidence in primary teachers’
musical ability (Hennessy, 2000; Holden and Button, 2004; De Vries 2015; Henley 2016) can
result in avoidance of the teaching of music in pre and in-service contexts. Therefore, the
musical experiences a child has at primary level, are largely dependent on the teacher(s) they
encounter. Music is usually taught by the generalist primary teacher though many primary
schools employ a specialist music teacher.
Ireland also has a unique context of smaller schools in rural areas with only two or three
teachers one of whom may also act as a teaching principal. Thus, a number of extraneous
factors need to be borne in mind when conducting a pilot study of MF in very different
5
educational contexts of scale and practice to the UK and Canada, for example. As the findings
will show, this context often affords more possibilities for co-teaching and collaboration.
In Ireland, full-time second-level education is split into Junior Cycle (12-15 years of age)
and Senior Cycle (from 16-18). At the end of the Junior Cycle, students sit a standardised
examination entitled the Junior Certificate Examination. Music is not compulsory in secondary
schools and many do not offer music as a subject (Smyth 2011). Publically-funded Irish
secondary schools that do offer music as an elective subject tend to have only one music
teacher. A dedicated music classroom usually features but can have minimal instrumental
resources such as one piano, a guitar etc. Equality of access to the study of music at second-
level education in Ireland is therefore inconsistent, due to the ‘optional’ status of music and the
absence of musical traditions within schools (Smyth 2011). Thus, not all students have access
to music education within statutory secondary education.
The potential for receptiveness among teachers and students towards informal learning
approaches such as those used in MF within both primary and secondary contexts and within
the Irish context have not been examined heretofore. Following a successful funding
application to the Irish Research Council for the project, the author undertook the first pilot
study of the implementation of MF in Ireland. This paper offers a unique contribution to the
field of MF and music education research on three fronts: first, by documenting school
learners’, teachers’ and managements’ experiences of MF in Ireland; second, by providing
experiences of MF from both primary and secondary contexts and third, by documenting the
the pilot of MF’s ‘Just Play’ strand in both primary and secondary schools.
The specific research questions were:
– To what extent did the Musical Futures approach enhance music learning in primary
and secondary schools during the MF Ireland pilot?
6
– To what extent did the Musical Futures approach enhance primary and secondary
teachers’ confidence and pedagogy during the MF Ireland pilot?
– To what extent can the Musical Futures approach complement curricular and
pedagogical planning?
Research Design
Similar to Evans et al (2015) study of MF in Wales, a case study design was selected. It was
important that the design would allow for both generic and site specific characteristics (Denzin
and Lincoln 2011) in each context and across school types. Before inviting schools to
participate in the study, it was vital to bring key stakeholders from various sectors (generalist
teachers, principals, specialist music teachers, policymakers, instrumental teachers) together to
discuss the approach and participate in workshops. Three phases to the study were planned (see
Fig. 1). Personnel from Musical Futures UK (Abigail D’Amore and Fran Hannan) were invited
to present and provide workshops for participants in primary and secondary contexts. A
symposium was convened by the author on 18 June 2016 which was widely advertised via
social media, teachers associations and word of mouth.
Insert Figure 1 Here
Researchers Dr Ruth Wright and Dr Maria Varvarigou were also invited to share their findings
on the MF approach in Canada and in instrumental contexts. From the Irish context and
perspective, Rosaleen Molloy (National Director, Music Generation) and Stephen McFarlane
(Secondary school teacher and member of the Post Primary Music Teachers’ Association) were
invited to participate in a panel discussion chaired by the author. Over fifty delegates attended
from a range of music education sectors. This consultative process was critical in ensuring the
success of the pilot study as it allowed for concerns to be discussed in advance and for
participants to consider applying to be part of the pilot study. Participants were then invited by
7
the author to discuss the possibility of implementing the approach with management in their
schools and to volunteer as a participating pilot school. A shared Dropbox folder was set up
for the sharing of resources and teachers were encouraged to join social media applications
such as MF Facebook group and to participate in #MuFuChat on Twitter. Soon after the
symposium, two primary schools and two secondary schools whose principals had agreed to
the project volunteered to participate in the pilot study (see sample details in Table 1.1). A
follow-up workshop and meeting was organised for the teachers by the author in August 2016
to revisit workshopping the MF content, to discuss any concerns in terms of planning, and to
agree the research methods and parameters of the study. The workshops focused on two MF
strands ‘Just Play’ and ‘Informal Learning’.
(1) Just Play comprises a bank of resources designed for use with late primary and early
secondary students. Multimedia files feature visual chord charts for ukulele, guitar,
keyboards, lyrics/vocals and a bass line of many popular songs which allow the learner
to play while the song plays. This approach is non-formal but sequentialised and led by
the teacher using the interactive resources. The teacher’s role in Just Play is less formal
in that they perform and learn alongside their students. This is particularly appropriate
for the primary teacher who may feel ill-equipped with the skills and knowledge to
teach music themselves.
(2) Informal Learning is based on the real-life learning practices for popular musicians
where students learn alongside friends choosing music they like and identify with and
through self-directed learning. The teacher’s role is one of facilitation where they stand
back and observe the learning and intervene only when needed.
8
Sample
Schools A and B are two co-educational rural primary schools in County Clare. School A has
circa 30 pupils on its rolls and just two classroom teachers, one of whom is also the principal.
Students are grouped into two cohorts Junior Infants – 2nd Classes (Ages 4-8) and Third to
Sixth Classes (Ages 9-12).
School B is a small primary school in County Clare with circa 85 pupils on its roll. Classes are
subdivided into the four biennial groups as follows (Junior/Senior Infants; 1st/2nd; 3rd/4th’ 5th/6th
classes). Both schools A and B have very limited resources in terms of technology, space and
musical instruments. Despite having limited funding and resources, both schools pay a music
specialist teacher who visits the schools one day per week for music lessons. The music
specialist chose to pilot the ‘Just Play’ programme in both schools.
School C is a boy’s secondary school in South Dublin with 600+ students and one music
teacher. Music is offered as an elective subject for both Junior and Senior Cycles. A music
room was available with a range of resources such as keyboards, a drumkit, one bass guitar and
some ukuleles. In this school, many students brought in extra instruments from home and
neighbours for the project. In the second year cohort which I observed, twenty students were
present for the music lesson. This teacher used ‘Just Play’ with his second year group but also
incorporated ‘Informal Learning’ with a fifth year cohort.
School D is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school in County Cork with 700+ on
its roll. It has one music teacher and a music classroom with a piano and guitar. An adjacent
small room used for storing ukuleles became invaluable when students broke out into groups
9
for the Informal Learning sessions. Similar to School C, music is offered at both Junior and
Senior cycle. This teacher chose to pilot ‘Informal Learning’ with a second year cohort.
Insert Table 1 here
Methods
Data are drawn from implementation of the MF approach across two school terms in four self-
selecting schools (two primary and two secondary) during the Spring of 2017 (see Table 1).
Data were gathered through secondary pupil questionnaires, teacher and principal interviews,
non-participant observation of music lessons, audio-recording of lessons and focus group
interviews with primary and secondary students.
Prior to commencement of the fieldwork, I met with the school principals to discuss the
project and the ethical considerations for all aspects of the study. While principals and teachers
were very enthusiastic about the project, it was vital to ensure that all students were included
in the MF approach and that very clear guidelines were in place for students/parents who did
not wish to participate in the data gathering process. This meant that only students who had
returned signed consent and assent forms were included in the survey and/or focus group
interviews.
Questionnaires were designed for secondary students only and were brief enough for
students to complete as accurately as possible within a limited time-frame. They included
Likert-style statements from strongly agree – strongly disagree derived from previous MF
evaluations. Data were analysed using SPSS. In addition, space was provided for qualitative
comments asking which aspects of MF they did/did not enjoy. Interviews were semi-structured
to allow flexibility and consistency (Cohen, Mannion and Morrison 2007). Individual
interviews were conducted with the two secondary music teachers, one specialist music teacher
10
who provided music lessons to the two primary schools and with the two principals of the
primary schools. These interviews included questions on the teachers’ experiences of MF as a
pedagogical approach, the development of musical knowledge and skills and their perceptions
of students’ holistic development and response to the approach. The two principals were asked
the same questions (as they had participated alongside the music specialist) and were also asked
about the benefit of the approach for the school as a whole.
Eleven focus group interviews were conducted with students who took part in the pilot.
Each interview posed a series of questions around the students’ prior music learning
experiences, their views on working alongside friends and in friendship groups, the skills they
had developed and themes for further exploration. This then provided holistic coherence to the
project (Ashley 2012). All interviews were audio-recorded, fully transcribed and analysed after
each interview. A thematic analysis of interviews highlighted many consistencies with
students’ experiences of MF and the detail within the qualitative data provided insights into
how MF was operating within and across each primary and secondary school context. It should
be noted that focus groups with the primary school students proved more challenging than
expected due to their age and wont to discuss extraneous issues unrelated to the music lesson.
As a former teacher and parent of younger children, I found myself on numerous occasions
gently bringing them back to the questions at hand and probing where possible for further
discussion. Most of the findings focus on the qualitative data from the teachers and students.
11
Findings
Enhancing music learning
As Figure 2 illustrates, responses to the Likert statements were overwhelmingly positive with
overall unanimous agreement on the enjoyment of MF lessons and wanting to do well in MF
lessons. The majority of students stated that they had learned new musical skills, felt they had
achieved a lot and that the activities had helped them to become better musicians. Most stated
that they worked better when with friends and three quarters of the students stated that they did
not need more help in MF lessons suggesting that they were happy to work independently.
Insert Figure 2 here
A thematic analysis of the interviews and focus groups revealed similar findings from close
examination of learner and teacher experiences of MF. The qualitative data provided key insights
into the ways in which the MF approach manifested for both students and teachers. When probing
more deeply into the themes emerging from the data a set of over-arching themes prevailed. They
are combined in the narrative that follows under the following headings:
1. Access and Opportunity
2. Musical confidence
3. Learning together
Access and Opportunity
Developing musical knowledge and skills
When asked about content and pedagogical approaches to music teaching prior to the
implementation of the MF pilot, both students and teachers both two secondary schools
explained that pedagogical approaches were mostly teacher-led and directed. This in turn, gave
little autonomy to the learners and placed more strain on the part of the teacher to select music
he/she thought students had to learn. This approach tended to focus on listening to music and
curriculum prescribed set works because only a few in the group could already play musical
instruments. The following quotations illustrate this from both the student and teacher
perspective:
12
We never really played instruments before now…like some of the guys had already learned in
primary but most of us hadn’t. We were just like you know, listening to music and then some of
them that played already, got to play for the teacher (Focus group C2, School C)
Like before now, it was kinda boring, you’re reading sheet music and it’s all classical as well. We
never done anything more than classical music, we only done the same song over and over for
about three months, same instrument, same tune and then there’s no changes, it’s just getting
louder…(Focus group C3, School C)
The teacher corroborated this account and described how the Just Play resources and method
of whole class performing changed his practice and his perception of the potential for
connecting with the music they could relate to:
I thought it [Just Play] was excellent particularly the choice of songs because it’s relevant to the
students in their life as opposed to me bringing in a piece of music that they might not necessarily
want to connect with so you know, instantaneous connection and instantaneous success with the
playing and the performing which I think if it does anything, the one thing it’s doing is creating
that kind of love for music and also the confidence then to go on and play a couple of pieces after
the backing tracks. (Music Teacher, School D)
As stated earlier, unequal opportunity in music education is documented elsewhere (Music
Network 2003; Moore 2015), and in the excerpt below, the teacher explains how he is now
conscious that his approach prior to MF was only really serving those who could already play
an instrument while those who could not were asked to sing along during puberty when their
voices were beginning to break. The teacher suggests that MF has afforded a more inclusive
approach to music:
Like before, I would have brought a song in and would have sat at the piano and I would have
expected them all to sing along with me and then if it appeared there was one good guitarist or
one drummer, they would be given an instrument…it was only if a player was getting the lesson
outside he’d be handed the guitar and the rest of them would be expected to sing along because I
would have felt ah there’s no time to teach twenty four individuals but that didn’t work ‘cos of
voices breaking and their confidence, whereas this creates a space and the time very quickly for
all of them to be performing. (Music Teacher, School C).
At primary level in Ireland, many school teachers incorporate the playing of tin whistle into
the performing strand. The instrument is very inexpensive, accessible and can be taught
using aural and ABC notation methods. One of the focus groups in School B referred to
13
their preferences for popular music and songs than the tin whistle and also the sense of
playing like a band:
(S1) The music we're playing is - we’d already know the songs kind of
(S2) More modern, than like the classical stuff
(S3) Yeah, like the songs we play on the tin whistle are kind of older songs that nobody would
really know that well (ok) So it’s more fun playing the modern songs
(S4) And it’s played more modern as a band then than just the tin whistle
(Focus Group B2, School B)
Another student explicitly stated how he may not have had the opportunity to learn the
guitar were it not for MF:
I’ve had a guitar in my house for a couple of years and I’ve always wanted to know how to play
it but I never got to do lessons…but I was happy to do them now because if I didn’t I probably
never would have got to…(Focus Group A1, School A).
Development of Musical Knowledge and Skills
Using ‘Just Play’ in primary school allowed active learning where all pupils were engaged
in the performing of just one chord:
…there’s an instant success for the lads in the school here and from the moment we started it like
where we started it with the Funky Jam and there was one chord and they were instantly playing
with the backing track and you know even though what they are doing is quite simple, there still
is a level of the skill because they are keeping a steady beat… (Music Teacher, School B)
One of the key learning objectives in the Primary School Curriculum (NCCA 1999) musical
elements, is the ability for primary students to feel pulse and to be able to keep a steady
beat. In the above comment, the teacher has noticed that while the task may appear quite
easy, the students must not only keep the beat but also play the chord simultaneously. Both
teachers and students referred on many occasions that the MF approach demanded listening
skills and that their aural ability and sense of ensemble was improving:
…“You realise like when you’re about to play, you realise more about the song, like oh, I didn’t
realise that chord was there … it shows how hard it is to actually make the song because you
realise how it’s been put together... (Focus Group C1, School C)
14
Similar to Green’s (2008) findings that students tend to focus only on lyrics when listening to
music and that this changed when engaged in playing by ear. Schools C and D also
incorporated the Informal Learning aspects whereby friendship groups selected a song and
copied it by ear. Some of the students in this study described how they were now listening more
closely to the harmony and instruments:
S3: Like, I listen more to the background than the voice…
S1: Whenever I listen to a song now it’s just like the harmony is always there in my head and
the instruments in the background.. (Focus group D1, School D)
S2: You have to listen to the rhythm and the beat and where to come in…like if I listen to a new
song that I haven’t heard before, I can other things I wouldn’t have heard before (Focus group
C2, School C)
Peer learning, inclusion and friendships
Peer learning came through as a theme in all of the five contexts as well as friendship. Students
expressed empathy and patience in waiting for their peers to catch up or in assisting them to do
a particular task:
In our group, we are all friends now, so like we can just slow down if a person is going wrong
and you can help them…like last week me and Aidan got to share a keyboard… (Focus Group
B3, School B)
Like there’s ukulele, piano, bass guitar, guitar, drums like different options and it’s all with your
friends and all…(Focus Group C3, School C)
Students described feeling proud of being able to ‘show’ others how to play something or
lead in some way with their friends:
S: The other day when we were doing guitar like I’m not bragging now but teacher said that
cause I was able to get it quickly…she was asking me to go around showing people because I
knew how to get it
R: So you’re doing a bit of teaching then?
S: Yeah, but there were other people teaching me as well... (Focus Group B2, School B)
15
All of the teachers stated that they had noticed more cooperation between students and that
the opportunities for peer learning and that whole class performing led to a bonding within
groups:
There’s definitely a bonding of the class because you know the sort of memorable moments
when you “remember the day where your man missed that note!” so it has bonded the class no
end because they’re having great fun with it…everyone’s in this together, there’s a sort of
camaraderie that goes with it… (Music Teacher, School C)
Teachers reported that they were more equipped to identify individual strengths and musical
skills within the group during whole class performing and were therefore able to differentiate
where needed:
So, like I’ve a few who can already play instruments outside of school, say a couple of grade
piano players and a couple of wind players so like, I’ve said that’s grand you don’t have to bring
in your clarinet ‘cos I’m going to hand you a ukulele now…so, now they’re learning something
new (Music Teacher, School C)
Confidence and Motivation for Learning
Previous studies on the impact of MF document a perceived increased in students’ self-esteem
and confidence, motivation for learning, and transferable skills (Hallam et al 2015; 2017).
Interview questions were posed around extra-musical benefits or other types of learning
teachers felt that students had developed during the pilot. Teachers reported an increased sense
of confidence in some pupils and more motivation for music learning:
…There’s one boy - oh my goodness – he has improved no end. Actually he has probably shone
and he’s not a shiner, you know, he’s really a quiet fella…his guitar playing has improved, you
have no idea the improvement and confidence in him. His parents told me at a parent teacher
meeting that when he got to play the ukulele at the school mass because he knew the chords, he
was absolutely thrilled. I didn’t even realise like how big a deal this was for him until his
parents told me. (Music Teacher, School D)
Similarly, in one of the primary schools, the principal described how one boy’s lack of
confidence had changed since starting the pilot:
There’s a boy in that class…he has very low confidence, not interest in music but also very low
confidence in himself. Before, I was just trying to teach him the tin whistle, he’s in fifth class
now, but every day he would come in, he couldn’t learn the notes and play the tune and he
would be very emotional like, crying so I had to abandon it because he was so upset and give
16
him the triangle instead. So through the programme now he’s learning the guitar which is a
massive step considering he had none and he didn’t like music before. Now he’s playing the
guitar away and without seeming to notice that he’s learning. (Principal and teacher, School A)
Another teacher spoke explained that motivation for learning was crucial for success in his
teaching and that MF’s Just Play had enhanced student engagement:
I think what I’m learning here in this school is that the most important kinda tool in your
training box, you know, you methodology arsenal, is that you can motivate students, that you
grab them and you have them, and once you have them, you can get great things done. The
resources are brilliant for that. (Music Teacher, School C)
Renewed self-confidence in teaching and musical ability
As mentioned earlier in the paper, international studies have documented the lack of confidence
that generalist primary teachers have in the teaching of music (Holden & Button 2002 DeVries
2005), that many avoid teaching the subject (Hennessy 2000) despite the fact that primary
teachers are musical and have much potential to teach music at primary level (Henley 2016).
In both of the primary schools that were involved in the pilot, the principals who were also
both teaching a class group had employed a specialist music teacher to teach music to all class
groups in the school. Upon interviewing them about the reason for this, their explanations
resonated with findings in the literature:
Like, I’m the least bit musical and I know staff here felt similar. I didn’t want the kids to not
have music so having Nora here as a specialist has been brilliant. Normally, I wouldn’t stay in
the classroom while she’s here but this time I decided to join in. (Principal, School B)
The other principal described how he felt his strengths were in sport and that although he had
played music when younger, he felt he was not equipped to teach it well enough himself:
I played the accordion when I was younger but then I stopped in secondary school. I wasn’t very
proficient really. I started playing hurling and then sport took over. Like I went to a boy’s school
and let’s say for the boys, like hurling, sport, you know… music would be looked down on. I
suppose maybe it wouldn’t be seen as a macho thing, it’s just that attitude (Principal, School A)
17
Whilst this principal/teacher had been teaching some music lesson before, he spoke about the
benefits of having a specialist in his primary setting for getting the MF Just Play programme
started and that he could continue it when the specialist teacher is now there:
I find they’re in a routine, they know the basics and that lack of confidence I had is now gone. I
think if you were to start off without a specialist you’ve got most teachers’ lack of confidence
maybe, the pupils’ lack of confidence and I think children have that sense, if you don’t like
music, they know. I think you need someone to give you that starting point and it’s much easier
now because they’re immersed in it. (Principal, School A)
In the other primary school, the principal had decided to learn alongside her students with the
specialist teacher and explained the experience for her as a learner:
Especially for someone like me who is not the least bit musical, to find myself in the midst of
my own class learning along with them – it’s new, it’s humbing, it’s exhilarating to be honest.
We are literally learning together. For me, I’m talking from the teacher’s perspective now, it’s
ground-breaking but rewarding to be learning with the class. (Principal, School B)
She went on to explain how children were demonstrating to her and sharing their knowledge
and skills without fear of failure:
I don’t get the impression “oh no, I still don’t know how to play that chord”. Well, sometimes I
still don’t know how to play all of the chords (laughs) but you know I can ask the child beside
me and it’s fine, there’s never, “aw, who played that awful note?” or “who started out of time?”.
And I think the children are feeling the same. It’s good for them to have the teacher amongst
them and all learning together, all setting off together on this journey. (Principal, School B)
As a result of the MF pilot, both secondary teachers stated that they had experienced a more
innovative approach to pedagogy and assessment with a strong acknowledgement that
formative assessment played a key role in the pupils’ learning. One of the music teachers stated
that previous school’s inspectorate reports had recommended more innovative pedagogies and
18
peer learning. He felt that if they were to return for an inspection and observe the learning, the
recommendations would be very different:
…One area we did fall down on last time was we were told that old approaches were witnessed
and that the school should get some CPD and embrace new methodologies for teaching. So I
think if they had witnessed that class today they would have been seeing groupwork, they would
have been seeing peers working together, they would have seen you know, whole class
involvement, and you know formative assessment because they are constantly assessing “Am I
on the right chord”? , “Am I in time with the others?”.
He went on then to give an example of how the group’s sense of ensemble was improved
through listening and assessing:
There was one part in the song today, I don’t know if you noticed, where they went off the beat
and you could see them trying, I didn’t want to get up and stop them and then they figured it out
and came back in again, that’s formative assessment, you couldn’t ask for better. (Music
Teacher, School C)
Challenges with MF
Teachers referred to challenges that are documented in other MF pilots such as a lack of space
for groups to rehearse and to store instruments. Access to instruments (ukulele, guitars,
keyboards etc) was initially perceived as a mitigating barrier to implementation however, the
teachers in this pilot encouraged the local community to loan or donate unwanted/unused
instruments. In some cases, students used other non-band instruments such as recorder, tin
whistle and tuned percussion. Teachers also mentioned that the setting up of ground rules was
perceived as vital to success in terms of the groupwork aspect and in ensuring that no student
was excluded. Similar to previous studies on the informal learning ‘in at the deep end’ approach
(D’Amore 2009; Wright et al 2012; Evans et al 2015), the role of the secondary teachers
seemed to shift from director to facilitator. One teacher described a tension in terms of striking
a balance between standing back and observing with wanting to intervene and assist:
The hardest thing I find it to keep my mouth shut and not put my spake in so often…when
they were doing ‘I can’t help falling in love’…at one point there’s an interrupted cadence
and it was on the tip of my tongue, but I was like hmmm fire away, you know… (Music
Teacher School D).
19
When students were selecting a song to copy, a tension was also observed in the negotiation
around which song(s) would be chosen and which would be feasible. However, this was not
always perceived as a negative things as students were tasked with developing extra-musical
skills in cooperation, agreement and reflection:
They’d decide on a song one week and then the next week they’d say no actually, we’re
not going to do that one. And you’d be saying hmm, is that wasting time, though I suppose
none of it is really wasting time because they’re still having to negotiate and work out stuff
together (Music Teacher, School D).
Discussion
The findings from this study resonate with many of the findings from previous MF studies. All
teachers and the majority of students were of the view that there was a greater enjoyment and
motivation in music learning. The emphasis on practical whole group engagement in using the
‘Just Play’ resources were seen as a catalyst to a more inclusive, praxial music-making
pedagogies whereby teachers observed enhanced musical knowledge and skills, concentration,
listening and ensemble skills and high levels of cooperation. The emphasis on performing
alongside pupils using the ‘Just Play’ non-formal approach increased primary teachers’
confidence and musical ability while it served as a springboard to informal learning in the
secondary school contexts.
This research has a number of limitations. Because this was the first pilot study of MF
in Ireland and there was much publicity and enthusiasm around the symposium day and
workshops, there was a potential for bias and a ‘halo’ effect around something new. It could
be argued that because schools volunteered to participate in the research and were already on
board, that this bias may have distorted the findings. However, teachers were encouraged to
reflect critically on the pilot implementation and to speak honestly about their concerns.
Students were not as aware that MF was a new ‘thing’ in music lessons per se; rather, they
seemed to think that the genre and instruments were the new addition to their lessons.
20
Nonetheless, it is important to highlight key challenges teachers and students face when new
approaches to music learning and teaching are being piloted. The first is the risk that the teacher
faces in embarking on an approach that may be very different to their usual practice and the
perceived reaction of students to this new practice. The other challenge is balancing the needs
of covering the curriculum content and the practical music-making. Within the Irish context
however, students must perform for 30% of their Junior Cycle examination and can perform
for up to 50% of the Senior Cycle examination. Criticism of a lack of infrastructure for the
realisation of all pupils performing in state examinations (Moore 2014) may be unwarranted if
MF approaches are embedded in the commencement and roll-out of secondary school music
programmes. As other research highlights, MF may give rise to increasing numbers of students
opting to study school music (Hallam et al 2017) but further studies are required to confirm
this speculation.
The instrumental skills required for implementing informal learning and playing by ear
in rock/pop may also pose challenges for teachers. Many secondary teachers in the Irish context
are classically trained and may lack confidence in their ability to assist students in these genres.
However, as Downey (2009) highlights, secondary teachers with a background in Irish
traditional music or those who identify as bimusical (see O’Flynn 2005) and who have learned
to play by ear may feel more confident incorporating MF in their teaching. Regardless of
playing by ear, the instrumental skills required to set up, tune and play ukuleles, guitars, bass
guitars and drumkits and the associated musical skills required to engage with rock/pop music
cannot be underestimated. Initial teacher education and continuing professional development
can play a pivotal role in this regard in introducing teachers to the MF approach. Further studies
could investigate MF implementation in initial teacher education within the Irish and
international contexts for both generalist and specialist teachers.
21
Conclusion
In sum, this study sought to: a) document the teaching and learning experiences of practitioners
and students at both primary and secondary levels on the extent to which the MF approach
enhanced students’ musical knowledge and skills and teachers’ confidence and pedagogy, and
b) to bring current research on the conceptual framing of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment
in music education to bear on political and public debate. As the data from this study have
shown, the MF approach has much to offer music learners and teachers in primary and
secondary schools. It can boost confidence and musical knowledge and skills in generalist
primary teachers and consequently enable more access to music for students at primary level.
At secondary level, MF can enable all students regardless of background or financial
circumstances to learn how to play a number of instruments and afford leadership opportunities
for students who already play outside of school. Pivotal to the success of MF was the impact
that autonomy and choice as well as the multi-media ‘Just Play’ resources had on motivation
for music learning and for music as a subject. It can be used to enhance the curriculum by
embedding listening and performing skills in set works/pieces and in developing musical
understanding. As iterated, if it is to be adopted widely, teachers need to receive professional
development and a broader understanding of music needs to be understood by school
management and policy-makers.
References
D’Amore, A. 2014. Musical Futures: An Approach to Teaching and Learning. 2nd ed.
London. Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
Downey, J. 2009. Informal learning in music in the Irish secondary school context. Action,
Criticism, and Theory for Music Education 8/2: 46–59.
http://act.maydaygroup.org/articles/Downey8_2.pdf
22
Elliot, J. 1991. Action research for educational change. Milton Keynes: Open University
Press.
Evans, S., G. Beauchamp and V. John 2015. Learners' experience and perceptions of informal
learning in Key Stage 3 music: a collective case study, exploring the implementation
of Musical Futures in three secondary schools in Wales, Music Education Research,
17:1, 1-16.
Finney, J. and Philpott, C. 2010. ‘Informal Learning and Met-pedagogy in Initial Teacher
Education in England’. British Journal of Music Education 27 (1): 7-19.
Gower, A. 2012. “Integrating Informal Learning Approaches into the Formal Learning
Environment of Mainstream Secondary Schools in England.” British Journal of Music
Education 29 (1): 13-18.
Green, L. 2002. How Popular Musicians Learn: A Way Ahead for Music Education.
Aldershot: Ashgate.
Green , L. 2008. Music, Informal Learning and the School: A New Classroom Pedagogy.
Aldershot: Ashgate.
Hallam, S., A. Creech, and H. McQueen. 2009. Musical Futures: A Case Study Investigation:
an Interim Report from the Institute of Education, University of London for the Paul
Hamlyn Foundation. London: Institute of Education.
Hallam, S., A. Creech, and H. McQueen. 2015. Teachers’ perceptions of the impact on
students of the Musical Futures approach. Music Education Research, 19 (3): 263-
275.
Jeanneret, N. 2010. ‘Musical Future in Victoria.’ Australian Journal of Music Education (2):
148-164. Accessed October 22, 2015.
23
http://searchinformit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=813591038166404;res=IELHSS.
ISSN: 0004-9484.
Lamont, A. D.J. Hargreaves, N.A. Marshall and M. Tarrant. 2003. ‘Young People’s Music in
and out of School.’ British Journal of Music Education 20 (3): 229-241.
Moore, G. 2012. “Tristan chords and random scores”: exploring undergraduate students'
experiences of music in higher education through the lens of Bourdieu. Music
Education Research, Vol 14:1, 63-78.
Moore, G. 2014. ‘Mind the gap: privileging epistemic access to knowledge in the transition
from Leaving Certificate music to higher education’, Irish Educational Studies, Vol:
33: 3, 249-268.
Mc Carthy, M. 1999. Passing it on: the transmission of music in Irish culture, Cork: Cork
University Press.
McQueen, H., Hallam, S., and Creech, A. 2018. Teachers’ and students’ music preferences
for secondary school music lessons: reasons and implications. Music Education
Research 20 (1): 22-31.
O’ Flynn, J. 2005. A Critical examination of the Idea of Bimusicality: Its relevance to music
education in contemporary Irish society, In Music –Culture-Society, eds V. Rogers et
al, 192-205. Perth: University of Western Australia.
O’Flynn, J. 2009. The Irishnesss of Irish Music. Aldershot: Ashgate.
O’ Neill, S. and K. Bespflug. (2011) ‘Musical Futures come to Canada: Engaging Students in
Real World Music Learning’. Canadian Music Educator/Musicien Éducateur Au
Canada 53 (2): 25. Education Research Complete. EBSCOhpst. Accessed November
9 2015.
24
Stake, R. E. 2000. The case study method in social inquiry. In R. Gomm, M. Hammersley &
P. Foster (Eds). Case study method: Key issues, key texts.London: Sage Publications.
Stakelum, M. 2008. Primary music education: The misrepresentation of the ideals of
curricula in research. Irish Educational Studies, 27, no 3: 281-293.
Stringer, E.T. 2014. Action Research 4th Ed. London: Sage.
Väkevä, L. 2010. ‘Garage Band or GarageBand? Remixing Musical Futures. British Journal
if Music Education 27 (1): 59-70.
Wright, R., B.A. Younker, C. Benyon., J. Hutchinson., L. Linton. 2012. ‘Tuning into the
Future: Sharing Initial Insights about the 2012 Musical Futures Pilot Project in
Ontario’. Canadian Music Educator/Musicien Éducateur Au Canada 53 (4): 14-18.
Wright, R. 2015. ‘Now We’re the Musicians’: Using Bourdieu’s Concepts of Habitus, Capital
and Field to Analyse Informal Learning in Canadian Music Education, in (Eds)
Burnard, P., Hofvander Trulsson, Y. and Soderman, J. Bourdieu and the Sociology of
Music Education, Farnham: Ashgate.
25
Table 1. School Sample
School
Level
Type
Class
Ages
Teachers
No. of
Studen
ts
No. of
Focus
Groups
MF Strand
A
Primary
Rural School
3rd-6th
class
Age
9-12
Specialist
Teacher &
Principal
20
3
Just Play
B
Primary
Rural School
5th-6th
class
Age
11-12
Specialist
Teacher &
Principal
16
2
Just Play
C
Secondary
Urban Boy’s
School
Year 2
Age
13-14
Music Teacher
22
3
Just Play
D
Secondary
Mixed
Comprehensive
Year 2
Age
13-14
Music Teacher
16
3
Informal
Learning
Figure 1. Research Design and Phases of the Study
26
Figure 2. Secondary students’ experiences of MF
