Magne Espeland

Dichotomies in music education – real or unreal?

The fact that a Norwegian has been invited to present a keynote at this international music education conference in Exeter, is itself a clear indication that international music education has come a long way over the past years. Practises being initiated in one part of the world travel to other parts and are adapted, in many cases, to local conditions and environments. Music education practises are not only spreading across borders and cultures, but they are also increasingly being recognised as parts of informal as well as formal learning environments. Likewise, music education seems to be spreading across professions, no longer being the arena mainly for teachers, but increasingly also for artists, media workers and technology people (Arnove 2007; Jorgensen 2003). I am not saying that this development is good or bad, that it has reached its full positive or negative potential, or that music education no longer exists as integrated parts of educational programmes in separate nations and cultures. But in terms of describing a general trend in music education as a profession, there is no doubt that globalisation takes place at a greater speed than ever before, and that this process profoundly influences the essence of music education. Having observed the increasing global activity in music education for the past years as an observer and participant in the international music education community, I have seen quite a bit of controversy in terms of cultural questions, e.g. critiques of Western music education as a colonising invader of non-western cultures (e.g. Nzewi and Nzewi 2007). However, I would also expect debates over questions dealing with the essence of music education and our professional identity as music educators. These debates have occurred, e.g. in the well-known Reimer versus Elliott debate of the late 1990s or in debates about the priority of ‘playing by ear’ or ‘notation’-based music education, but they do not, as I see it, dominate current debates in music education, be it internationally or locally. I will characterise the debates described above as intrinsic debates, because they take place within music education by insiders in the profession.

Improvisation in teaching and education—roots and applications

Abstract The main aim of this review article is to understand and discuss the concept of improvisation as a professional skill for teacher educators. The literature review suggests that five academic traditions are especially relevant to examine: Rhetoric, music, theatre/drama, organizational theory and education. The dialogic, open-scripted, interactive and responsive aspects of improvisation are common features for all the traditions we have examined and could provide a common basis for improvisation as a key curricular concept in teaching, and hence teacher education. Every day teachers are challenged to act in accordance with the situational needs and requirements arising in different pedagogical situations. We have identified four different aspects of improvisation, which appear to be of crucial importance in any discussion about improvisation as a key concept in education: (1) Communication and dialogues: Communication in improvisation can be described along a continuum of two positions: From the internal process of communication itself to the external intended result of it. The purpose can also vary from emphasizing the effect on the audience to emphasizing the process of exploration. (2) Structure and design: All traditions claim that to be a good professional improviser, you have to be aware of and be skilled in planning and structural thinking. (3) Repertoire: Learnable repertoires, shaped by content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, are an underlying prerequisite for improvisation in education. (4) Context: Professional improvisational practices are context dependent and domain specific to a great extent.

Towards a typology of improvisation as a professional teaching skill: Implications for pre-service teacher education programmes

Abstract In this article we discuss the concept of improvisation as a professional teaching skill. Our professional context is teacher education and our discussion is aimed at developing a categorized understanding, or rather a tentative typology, of what professional improvisation in teaching and teacher education might be. Undertaking such a bold endeavour has included literature reviews and in-depth interviews with practicing physical education teachers. We argue that improvisation in teaching needs to be professionalized. We suggest that a tentative typology of professional improvisation should include sequential, dialogic and exemplary improvisation, and that a description and introduction of such a typology could be a first step towards making improvisational skills accessible to student teachers as part of their pre-service teacher education. We conclude by arguing that further research is needed within classroom teaching and teacher education contexts in order to explore how improvisational practices in teaching could enhance education, as well as student learning.

Teachers’ Conceptions of Improvisation in Teaching: Inherent Human Quality or a Professional Teaching Skill?

ABSTRACT This article is based on a qualitative case study of teachers’ conceptions of improvisation in teaching. Empirical data are master student teachers’ texts (transcripts, reflections) based on observations and interviews of practising teachers. The texts were analysed in an abductive process. We can identify four specific characteristics of how improvisation in teaching is conceived; improvisation of design, improvisation in communication, and improvisation dependent on repertoire and context. However, teachers experience severe challenges in their improvisational practices, e.g. with regard to their knowledge base, the accountability agenda and teacher autonomy. Therefore, we argue that improvisation should be part of teacher education.

Designing Creative Inter-Disciplinary Science and Art Interventions in Schools: The Case of Write a Science Opera (WASO).

Abstract The goal of this qualitative study is to provide theoretical knowledge and design principles for a creative educational environment characterized by simultaneous study and exploration of science or math, and the arts: Write a Science Opera (WASO). To do so, we used a theory of creativity in education which links collaborative co-creation in creative activity, and identity: Wise Humanizing Creativity (WHC). Data were collected from teachers in interventions during which the WASO environment was implemented in two Norwegian primary schools. The topics of study were the multiplication table at the first school, and temperature at the second. Data relating to these participants’ experiences and perceptions were coded and analyzed in order to articulate the kind of creative activity witnessed. The data, which consisted of interviews and reflective notes, were analyzed based on Educational Design Research (EDR) theory in order to explore design principles which could enrich WASO in the future, as well as to provide theoretical knowledge to other educational researchers.