The Future of Education

The important mission of higher education is to produce qualified students who show competencies relating to the requirements of employers. The management of teaching and learning activities should promote students’ identities and lifelong learning skills. Active learning is an approach within
student-centered learning concept that emphasizes learning by doing and acquiring knowledge through experience. As a lecturer at Silpakorn University, I am responsible for the Introduction to Music Pedagogy course (IMP), one of the subjects in the Bachelor of Music in Performance (revised curriculum A.D. 2016), the Faculty of Music, Silpakorn University, Thailand. After finishing the course, students should be able to explain music teaching principles suitable for human development. Besides, they are required to apply music teaching principles to a real situation. Due to the aim of this course to construct new knowledge through learning by doing, active learning is, therefore, employed in the class. The 4As stages were developed based on the application of active learning in Introduction to Music Pedagogy classes. The first A is called “Arousing”. Its purposes are to arouse students’ curiosities and motivate learning needs. Diagnosing students’ prior music teaching experiences is included. The activities in this stage comprise students sharing their experiences in music teaching as well as teachers surveying students’ attitudes towards music teaching. The second A stage, “Acquiring knowledge”, focuses on music teaching theory and practice. Students are assisted in discovering music teaching knowledge and skills through practice, group discussion, and class observation. Focusing on knowledge construction, the third A stage “Applying” encourages students to apply music teaching principles in a real situation. Exchanging experiences with friends and reflecting on their own music teaching skills are also important activities in this stage. The final A, “Announcing”, aims to share the knowledge students discovered from their music teaching experiences with the public; students are required to create music teaching contents depending on their topics of interest.

Keywords: Active Learning, Music Pedagogy,  Silpakorn University

References:

[1]  Caine, R.N., Caine, G., McClintic., C., & Klimek, K.J. (2009). 12 brain/mind learning principles in action: Developing executive functions of the human brain (2nd ed.). Corwin Press.

[2] Hazzan, O., Lapidot, T., & Ragonis, N. (2011). Guide to teaching computer science: An activity-based approach. Springer Press.

[3] Tileston, D.W. (2007). Teaching strategies for active learning. Five essentials for your teaching plan. SAGE.