Breaking the mould: Provoking pedagogical change in music education

Abstract

Research suggests that classroom music education has become disconnected from the real world, becoming irrelevant or even alienating to students. This disconnect is the result of a perpetual cycle of teachers teaching in the manner they were taught. It is suggested that classroom music teachers are hesitant, even resistant to change despite decades of encouragement from the literature. Some have suggested that Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) may be the panacea by disseminating information to teachers in the field and fostering the formation of global communities of practice. This study examined one module of a MOOC designed to promote change in classroom music education practices. The article presents encouraging evidence that, given access to well-presented, carefully curated examples of practice which are connected to the literature and provide opportunities for peer-reviewed reflection, music educators internationally are willing to consider new methods and adopt or adapt them into their teaching.