Turning experience into learning: Educational contributions of collaborative peer songwriting during music therapy training

Abstract

This article reports on a study of 21 Australian and United States (US) tertiary/university students involved in training to become professional music therapists. The study aimed to identify the learning outcomes – musical, professional, and personal – that occurred when students participated in collaborative peer songwriting experiences. Student dyads (and one triad) co-created two songs with peers related to their clinical experiences. After the study, participants provided written reflections on pre-determined questions to identify students’ perceived learning. A content analysis of their responses was undertaken by the authors and forwarded to students for verification. Analysis of student reflections revealed that students developed a deeper understanding of the therapeutic potential of songwriting, including its capacity to express mixed emotions. Their professional skills were enhanced, particularly that of insight and reflection. Further, learning about the self was evident in their identification of their own strengths and weaknesses, the way they respond to stress, and how they can utilize songwriting as a tool for managing their emotional states. In addition to how these results relate to music therapist training, we outline how these findings relate to and may be applied within music teacher education training as well.