Online music collaboration project: Digitally mediated, deterritorialized music education

Abstract

This article investigates and interrogates notions of student-centered music learning through collaboration in digital spaces. By harnessing the power and potential of Internet networks, one music educator in Miami, FL challenged his students to an online music collaboration project (OMCP) where students were asked to engage in deterritorialized collaborations with persons outside their classroom spaces. While in class collaboration was a hallmark of the class in other projects and areas of study, this particular 7-week project specifically targeted deterritorialized student collaborations through networked mediated digital music tools. The data discusses participant perspectives and contextualizes it within implications for music education in an evolving social sphere. The purpose of this research is to shed light on new pedagogies and push boundaries on what constitutes musical sharing places. While the students in this study needed guidance from the teacher/facilitator, the student agency, freedom and flow that resulted from the OMCP revealed an enthusiastic student perspective that was ripe for creativity. Implications for music education include widened notions of what constitutes a musical instruments, musical ensembles and musical venues. Further implications relate to broadened perspectives concerning student-centered learning, constructivist learning in music context and teacher/facilitator roles.