Advocating for music – sharing research more widely
I’ve been noticing for some time now how hard it is to find research evidence when you need it. Much of my work is about advocating for music, the arts, or a particular good cause. But although I often know there’s research out there to back up a particular case, I struggle to find it when I need it.
I’ve been thinking about this mostly in relation to evidence about the value and impact of music – in education, health and wellbeing, social inclusion, community development – and in life generally.
It seems that academic research remains largely in the journals and dissemination tools of the academic world, and music organisations’ own research reaches only as far as their marketing budgets will allow (not very).
Occasionally music/arts organisations promote their evidence more widely but inevitably (and quite rightly) it’s targeted to a certain group of people and then lost to others who might find it useful now or in the future. Dr Susan Hallam’s ‘Power of Music’ research is a case in point (try googling: there are lots of links to it, but many different versions and it’s hard to find the original research or the user-friendly summary created for Tune In, the year of music).
It seems as though neither types of evidence are really exploited as fully as they could be, particularly now social networking has changed the face of advocacy communications.
So I’ve been having one of those ‘What if …’ conversations with myself.
What if there was a way to make this research more widely available – or at least links to it – available all in one place online?
I’m planning to do something about this – I think it’ll have to be a labour of love – but before I do, I’d really like to hear from other people who may have an interest or insider knowledge in this area:
* would you find it useful if there was an attractive, easy-to-use website that summarised pieces of research and gave links to original research (or provided downloads where available/permissions gained)?
* is there already a similar site that I don’t know about (I’m aware of www.healthysocialcreative.org.uk as I helped set it up and carried out the research; and also www.cultureandwellbeing.org.uk)?
* has it already been tried and failed?
* would you be able to help? (ie if you’re a researcher, could you send me links to your research?)
I’d really appreciate your thoughts and views … and please pass this on to any researchers, academics, and music/arts organisations you know of who may have valuable evidence that they want to share more widely.
Campaigning for music education?
I read about this a while ago but it’s in the news again – U2 have made a massive investment in supporting music education in Ireland. They’re funding instruments and tuition for young people, through Music Generation, a five year programme that happens locally within a national framework. Their strapline is ‘making music education happen’.
Whether you think this is a good thing, or bad thing (ie letting the state off the hook), at least something’s happening, and something that’s reaching the wider public through the media coverage it’s receiving.
I really hope that something’s happening behind the scenes – and soon on centre stage – to begin to raise awareness in Wales, England and Scotland of the threats to music education (see Jonathan Savage’s blog and also Mark Jaffrey’s article in Music Education UK (see page 6 onwards of the download which is an exerpt from the full mag).
I’m stating the obvious, but there’s such great potential in the music education community, the music industry and beyond that in all the people who have benefited from it, and are passionate about music.
What an amazing campaign these people could create to raise awareness, lobby and get the public involved.
A musical protest outside parliament … a series of nationwide music flash mobs … a massive gig to raise funds for the campaign … high profile advocates … and some serious strategic lobbying backed by all the quality evidence we have of music’s power …
If you know of something that’s going on locally or nationally to raise awareness, I’d love to hear from you.
Promoting 21st century skills: education in Wales
Great blog by David Price about the different path that’s been taken in policy making and school regulation in Wales. And a striking example of students leading music learning from Willows High School.
http://davidpriceblog.posterous.com/hold-the-front-page-if-you-build-a-system-aro
Like this:
Apocalypse now for music education in Wales and England?
Music education in many places in Wales is in a dreadful state, and the situation doesn’t seem likely to improve any time soon. The Welsh Assembly Government’s long-awaited music education review was published six months ago now, and yet very little’s happened since.
You can read more about this in my article (see below to download) which has now been published in Music Education UK (it’s a version of an article first published in Sounding Board last month, see other blog post).
In the same magazine, there’s with an article from Mark Jaffrey (previously Music Manifesto Champion for England) in which he describes the situation for music education in England as ‘a burning platform’.
It’s all doom and gloom when you look at the strategic picture, yet in classrooms, community centres, music centres, youth centres and studios, the amazing work that’s happening is changing children and young people’s lives. How long will that continue though?
It would be a start if the larger organisations involved in children and young people’s music-making pulled together and showed some strong leadership and truly open-minded collaboration: across sectors (youth work, arts, education, community development) and perhaps even across borders.
Easier said than done, of course, but as Mark Jaffrey says, “A strong national body that had parents, school music teachers, head teachers and wider child development and educational experts alongside community and instrumental musicians and tutors would go a long way to seeing off the threats … If we can’t work together to make this happen, what hope is there of working together in hubs locally?”
Here are the articles: the first pdf is a shortened version of the magazine containing both articles, the second a fuller one with an editorial intro, news pages, etc (but you’ll still need to subscribe at www.musiceducationuk.com to get the full-length version).
Music Education UK June 2011 excerpt – short version
Music Education UK June 2011 excerpt – longer version
Photo: Arts Active’s Music Mix project at St David’s Hall. Photographer: Chris Dawson.
Wales: a land with less music?
Amid all the discussion and debate about the review of music education in England, there was also a review here in Wales. It was published, somewhat quietly, by Welsh Assembly Government some months ago – see my previous post, Wales’ music education review. I spoke to two of the people who were behind the original campaign for a review in Wales, and wrote an article for Sounding Board magazine, which you can read below. A version of the article will also appear in Music Education UK magazine (previously known as ‘The Zone’), which is out in early June.
A land with less music? Sounding Board, May 2011
My personal wish list for music education in Wales
It’s been three months since the Welsh Assembly Government published their review of music education, and I’m just about to start talking to a few people involved in the sector to get their views.
It’ll take me a while to write the article – which will be published in Sounding Board, the community music journal and possibly elsewhere – so in the meantime, I wanted to post something that might prompt some comments or even discussions.
Here are some of my sketchy thoughts – few if any are original, most of them are what people in the field have been saying for years. Some of my views may reveal my lack of specialist knowledge or understanding of some aspects of music education and the practicalities involved. But I’m happy to be corrected, proved wrong, or helped to become better informed! Please comment or email me direct if you have any thoughts or feedback.
My wishlist:
For each primary and secondary school to provide, for pupils aged up to 14, through a local music education hub:
• in the classroom – the chance to take part in a different types of music making – involving different genres, instruments, musicians, and ways of learning, as part of the curriculum
• outside the classroom – after school music clubs – inclusive, participatory music making – playing, creating and performing for children of all abilities, led by their needs/interests/hopes and dreams, and providing (volunteering) opportunities for young music leaders
• outside the classroom – the chance to ‘try out’ small group tuition in different instruments/genres
• outside the classroom – small group tuition in the pupil’s choice of instrument/genre for those who want more sustained involvement
• outside the classroom – music groups – ensembles, groups and bands in a variety of different instruments/genres/traditions
For each local authority to:
• support the development of local music education hubs bringing together everyone (or representatives of everyone) working in music with young people in a local area. These might include classroom teachers, music teachers, youth services, independent practitioners including community musicians, social enterprises and charities, voluntary organisations. They would find out what’s happening, what young people want, and what the gaps are – and develop and deliver a co-ordinated plan for their area, securing funding from a range of different sources, and linking to professional development and networking opportunities. Work for the hub would be included in people’s job descriptions to avoid hubs becoming just a talking shop
• encourage music services to ask more questions, to listen to children and young people (and parents), be more learner-led, take into account needs of learners and what’s relevant to them not just what they can currently deliver. Ultimately requiring them to look into new partnerships and ways of working
For the Welsh Assembly government to:
• acknowledge music education as essential for all children’s wider development, not just a cultural bonus
• acknowledge the value of a diversity of providers (genres– including folk, rock, pop, urban and world music – and ways of working – participation vs being taught, learner led and teacher led; peer learning) in delivering music education
• invest time and involve more people in developing a strategy/plan for music education in Wales
• commit ring-fenced funding for music education, managed centrally and devolved to hubs not just music services
• encourage stronger partnerships between formal and non-formal music education
• acknowledge that the purpose of music education is not just to produce talented instrumentalists, nor musicians skilled and trained through classical music and traditional delivery
• acknowledge the potential for music in creative learning and cross-disciplinary approaches, not just as simply part of the music curriculum or instrumental lessons
• ensure that music is given equality with other subjects in primary teacher training
• support and promote a variety of progression routes for future music leaders (including developing young music leaders in and out of school)
• include music funding in some of the funding initiatives for specific groups (eg areas of economic disadvantage, Looked After Children, SEN), but make it longer term – at least 3 years
• commit to extending C^nSing to all schools in Wales in some form (through music services/hubs, cascading learning through clusters/professional learning communities)
• provide funding for an independent organisation (new or existing) to:
- support and advise hubs
- help to secure additional/wider funding for music education
- co-ordinate professional development and networking opportunities online (a website) and offline – including events and information to encourage sharing of good practice, innovative ways of working, and mutual, collaborative learning amongst all practitioners working with young people in music
- help with advocacy/lobbying activities to promote the value of music education and encourage/enable music leaders to align their services to wider LA/WAG strategic goals, as well as, importantly, to school heads and education leaders
Healthy, social, creative – voluntary arts and long-term conditions
A new way of looking at creative activities and health – OTNews – March 2011
Creative activities can change people’s lives, giving them a chance to participate, learn, optimise their potential, find meaning and purpose, improve their self-confidence, and change their attitudes to life, their abilities – and their health and wellbeing.
This article – the first of two published in health professionals’ magazines to promote Voluntary Arts’ new website Healthy, social, creative – outlines the role that voluntary arts groups could play in the work of occupational therapists.
England’s music education review – cause for celebration?
The Henley Review of Music Education in England and the government’s response were published last week.
The headline news was that the government has promised one more year of ring-fenced funding for music, including local authority music services (who provide instrumental tutors to school, and run orchestras and other ensembles for students).
But it also suggests that a number of reforms may be ahead for music services, so that music education money from a range of sources can be used more effectively. A National Plan for Music Education Plan, being published later this year, will map the way forward for these and other organisations.
I’ll be interested to see if the Plan addresses the way that music services reach and serve their customers. At the moment – particularly in Wales, where there’s no ‘wider opportunities’ scheme where pupils can experience instruments first-hand – it’s very hard for them to reach more and different children and young people – which is what everyone agrees needs to happen. The way they’re set up and operate just doesn’t allow for effective marketing and communications.
What other organisation has to find and connect with its customers through two layers of decision makers: schools first, then parents? What other organisation offers it customers (parents/pupils) choices based on what its staff can provide rather than what customers want? And what organisation markets its services without communicating the benefits and experience of what it’s offering, and the ‘why us’ aspect?
This isn’t a criticism of music services because they are amazing organisations full of incredibly passionate, committed people – but many of them have simply not responded to the changing world.
The only related recommendation in the review is for schools use their websites to publicise *all* music education providers in an area (eg the music service, private tutors, community musicians, orchestras, other arts organisations) – so that parents and pupils can find suitable providers. Its an interesting proposal – essentially setting the cat among the pigeons in encouraging schools to show parents what choices they have. But it doesn’t deal with the real problem (reaching a broader range of pupils and parents) – and how likely is it to happen anyway?
It’s hard enough to encourage schools to update their own websites, let alone embark on the massive task of researching local music providers, and developing more than just a listing. What parents really need – a searchable database, with detailed information about providers, costs, the instrument, and perhaps testimonials or information about qualifications – is even more unlikely.
Schools themselves are unlikely to be interested in adding another task to their communications efforts, so I wonder where that leaves music services’ marketing and communications? In order to really reach a wider range of pupils they need to communicate directly to parents and pupils: tell their students’ stories (or even better, enable them to advocate their music service) and get people excited about learning music.
Wales’ music education review – it’s all gone quiet over here
I’m really baffled that no-one’s reporting or blogging about the Welsh Assembly Government’s review of music education. As far as I can see there was no official press release, there have been no reports in the main newspapers in Wales, and I’ve not found anything online except for a few short articles in the TES (3-19 review – musical vision; Cuts could strike sour note in land of song and Music review sounds sharp note on provision).
Here’s a really short summary of the review’s recommendations and WAG’s response.
There was so much written about the need for the review, and five years ago, more than 30 of Wales’ music personalities – including Bryn Terfel, Super Furry Animals, Kathryn Jenkins, composer Karl Jenkins, harpist Catrin Finch – were involved in a high profile campaign to get a review. Where are they now?
The key is probably that, as the TES said, WAG ‘accepted most of the recommendations but offered no further funding’ and – unlike Westminster government and the Henley Review – there’s plan for further strategic recommendations and a road map either.
As Emryr Wynne Jenkins, who led the review, says in one of the TES articles: “The key issue for us now is ensuring something happens as a result of this report …It’s encouraging that the minister has accepted most of the recommendations, but it won’t mean anything unless action is taken.”
Wales’ music education review – in short
Here’s a very short summary of the recommendations of the Review of Music Education for 3-19 year olds, and the Welsh Assembly Government’s response. For the full documents see the Written statement – review of music education for 3-19 year olds.
Although the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has accepted the vision contained in the report, there’s currently no statement about funding (although decision-making for the long-term will be affected by the result of a Front Line Resources Review and a Structure of Education Task and Finish Group) – and certainly no mention of ring-fencing of music education funding. The big national music education initiative in Wales – CânSing – which the review mentions specifically, has been guaranteed funding only until the end of the school year 2011.
There’s also no plan to show how to put in practice the vision – particularly that ‘every child and young person who wishes to do so should have an entitlement to receive group vocal or instrumental tuition from a specialist teacher and access a range of performing and composing opportunities’. As Emryr Wynne Jenkins, who led the review, says in a TES article: “The key issue for us now is ensuring something happens as a result of this report …It’s encouraging that the minister has accepted most of the recommendations, but it won’t mean anything unless action is taken.”
1. Everyone involved in music education should adopt and implement the vision for music education in the report.
WAG has accepted the vision.
2. WAG should establish a national music education forum.
Being considered.
3. WAG should ask the National Grid for Learning Cymru to create and manage a website for everyone involved in music education.
Accepted in principle but probably as part of WAG website and/or the arts education part of Arts Council Wales youth arts strategy
4. WAG should increase music education in primary Initial Teacher Training, induction and early professional development.
Being considered as part of wider teacher training developments
5. WAG should support the development of Professional Learning Communities and CPD for music education.
Accepted – as PLCs are already developing and will provide a tool for responding to the review’s recommendations
6. WAG should support local authorities in working together to rationalise the number of music services.
Accepted – there are already some local authorities developing a consortium approach to providing advice/services to schools.
7. WAG should work with National Youth Arts Wwales to maximise the ensembles’ international activity/profile.
Accepted – will be done through Wales Arts International promotional website, and Arts Council Wales youth arts strategy
8. WAG and key partners should work together to support the pyramid principle and National Youth Arts Wales ensembles.
Accepted – likely that every company that Arts Council Wales funds will provide arts for young people as a standard activity. (Pyramid principle – school and county groups feeding into National Youth Arts groups).
9. WAG should establish a national bursary for more able and talented young musicians in Wales.
Will be discussed with Minister for Heritage but no plans.
10. WAG should regularly evaluate whether the vision is being implemented by assessing music education standars in schools, colleges, music services and others.
Accepted in principle – will be considered as part of the Estyn’s (Wales’ education inspectorate) reviews.
