Conference Presentation - Capability approach

Differentiation in ensemble music sessions:

using the capability approach to enable music learning

Matt Lawton

Currently teaching:

Level 2 Music

Level 3 Music and Music Tech

Level 4 - 6 Popular Music and Recording

What's the problem?

Three areas of differentiation:

• Learning content/materials
• Learning process
• Learning outcome

(Standerfer, 2011)

Standerfer, S. (2011). Differentiation in the Music Classroom. Music Educators Journal, 97(4), 43-48. doi: 10.1177/0027432111404078

What's the problem?

The Capability Approach

Introduced by Amartya Sen (1985)

CAPABILITIES = ALL OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO A PERSON

FUNCTIONING = OPTIONS THAT HAVE BECOME A REALITY

Example list of capabilities for music student

The Process

Capability approach and music education.

Kate Cameron - tested the capability approach with music education.

Cameron, K. (2012). The capability approach: Enabling musical learning. British Journal Of Music Education, 29(03), 281-292. doi: 10.1017/s0265051712000356

“The task for music teachers would be to provide a broad set of musical capabilities for all students on the basis of the capabilities and functionings that they have and seek to have.” (Cameron, 2012, p. 291).

Capability approach applied to ensemble tuition

Chord shape for a Bm

How to play syncopated rhythms

Perform exercises with metronome

Pedagogical Principles

• Flexible elements (Standerfer, 2011)

“to learn things that jazz musicians master... the focus should also be in communal methods through which jazz musicians have learnt their skills.”

(Virkkula, 2015)

• Student objectives (Abrahams, 2005)

• Community of practice (Virkkula, 2015)

Abrahams, F. (2005). Transforming Classroom Music Instruction with Ideas from Critical Pedagogy. Music Educators Journal, 92(1), 62-67. doi: 10.2307/3400229

Standerfer, S. (2011). Differentiation in the Music Classroom. Music Educators Journal, 97(4), 43-48. doi: 10.1177/0027432111404078

Virkkula, E. (2015). Communities of practice in the conservatory: learning with a professional musician. British Journal Of Music Education, 33(01), 27-42. doi: 10.1017/s026505171500011x

Capability Approach in Action

Step 4

Step 2

Intervention - community of practice to generate plan

Process not product

Step 5

Step 3

Step 1

Consultation - community of practice to generate capabilities

Reflect and continue to use the cycle

Introduce pedagogical principles

References

Abrahams, F. (2005). Transforming Classroom Music Instruction with Ideas from Critical Pedagogy. Music Educators Journal, 92(1), 62-67. doi: 10.2307/3400229

Cameron, K. (2014). Developing compositional capabilities through student consultation in a year 10 music class: An action research project (Master of Education Thesis). University of Cambridge, University of Cambridge Faculty of Education.

Cameron, K. (2012). The capability approach: Enabling musical learning. British Journal Of Music Education, 29(03), 281-292. doi: 10.1017/s0265051712000356

Laprise, R. (2018). What’s the Problem? Exploring the Potential of Problem-Based Learning in an Ensemble Setting. Music Educators Journal, 104(4), 48-53. doi: 10.1177/0027432118754636

Parkinson, T. (2013). Canon (Re)formation in Popular Music Pedagogy. In M. Stakelum (Ed.) Developing The Musician (pp. 155-170). New York: Ashgate Publishing.

Standerfer, S. (2011). Differentiation in the Music Classroom. Music Educators Journal, 97(4), 43-48. doi: 10.1177/0027432111404078

Virkkula, E. (2015). Communities of practice in the conservatory: learning with a professional musician. British Journal Of Music Education, 33(01), 27-42. doi: 10.1017/s026505171500011x