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Can the adoption of informal approaches to learning music in school music lessons promote musical progression?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2017

Susan Hallam ,
Andrea Creech  and
Hilary McQueen
Susan Hallam
Affiliation:
UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H OAL [email protected] [email protected]
Andrea Creech
Affiliation:
Centre for Excellence in Music Education, Faculty of Music, Laval University, Quebec, Canada [email protected]
Hilary McQueen
Affiliation:
UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H OAL [email protected] [email protected]
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Abstract

The aim of this research was to explore the impact of the adoption of the Musical Futures approach on the musical progression of students in Musical Futures’ Champion schools. The research took place over three years in three phases with 733 students and 28 music teachers completing questionnaires. Data from the interviews with 39 staff and focus groups of 325 students provided greater insights into the questionnaire responses. Overall, teachers reported that Musical Futures had enhanced the musical progression of their students and increased take up at Key Stage 4. In some cases this had led to changes in the qualifications on offer with an emphasis on those which were vocational rather than academic. This created some tensions in catering for the needs of different groups of students who had a range of different musical skills.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 34 , Issue 2 , July 2017 , pp. 127 - 151
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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