R&D project in music education practice

This course provides experience in planning, conducting, presenting and critically-constructively assessing minor research and development work within pedagogical practices in music. Pedagogical practices in music take place in both formal and informal contexts, and central themes in the subject are therefore music and school, and music, culture and society. The main focus of the course is on the student's own R&D assignment, and the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competence to carry out the research and development project that will be the basis of the student’s thesis. The course introduces different types of research and development designs. This is the background for the students' informed scientific and artistic choices in their own R&D project. The course introduces research-oriented topics such as methodology

Knowledge, the candidate is expected at the completion of the course to:
- have a broad knowledge of music pedagogical practices in school and society
- have basic knowledge of research methodologies and ethics in research
- have basic knowledge in different types of music pedagogical research and development work
Skills, the candidate is expected at the completion of the course to:
- be able to initiate, carry out, present and evaluate qualities of music pedagogical research and development projects in practice
- be able to respond independently, critically and constructively to others' research and development projects in music pedagogical practice
- be able to collaborate with fellow students and actors in school / music & arts school / music & arts institutions about research and development work
General competence, the candidate is expected at the completion of the course to:
- be able to assess the quality and ethics of music education research and development work
- understand differences and similarities between traditional, scientific research and artistic development work, and be able to design a music pedagogical R&D work in dialogue with different research traditions
- be able to discuss the significance of music pedagogical R&D work in school and society

Through practical and theoretical teaching designs students are engaged in dialogue with the fields of practice, theory, and research in music education.
The R&D project is the main topic of the course, and thus central activities are to design, implement, present and critically-constructively evaluate music pedagogical research and development projects. The activities in the course include workshops, lectures, and individual and group assignments.
Work on the R&D project may require collaboration with actors in music educational practice in schools, music and arts institutions, or the community. The students organize this collaboration themselves, in dialogue with the R&D supervisor and the course coordinator.
Compulsory tasks:
1. Two colloquium reports from work on the syllabus. The two reports have different focuses and specific instructions are given
2. To initiate, plan, and execute a limited music pedagogical development and research work alone or with fellow students and a chosen institution. For example, with a school, music and arts school, institutions or practices in community or professional cultural life.
3. Design a sketch for the students individual R&D assignment
4. Present a sketch at the students' R&D conference in the course
5. Give constructive responses to a fellow student's sketch for the R&D assignment