How can autonomy and active learning be stimulated in a blended oboe class program?

Irma Kort

This research is an exploration into stimulating autonomy and active learning in musical tuition. Through an explorative journey in my teaching practice I developed tools to increase autonomy, active learning and self-regulation in students, using the self-determination theory, new learning and self-regulation as the main learning theories to find answers to my research question. In my lesson practice students rarely come in as active-, self-directing autonomous learners. However, literature and experiences of other teachers, show us that students – even beginners – can learn to become active, self-directed learners. It is not common practice yet to implement these theories in music classes. This is why I would like to create a toolkit and a user manual for teachers that would like to incorporate autonomy supportive teaching and self-regulation in their practices. I will also create a blueprint to inspire working with blended programs in music classes. A flipped classroom can trigger an ongoing learning process in the week, it can aid students in their practice and it is a tool to reflect on teaching practices, teaching styles and programs. The research took place in the BASIS oboe classes at the School for Young Talent, in The Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. There were 5 beginning oboe players, in the age group of 7 till 13 years. I used a combination of design and action research. With the design research I developed the online learning space and the tools for active learning and self-regulation. With action research I reflected on my teaching, students learning, development and well-being and the use of the tools. It was possible to use learning theories in different ways. I used tables and frameworks to reflect on my teaching, I used existing tools, I tailored tools to the age group of my students and I combined aspects of active learning and self-regulation. After three design cycles there is a blueprint of a toolkit that can be used in a flexible way and there is a blueprint for blended learning in instrumental music classes. The changes in my teaching style, the implementation of the learning theories and the reflections on the program using the online environment had a great impact on the teacher – student dialogue, the content of my lessons and the overview of the program. In students I saw an increase in motivation, autonomy and effectiveness. They are very engaged young learners, they learned to choose repertoire and strategies in their practice, they are able to plan, practice and reflect on their process and they have covered more repertoire and technique over the last year in comparison to the year before. They started sharing their music outside of classes and started thinking about their own goals in their oboe practice.

Appendices

Thinkers Keys – Tony Ryan

https://www.thinkerskeys.com/

e-book

The use of the cards in music tuition:

They can be used by the student during practice sessions, the teacher and student in lessons to plan the process and by groups of students to discuss learning processes.

Perspectives

Looking at the music from different perspectives such as: sound examples, singing, reading, solfa, rhythm language, movement, form, theory.

Purpose

What is the purpose of exploring a piece or a technical skill. What step in the process are we making and why. What is being explored and automated, to take what step in the development and where can we use the skill again in the future.

Decisions

This is a card to make a decision to practice a skill or a repertoire piece and to plan the practice process. Using the Agenda tool and the logbooks.

Question

Asking a question to start a process and trigger curiosity.

Some examples:

Who was the composer?

Where did the music come from?

When was it composed?

What can I learn from studying this piece?

What is new in this piece for me to explore?

Three Whys

If students get stuck in a process, repeating the question why it is not working 3 times creates a micro process, focussing on a detail. Every time the answer to the question will deepen the practice process.

Info

Finding information about the composition or the composer, the time in which the music was created or the style in which it was written.

Rubrics

With rubrics students describe their end-goals in steps. They start with being able to play the right notes in the correct rhythm, after this they can add dynamics, articulation, imagination, rubato, colours etc.

Action

Creating an action plan in connection to an idea, means planning a process, with a preparatory, executive and closing functions overview. For example, planning a concert or a process to learn a technical or musical skill.

Consequences

What is going to be a result of practicing a skill or a repertoire piece. Trying to imagine what the result can be and how that can help in the learning process.

Reflection

Reflecting on the playing, performing and the practice process.

Improvements

Central question is: What would I like to play or practice differently next time, why and how?

Brainstorming

Setting a timer to 5 minutes and finding as many solutions to a problem encountered.

Predictions

Making a list of what could be outcomes of a practice process on musical or technical aspects and playing repertoire.

In common

Connecting known skills, theory and techniques to new unknown musical aspects.

Combination

Making combinations of things learned or known/ automated. These can be musical and technical skills, theory and personal experiments.

BAR

Breakup Add Replace : taking motives/phrases out of a piece, playing (it in many different ways) and adding material, replacing it in the piece.

Inventions

Create your own techniques and music by using your imagination or something you discovered on your instrument. For example: Try to listen to sounds of animals and recreate them in a piece of music.

Brick wall

If a brick wall is encountered, find ways to pass it (go around, over or under). Try to solve the issue through a different thougtprocess or strategy.

Challenge

Always challenge yourself. Use extreme dynamics, tempi or play longer pieces. Example: Start a practice process on a piece you really love, but is slightly out of your reach. Maybe you can already play parts and find strategies to explore the difficult bits.

Reverse

Make as many variations of material as possible. Take musical motives and play them backwards, up-sight down and turned around.

In combination with the Repertoire sheet students describe their end goals first and after this connect them to strategies and creative solutions to create a personal practice process.

In combination with the Preparatory learning functions sheet students can get an overview of the start of the new process and trigger interest and motivation.

In combination with the Executive learning functions sheet students can plan their practice sessions.

In combination with the Closing learning functions sheet students can reflect on their learning process and plan new challenges.

To the beginning

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