For ArtEZ Conservatorium Enschede, I spent last week in Lyon attending the conference of the European Association for Music in Schools (EAS). The EAS is a network of European music teachers, music teacher educators, and researchers who share information about their work and the outcomes of their research.
The central theme of the conference, held at the Université Lumière Lyon (France), was: Liberty – Equity – Creativity: Innovating and Inventing Music in the Classroom.
Wednesday: Meeting with National Coordinators
On behalf of EAS, I am the National Coordinator (NC) for the Netherlands – the contact person between EAS and the Dutch music education field. The conference began on Wednesday with a meeting of the EAS NCs. Among other topics, we discussed the European Day of Music in Schools (15 March), which this year was organised for the second time by EAS as a joint initiative of all NCs and music teacher associations (such as the Dutch VLS). We also considered the expanding role of the NCs, which has grown significantly due to the European Day of Music in Schools (see also the activities in the Netherlands).
Thursday: Presentation – Technology and Creativity
On Thursday, I gave a presentation on the Technology-Enhanced Music Education learning pathway in the Bachelor of Music in Education programme, which I have been developing and implementing for ArtEZ since 2016. The pathway prepares our students to apply technology in their teaching and is now a permanent part of the curriculum. During the presentation, I also showed examples of technology-based activities developed by and with students, aimed at fostering creativity – the main theme of this EAS conference. The presentation was both well-attended and well-received. For some participants, the examples of technology as a source of inspiration for creative activities were a real eye-opener; for others, our approach was exactly what they hope to implement at their own institutions. It was great to hear, and the contacts have of course been made.
Friday: Organising and Presenting at the EAS DigiTime Symposium
On Friday, together with several European colleagues, I organised the DigiTime symposium. DigiTime is an EAS working group (a so-called special focus group) that aims to advance a specific topic in music education. DigiTime focuses on digital technology in school-based music education. At the symposium, two theoretical models were central: TPACK and TAM. Together with a Swiss colleague, I explained these models and how they influence each other, after which the other working group members and I gave brief examples of how these models are applied at our universities and colleges. We then held small-group discussions with participants about several key questions related to TPACK and TAM.
Also on Friday: EAS Advocacy Session
Earlier that day, I attended a session on advocacy. Jantien Westerveld, director of the Méér Muziek in de Klas foundation, gave a short presentation on how the foundation promotes music education in the Netherlands to ensure that all primary school pupils receive regular, high-quality music education. Earlier that week, the foundation had announced that, building on the results of its work, it will also support the programme Méér Kunst en Cultuur in en om de school (“More Art and Culture in and around the School”), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
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