Shaping Musical Futures: Perspectives on Post-Digital Music Education
Chair(s): Krebs, Matthias (Mozarteum University Salzburg, Austria), Bade, Fabian (University of Music Luebeck, Germany)
Discussant(s): N., N. (n.n.)
The objective of this year's symposium, hosted by the Special Focus Group "DigiTiME", is to concentrate on the training and professional development aspects of post-digital teacher education (Buchborn & Treß 2023, Campbell & Olteanu 2024, Clements 2018). In doing so, we recognize that post-digitality and competence-oriented training approaches represent two distinct perspectives.
The DigiTiME Symposium comprises two distinct sections. The initial portion will encompass the presentation of three pivotal, cross-project research topics, including: topic 1) the findings of an integrative analysis of policy documents, curricula, and pedagogical practices in music teacher education; topic 2) an investigation on identities, emotions, and sustainability in digital music education in the age of AI; and topic 3) an exploration of concepts and challenges in further training on digital practices for music teachers.
The second half of the symposium is dedicated to the exchange of ideas with the audience attending the symposium. The presentations, data, and results will provide a foundation for discussions in thematic groups with the participants, which will focus on the conceptualisation and comprehension of competencies at all levels of professional development.
Presentations of the Symposium
Post-Digital Music Policy and Practices in Music Teacher Education
Schaubruch, Josef1, Werner, Lisa2, Krupp, Valerie1
1Mainz School of Music, Germany, 2University of Music Trossingen, Germany
In the initial phase of teacher training, it can be observed that a number of universities in Germany are currently opening up to (post)digital music practice (Feneberg 2023, Kattenbeck 2023). There are many good reasons for this, not only to make the courses more attractive due to the shortage of teachers (MULEM-EX 2024) and to respond to concerns that alumni identify in retrospect (Hofbauer / Wehen 2024). Rather, these developments are paradigmatic of the fundamental shifts in post-digital popular music culture (Mazierska / Gillon / Rigg 2018; Krebs 2023) that universities begin to address. In fact, some voices in the field of music education are also advocating the discussion of post-digitality as a new paradigm (Ahlers / Godau 2019; Weidner / Stange 2022).
Based on original empirical data, we firstly provide an overview of the current state of these developments, which relate to earlier reforms of teacher training (for example with regard to the implementation of popular music, s. Pabst-Krueger 2015). For this purpose, we identified thirteen institutions in eight German states that explicitly support artistic and scientific approaches to (post-)digital music education in teacher training. These approaches were systematically investigated by analyzing documents (Salheiser 2022) in which understandings of (post)digital music practice manifest themselves, such as policy papers and websites from universities or conservatories (e.g. entrance tests/auditions, curricula, examinations and competences).
In doing so, we will provide data resources and findings to engage in a discussion with those present about the concepts and understanding of competences behind post-digital music education. Furthermore, implications for curriculum development in higher education will be discussed (Schaubruch / Krupp / Rudi / Heyn 2024).
Identities, emotions and sustainability in digital music education in the age of AI
Bade, Fabian1, Ahner, Philipp2
1University of Music Luebeck, Germany, 2University of Music Trossingen, Germany
According to UNESCO, there is a certain urgency to gain a deeper understanding of the basic principles of GenAI in order to use it appropriately regarding ethics and sustainability (Morohashi 2024) on a global level. On an individual level however, philosopher Michael Sandel argues that »AI will change what it means to be human«, since it tackles four human anxieties: (1) fear of uncontrolled substitution of aspects of human work, (2) amplification of human biases, (3) progressive loss of privacy and (4) democratic decay (Sandel 2024). It is the intersection between these global issues and the intimate level of identity politics that is undergoing a fundamental change in the age of AI. We are interested in the following questions:
How do post-digital realities affect students and teachers (Lamb et al. 2022)? Does everyone feel comfortable with it? Are technological innovations and their implementation associated with risks that can have an impact on identity (Arantes 2021)? In order to investigate these questions, it is worth taking a look at the interaction between human and non-human actors and possible associated effects on identity construction.
There is a lot of trial and error, rehearsing and experimenting while developing a musical identity. VR, AI, mobile devices etc. allow for new ways of teaching and learning formats. There are both advantages and risks associated with these ubiquities of artistic events in the development process. It requires a great deal of awareness of situations in which video recordings are made, who has access to stored data and when they are deleted, mainly because musical experiences are closely linked to the development of identity in adolescence (Miranda 2013).
The article focuses on research findings from media studies, psychology, philosophy and education in this field and links these with current challenges in music education.
Music Teacher Further Training on Digital Competences & Practices: Concepts and Challenges
Ahlers, Michael1, Bunken, Finn Joris2, Hecht, Benjamin3, Krebs, Matthias4, Phung, Veronika5, Schenk, Timmy6
1Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany, 2PH Weingarten, Germany, 3hmt Rostock, 4University Mozarteum Salzburg, Austria / University of Cologne, Germany, 5University of Cologne, Germany, 6University of Teacher Education State of Vaud
The integration of digital tools and concepts has gained momentum in music education research. However, much of this research remains limited to experimental projects within academic contexts, leaving a gap in systematic, field-specific applications for music instruction.
Our presentation draws on several projects currently funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany (DiDiPro, DigiProSMK, COMeArts, DiäS, and KuMuS-ProNeD), as well as on experiences and findings from Switzerland. All German projects focus on developing and evaluating new resources on digitality in music education or teacher training. We will offer insights into each project’s approach to improving or building hybrid competencies and knowledge around (post-)digital music practices. We will also describe a gap between the concepts preferred by researchers and the practical needs and perspectives of music teachers.
In the French-speaking canton of Vaud in Switzerland, a teacher training project called EDUNUM has been underway for several years. Teachers are required to participate in multiple training courses designed to facilitate the digital transition. However, despite the resources provided, some voices are advocating against unchecked digitization, calling instead for thoughtful development of educational projects that go beyond mere technological acquisition. To add further context, a brief survey on this topic will be conducted among all music conservatories (MHs) and teacher training colleges (PHs) in Baden-Württemberg to identify specific needs for continuing education content.
With these contributions, we aim to create a space for critical reflection on these approaches and to introduce international perspectives (e.g., Cramer & Jandrić 2021; Clements 2018; Ferguson & Brown 2016) regarding the assumed or observed potentials and challenges.
