Psychology

Instructional Design Approaches

Below is a summary of my psychological approaches to lesson design

Cognitivism/ Constructivism

Instructions should be organized, sequenced and presented in a manner that is understandable and meaningful to the learner. Every student begins with preexisting knowledge and experiences and further knowledge is built on to that.

Learning from others is important to building knowledge (group discussions, activities, research, problem solving, sharing experiences).

Teachers act as facilitators in constructivism - classes allow student prior knowledge to lead them to understanding by learning from others and researching to create answers to their questions.

Humanism

Learning is self-directed by students. Students are motivated to learn, and gradually build the skills to know how to learn. Self-evaluation is the most meaningful form of evaluation.

Emotions and knowledge are equally important in the learning process. A safe and caring environment needs to be established and maintained.

Behaviourism

Through the behaviourist lens, all behaviours are learned through interaction with the environment. Positive reinforcement is a common example of this. While the GMS music program strives to lead all students towards intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation is a helpful motivator early in the educational process.

Pragmatism

Four Principals:

Utility - everything should be useful for learners to keep things practical and efficient.

Interest - include learners interests so they stay engaged in the learning

Experience - learning should involve hands on experience which allows learners to be fully immersed in the learning

Integration - learning materials should span over subjects to take a cross curricular approach

Social Learning

Social Learning emphasizes the importance of observing, modelling, and imitating the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Social learning theory considers how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behavior.

Attention - If we believe something to be new or different, it’s more likely that it becomes the focus of our attention.

Retention/Reproduction - We learn by internalizing information. People recall learned information when we need to respond to a situation similar to that which we first learned that information.

Motivation - Humans are motivated by observing the consequences (positive or negative) of those around them. We learn by observing other people with the goal of adapting our behaviour in social contexts.

Instructional Models

M. David Merrell

Similar to problem-based learning but offers more scaffolding and guidance at the start, gradually working towards greater independence. All instruction connects to prior learning through interesting and authentic tasks. New skills are integrated and applied in other areas of life.

5 Steps: 1. Real world task/problem 2. Activate prior knowledge 3. Demonstration 4. Application 5. Integration

Bloom's Flipped Classroom

The flipped classroom model gives learners the opportunity to access lower levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (Understanding/ Remembering) on their own time. By doing this, learners can use the knowledge and understandings they developed prior to class to engage in more challenging and engaging tasks with the teacher. Essentially, this approach allows the teacher to spend more time in the connecting, applying, and creating stages of learning.

Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins

Backwards Design. “Our lessons, units, and courses should be logically inferred from the results sought, not derived from the methods, books, and activities with which we are most comfortable. Curriculum should lay out the most effective ways of achieving specific results… in short, the best designs derive backward from the learnings sought.” - Understanding by Design, “Why backward is best”

Dick and Carey Model

Instructional design values systems rather than stand-alone lessons, building on prior knowledge as well as preparing for future learning.
The design process should be directly connected to the content and desired learning goals. Assessment tools should be developed at the same time as the methods of instruction.
All aspects of the educational experience including teacher, learners, materials, instructional activities, delivery system, and learning should work together to achieve a collective goal.
Revision of design should occur when learners are unsuccessful during assessment and instruction. Formative assessment should be used to identify any gaps in learning or need for redesign.

Robert Gagne's 9 Events of Instuction

Gagne's beliefs were similar to Bloom’s hierarchy of learning. He believed that the lower knowledge levels were important because a person usually requires a greater amount of previous knowledge to move successfully onto higher levels of learning.

He developed the 9 events of instruction:

Gaining attention (reception)
Informing learners of the objective (expectancy)
Stimulating recall of prior learning (retrieval)
Presenting the stimulus (selective perception)
Providing learning guidance (semantic encoding)
Eliciting performance (practise)
Providing feedback (reinforcement)
Assessing performance (retrieval)
Enhancing retention and transfer (generalization)

Success Planning

Success Planning:

Administrator and Teacher Visions of Success

My administration and I have matching visions of what a successful music program looks like. The GMS music program is considered successful if:

learners are actively engaged in their own musical stories. This can be seen by observing attitude, behaviour, and practice habits.
students are making music in their free time.
students approach music with excitement and joy.
students are willing to take risks.
students are choosing to stay in music from grade-to-grade.
initial enrolment rates are either holding steady or increasing. In order for this to happen, the music program needs to be relevent to, and valued by, students and families.
the music program is building a positive identity within the school and community as a whole.
the music program creates connection and a sense of belonging for students.
the music program connects with parents and the community in a meaningful and positive way.
the music program participates in outreach opportunities within and outside of the GMS student community.
the music program is inclusive, accessible and diverse.

Student Indicators of Success

Students measure their success in different ways. At GMS, we believe that music learners will feel successful if:

they feel their education is meaningful and valuable to them.
they understand and relate to feedback they receive and are able to see how to achieve their next steps.
they feel safe and free to make mistakes on their learning journey.
they can see their own growth and progress and celebrate success.
they can find joy in the process of making and learning music.
they value what they are learning and can transfer learned skills to all areas of life.

Parent/Guardian Visions of Success

Parents/guardians view the teaching in the program and their child’s engagement in the program as successful if:

their child speaks positively about the program.
they feel that the community of the program is positive and welcoming.
they can see evidence of learning and progress through performances.
they feel informed about, and connected to, the music program.

Support of Colleagues at GMS

It is vital to any music program that non-music teachers and colleagues in the school view the music program and valuable and successful. I will have been successful in this if my colleagues:

support releasing students for music trips and events.
support timetables that allow for linear music experiences.

Advocacy

Communication Plan At-A-Glance:

Communication Plan At-a-Glance

Detailed Messages for Advocacy

Below are strategies and insights to help promote and maintain quality programming for music education. It is important as a music educator to maintain positive and strong lines of communication with administrators, parents, students, and community members.

Administrators

The short pitch: Key messages and ideas:

Ex: This could be a short email, while sharing coffee, at staff meetings, when asking for follow up meetings, and/or at live concerts

Through actively making music in year-long ensembles, students will develop an appreciation for music and its impact on themselves and the community around them. This course will also help foster a creative and innovative mindset that is an integral part of being a 21st century learner.
Linear & frequent active music making can be used as an intervention for students to help improve social emotional learning, fine motor skills, cognitive and executive brain functioning and many other long-term brain benefits.

The elaboration of key messages

Ex: Detailed email, scheduled meeting, school/district presentation,

Music as a discipline is uncommonly good at engaging the entire sound mind. All band and choir ensembles are courses that will help shape the brain and strengthen learners’ ability to process sound. This enhanced ‘reception’ sees its greatest gain in relation to literacy. The skills and brain activity improved by making music are many of the same that are needed for language and reading. Simply listening to or being around music, while lovely, is not enough to achieve these great things.
Music training can boost academic achievement more than twice as much as other disciplines, help bridge the academic achievement gap between the more and less fortunate students, and even offset the brain signature of linguistic deprivation. It also does this better than any other discipline.
The benefits music has to offer take time to develop. Research has shown that significant gains generally appear after two years of consistent training, and once achieved, last a lifetime. The longer one continues to study music, the more pronounced and long-lasting the brain benefits become. This second-year course will take learners through their second year of musical study.
Music also does an unusually good job of fostering a sense of self and a sense of community.It creates social cohesion and singleness of purpose in groups by drawing individuals into a greater whole. Through musical ensembles, students become emotionally predisposed to work together and feel empathy. Through synchronization and imitation in music, cooperation and understanding of other’s thoughts and feelings are also cultivated.
Arts, especially music, are found to be the disciplines that have the greatest effects on student success and mental health. Because interest in learning music wanes as students get older, year-long, quality music opportunities as early and as continued as possible in student development are crucial. Through our public schools, music has the potential to reach all learners equally, regardless of parental income or cultural background. Through music, we can close the gap between our strongest and weakest learners, and improve school and community culture at the same time.

Full Presentation - ‘Coles Notes’ plus annotated bibliography

This document and its accompanying annotated bibliography discusses in detail the benefits of instrumental music for students, the factors that affect enrollment, retention, and success, and makes the case for equity and proper timetabling. This document provides evidence-based support for implementing Second-Year Concert Band in a way that will help reach a greater number of potential students and lead them towards success and the development of transferable skills.

https://ltmds.weebly.com/research.html

Parents

Supplemental resources for websites, emails, or parent communication:

Anita Collins: How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain

Anita Collins - Music Educator: TEDx talk: Music and Education

Nina Kraus - Neuroscientist: Music's Ability to Improve Literacy

10-lessons-the-arts-teach.pdf

Elliot Eisner: The 10 Lessons the Arts Teach

The short pitch (key messages)

Ex: Handouts, course outlines, course descriptions, social media posts, website

Active music making in year-long musical ensembles is a rewarding and social way for your child to build skills, foster creativity, and belong to a positive group. Through music-making, your child will learn how to persevere through the challenges of learning an instrument and discover the pride that comes from mastering a skill that takes time to develop. Music is also a great way to develop creativity and build confidence in their own self-expression. The end goal is much more than creating musicians - it’s about the positive group experience and fundamental skills that music develops in students that will transfer to all areas of their lives and have a lasting impact on who they become.

The elaboration

Ex: At a music program launch night presentation

Music ensembles will help strengthen your child’s ability to process sound. The skills and brain activity improved by making music are many of the same that are needed for language and reading. Simply listening to, or being around music, is not enough to achieve these benefits. It is the process of making music that activates more parts of the brain simultaneously than any other discipline or activity.
The skills and abilities that music has to offer take time to develop. Two years of consistent music training has been shown to be the minimum amount of time required to develop these skills and abilities in a lasting way. Encouraging your child to persist in music will lead to an enhanced skill set and cognitive abilities that will transfer to many areas of their future life.
Music also fosters a sense of self and a sense of community.It creates social togetherness by drawing individuals into a greater whole. Through musical ensembles, students become emotionally predisposed to work together, feel empathy, and cooperate.
Arts, especially music, are found to be the disciplines in the school system that have one of the greatest effects on student success and mental health.
The musical opportunities offered to your child through Second-Year Concert Band are difficult to recreate later in life. While music is a skill that can be learned any time in life, the fact remains that most people who develop musical skills do so when they are younger and in school. Now is the time to enrich your child’s life with music.

Students

Key Message

Course description on course selection form:

Example: Second-Year Band is a course designed to continue to develop your skills on an instrument while making music within a group. Throughout the year you will play music in a variety of styles including movie themes, rock, classical, jazz, and ballads. In addition to performing works of music composed by others, you will also experiment with improvisation and creating your own unique music. Through these activities and styles, you will use music to paint pictures, tell a story, create soundscapes, and communicate emotion. At-home practice is part of this course, and students will have the flexibility to practice at school or at home. This course will incorporate and cultivate respectful musicianship, lifelong learning, leadership, innovation, and it will also value student choice and input. Prerequisites: Introductory Concert Band, 1 year of previous experience on a concert band instrument, or proof of previous musical training (Ex: several years of piano lessons).

Elaboration

Recruitment: Schedule school performances and concerts to build interest and spark a desire to become musical in non-music students. Visit other classes to give presentations and answer questions at course selection time. Ensure students know that if they haven’t joined Band yet, there is still time!
Incorporate reflections on musical growth and current successes with students. Build pride and set new goals for the future. Develop a positive musical self-identity and strive for intrinsic motivation to persist in music.
Celebrate student accomplishments in-class and display certificates and awards on bulletin boards and/or display cases.

Sample List of Advocacy Events

Performance events should be planned to a) increase motivation for learners and provide purpose and drive to the learning, and b) to maintain visibility to the school and wider community so that music is integrated with the local culture. The goal is to build connections between the school, other schools, community musicians, and the wider community.

Events:

Music program launch night for parents and students (September). Invite parents to join the Introductory Band information session for news, plans, supports, and expectations for the coming school year.
September Pep Rallies
Remembrance Day performances: O Canada, Last Post, choir performance
Christmas BINGO caroling challenge or small group Christmas pop-up concerts (school based)
Winter beginning band performance
Christmas Carol grams (school based small-group performances that students can request through a fundraiser)
Fall/Winter mentorship program with high school students
February joint concert with the local high school for parents and community
Music program events and accomplishments shared in weekly/bi-weekly/monthly newsletters and/or website
Senior music tour
Feeder school tour (performances for elementary schools in the area)
Marching band in local parades
Morning pop-up concerts for students
Weekly jam session in the music room.

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