QCI525 Teaching Music as an Examination Subject

About the Course

First class (6 Aug 2012, 1730-1930 hrs, Rm 3-02-18)

Course objectives:

i. to understand the aims, rationale and requirements of the O-level music syllabus

ii. to learn a variety of teaching approaches for O-level music (incl. Higher Music)

iii. to learn how to design a music curriculum (2-year and 4-year) that leads up to the O-levels

iv. to learn how to set O-level music exam questions

v. to learn how to assess music students' learning

Nature of the course:

We will experience a blended approach involving teacher-fronted teaching, self-directed learning, collaborative learning, and various modes of e-learning including some elements of a "flipped classroom"; a certain amount of informal learning may also take place. As such, the learning for each individual will vary; assessment for the course will then vary accordingly. The blend of face-to-face meetings and out-of-class (e-)interactions will be determined as we proceed in the course.

Your mindset:

i. be self-motivated (you will take charge of and customize your own learning)

ii. be disciplined (your learning will, to some extent, be self-directed and self-paced)

iii. be open-minded (to unfamiliar modalities of learning)

iv. have an explorative mind (be inquisitive)

v. be willing to collaborate in learning (building a community of learners)

Preparation for first class

i. familiarize yourself with the O-level & Higher music syllabi (you may also take a look at the A-level ones but this is not part of the course coverage)

ii. familiarize yourself with the Music Elective Programme; of relevance too is the Enhanced Music Programme rolled out in 2010.

iii. familiarize yourself with some important MOE initiatives that affects music teaching - TSLN(1997), TLLM (2004; TLLM Ignite! [2009]), ICT Masterplan 3 (2009-2014)

Reading/Thinking assignment

As our world--and this includes our musical world--continues to change, music educators need to pay heed and respond. To help you (re-)think what music education should be or may be like for your O-level music students, consider this description of a typical American teenager's musical profile and relate it to our Singapore teenagers. You may further read Rineke Smilde's Today's musician - a Chameleon (2009) to develop your own thinking and in preparation for some class discussion in our first session.