Driven in part by changes in technology and student expectations, the landscape of music teaching and learning is rapidly transforming. Against this backdrop, music educators—especially in underfunded schools and in light of new Common Core State Standards—are increasingly searching for quality materials and professional development opportunities. How can music educators and students address these shifts and resource needs? According to a new study, one answer may be found in freely available, flexible, adaptable music education content, or open educational resources (OER).
I’m always reaching to see the ‘intertwingled’ — a term coined by computer scientist Theodor Nelson to describe knowledge that is related and is often connected by cause and effect. The intertwingled nature of human knowledge represents a primary frontier of scientific inquiry in the 21st century, as scientists increasingly examine the nature of interdependent social and natural systems.
While the present-day music OER landscape is yet emerging, this study revealed several end-user markets. In particular, the study found that for music specialists and classroom teachers, OER can serve as an attractive solution to meeting curriculum challenges—especially for educators in under-resourced schools. Teaching artists, faced with increasing expectations that accompany their role, and a possible lack of formal training in education, also constitute a key group of potential end-users for music OER. (more…)
