Festival of Learning 2018

What does “care” look like in the 21st Century post-secondary music classroom? In the music department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, faculty members are engaged in exploring how concepts merge with autonomy and agency within a number of the newly developed courses in the music curriculum. How are student’s creative ideas developed, produced and distributed, and how might these ideas travel through an educative trajectory of courses that are distinct yet complimentary?

Beginning in Jodi Proznick’s Jazz History course, we will demonstrate how students are engaged within interest-driven inquiry-based learning, developing music compositions that reflect their individual points of view and insights in relation to the course materials.  These projects are then carried forward into Dr. Gordon Cobb’s music technology course where ideas and compositions are developed into music recordings and collaborative music videos.  The educative trajectory continues in Don Hlus’ Business of Music course, where students develop websites containing artist statements, biographies, music playlists, video galleries and business plans that add depth, personality and branding to their developing profiles as emerging music artists.  This collaborative and holistic approach to music programming aims to make music education transformative by creating student-centred, interest-driven learning environments that are relevant, practical and engaging for 21st Century music learners.