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Unit of study_

EDMT5700: Music Curriculum 1

Semester 1, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This Unit of Study addresses the nature of teaching music in a junior secondary school context (Years 7-10) and contributes to preparing students for a career in the challenging field of music education. Current syllabus documents are analysed, approaches to music curriculum construction are discussed, and pedagogical theories are examined. ICT and media issues related to music education are addressed, as is resource selection and development. All of these components are studied in the broader context of creating and managing an engaging classroom learning environment and the fostering of self-motivated learners.

Unit details and rules

Unit code EDMT5700
Academic unit Education
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Thomas Fienberg, thomas.fienberg@sydney.edu.au
Guest lecturer(s) Caitlin Sandiford, caitlin.sandiford@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Thomas Fienberg, thomas.fienberg@sydney.edu.au
Brad Fuller, brad.fuller@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Assessment Task 2: Part B Stage 5 Unit of Work and Assessment design
Written Assignment. See Canvas for specific details
25% STUVAC
Due date: 30 May 2023 at 23:59
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
Presentation Assessment 1 Part A: Peer Teaching
Peer Teaching Presentation. See Canvas for full details of Assessment
15% Week 05
Due date: 21 Feb 2023 at 17:00
10 mins (500wd equiv)
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO3
Assignment Assessment Task 1 Part B: Lesson Plans
Written Assignment. See Canvas Page for more details
35% Week 06
Due date: 02 Apr 2023 at 23:59
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Assignment Assessment Task 2: Part A Stage 4 Unit of work and assessment design
Written assessment: See CANVAS for specific details.
25% Week 09
Due date: 30 Apr 2023 at 23:59
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6

Assessment summary

see CANVAS for details

Assessment criteria

The following assessment criteria are used for written work in this unit of study:

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Demonstrates high level of initiative in research and reading; sophisticated critical analysis of evidence; high level engagement with theoretical issues, innovative use of reading/research material and impressive command of underlying debates and assumptions; properly documented and written with style, originality and precision.

Distinction

75 - 84

Demonstrates initiative in research and wide, appropriate reading; complex understanding of question and ability to critically review material in relation to underlying assumptions and values; analyses material in relation to empirical and theoretical contexts; properly documented; clear, well-developed structure and argument with some signs of literary style.

Credit

65 - 74

Evidence of broader understanding than pass level; offers synthesis with some critical evaluation of material; coherent argument using a range of relevant evidence; some evidence of independent thought, good referencing. A high credit (70-74) shows some evidence of ability to problematise and think conceptually.

Pass

50 - 64

Written work meets basic requirements in terms of reading/research; relevant material; tendency to descriptive summary rather than critical argument; makes a reasonable attempt to avoid paraphrasing; reasonably coherent structure; often has weaknesses in particular areas, especially in terms of narrow or underdeveloped treatment of question; acceptable documentation.

Fail

0 - 49

Work may fail for any or all of the following reasons: Unacceptable paraphrasing; irrelevance of content; poor spelling; poor presentation; grammar or structure so sloppy it cannot be understood; failure to demonstrate understanding of content; insufficient or overlong word length.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Stage 4 Exemplar unit 1: Finding the right key with Tom Fienberg Goals, aims and prioritising mandatory music; Music for EVERYONE! What could my school look like on Prac? What makes good repertoire for keyboard? (don’t forget everything else!); Representation and why it matters. Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 02 Stage 4 Exemplar unit 2 with Brad Fuller Starter Activities; The episodic lesson; The NSW syllabus focusing on concepts and contexts in stage 4; Literacy and numeracy in the stage 4 music classroom; Pedagogy: direct experience with music first; Whole class vs small group immersion. Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 03 Getting ready to jump, the deep end and beyond with Tom Fienberg. Differentiation in Stage 4 music; A multi-phase model based on Lucy Green’s Informal Learning; The value of recording in the classroom; Coming back to the canon? Getting the most out of the syllabus: Enacting concepts through learning experiences. Workshop (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 04 Small Ensembles and Tech in the cloud with Tom Fienberg. Taking the next step: Playing together as an ensemble; Entering the Playground! Getting the most of Soundtrap: reverse engineering, moving out of the loop. Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 05 PEER TEACHING TASK PRESENTATION with Brad Fuller. Preparation and practice for subsequent assessment tasks. Workshop (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 06 Learning and Sharing through Culture Bearers with Tom Fienberg and guests: A taster to Cultural Diversity in Music Education and pedagogical strategies for stages 4 and 5. Drawing inspiration from community leaders; Campbell’s Deep Listening in focus; Two approaches to teaching Persian Classical Music ft. Pegah Varamini. Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 07 Programming through lived experience and recontextualising the wheel with Tom Fienberg. Putting the “Co” in co-curricular. Planning an excursion in school – tips and tricks to prepare/enjoy/consolidate. Strategies for including WAM with a tough crowd. Textbooks and NSW DoE Resources. Musical Theatre in Australia with Yve Blake (Creator of Fangirls). Let’s design an assessment based on Yve’s advice! Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 08 Teaching Support Unit Classes and supporting integration in mainstream music classes with Caitlin Sandiford. Understanding the Life Skills Syllabus; Support Unit classes in DoE schools – programming advice and project based learning; UDL in the music classroom and championing integration and inclusion in your mainstream classes; Looking ahead to your Stage 5 program and supporting your integrated student; NCCD what it means and why it’s important. Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 10 Stage 5 Exemplar Unit Brad Fuller. See Music Ed Hub Canvas Page for details about Special Projects Week Activities at SCM Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 11 The BL’s Week 1 with Brad Fuller. What does cross-curricular actually mean, in the context of the syllabus, and more broadly in education? How does ICT offer opportunities for music learning that are not as easily accessed without it? How can teachers ensure safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT? Stage 4 and 5 exemplar content (Unit 4: Music For Film and other media). Understanding and film music within its filmic context – classroom applications. Workshop (3 hr) LO2 LO4 LO6
Week 12 The BL’s Week 2 with Brad Fuller. Project- (Enquiry/Challenge/Problem etc.)-Based Learning and Music Education. Completion of film music workshop: publication of compositions online; Multimodal literacy. Workshop (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 13 Stage 5 Exemplar Unit: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music and Stories through Film with Tom Fienberg. Collaborating with community to share Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories: One Night the Moon; The Tracker; The Sapphires. A look inside Google Classroom. Syllabus development update, cross-curriculum priorities and the Australian Curriculum Workshop (3 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Bauer, W. (2014). A Conceptual Framework for Technology-Assisted Music Learning. In Music Learning Today: Digital Pedagogy for Creating, Performing, and Responding to Music. New York: Oxford University Press. [Pages 4 to 11: see http://www.oxfordscholarship.com.ezproxy1.library.usyd.edu.au/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199890590.001.0001/acprof-9780199890590]

Berger, R. (2003). An Ethic of Excellence. Portsmouth: Heinemann. [Pages 63-91 for lecture 13, but you are recommended to buy the book and read the whole thing, every year.]

Board of Studies NSW (2003). Music Years 7-10 Syllabus. Sydney. Download here: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/music.html

Bray, D. (2009). Creating a Musical School. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Chapter 5, by Sharon Green, available via Units of Study on the Library website (under MUED3605) AND under Modules, Week 2 on the Canvas site]

Campbell, P. (2004). Teaching Music Globally: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New York: Oxford University Press. [Excerpts: pp. 54-57, 64, 77, 91-94, 97-99, 123, 125-128, 139-143, 189, provided in licensed PDF on LMS]

Green, Lucy. ‘Lucy Green, Institute of Education, University of London’ [video clip]. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r8zoHT4ExY.

For a complete reading list please see the EDMT5700 Canvas site.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. demonstrate an awareness and understanding of cultural and ideological assumptions about music, teaching music as a profession, and music education
  • LO2. demonstrate knowledge of current music pedagogical theory
  • LO3. demonstrate a competent grasp of the key aspects of the current NSW stages 4 and 5 (years 7-10) mandatory and elective music course syllabuses
  • LO4. apply and evaluate technology in relation to music teaching
  • LO5. demonstrate an understanding of student behaviour and strategies for managing students in the classroom environment
  • LO6. plan, develop, and implement meaningful music teaching and learning experiences and evaluate educational “transactions” in front of peers relevant to a junior secondary school setting.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This is the first year this unit has been offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.