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Unit of study_

MUED1010: Key Ideas in Music Education

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Sydney

In this Unit of Study students will investigate a range of significant foundational ideas relevant to the learning and teaching of music as a human activity: a performed expressive system that is defined by specific historical, social and cultural situations and circumstances. Key Ideas in Music Education explores the place of music in human experience, what it means to be musical, and some of the ways musicality can be cultivated. Through the lens of the Orff-Keetman Schulwerk pedagogical approach, the unit explores ways we learn music, learn about music, and learn through music.

Unit details and rules

Unit code MUED1010
Academic unit Music Education
Credit points 3
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator James Humberstone, james.humberstone@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Jim Coyle, jim.coyle@sydney.edu.au
James Humberstone, james.humberstone@sydney.edu.au
Jennifer Rowley, jennifer.rowley@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment hurdle task Establishment of your ePortfolio
Portfolio. See description and rubric on Canvas.
40% Formal exam period
Due date: 03 Jun 2024 at 23:59
1,200 to 2,400 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4
Small continuous assessment Early feedback task
Singing including pitch matching #Earlyfeedbacktask
10% Week 02
Due date: 01 Mar 2024 at 13:00

Closing date: 01 Mar 2024
1 minute
Outcomes assessed: LO5
Creative assessment / demonstration hurdle task Key ideas in music education
Peer teaching & submitted score. See description and rubric on Canvas.
50% Week 11
Due date: 10 May 2024 at 23:59

Closing date: 24 May 2024
1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO3
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

  • Key ideas in music education: In week 11, students will have 5 minutes to teach a short song and accompaniment to the class in the manner of Orff pedagogy. Students will then teach at least two original body percussion parts that fit well with the song. Students will submit a score that shows the body percussion parts created, as well as what non-melodic instruments they should be transferred to.
  • Establishment of your ePortfolio: In week 3, Professor Jennifer Rowley will demonstrate one way to set up an ePortfolio. After each seminar, students will write a short reflection on what they have learned.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

Please see the rubrics and task descriptions on Canvas for more information 

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 The Orff-Keetman Schulwerk as an *approach*, not a method, with examples from one teacher’s career. UoS Introduction: Academic Honesty at University of Sydney; AITSL Graduate Standards, & LANTITE; University assignments & marking. Introduction to UoS Outline. Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 02 “I come from the standpoint that says the best way to understand music is to do it yourself – to make it – and then to make it up yourself” – Richard Gill, 2003. Discussion based on practical music making. Early assessment task (in class) - pitch matching and musicality. Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 03 Establishing an ePortfolio for your 4 year journey. Best practice, the research base that establishes why this is a valuable endeavour. Establishing a robust approach to critical thinking, and using APA style referencing to ground thinking. Reading on CANVAS. Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Week 04 Orff-Keetman Schulwerk 1. Music for Movement’s sake, Movement for Music’s sake: beginning with movement. Rhymes/spoken poems; singing; imitation; chunking. How does movement aid learning melody? Orff & Keetman’s original repertoire; Modern repertoire. Workshop (2 hr) LO3 LO5
Week 05 Orff-Keetman Schulwerk 2. Adding body percussion to song; the link between body percussion and movement; using words to aid rhythmic learning; imitation; transfer to non-melodic instruments. Interlocking non-melodic percussion parts. Repertoire for body percussion and/or non-melodic instruments without song. Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 07 Orff-Keetman Schulwerk 3. New layers: Song to playing melody on melodic percussion instruments. The Bordun; imitation; movement and transfer from song to Bordun. Inner ostinati; transfer from rhyme/song. Rinse and repeat. As the texture of the music becomes more complex, does movement take a back seat? Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 08 Orff-Keetman Schulwerk 4. It’s an approach, not a method, but what are the systems? Revising and cementing the key elements of the Orff Schulwerk – Imitation, movement, melodic chunking, body percussion, transfer, interlocking non-melodic patterns, Bordun, and ostinati. Learning all parts. Always involved. Examples of repertoire with these elements for older children. Music for Movement’s sake, Movement for Music’s sake. Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 09 Orff-Keetman Schulwerk 5. Designing your own. Teaching your own. In preparation for the week 11 assessment, strategies for developing your own body percussion/non-melodic percussion parts to accompany a song. Peer teaching opportunities. Revising the process of chunking a song. Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Week 10 Special projects week. DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE CLASS IN SPECIAL PROJECTS WEEK. The Music Education Division will let you know if a Project is planned, and whether it is mandatory or optional. Workshop (2 hr)  
Week 11 Orff-Keetman Schulwerk: peer teaching assessment marked in class. Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5
Week 12 Cultural Diversity in Music Education. What can Balinese Gamelan tell us about the Orff-Keetman Schulwerk? And what can the Orff-Keetman Schulwerk learn from diverse musical cultures? Workshop (2 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 13 There's joy in repetition. Looking backwards and forwards to and from the Orff-Keetman Schulwerk. Workshop (2 hr) LO3 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

  • Lecture recordings: Lectures for this unit of study will be recorded and made available to students via Canvas.
  • Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned. The Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90%.

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 3 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 60-75 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Please see the reading list on Canvas.

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. describe and demonstrate ways music is experienced kinaesthetically, vocally, and intellectually-affectively
  • LO2. coherently describe and discuss each key music education idea studied, including how these are related to a broad range of music teaching and learning contexts
  • LO3. devise and demonstrate in a workshop setting practical applications of a range of these key ideas, drawing on singing, movement, instruments and new technologies
  • LO4. demonstrate familiarity with research-based literature relating to these ideas.
  • LO5. teach a song and accompanying body percussion consistent with the Orff-Schulwerk approach

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.

Added the early assessment feedback task

Disclaimer

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

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