Research
Doing research on music in context
What I share on this site gives an impression of the way I worked with students on research topics. This happened in a course named Contextual Studies.
The lessons connected with this course were given in year 1, 2 and 3 to students classical music, c&m and conducting (choir an hafabra).
The approach was that students (first in groups and ultimately individually), worked towards a research outcome in the form of a contextual essay and/or a presentation.
In the lessons the focus would be on topics or sometimes more comprehensive themes. As the name of the course indicates it was about making connections. In all lessons music was played, and studied from different perspectives:
- historical (general, musica and cultural history)
- analytical (with regard to form, structure and texture of music)
- harmonic (the ways in which western music deals with the harmonic dimension of music)
Topics (concepts) were actively approached (listening, singing, recognizing, comparing, formulating and doing assignments).
Within contextual studies a general aim was the development of a researching attitude. This was stimulated by formulating research questions, the making of mindmaps (concept maps), use of literature, scientific and academic sources, data banks, reference works, journals and the like.
Aspects of research were discussed in class with topics and themes and by working on reseach assignments such as a contextual essay on a topic of the student's choice. The approach should reflect the approach during lessons. Students had to use different knowledge domains and available working models.
What is important when doing research?
- Ask relevant and good questions
- Track key terms (concepts) en map relations between them
- Search in a sensible way by using a search strategy
- Keep track of what you find
- Constantly relate the relevance of search results to the asked questions
- Work towards a so called narrative: the story that will be told as the ultimate result.
Systematic working
To keep on track it can be helpful to use a research cycle. That is perfectly ok as long as the cycle remains a tool and does not become the goal of your activities...