Time for change? Recurrent barriers to music education

Abstract

This article reports findings from a study that sought to identify barriers to music and music education in the UK. Emerging from empirical research involving n = 723 participants and clarified by an evidence base of over 10,000 research participants, the key findings presented in this paper relate to pupil and participant voice and involvement, location as a sub-theme of diversity and inclusion, collaboration and transition points. The research is contextualised by twenty years of policy initiatives seeking to address barriers to music learning. The article provides an overview of the research study before presenting the rich data that emerged within each theme reported. Research participant voice is used as much as possible to enable the reader to consider, reflect and interpret the data in a way that is meaningful for their own context. The paper concludes by asking why after 20 years of policy initiatives, research and evaluation the same barriers still exist and, as we emerge from the pandemic, suggests that this research provides a compelling case that now is the time for change.

Capital y educación musical: Análisis desde la controversia

“…Con una clase de música cada 2 semanas en muchas escuelas inglesas, esto sería dos lecciones" (p. 8). Por consiguiente, el capital cultural que aporta la música es infravalorado por las políticas educativas debido a que no tributa beneficios en las pruebas estandarizadas, lo que no solo deja entrever un modelo basado en resultados respecto a la educación, sino que también revela un interés político por incrementar las brechas culturales mediante la externalización de los servicios formativos (Aróstegui, 2017;Henley & Barton, 2022). Es decir, se debe acudir a instituciones privadas para acceder al aprendizaje musical, siendo responsabilidad de la figura estudiantil superar las barreras económicas, demográficas, territoriales, sistémicas o simbólicas que obstruyan el cumplimiento de su cometido (Bath et al, 2020).…”

“…En torno a la propiedad privada, el acceso a instrumentos musicales y otros insumos se plantea como un factor clave que desmitifica la igualdad de oportunidades, ya que la faceta económica del capital se plantea como una barrera que impide o al menos condiciona el acceso al aprendizaje musical. Es decir, la situación económica de las familias e instituciones educativas representa un punto de segregación desde el capital social (Angel-Alvarado et al, 2022), pues quienes no tienen poder adquisitivo en términos económicos deben privarse del acceso a instrumentos musicales (Bath et al, 2020;Henley & Barton, 2022) o buscar otras alternativas. En este sentido, vale señalar que los elencos musicales que suelen emplear instrumentos musicales confeccionados con materiales reciclados se sitúan en contextos de vulnerabilidad social.…”

The Roles of Music in Effecting Change: Considerations about Public Policy

“…Sound and Music currently oversees four digital projects: Minute of Listening, The CaN (Composer and Artist Network), the British Music Collection, and The Sampler. Importantly, Darren Henley, Chief Executive of Arts Council England, authored the independent review, “The Importance of Music” (Henley, 2011), which formed the basis of the Government’s first National Plan for Music Education (NPME).…”

Digital rhythm training improves reading fluency in children

“…While it is encouraging to know that musical instrument training can improve academic performance in children, there are numerous challenges associated with implementation of such training at home or in school en masse. Two of the largest barriers to entry are that of cost and convenience (Burland, 2020; Henley & Barton, 2022). Musical instruments can be expensive, and even if a cheap used instrument can be procured, the recurring costs of professional instruction results in high long‐term costs that will inevitably price‐out low‐income families and the school districts that serve them.…”