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AlthoughÌýit feels like a lifetime ago now due to Covid-19 restrictions - I used to have the privilege of visiting music teachers and local schools as part of my research assistant role at CSPACE. Sometimes these would be part of a funded research project, but other times they were just to see new and interesting practices, and to hear about some of the challenges andÌýjoys of classroom music teaching directly from those living it every day. One of these visits was to Manor Church of England Academy where their inspiring music teacher,ÌýDave LoweÌýhad been developing composing pedagogiesÌýusingÌýApple iPads. This blog reflectsÌýon thisÌývisit now in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.Ìý

In 2019 I was invited toÌýManor CE AcademyÌýin York, to see and hear some of the work their music teacherÌýDave LoweÌýhad been developing with hisÌýsecondary schoolÌýmusic students. When walking into the classroom you could see the usual music classroom set-up; keyboards, instruments in the corner, piano at the front, posters on the wall, desktop computers for composing. The big differenceÌý³ó´Ç·É±ð±¹±ð°ùÌýwas that every student hadÌýan Apple iPad onÌýtheir lap. The school had beenÌýintegrating iPads into school life for about five years by the time I had come to visit, meaning that they were very much viewed as anÌýeveryday learning tool.Ìý

A creative "buzz"Ìý

At lunch time students were invited into the musicÌýdepartmentÌýto compose music through theÌýiPad softwareÌý. The classroom was full of students from all year groups and there was a lovely "buzz" of excitement and enthusiasmÌýabout the department. During the session some studentsÌýworked together andÌýchattedÌýquietly, whilst othersÌýworked carefully on their compositions alone. There was a general sense of calm and controlÌýwith using the technology, with students offering support to each other, solving problems independently, or asking for help from their teacher when needed. Most studentsÌýappeared confident enough to "try things out", and "see what happens"Ìýwithout too much fear of failure. Students commonlyÌýrecordedÌýnew layers of music, listened back, andÌýeditedÌýit when something didn't sound quite right.

StudentsÌýseemed motivated by their enjoyment and curiosity rather than any pressure to pass an exam or assessment. ThisÌýintrinsic motivation, wherebyÌýan individual is motivated by ‘their own interest and involvement’ (Amabile, 1985: 393),Ìýis said to beÌýbetterÌýfor creativity (Amabile,Ìý1979), compared to extrinsic motivation. This is something I also found in my ownÌýPhD researchÌýwith students having to compose for their GCSE and A level examinations.Ìý

The freedom and flexibility, combined with peerÌýsupport,Ìýand teacher and encouragement atÌýManor CE AcademyÌýseemed like the perfect environment for creativity to thrive!Ìý

Technology in the music classroom

The use of new technologies in the music classroom is by no means a new phenomena, however it hasÌýoftenÌýbeen the cause of ongoing debate and contention amongst musicians and music teachersÌýwith some believingÌýit to undermine the fundamental concepts of music education (Wise, 2016). However, technology has completely transformed the way we perform and compose music in the professional field (Green, 2002; Savage, 2012) -ÌýnowÌýeven more soÌýdue to the current Covid-19 crisis. Musicians who have neverÌýneeded to engage in music technology, are now having to quickly learn a whole new set of skills.Ìý

Technology in the music classroom can allow students to experienceÌýmore ‘real world’ (Wise et al., 2011) creative practices, thatÌýmayÌýalsoÌýbe moreÌý‘culturally relevant’ (Gall and Breeze, 2005: 427) andÌýclosely linked to the musicÌýthey play and listen to outside of school - thus bridging the gap between "school music" and the musicÌýthey experience out of the classroom. The use of music technology has been viewed as more inclusive and ‘egalitarian’ (Folkestad et al., 1998: 83), allowing students without formal instrumental training to engage in the act of composing (Nilsson and Folkestad, 2005; Reynolds, 2005; Kardos, 2012).ÌýÌý

Women, girls and technologyÌý

Upon speaking to some of the girls in the classroom during my visit, there seemed to be a slightÌýdifferenceÌýin their confidence compared to the boys. Two girlsÌýtold me that theyÌý"weren’t very good with technology", and I watched a year nine student, who had spent a long time inputting a drum pattern, deleted allÌýher herÌýprogress just before the end of the lesson.ÌýThe teacher, who had a lovely manner with all of his students, noticed this and suggested she come back at lunch time for some addition help, thus ensuring she did not get too behind.Ìý

These incidentsÌýgot me thinking about women in music technology and composing more widely.ÌýWe know that women are still underrepresented inÌýthe educational and professional fields both forÌýcomposition and music technology.ÌýBut this isn't the case everywhere; Boise (2017) compared the UK to Sweden in terms of undergraduate applications and offers for music technology courses, highlighting the lack of gender equality in the UK. What is turning girls and young women in the UK away from studying composing and music technology?Ìý

Boise (2017) argues that musicÌýtechnology has beenÌýtraditionallyÌýviewed as ‘masculine’ (Boise, 2017: 33), with men perceivedÌýas ‘expert users’Ìý(Armstrong, 2011:Ìý2), and women asÌý'less able and less interested' (Armstrong, 2011: 3). One argument is that boys are encouragedÌýto engage withÌýtechnology more through things like video gamingÌý(Pegley, 2006). Another argument is that the male dominated domains, such as DJing can be unwelcoming for some womenÌý(Katz, 2006: 583).

I was curious, and I asked Dave if he had noticed any sense of gender difference in the use of technology. Upon reflection he feltÌýthat low confidenceÌýwas perhaps more prominent withÌýhisÌýolder female students. He mentioned thatÌýthe way he introduced Garageband to students was by getting them to think of it like a new games console such as an Xbox or PlayStation. From this he found that the boys would happily start pressing buttonsÌýtoÌýsee what would happened, but often the girls were more reluctant to explore theÌýtechnology in this way. Dave also foundÌýthat girlsÌýsometimes becameÌýmore nervous aboutÌýsharingÌýtheir finished works, compared toÌýthe boys in the class. This gender difference was also found inÌýaÌýrecent internal assessmentÌýwhereÌýhe reportedÌýthatÌýthe boys, as a whole, had done better than the girls in the class.Ìý

Does thisÌýlack of confidenceÌýin schoolÌýstartÌýto explain the lower numbers of female music technologists? How do we, as music-educators, tackle this gender division?Ìý

Future thinkingÌý

So much has changed since I was able to visit Manor CE Academy, but it has got me thinking; considering howÌývital technology has become for all of us, how much is the gender gap also effecting student's ability to learn?ÌýTheÌýconversationsÌýI had with Dave atÌýManor CE AcademyÌýfelt like an important reminder to me that as weÌýdevelopÌýnew educational tools that we hopeÌýcreateÌýa more inclusive learning environment, we have to continue to ask; who is it benefiting, and who is it hindering?Ìý

I have been following Dave on Twitter throughoutÌýthisÌýpandemic who hasÌýsomehow remained smiley and optimistic throughout as heÌýcontinuesÌýtoÌýfind new methods and ways of engaging his pupils. We had a brief twitter exchange and he reminded me of my visit and our chats, and how it has helped him reflect on, and make changes to his practice, thus ensuring all young people have the opportunity to progress and enjoy creating their own music.Ìý

I would like to take Dave and Manor CE Academy for welcoming me andÌýI look forward to being able to visit againÌýsoon!Ìý

ReferencesÌý