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[wilfunk-ii-v-i]

Discussion of Trends in Adult Education

I recently had a call with my learning partner Joseph to discuss trends in our related fields of music (Me), massage therapy (Joseph's) and adult education in general. The following is a summary of our discussion:

Music education trends that were discussed included working virtual communities, intercultural collaborations and gamification. In the area of massage therapy, regulatory changes with health colleges and evidence-based practice trends were the focus.

We discussed offerings of online education and the drawbacks and limitations of online learning. Physical and tactile aspects of music and massage education require feedback that are optimized by in-person presence, especially in the early learning stages of skill development. We agreed that online education is not going away but that both fields will need to evolve and adapt to incorporate best practices in the online educational world. 

We talked about the role of technology in the field of adult education with the proliferation of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and micro-credentials that allow students to access education without limitations of geographical location. In addition, these changes can allow for government and industry to deliver target skill development in the workforce. 

We also discussed a quote by Marshall McLuhan that I used in a previous blog post: “Already it is becoming clear that the main “work” of the future will be education, that people will not so much earn a living as learn a living”. This resonated with Joseph as he is a fan of McLuhan and we agreed that as adult learners the the flexible course structure of the PIDP allows us to “learn a living” amidst our professional and personal life. 

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Blaze

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[wilfunk-ii-v-i]

TRENDS IN ADULT LEARNING

As Marshall McLuhan once wrote in 1967, “...the main “work” of the future will be education, that people will not so much earn a living as learn a living,” (McLuhan & Leonard, 1967, p. 25)

This prescient quote accurately describes the relationship of living and learning in our current world. The trends in adult education reflect governments, institutions and corporations/business trying to keep up with massive changes in technology, communication and learning.

The Adult Learning Trends in Canada report (https://www.academia.edu/4154591/D_W_Livingstone_and_Milosh_Raykov_2013_Adult_Learning_Trends_in_Canada_Toronto_ON_CSEW) confirms trends of high informal learning among adults in Canada with informal learning defined as “when we engage in intentional learning, either individually or collectively, without direct reliance on a teacher/mentor or an externally organized curriculum".

Education trends and programming such as MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and microcredentials are attempting to bridge gaps between informal and formal learning.

Another trend seen in adult education is the use of prior learning assessment (PLA) tools as a way for independent learners to gain formal recognition of their acquired knowledge. The continuing desire of Canadian adults to gain new skills and knowledge is spurring innovative ideas for assessing prior informal learning.

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[wilfunk-ii-v-i]

Trends in Music Education

As with so much of our current engagement with the world, trends in the field of music education flow from the innovations of 21st century technology. Two of the most prominent trends emerging with changing ideas of musical pedagogy are:

A) The emergence of virtual collaborative communities, where musicians and artists from diverse backgrounds can meet to exchange ideas, collaborate on projects and advocate for artistic expression. These online gathering places provide an environment with a sense of belonging and encourage collective growth within the musical and wider artistic communities. Virtual platforms have also allowed for the integration of technology with traditional music teaching methods making music education more accessible than ever before. Students can seek out instructors from every corner of the globe with technology that also enhances learning with virtual practice sessions, interactive learning experiences music composition tools, and real-time feedback.

B) The development of inclusive and diverse music curriculum to integrate music from various cultures and wider genres. The article Mapping trends and framing issues in higher music education: Changing minds/changing practices (London Review of Education Volume 15, Number 3, November 2017) describes a project called ‘Taking Race Live’, which was aimed at “tackling inclusion in the curriculum, and seeking to enhance the student experience by integrating opportunities for wider networking challenges within and beyond the classroom, and the inclusion of social and digital media”. In this initiative “students were encouraged to question their own experiences of the performances and exhibitions, and to raise questions with their peers. The creative response of the students was notable”. It would be nice to have a more quantitative measure of the so called “creative response” but none the less, it sounds like this project had a positive effect in leading to desired outcomes of inclusivity using “live experiential methods to explore personal and collective experiences to supplement classroom learning”.

These ideas and projects are a positive sign considering the rigid and teacher centred traditional approach of music education/pedagogy. In the past, inclusivity has never been a hallmark of formal institutional music training, so I feel this is one of the most important trends we are seeing in music education.

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

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[wilfunk-ii-v-i]

The Skinny

Hello World,

I am a musician and arts educator/curriculum developer.

I have lived in the fine City of Burnaby for over 20 years in a 1930's era home where my wife and I have raised two kids who have recently flown the coop. We revel in our empty nest but holler to our progeny to visit the farmyard frequently.

I have started the PIDP at VCC to focus on Instructional Design theories and techniques and transition into this field of opportunity.

I look forward to meeting you!

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

https://www.facebook.com/VCCSchoolOfInstructorEducation