Key Findings

The key findings from the project included:

• The ethos of the project – openness and active and engaged listening – that was established by the researchers imbued the relations and the project as a whole. The students developed this openness in their online dialogue, sharing ideas and developing new understandings between themselves as to the challenges of developing new thinking towards children’s making in music.
• Since the students were able to show each other work that had been developed in each centre through the online forum this brought vitality to the discussion and exchange of ideas.
• As the project progressed students became aware of their own development as listeners, observers and responders working with the children as opposed to instructing the children in their making.
• A respect for children to have their own space for making emerged, as well as a greater respect for the children’s process in making and creating their ideas. This sensitivity to children extended to seeing how children make their learning in different ways and in a holistic manner at times - as in how a musical sound becomes a soundtrack to an imaginary movie.
• Through the pairing system it became apparent how the elaboration of the students’ thinking evolved through their engagement in their own learning. This safe space became an opportunity to discuss many aspects of the role of music and the purpose of music in teaching and learning.

Key Recommendations

The key recommendations from the project highlighted the implications for teaching and learning:

The advantage of a cross-disciplinary framework | This project showed the advantage of a cross-disciplinary framework within a collaborative teaching and learning environment. The development of a cross-sector (i.e. private training enterprise and university collaboration) initiative was viewed as productive.

Positive interface between university and ECE students | The interface between subject-specific students working with early-childhood education students was perceived as a positive development and entering into the workplace was seen as a formative enterprise for both institutions.

Open-ended student-led practice | The use of the online discussion forum was integral to the development of an open-ended student-led practice that was seen as exemplary in this instance.

Future use of the project design | As a final recommendation it was felt by all parties that this project design should be given serious consideration within teacher education and subject-specific courses at university level.