Situated broadly within the field of secondary (high) school education, and with a specific focus on the subject area (and extra-curricular educational setting) of instrumental music education, this essay provides evidence of the meaning of communal creativity as it arises in three interrelated practices: creative learning practice, creative teaching practice, and creative teacher leadership practice. This article reports on how learning is enhanced by experiences of communal creativity as illustrated in the case of a particular instrumental ensemble called Percussion 1. Findings support the specific nature of communal creativity, expressed in terms of embodiment, immersion, enhancement, and empowerment, and constituted socially (made manifest in a social context) through activity. Communal creativity has the potential to transform the experience of instrumental group learning with regard to the pedagogical values that aim to engage the whole community of learners.
Characterizing Communal Creativity in Instrumental Group Learning
Pamela Burnard is Reader in the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. She is internationally known for her work as a musician, educator, academic, researcher, editor, and workshop facilitator. Her research interests include diverse creativities, digital technologies, and intercultural arts across education sectors, industries, and communities. Her books include Bourdieu and the Sociology of Music, Music Education and Research (Ashgate forthcoming 2014), Developing Creativities in Higher Music Education (Routledge 2013), Music Education with Digital Technologies (Continuum 2008), Musical Creativities in Practice (Oxford UP 2012), Reflective Practices in Arts Education (Springer 2006), and Teaching Music Creatively (Routledge 2013). She is co-convener of the British Educational Research Association (BERA) Creativity in Education special interest group, and convener of the Commonwealth Creativities in Intercultural Arts Network at the University of Cambridge (educ.cam.ac.uk/centres/cce/initiatives/projects/cian). Correspondence to: Pamela Burnard, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, 184 Hills Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge CB2 2PQ, UK. Email: pab61@cam.ac.uk.
Tatjana Dragovic is Research Associate in the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. She is an international educator whose interdisciplinary expertise lies in the fields of creativity, educational leadership, continuing professional development for teachers, professional coaching, and educational research. She has worked as teacher and deputy head teacher for over 20 years in different European countries across all key stages from early years to university level. Her particular interest in using videographic techniques stems from her early interest in visual arts and her broad media experience as a journalist and producer for various TV stations. Correspondence to: Tatjana Dragovic, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, 184 Hills Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, Cambridge CB2 2PQ, UK. Email: td344@cam.ac.uk.
Pamela Burnard, Tatjana Dragovic; Characterizing Communal Creativity in Instrumental Group Learning. Departures in Critical Qualitative Research 1 September 2014; 3 (3): 336–362. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/dcqr.2014.3.3.336
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