We examine music teaching and learning from a range of perspectives, in all contexts, through the various levels of primary and secondary school and university systems to studio teaching, community music activity, informal learning, music therapy and music in notated and non-notated traditions. Our specialists in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples music are working side by side those researching digital music and the technologies utilised in the music education of school students.

Our academic staff also bring expertise in wider teacher education fields, such as:

gifted and special education
educational and developmental psychology
social foundations of education
digital literacies and ePortfolio thinking
e-learning and social media
mentoring practices
music educator identity and worldview
social justice and decolonisation
music technology
creativity: learning composition, songwriting, and production
modernising traditional practices

Their work is widely published in books and major international journals in music education, technology, music psychology, teacher education, popular music, ethnomusicology, and cultural studies.

Research Strands

Popular Music: responding to the current landscape of contemporary music, film music, with a performance focus for school based musiking.

Technology and digital music: exploring the operational aspects of global digital music practices.

Ensemble pedagogy: exploring musical and educational resources and strategies used with groups of musically-untrained children and adults.

Curriculum and Pedagogy: curriculum is the content taught, while pedagogy is seen as the way in which it is taught. Pedagogy and curriculum thus blend together as the understanding between how to teach and why we teach in a certain way.

Cognition: the scientific practice of how and why learning occurs.

Music composition: creating original pieces within musical concepts and components.

Leadership and Mentoring: as a process for a transmission of knowledge, social capital, and the psychosocial support perceived by the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional development, mentoring can be seen as a form of leadership.

Our researchers

Professor Jennifer Rowley, Music Education
Professor Emerita Kathryn Marsh AO
Dr James Humberstone, Senior Lecturer
Dr Jim Coyle, Lecturer
Dr Thomas Fienberg, Lecturer
Dr Deborah Chadwick, Casual Academic
Dr Jeanette Mollenhauer, Casual Academic
Mr Brad Fuller, Casual Academic
Dr Rachel White, Casual Academic

We offer postgraduate training in many types of music teaching, learning and curriculum, placing creativity, pedagogic practices and cultural diversity at the centre of all we do. The wide range of topics available reflect our broad view of music education.

There is a tradition of hosting free seminars, About Music Education, where we invite leading practitioners and researchers to provoke discussion with a short, “TED-style” presentation on a topic of their choice. We offer professional learning for in-service music teachers on a variety of curricular and co-curricular topics.

Publications

2023

Humberstone, J., Sandiford, C. (2023). Activist Pluralism as Intercultural Creativity in Conservatory Education. Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education. New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Humberstone, J., Zhao, C., Liu, D., Elizabeth, M. (2023). Stimulating music educator worldview change through a pedagogy of provocation, critical thinking and peer-review. International Journal of Music Education. [More Information]
Fuller, B., Humberstone, J. (2023). The Pendulum Swings Tired: Dewey's 'Passive and Inert Recipiency' versus 'Active Work' in a Progressive Secondary Music Classroom. Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education. New York: Routledge. [More Information]
White, R., Coyle, J. (2023). Cryptozoologica: Developing the Child as Performer. Journal of General Music Education, 36(2), 28-33. [More Information]

2022

Coyle, J. (2022). Fortiter et Suaviter. Self Published.
Coyle, J. (2022). We Will Trust in the Name of the Lord. Self Published.
Fienberg, T., Higgison, D. (2022). Finding solid ground: Industry collaboration and mentoring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in secondary schools. In Katelyn Barney (Eds.), Musical collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Australia, (pp. 109-121). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Humberstone, J., Fuller, B. (2022). Project-based learning for digital sound communication. Media Journal in Music Education, 1.
Fuller, B., Humberstone, J. (2022). The Pendulum Swings Tired: Passivity, Activity and Creativity in a Secondary Music Classroom. In C. Randles & P. Burnard (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Creativities in Music Education, (pp. 263-277). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Rowley, J., Munday, J. (2022). An arts-based learning model: Synergies of artist mentorship, ePortfolio and discovering 'possible self'. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 51(1). [More Information]
Rowley, J., Zhukov, K. (2022). Crafting successful music careers: Insights from the professional lives of Australian pianists. Research Studies in Music Education, 44(1), 158-174. [More Information]
Munday, J., Rowley, J. (2022). Cultural collaboration: Mentor attributes needed when working with Aboriginal youth. Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 30(3), 280-292. [More Information]
Rowley, J., Reid, A., Bennett, D. (2022). Rewriting the score: How pre-professional musical work can develop student thinking. In H. Westerlund, H. Gaunt (Eds.), Expanding professionalism in music and higher music education, (pp. 59-73). New York: Routledge (Taylor and Francis). [More Information]
White, R. (2022). High achievement and the musically gifted: How music educators across New South Wales, Australia develop and extend their most capable students. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 31(1), 37-53. [More Information]

2021

Humberstone, J. (2021). Seeking Innovation as Exploration of Aesthetic. In Anna Reid, Neal Peres Da Costa, Jeanell Carrigan (Eds.), Creative Research in Music: Informed Practice, Innovation and Transcendence, (pp. 151-162). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Humberstone, J., Lesson, L., Stavrou, M. (2021). Stereo Type. Mullumbimby, Australia: Institute of Non-Violence.
Rowley, J., Reid, A., Bennett, D. (2021). Determining effective strategies for an institutional approach to equity in music higher education. 23rd International Seminar of the ISME Commission on the Education of the Professional Musician, Australia: International Society of Music Education (ISME). [More Information]
Whitney, I., Rowley, J., Bennett, D. (2021). Developing student agency: ePortfolio reflections of future career among aspiring musicians. International Journal of ePortfolio, 11(1), 53-65. [More Information]
Rowley, J. (2021). Discovering professional identity through reflective narrative writing: a case study of pedagogic proficiency. Teaching and Learning Innovations in Higher Education, (pp. 357-374). Oxfordshire: Libri Publishing.
Rowley, J., Reid, A., Bennett, D. (2021). Holding multiple musical identities: The portfolio musician. In Andrea Creech, Donald A. Hodges, Susan Hallam (Eds.), Routledge International Handbook of Music Psychology in Education and the Community, (pp. 367-380). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
Rowley, J., Bennett, D., Knight, E. (2021). The role of hybrid learning spaces in enhancing higher education students' employability. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(4), 1188-1202. [More Information]
White, R. (2021). Authentic learning in senior secondary music pedagogy: an examination of teaching practice in high-achieving school music programmes. British Journal of Music Education, 38(2), 160-172. [More Information]

2020

Coyle, J. (2020). Boys' Voices, Lads' Voices: Benjamin Britten and the "Raggazo" (Continental) Sound. Choral Directions Research, 1(1), 71-93.
Marsh, K., Ingram, C., Dieckmann, S. (2020). Bridging Musical Worlds: Musical Collaboration Between Student Musician-Educators and South Sudanese Australian Youth. In Heidi Westerlund, Sidsel Karlsen, Heidi Partti, editors (Eds.), Visions for intercultural music teacher education, (pp. 115-134). Cham: Springer. [More Information]
Bennett, D., Knight, E., Rowley, J. (2020). The role of hybrid learning spaces in enhancing higher education students' employability. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(4), 1188-1202. [More Information]
Yeo, N., Rowley, J. (2020). "Putting on a Show" Non-Placement WIL in the Performing Arts: Documenting Professional Rehearsal And Performance Using Eportfolio Reflections. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 17(4), 1-17. [More Information]
Webb, M., Webb-Gannon, C. (2020). Decolonization, popular song and Black-Pacific identity in Melanesia. Media, Culture and Society, 42(1), 142-151. [More Information]

2019

Coyle, J. (2019). A Reappraisal of the Relationship Between Benjamin Britten and Walter Greatorex. Current Musicology, 105, 42-55.
Coyle, J. (2019). Are voices in community singing becoming lower? Australian Voice, 20, 40-45.
Rowley, J., Bennett, D., Schmidt, P. (2019). How is Leadership Developed in Higher Music Education? In Dawn Bennett, Jennifer Rowley, Patrick Schmidt (Eds.), Leadership and Musician Development in Higher Music Education, (pp. 6-13). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Rowley, J., Bennett, D. (2019). How is Leadership Practised in Higher Music Education? In Jennifer Rowley, Dawn Bennett, Patrick Schmidt (Eds.), Leadership of Pedagogy and Curriculum in Higher Music Education, (pp. 10-17). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Bennett, D., Rowley, J., Schmidt, P. (2019). Institutional Leadership and Musician Development in Higher Music Education. In Dawn Bennett, Jennifer Rowley, Patrick Schmidt (Eds.), Leadership and Musician Development in Higher Music Education, (pp. 190-201). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Reid, A., Bennett, D., Rowley, J. (2019). Leadership as an Essential Graduate Attribute for Musicians. In Dawn Bennett, Jennifer Rowley, Patrick Schmidt (Eds.), Leadership and Musician Development in Higher Music Education, (pp. 103-114). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Bennett, D., Rowley, J. (2019). Leading Change in Higher Music Education Pedagogy and Curriculum. In Jennifer Rowley, Dawn Bennett, Patrick Schmidt (Eds.), Leadership of Pedagogy and Curriculum in Higher Music Education, (pp. 178-187). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Rowley, J. (2019). The Musician as Teacher: Navigating Future Self for Career Development. In Jennifer Rowley, Dawn Bennett, Patrick Schmidt (Eds.), Leadership of Pedagogy and Curriculum in Higher Music Education, (pp. 150-169). New York: Routledge. [More Information]
Rowley, J. (2019). Transitioning to Career: Talented Musicians' Identity Development. In Susen R. Smith (Eds.), Handbook of Giftedness and Talent Development in the Asia-Pacific, (pp. 1-22). Singapore: Springer. [More Information]
Munday, J., Rowley, J. (2019). Art and Identity: Secondary Students Discovering a 'Sense of Self' Through Creating Artworks and Webpages. ab-Original: Journal of Indigenous Studies and First Nations and First Peoples' Cultures, 3(1), 1-23. [More Information]
Reid, A., Rowley, J., Bennett, D. (2019). From expert student to novice professional: higher education and sense of self in the creative and performing arts. Music Education Research, 21(4), 399-413. [More Information]
Webb, M. (2019). Melanesian Worlds of Music and Dance. In Eric Hirsch, Will Rollason (Eds.), The Melanesian World, (pp. 455-470). Abingdon: Routledge. [More Information]
Webb, M., Webb, C. (2019). "More than a Music, It's a Movement": West Papua Decolonization Songs, Social Media, and the Remixing of Resistance. The Contemporary Pacific, 31(2), 309-343. [More Information]

2018

Marsh, K., Harwood, E. (2018). Children's ways of learning inside and outside the classroom. In Gary McPherson (Eds.), Music Learning and Teaching in Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence: An Oxford Handbook of Music Education, (pp. 102-120). Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
Marsh, K. (2018). Commentary: Music learning and teaching during childhood: Ages 5-12. In Gary McPherson (Eds.), Music Learning and Teaching in Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence: An Oxford Handbook of Music Education, (pp. 97-101). Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
Marsh, K., Lum, C. (2018). Multiple worlds of childhood: Culture and the classroom. In Gary McPherson (Eds.), Music Learning and Teaching in Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence: An Oxford Handbook of Music Education, (pp. 160-177). Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.
Rowley, J., Munday, J., Polly, P. (2018). Preparing Future Career Ready Professionals: A Portfolio Process to Develop Critical Thinking Using Digital Learning and Teaching. In Michael E. Auer, David Guralnick and Istvan Simonics (Eds.), Teaching and Learning in a Digital World: Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning Volume 1, (pp. 702-707). Cham: Springer. [More Information]
Rowley, J., Munday, J. (2018). The evolved landscape of ePortfolios: Current values and purposes of academic teachers and curriculum designers. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 9(1), 3-22. [More Information]
Webb-Gannon, C., Webb, M., Solis, G. (2018). The "Black Pacific" and decolonisation in Melanesia: Performing negritude and indigenitude. J P S (The Journal of the Polynesian Society), 127(2), 177-206. [More Information]

Music Education