Heidi Partti (ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3098-5707) is Professor of Music Education at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki and Docent of Music Education at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. As Professor of Music Education, Heidi is actively involved in developing music (teacher) education, and teaches and supervises music education students at the Masters and Doctoral Level. She also holds leadership positions with national and international organizations such as the International Society for Music Education (ISME). Heidi’s articles on topics such as music-related learning communities, digital technology, composition pedagogy, and the development of intercultural competencies in music teacher education have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and edited anthologies. Lately, she has become increasingly interested in questions related to equality, ethics, and socio-ecological justice. Heidi is specifically interested in advancing ethical and sustainable research practices within music education. She is a certified VIRT2UE Research Integrity and Ethics Trainer and serves as the Research Integrity Adviser at her university.
How did you get involved in the FUTURED project?
Prior to the FUTURED project, I have been involved in various international projects examining questions related to music (teacher) education in the rapidly changing world. I was therefore very excited to be invited in FUTURED as a guest researcher.
How would you describe what you are doing in the FUTURED project?
As a guest researcher, I collaborate particularly with the Work Package 3 researchers. We have recently submitted a co-authored article with Kari Holdhus and Catharina Christophersen, and I look forward to continuing the work with the Post Doc fellow Tine Grieg Viig, to whom I have had an honour to be a designated mentor during this project. As a guest researcher I have participated in all the seminars of the project and hosted an (online) seminar in Finland.
What do you find interesting about the work in your study?
Examining the ways to use digital technology and multi-professional collaborations for the benefit of students and music education professionals has been fascinating. I hope and believe that our research will be relevant in the efforts of developing teacher education in Norway, other Nordic countries and beyond.
What is your favourite aspect of your FUTURED work?
I love to network and collaborate! Learning happens when people come together to work for a shared goal. I’m convinced that The FUTURED project has provided us all ample amount of these learning opportunities: not only are we learning new aspects about the phenomenon we’re studying, but also about ourselves, our institutions, and, at least in my case, about the educational system of my own country. I’m very grateful for the possibility to learn more about Norway and the Norwegian education system. As always with traveling, by examining the unfamiliar you begin to see your own familiar context with new eyes.
This interview is taking place in the last year of the project. Where are you headed in the future?
I continue my research, teaching and leadership responsibilities equipped with new insight received from the FUTURED project. I believe the new experiences and understanding from the project will be particularly helpful in the curriculum reformation work I’m involved in at my home institution.