September 16, 2021, the FUTURED project hosted an online webinar for music education researchers, educators, preservice teachers, teachers in school and others concerned about the future for music teacher education. The aim was to initiate a research-based discussion about development and change.
The webinar was organized in collaboration with the Department of Arts Education (Western Norway University of Applied Education), Oslo Metropolitan University and The Norwegian Centre for Arts and Culture in Education. Catharina Christophersen, Silje Valde Onsrud and Tine Grieg Viig launched some issues and questions for discussion based on insights from some of the studies in FUTURED. Besides presenting and discussing from the FUTURED project, five contributors from other institutions were invited to present ongoing relevant Norwegian research projects and networks:
Jens Knigge at Nord University presented the MoVeM-project, an intervention study about multimodal mentoring in specialist music teacher education. The project is funded by DIKU, which supports internationalization and quality work in higher education in Norway. The project aims at strengthening the quality of the student preparation in the practice field by giving a more music specific supervision. In addition, it aims at strengthening the communication and collaboration between higher education institution and the practice field for specialist music teachers.
Anne Haugland Balsnes from Agder University presented the national SangBarSk-network that gather researchers with a particular interest for singing in kindergarten and school across teacher education institutions in Norway. Funded by Arts Council Norway, the network aims at strengthening the research on singing as well as the singing practices in schools and kindergartens. SangBarSk has published from surveys and case studies in kindergartens and schools. Ongoing research concerns singing in teacher education and early childhood education, while future plans include a textbook for teachers.
Live Weider Ellefsen from Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences presented from the DYNAMUS project funded by the Norwegian Research Council, focusing on social dynamics of musical upbringing and schooling in the Norwegian welfare state. Among other things, the project investigates how music education in elementary school is part of and contribute to maintain (or possibly change) established meaning structures and power relations. Ellefsen presented some preliminary findings from a survey, and concluded, that despite some shortcomings, there is reason for optimism.
Elin Angelo from NTNU presented the MiU network in Mid-Norway, and how they have worked to develop research projects and publish scientific books across music teacher education institutions in this part of the country. Currently, the network has a book series at Cappelen Damm Akademisk with two open access books published, and several others coming up.
Kristin Hals Kummernes presented the Norwegian centre for arts and culture in education and their network for music teacher education in Norway. The centre aims at producing content for arts education on different levels in Norwegian schooling and upbringing. The centre calls for input on how to continue the national network for music teacher education to fulfill a need that lacks in other music networks researchers and educators in this field contribute in.
The five contributors were, together Kari Holdhus from the FUTURED project, invited to share their visions for the future of music teacher education, which became a starting point for a plenary discussion, chaired by Jan Sverre Knudsen from the FUTURED project. He engaged several people from the audience to share thoughts about, dilemmas in and visions for music teacher education in the future.
The presentations from the webinar can be found here: https://youtu.be/4rPfVu8OaZw