OutMus: Outcomes of Instrumental Tuition and Playing in an Ensemble - Teaching Music in Cooperation Between Primary and Music Schools

OutMus seeks to understand how different forms of music education affect the learner. Based on music curricula and other policy documents, it is clear that the main goals of music education in primary school are to enable children to experience, reflect on, understand and participate in musical activities. To achieve these goals, the development of musical knowledge and musical skills are central dimensions in terms of learning outcomes. The primary goal of the project is therefore to assess learning outcomes related to different forms of music education: music education centered around learning and playing an instrument, compared to “ordinary” music education in primary school. At the student level, we understand quality as the achievement of learning outcomes as defined in the curriculum, especially musical competences. More generally, quality can be understood as positive effects on music-related and non-music-related personal characteristics, such as musical self-concept and social skills, as well as group behavior, such as a better classroom environment. The following overarching questions are therefore asked - What types of learning outcomes are achieved through music education over one year? - Do variations in teaching type lead to differences in the scope and structure of learning outcomes? The “Supply–Utilization Model for Teaching and Learning” serves as a theoretical framework for the selection of variables related to the dimensions of learning opportunities, students’ individual use of these opportunities, and learning outcomes. The study follows a quasi-experimental 3 x 2 factorial design, with measurements at two points in time: before and after the teaching. Data collection spans 10 months. The design includes two experimental groups, violin lessons and dood lessons, and one control group. The data material makes it possible to examine differences in learning outcomes between the groups, as well as effect structures and interactions between different dependent and independent variables.