In this reflective handbook, Rineke Smilde clarifies fundamental concepts of Lifelong Learning in Music through examples of research projects which were explorative and innovative. She identifies several key themes such as reflective practice, artistry, excellence, reciprocity and artistic response. She gives special attention to the notion of the ‘reflexive conservatoire’, which is rooted within the framework of lifelong learning and includes attention to tacit knowing, artistic excellence and the crucial connection to the outside world. In the end, Smilde makes a strong case for all musicians developing an informed social role that reflects their own identity and underpins their professional performance.
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n research (2010-2012) conducted by the research group Lifelong Learning in Music into instrumental lessons for elderly learners, a ‘Community of Practice’ (CoP; Wenger & Lave) was set up in which instrumental music teachers exchanged expertise and reflected together on their actions in lessons with elderly pupils. Meetings of the CoP centred on the exchange and development of knowledge. In 2012-2013 a follow-up study was conducted which looked into the transfer and development of knowledge within this CoP. Central in this follow-up study were the questions: “What learning takes place in the CoP?” and “Can collaborative learning contribute to the professional development of teachers?”
n research (2010-2012) conducted by the research group Lifelong Learning in Music into instrumental lessons for elderly learners, a ‘Community of Practice’ (CoP; Wenger & Lave) was set up in which instrumental music teachers exchanged expertise and reflected together on their actions in lessons with elderly pupils. Meetings of the CoP centred on the exchange and development of knowledge. In 2012-2013 a follow-up study was conducted which looked into the transfer and development of knowledge within this CoP. Central in this follow-up study were the questions: “What learning takes place in the CoP?” and “Can collaborative learning contribute to the professional development of teachers?”
This project aims to develop a measurement tool to assess the inclusivity of experiences for people with varying challenges and capabilities on the auditory spectrum. In doing so, we performed an in-depth exploration of scientific literature and findings from previous projects by Joint Projects. Based on this, we developed an initial conceptual model that focuses on sensory perception, emotion, cognition, and e[ort in relation to hearing and fatigue. Within, this model a visitor attraction is seen as an “experienscape” with four key elements: content, medium, context, and individual. In co-creative interviews with experts by experience with varying challenges on the auditory spectrum, they provided valuable insights that led to a significant expansion of this initial model. This was a relevant step, as in the scientific and professional literature, little is known about the leisure experiences of people with troubled hearing. For example, personal factors such as a person’s attitude toward their own hearing loss and the social dynamics within their group turned out to greatly influence the experience. The revised model was then applied in a case study at Apenheul, focusing on studying differences in experience of their gorilla presentation amongst people with varying challenges on the auditory spectrum.Societal issueThe Netherlands is one of the countries in Europe with the highest density of visitor attractions. Despite this abundance, many visitor attractions are not fully accessible to everyone, particularly to visitors with disabilities who sometimes are not eligible to ride due to safety concerns, yet when eligible generally still encounter numerous barriers. Accessibility of visitor attractions can be approached in various ways. However, because the focus often lies on operational and technical aspects (e.g., reducing stimuli at certain times of the day by turning o[ music, o[ering alternative wheelchair entrances), strategic and community-focused approaches are often overlooked. More importantly, there is also a lack of attention to the experience of visitors with disabilities. This becomes apparent from several studies from Joint Projects, where visitor attractions are being visited together with experts by experience with various disabilities. Nevertheless, experience is often being regarded as the 'core product' of the leisure sector. The right to meet, discover, develop, relax and thus enjoy this core product is hindered for many people with disabilities due to a lack of knowledge, inaccessibility (physical, digital, social, communicative as well as financial) and discrimination in society. Additionally, recreation entrepreneurs still face a significant gap in reaching the potential market of guests with disabilities and their networks. Thus, despite the numerous initiatives in the leisure sector aimed at improving accessibility on technical and operational fronts, often people with disabilities are still not being able to experience the same kind of enjoyment as those without. These observations form the pressing impetus for initiating the current research project, tapping into the numerous opportunities for learning, development and growth on making leisure offer more inclusive.Benefit to societyIn total, the current project approach comes with a number of enrichments in terms of both knowledge and methodology: a mixed-methods approach that allows for comparing data from different sources to obtain a more complete picture of the experience; a methodological co-design process that honours the 'nothing about us without us' principle; and benchmarking for a group (i.e., people with challenges on the auditory spectrum) that despite the size of its population has thus far mostly been overlooked.
Binnen het huidige muziekaanbod voor ouderen zijn veel praktijken gericht op woonzorg- en verpleeghuizen. Het grootste deel van de kwetsbare ouderen woont echter thuis. Vanuit de gedachte dat muziek een katalysator kan zijn voor welzijn en welbevinden, wordt met Dichtbij met Muziek een nieuwe innovatieve muziekpraktijk geïnitieerd waarbij professionele musici op maat muziek maken voor kwetsbare ouderen die (nog) thuis wonen en hun mantelzorgers. De uitbraak van de corona-pandemie zorgde ervoor dat de praktijk uiteindelijk virtueel tot stand is gekomen.Voorziene uitkomsten van het onderzoek naar de (virtuele) praktijk zijn:-Een nieuw ontworpen virtuele vorm van persoonsgericht musiceren met kwetsbare ouderen die (nog) thuis wonen en hun mantelzorgers, mogelijk inzetbaar in diverse situaties van isolatie;-Beter begrip van de bijdrage die (virtueel) persoonsgericht musiceren kan leveren aan het welzijn van kwetsbare ouderen, hun mantelzorgers en hun directe omgeving.Professionele musici ontwikkelen steeds vaker praktijken in ouderenzorgcontexten. De afgelopen jaren heeft het lectoraat Lifelong Learning in Music in samenwerking met (inter)nationale partners uit de muziek- en zorgsector nieuwe intramurale persoonsgerichte muziekpraktijken ontwikkeld: in verpleeghuizen voor mensen met dementie (Muziek en Dementie 2010-2014) en in het ziekenhuis (MiMiC - Meaningful Music in Healthcare 2015-heden). Gemeenschappelijk bij al deze praktijken is de persoonsgerichte aanpak, waarbij musici (gearrangeerd) repertoire spelen of een nieuw stuk improviseren, ‘in het moment’ en op maat van mensen. Binnen het huidige muziekaanbod voor ouderen zijn veel praktijken gericht op woonzorg- en verpleeghuizen. Het grootste deel van de kwetsbare ouderen in Nederland woont echter thuis. Dichtbij met muziek wil onderzoeken hoe persoonsgericht musiceren kan worden ingezet op maat van een groeiende groep thuiswonende kwetsbare ouderen en hun mantelzorgers. Als gevolg van de coronapandemie is de ontwikkeling van de praktijk gestart op virtuele wijze.Het doel van dit onderzoek is de ontwikkeling van een virtuele vorm van persoonsgericht musiceren voor kwetsbare ouderen en hun naasten, cq. mantelzorgers, waarbij wordt gedoeld op het versterken van bestaande relaties en gevoel van menselijke waardigheid.
