Music Education And Therapy - Essay Example

Music Education And Therapy Introduction The aim of the present study is to combine my interest in music education, music therapy and educational psychology to understand relevant strategies that help in behavioral and cognitive changes. For this purpose, I have reviewed and critically analyzed existing literature on the subject that would further help in understanding the use of various music education and therapy strategies in the field of research. The paper will start with a rationale which will provide an explanation regarding my motivation to engage in this particular field of study during Masters. Later, a critical analysis of the literature related to behavioral and cognitive changes along with the impact of music on cognitive abilities and the use of music as therapy will be carried out. The paper will end with a personal view regarding the importance of music education and therapy in the field of education. Rationale Due to the important role of music in my life, I chose to study music therapy at Roehampton University following my arrival in the UK. Music not only makes me a happy person but it gives me more confidence and helps me interact with people in an improved manner. My interest in this effect of music on the mood and personality of individuals has motivated me to research this area further. Even though, I have studied this paradigm at the Master Levels, it is still unclear as to why music has such an impact; therefore, I would like to study this area in more detail. Studying this area further will not only help me on a personal level, it will also facilitate my professional development in the workplace context. I also intend to use music in the educational environment which will help me understand the effect music has on learners. In order to understand the impact of music on the cognitive and behavioral changes among individuals, I will review and critically analyze the existing literature in three areas; music education, music therapy and educational psychology. The analysis will help me find links between the three topics and narrow down the research questions to specific topics I am interested in and intend to work on in the future. The literature will be collected from books, journal, newspaper articles, websites, etc. Theoretical Overview Research plays an important role in education and teaching. As other professionals in the health and social care sector, there is a need to understand the importance of evidence-based practice in the field of education and teaching. Rather than working in a particular way because that is the standard, traditional or historical practice, or because of a feeling or instinct, it is now common practice to mix a number of research methods to achieve the desired outcomes. Research evidence could be from primary research that has been conducted by the practitioner, perhaps action research such as trialing different teaching methods and assessing results, or by literature searches of current educational research. These different types of research methods will be helpful in professional education practice (Johnson & Onwuegbuzie, 2004). In order to understand the subject better, I will study four areas academic research that include cognitive change and development along with strategies to encourage change where required, music therapy, music education and the relationship between the three concepts. Cognitive Change and Development Child development has been theorized and researched extensively over centuries but until the most recent decades (Piaget, 1951; Vygotsky, 1933). Early theories regarding the way people develop and behave focused on biological and cultural models (Darwin, 1859). On the other hand, Piaget and Vygotsky studied development in terms of cognitive change, with Vygotsky emphasizing the cultural influence and asserting that the child’s mind requires social interaction to develop, an ‘outside-in’ model (Vygotsky, 1933), while Piaget emphasizes the biological aspect, with the child having innate abilities which will prompt him/her to engage with the environment and thus develop, an ‘inside-out’ model (Piaget, 1951). Theorists in the contemporary world acknowledge both models and see the child’s development as being an interaction between the biological innate abilities and the environmental influences. Piaget saw play as being crucial to learning but defined play as the orientation towards an activity rather than the activity itself (Piaget, 1951, p.147). Musical activity can be seen as a game, yet without the playful orientation, can also become a chore. This is the concept that Piaget was emphasizing, that children can make any activity into a game, and any game can be turned into an unpleasant task by taking the playfulness away. This motivation is an important factor in learning, as people with intrinsic motivation (that they want to engage with an activity) are more motivated to learn and likely to perform better than those who have only extrinsic motivation (they risk punishment if they do not engage) (Griffiths, 2008, p.21). Vygotsky (1933, online; 1981, pp.61-79), on the other hand, theorized that social interactions are required for the development of children’s thought processes and cognition. Without language and symbolic behavior, which develops through socialization, children’s brains are unable to progress beyond a basic stage. Similar to Piaget, Vygotsky suggested that play was crucial but that this is prompted from the social activities rather than the child’s own impetus. Vygotsky argued that symbols systems mediate a child’s activities and these take place within a socio-cultural context (John-Steiner & Mahn, 1996, pp.196-206). An example of how these models can be applied in a practical educational sense, is in cognitive and behavioral change such as using video games to encourage health-related behavior (Baranowski, Buday, Thompson & Baranowski, 2008, pp.74–82). This study used the medium of the video game to deliver experiences and messages related to healthy behavior modification. As an enjoyable past time, in which children and young people are already engaging, the video game was considered a potentially powerful medium for these messages. Music Education Zoltan Kodaly, an important personality in the field of music and education, highlighted the importance of experience-based music education. He emphasized the need for music in educational institutions for every child, and recognized folk music as the most important and effective style to use in teaching (Kodaly, 1971). A musical education has a positive impact on the whole of cognitive development, as discussed by Magne, Schön and Besson (2006, pp.199–211) who found that child musicians perform better than non-musical children in tasks of detecting violations in language as well as in music. Similarly, music lessons can result in an increase in the IQ as tested before lessons begin and then after the lessons finish, in comparison to other children receiving or not receiving drama lessons (Schellenberg, 2004, pp.511-514). Research has revealed short-term beneficial effects of listening to music on the cognitive performance adults, which are seen to be linked to mood, however, music lessons in childhood have a much more long-term and diffuse effect (Schellenberg, 2005, pp.317-320). The incorporation of melodies teaching from preschool to postsecondary learning is widespread in most countries because engagement in melodies is believed to be a basic constituent of human culture and behavior. Cross (2001, p.28) suggests that “music, like speech, is a product of both our biologies and our social interactions; that music is a necessary and integral dimension of human development; and that music may have played a central role in the evolution of the modern human mind.” Music Therapy There is significant literature that endorses the effectiveness of music therapy within numerous aspects of motor, cognitive, communicative, social, and affective development (Standley & Prickett, 1994). Music is the collection of sounds and a deliberate audio stimulus that is comprises of tune, rhythm, and synchronization (Kemper & Danhauer, 2005). The American Music Therapy Association (2004) defined therapy as “an established healthcare profession that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of individuals of all ages” (AMTA, 2004). Similarly, Bruscia (1987, pp. 5) defined music therapy as “a goal-directed process in which the therapist helps the client to improve, maintain, or restore a state of well-being, using musical experiences and the relationship that develop through them as dynamic forces of change.” Music therapy is designed to achieve desired outcomes with or without using drug therapy while facilitating improved communication during treatment. It also facilitates individuals manage their illness, disease, or a stressful situation in an improved manner. Music therapy is basically used for individuals suffering from long-term disorders such as dementia, in crisis situations that have disturbing psychological effects, recuperating from an operation, or at home. Music therapy has grown from the knowledge that the emotional response to music is important, and recent research indicates that music may be a valuable link between cognition and emotion (Krumhansl, 2002, pp.45-50). The methods of music therapy might comprise of different activities such as music listening, song singsong, and improvisation (Kennelly & Brien-Elliot, 2001); journaling, drawing, coloring, sculpting with clay and guided imagination (Hendricks & Bradley, 2005); music relaxation, song writing, song acting, and instrument playing (Hendricks & Bradley, 2005). Although music activities are wider, the decision to use a method depends on each situation (Juslin & Sloboda, 2001, p. 487). In the contemporary world, the use of singing in music therapy is particularly useful in encouraging togetherness, self-expression, learning academic material, and strengthening different aspects of the personality – particularly those with language disabilities (Pellitteri, 2005, p. 188). Relationship between child development, music education and music therapy The relationship between music therapy, music education and child development is a sophisticated one, and, as has been seen frequently in the literature review, one which is still under scrutiny. In addition to an appreciation of the correlative aspects between the roles of music in a child’s development, there also exists a debate regarding the nature of the interaction between the two. This section will consider the ways in which the use of music can be used in a child’s development by examining instances of its use in practice and comparisons of the way in which it has an effect upon the author which gives rise to several questions. Firstly, enjoyment of music is a subjective aspect of an individual and not everyone can be expected to respond in the same way. Secondly, the style of music can result in significantly different results for different individuals depending on their personal enjoyment or interest in music. This would suggest that, although the author’s view and experience is relevant, it is not necessarily the only effective guide as to how the use of music should be applied in practice. This can be applied to practice in a number of ways. Firstly, making children listen to music seems to have beneficial effects. Therefore, it can be used in taking care of children simply for the reason that evidence exists which indicates its positive effects (Schellenberg, 2004, p.511). As a result, it can be suggested that pursuing the practice of listening music for five minutes everyday might prove effective. Even though, this would represent an uncritical approach to the issue on hand, the aim here is not to provide empirical tests and verify the evidence, but to demonstrate how these studies can be applied in practice (Schlaug, 2005). This reveals that the most logical practice would be to utilize music in a practical setting, as it would be a source of benefit in child development. There have been numerous instances which reveal a significant impact of music on individuals’ cognitive abilities. A number of researches clearly reveal that the early years in a child’s life is a particularly significant period when music can encourage the development of nerve connections among brain cells for best possible cognitive development (Harris, 2009, p. 2). Whitwell (1997) investigated concerns regarding the left-brain and the right-brain and revealed that discussing music used the left side of the brain, while creatively producing music used to right side of the brain. Music to a great extent helps in making sense of patterns when development of right-brain activities, such as creativity, artistic expression, and musical intelligence, start and develop at an early age. This process proves fundamental to developing lifetime thinking skills that result in improved natural development of communication, expression, and cognition. More recent research (Finnerty, 1999) indicates that locating the spot of musical knowledge in the brain is not easy because it is not located in one particular region. The fact that music experiences are multi-dimensional – entailing audio, visual, memory, feelings, and motor skills – shows that musical processing utilizes several regions of the brain. The power of music facilitates brain development, incorporates the two hemispheres and plays an important part in the cognitive development of the child (Harris. 2009, p. 3). Research further illustrates that music therapy is helpful in teaching both social and academic skills (Harris, 2009, p. 6). Music therapists frequently deal with preschool children and children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyper Activity (ADHD). Jackson (2003) carried out a survey to determine music therapy techniques used for children with an ADHD diagnosis, how successful the music therapist perceived this intervention to be, and the part that music therapy played in comparison to other types of interventions. The findings indicated that therapists frequently utilized several music therapy techniques that comprise of role-turn playing with drumming instruments, leading songs and moving along the music to help children with ADHD. Register (2004) investigated the impact of a music therapy on teaching reading skills and also contrasted on-and-off task behavior during video versus live music situations. This study confirmed that music improved the on-task behavior of students and endorsed the need for further exploration in the advantages of enrichment interventions, especially those that included music activities. Elliot Eisner (1994) evaluated the impact of music programs and found positive effects on other dimensions of living and learning. The findings of study revealed that, advantages of art entailed development of thought process; greater motivation to learn, superior student activity, lesser dropout rates, and better social skills. Studies further suggested that students taking part in musical activities showed higher academic achievement than those students who did not take part in musical activities (Catterall, 1998). According to Eisner, art is especially significant for experiencing the pleasure of creating, developing attention to detail, learning ways of conveying views, knowledge and emotions beyond words. He indicated that arts is a significant contributor to learning and has a vital role in students’ accomplishments. Some researchers reveal certain cognitive associations with some art subjects and other participants – such as a relationship between music and mathematics – or that music provides a way for students to become more motivated to learn. Though researchers have not yet confirmed what facets of music results in certain student achievement, present research evidence undoubtedly acknowledges the advantages of learning through music (Vaughn, 2000). Several researches showed that music education in children leads to improved lifelong visual-spatial reasoning, for example, better performance in recreating or bringing together separate pieces to form a single object (Hetland, 2000). Similarly, a strong association between musical education and language abilities exists as musical education at a young age effects the development of auditory processing (Moreno & Besson, 2006). Furthermore, as speech and music have several similar processing networks, therefore, musical experiences which improve processing can thus effect the perception of speech which then affects the learning required to read (Hallam, 2005). As a result, there is a significant relationship between music education and reading test scores (Butzlaff, 2000). Furthermore, Magne et al. (2006) reveal that music has a positive impact upon the whole of cognitive development and this development can be investigated in practice (Magne et al., 2006, p.199). This is similar to the investigation carried out by Schellenberg (2004, p.512) which suggested that those who take part in music lessons have higher IQs than those who do not. The potential implication of this in practice would therefore seem to result in a clear directive to provide music lessons, even at a basic level (Schellenberg, 2005, p.318). Rauscher, Shaw and Ky (1993) demonstrated that children who listen to music by Mozart demonstrated advanced spatial abilities. The findings from the study revealed that listening to music resulted in children being more engaged with the existing task which ultimately improved performance. The aim here is to apply this postulation in practice to observe whether it resulted in a more effective grasp of the spatial tasks rather than to empirically verify the evidence that has been put forward. On the other hand, the study poses a serious question that the use of music in order to improve spatial awareness could be highly context specific and therefore the use in practice could not be consistent (Schellenberg, 2004, p.512). Similarly, in therapeutic and practical contexts, the extent to which a pre-conceived idea of a particular type and style of music eliciting an emotional response prescribed by the therapist or the instructor recognizes the need for a guarded approach to the practical benefit. Even though, the literature demonstrates that there is likely to be a positive response to music, individuals respond to music in different fashions and therefore deciding (as Schellenberg, 2004) that the music is ‘sad’ or ‘relaxing’ can only be considered as such for a number of patients. Therefore, it is suggested that, although the use of music has significant benefits in a number of contexts, there is no reason to imply that it is a failsafe approach. In practice, this precludes against the idea that there is a quick fix approach; one that can is guaranteed to work in all cases. In this context, the use of music varies between the styles of music and even these differences that are illustrated in the literature (Baranowski et al., 2008). Conclusion In conclusion, research supports that the theory that music education and therapy have a positive effect on cognitive abilities. Exposing children to music earlier in life permits this influence to occur sooner. Musical education at an early age leads to improvement of cognitive abilities ultimately enhancing child development. This contact with music must start early in life because failure to expose children to music during these early times robs them of the most favorable time for learning and development. Therefore, in order to gain maximum benefits of listening to music, it is imperative to ensure that music is incorporated into a learning environment. However, it is important to note that the use of music may vary from context to context and the way in which each individual responds can mitigate the possible benefits. Thus, even though it is not a universal objective science, but rather one that will be expected to work more effectively for different people at different times to help them develop both on a personal and professional level. References Baranowski, T., Buday, R., Thompson, D. I. & Baranowski, J. (2008) Playing for Real: Video Games and Stories for Health-Related Behavior Change, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 34(1), pp.74–82. Butzlaff, R. (2000) Can Music Be Used To Teach Reading? Journal of Aesthetic Education, 34(3-4), pp. 167-178. Catterall, J. (1998). Does Experience in the Arts Boost Academic Achievement? Art Education, 51(3), pp. 6–11. Cross, I. (2001) Music, Cognition, Culture, And Evolution, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 930, pp.28-42. Darwin, C. 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