Exercise to Music Courses for Teachers in the United Kingdom - Research Paper Example

EXERCISE TO MUSIC S Introduction Public policy in the United Kingdom promotes participation in learning and training, “improving skills, stimulating innovation and fostering enterprise” as the predominant means of enhancing productivity and raising standards of living (Porter & Kettels, 2003). The numbers of exercise to music instructors have increased significantly in recent years; hence a comprehensive study of the processes of learning and their impact on end results among the instructor-learners is required. There are two routes to learning through which the exercise to music classes are taught to instructors; and each route has different learning outcomes. One method of training is the Freestyle approach which expands horizons and develops abilities; while the second method is the Pre-choreographed approach which trains instructors to conform to the traditional method of following a pre-written script developed by others. The two different learning outcomes depend on the particular productive process that integrates training and learning in context with each other (Felstead et al, 2006: 1). Thesis statement: The purpose of this paper is to determine how the two different routes to learning lead to different end results in Exercise to Music courses for teachers. Discussion The health and fitness club sector in the United Kingdom has experienced rapid growth since the early 1990s. The steeply rising popularity of the fitness sector has reached nation-wide coverage, and has now levelled off into a plateau. Fitness organisations changed their focus on to increasing the productivity of the centres that are currently functioning. Hence, the emphasis on retaining existing members is growing, and more resources are being devoted for the same purpose (Mintel, 2005). Among various initiatives is the exercise to music program which has become a standardised brand name, and leaves little allowance for instructor innovation and creativity (Felstead et al, 2006: 4). Most of the health and fitness clubs in the United Kingdom provide facilities for group training in a fitness room that is designated for the purpose, and is equipped with a music system, loudspeakers and full-length mirrors (Mintel, 2005). Whereas machine-based workouts do not follow a timetable, exercise to music is conducted to a time scale. The participants experience a wider range of vision as well as physical space in which to function. Group exercise has the additional benefit of building social bonds between participants, thus increasing fitness club attendance and helping to keep membership levels high (FIA, 2003). The Exercise to Music (ETM) class is led by an ETM instructor present in front of the class, sometimes on a platform. The instructor uses a headset radio microphone for communicating in larger classes. For the different stages of activity, music is used as an accompaniment with the instructor’s guidance audible over the sound tracks. The instructor demonstrates the movements usually facing the class or with his/ her back to the students; he may also move around, briefly commenting on the participants. The instructor’s complete participation in the class includes directing, describing, and teaching movement sequences while concurrently moving in time to the music . All the different aspects of the Exercise to Music class including how the accompanying music is used to enhance free will or human agency, and the reactions of the participants have been studied through surveys and research studies during the past decade (Delin, 2000: 61; Denora, 2000: 88; Sayers & Bradbury, 2004: 16; Crossley, 2004: 37). However, the system to which the instructor is taught to work, and the resulting outcomes on his learning have received very little research attention. Hence, this paper aims to fill the gap in knowledge in the area of two different routes to learning for instructors undergoing ETM courses, and their learning outcomes. 1. A Description of Key Pedagogic Issues According to Knowles (1980: 43), pedagogy, the art or profession of teaching considers the learner as dependent on guidance and teaching from the instructor. In this, very little validity is acknowledged towards the learner’s previous experience. On the other hand, andragogy, or the special techniques used in adult education for facilitating learning has a different perspective. Andragogy views the adult learner as increasingly self-directed, and the experience of the learner as a deep reservoir that serves as a resource for learning. In pedagogy, the learner’s readiness to learn is considered to be the same, according to age-level and curriculum. Contrastingly, in andragogy, readiness to learn develops from life tasks and problems. Similarly, orientation to learning in pedagogy is subject-centred, whereas in andragogy it is task or problem-centred. Motivation in the former is by external rewards and punishments, and in the latter by internal incentives such as aspiration, curiosity, or other reasons. In the pedagogic classroom, the environment is authority-oriented, formal, competitive and judgmental. On the other hand, the andragogical classroom is relaxed, warm, collaborative and supportive. Planning, diagnosis of needs and setting of objectives is carried out by the teacher in the pedagogic classroom, but in andragogy, it is by mutual assessment and negotiation between the learner and facilitator. In the pedagogic setting, designing of learning plans are through teachers’ content plans, course syllabus, and logical sequence; and in andragogic settings they are through learning contracts and learning projects; moreover they are sequenced by readiness for the next level of activity. Pedagogic learning activities are through transmittal techniques and assigned readings, whereas in andragogy learning activities are through inquiry projects, independent study and experimental techniques. Similarly, pedagogical evaluation of learning achievement is by the teacher in the form of grades; on the other hand andragogical evaluation of learning achievement is through learner-collected evidence validated by peers, facilitators and experts (Knowles, 1980: 44). The above differences between pedagogic and andragogic learning are identifiable among the two routes to learning in the courses for Exercise to Music instructors. The andragogic mode of learning is further supported by the psychologist Kolb’s Learning Cycle which describes how the individual learns from experience. The cycle is based on four phases, beginning with the phase when the learner is involved in a specific experience (concrete experience). The learner reflects on this experience from different perspectives and gives it meaning (reflective observation); the learner then combines meanings of this experience with those of earlier ones and draws conclusions (abstract conceptualization); these conclusions are used to guide decision making and implementation of action (active experimentation), states MacKeracher (2004: 57). 2. A Brief Outline of Learners on whom the Issue Impacts; Subject Areas of Study; Level of Study and Key Characteristics The main modes that are available for learners of the Exercise to Music Course for Instructors are through direct, interactive classroom learning which can be part time over one year, weekend course or two-week intensive training. Home learning through the internet is also an option available. Both freestyle as well as pre-choreographed approaches are taught. The particular mode selected may depend upon the individual student’s availability of time, other commitments as well as personal preferences. The learners who undergo ETM courses are generally gym instructors who wish to acquire a certificate in continuing professional development for the purpose of career advancement, stay at home mothers who wish to acquire a qualification for part-time employment, and other participants who wish to be self-employed in this line of work. The U.K. system of fitness qualifications are at several levels, defining the skills and knowledge required by the instructor of Exercise to Music classes, to perform particular functions in the fitness industry. Qualifications for entry to the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) United Kingdom, are closely related to the National Occupation Standards (NOS) developed by SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning to cover the entire exercise and fitness sector. The levels of qualifications for REPs and NOS are the same. Level 2 constitutes the base of the pyramid, and is composed of gym instructors, as well as aqua and exercise to music teachers. Level 3 has advanced instruction, personal training, special populations and exercise referral for the purpose of healthcare support. The Register of Exercise Professionals has started operating reciprocally with the REPs of other countries at Levels 2 and 3. The three qualifications that give entry to REPs are: NVQs or National Vocational Qualifications, VRQs or Vocationally Related Qualifications and Industry Awards (REP, 2009). Level 2 Instructors can enter Level 2 on the Register of Exercise Professionals through any one of the three main categories: gym, exercise to music and aqua. Also, individual instructors may belong to one or more of these categories. A Level 2 instructor’s REPs certificate will state the qualification as Level 2 and also the categories which the instructor holds. All qualifications have the same framework as that of the National Occupational Standards, which is as follows: The compulsory unit C35 deals with accidents and emergencies, and D448 evaluates and develops own physical activity practice. These motivate and promote fitness in clients (REP, 2009) The optional units are as follows: Optional Pair A related to Group Exercise with Music consists of the D414 plan to prepare a group exercise with music session, and a D415 plan to instruct a group exercise with music session. Optional Pair B related to Gym-based Exercise consists of D410 plan to prepare a gym-based exercise session, and D411 to instruct a gym-based exercise session. Similarly Optional Pair C for Water-based Exercise is made up of D412 and D413 plans for planning, preparing and instructing water-based exercise sessions (REP, 2009). Level 3 For Instructor Level 3 status, there are six compulsory or mandatory units comprising core exercise and fitness knowledge. The core units under the title of the Level 3 set of standards “Instructing Physical Activity and Exercise”, are: “D437 to collect and analyse information to plan an increasingly advanced physical activity programme, D438 to plan, review and adapt a progressive physical activity programme, D439 to plan and instruct specific physical activities, C313 to provide motivation and support to customers during an increasingly progressive physical activity programme, and A318 to manage, evaluate and improve own performance in providing physical activity” (REP, 2009). Besides, the L3 Core Exercise and Fitness Knowledge programme covers behaviour change, anatomy, functional kinesiology, energy systems and concepts and components of fitness. In addition to the core six units, further categories for additional training provide increased qualifications which appear on the certificate (REP, 2009). Level 4 For Level 4 in Health and Physical Activity, National Occupational Standards have been developed in 2007. The new units which form the categories of registration at Level 4 are: “coronary heart disease, mental health, obesity/ diabetes, frailer older adults/ falls prevention, after stroke care and back pain”. For Level 4 status on REP as a “Specialist Exercise Instructor” trainee-instructors have to achieve a unit qualification in one or more of the above units, and additionally have the following requirements: “L3 Advanced Instructor, L3 Context unit such as working with children or the disabled, + 1200 hours professional practice + L3 Professional practice unit which will be integrated into unit D449 above. Additional qualifications are required for working with referred clients (REP, 2009). 3. An Outline with Examples of the Nature and Range of Barriers that the Issue Creates for Learning in the Specific Study Area Selected The issue of training in Exercise to Music (ETM) Courses for Instructors can pose a number of barriers to learning. Some of these barriers are related to lack of availability of time for attending classes and practising due to work commitments, taking up new responsibilities and facing career changes. Suffering from a negative self-concept can also affect his/ her ability to learn at optimal levels. Similarly, established ideas, attitudes and behaviors which are difficult to change can affect learning outcomes. Further, being intimidated by and resistant to tests as well as physiological factors such as visual, hearing and health problems can be barriers to learning (Daffron, 2003: 3). Part-time Exercise to Music Instructor courses have high drop out rates, whereas private companies show nearly a full class or 100% pass rate. In the latter case, the initial cost of the course may prove to be sufficient motivation to complete the full course, and some students may have the added incentive of completing the course to improve their prospects in the job they were holding. This is supported by Jerome Bruner’s cognivist learning theory which underlines the relationship between student learning and life experiences within and outside the classroom (Petty, 2004: 303). The motivation levels of the student is evident by whether they engage in surface learning or learning in depth (Reece & Walker, 2000: 80, 81). Motivation can be impacted by the dominance of work-related qualification system; its characteristics make the further education curriculum less rewarding and less stimulating for younger students. Further education (FE) curriculum has mainly been a vocational one; but the instrumental, competence-based framework of the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) and the General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) which are more recently introduced are stated to “reduce learning to repetitions and rehearsals of work-related tasks and skills” (Wallace: 8). If this framework is applied in Exercise to Music courses for instructors, it can form an impediment to optimal learning outcomes. Maslow, a humanist psychologist and one of the greatest thinkers of the twentieth century, explained the only way of motivating students. That is, to ensure that the students’ sense of belonging, esteem and self-actualization needs are nourished through the learning activities that the instructor devises for them (Petty, 2004: 55). 4. A Discussion of the Positive and Negative Aspects of the Two Teaching and Learning Strategies Commonly Used in ETM Courses The freestyle route to learning and the pre-choreographed route contrast each other. The Freestyle Route to Learning in the Exercise to Music Course Although groups have worked out together from the 1920s, the concept became prevalent as a freestyle method of exercising to music only from the late 1980s, with the launch of step aerobics. This involved participants lifting their body weight onto and off a platform in time with music, with basic moves and floor patterns similar to those used in floor aerobics. This method grew in popularity, and the industry for exercise manuals and videos grew, along with the sale of steps. The freestyle exercise to music classes were never standardized, and instructors were not expected to use particular music or follow a structured routine. That is, step instructors were considered as craftsmen who developed their own freestyle classes by using instructional videos and manuals, attending workshops or meetings and consulting other sources of information such as the world wide web (Felstead et al, 2007: 192). The Pre-choreographed Route to Learning in the Exercise to Music Course The Body Training Systems (BTS) is the brand name for a pre-choreographed approach to Exercise to Music. First launched in New Zealand, each programme or discipline highlights different activities in order to deliver contrasting workouts. These include stepping, dancing, kicking, punching, weight lifting and cycling. Also BodyStep, BodyPump and BodyJam are some of the programmes which are taught in this system. In addition to the National Vocational Qualification Level 2 or equivalent, instructor affiliation to a licensed venue is required, for receiving training towards BTS status (Felstead et al: 9). To become a BTS instructor, the trainee instructors have to find an appropriate place to provide their services, demonstrate the required level of competence and successfully complete a training course for each type of class The BTS licensed venues where the instructors work provide regular training updates (Felstead et al, 2007: 194-195). Psychologist Bruner (born 1915) expressed the view that expository teaching deprived students of the chance to think independently. He said that the modern curriculum should teach only the bare facts so that the teacher could devote more time to teach students the valuable skills related to thinking. He believed that intelligence based on cognitive skills could be improved by appropriate teaching (Petty, 2004: 303). While facilitating the transfer of knowledge from teacher to trainee-instructor, retention and retrieval of learning should be the aim of any course (Curzon, 2003: 201). The Two Productive Systems of Training and their Learning Outcomes The two different routes to learning: freestyle and pre-choreography place the instructor in different roles. In the freestyle method the instructor is centre-stage, selecting the music, choreographing the moves and presenting the routine according to his or her own preference. In making all the decisions the instructor needs to use scientific knowledge about anatomy and physiology as well as about musical form in order to meet the requirement for safe and effective group workouts. On the other hand, in the pre-choreographed classes, the instructor teaches the entire routine according to decisions taken by other individuals in the productive system: such as music suppliers who remix sound tracks, choreographers who conceptualize movement to music, and “image makers who promote the wearing of particular clothes and the use of certain dialogue to match the mood of the class” (Felstead et al, 2007: 195-196). The differences in the two routes to learning lie in how instructore analyse and select music for their classes, how choreography is determined, and the requirement to project their own personalities in front of the class while teaching. The musical tempo of each of the ten sound tracks, each lasting for about five minutes, is used to raise and lower participants’ heart rate along the “aerobic curve”. Starting with a warm-up segment, an aerobic core, isolation of particular muscle groups, it ends with a post-exercise cool-down and stretch. The tempo of the class which rises, peaks and falls is measured in beats per minute (BPM) of a track (Felstead et al, 2007: 196). The above structure is followed in both the routes to learning. The difference is that in freestyle, the instructor has to select appropriate tracks for each segment of activity; whereas in pre-choreographed method these decisions are in-built in the compact disc (CD) that accompanies each release. Moreover, the beats per minute of the track are noted indicated on the CD, since the instructor’s teaching does not depend on this information. Thus, pre-choreography separates the conception and execution of the labour process, and scientific knowledge is used by those who design the class for world-wide delivery. Contrastingly, freestyle instructors have to search fitness music catalogues and/ or count the beats per minute of music selected from shops, in order to design effective aerobic classes (Felstead et al, 2007: 196). Repetitive beats are grouped together to form phrases. Each phrase consists of eight beats with the first normally being the heaviest or loudest. A block is made up of for phrases, and is similar to a paragraph. Often the music changes completely at the beginning of a block, with different blocks having different content such as verse, chorus or instrumental. Since not all of the blocks in these musical segments are necessarily of a count of 32, a musical bridge is produced. Freestylers have to map music based on these principles before they add exercise sequences. The tracks of music bought from shops may not conform to the regular 32 count pattern. The growing popularity of ETM classes has led to the emergence of music suppliers who provide the specific requirements. Tracks are remixed to follow the 32 count structure required for simple choreography which is “grouped into particular styles such as step, combat, cycling and aerobics, labelled according to their speed” (Felstead et al, 2007: 197). For conducting pre-choreographed classes the instructors do not need to “music map” since the music is supplied ready-phrased, with each block or segmemt of the track formally indicated in the notes that accompany the CD. Without using music mapping skills instructors may often be unable to hear the beats of the music in order to move accordingly. But the pre-choreographed CDs help the instructors significantly, though due to lack of use, the instructors’ skills may deteriorate (Falstead, 2007: 197). In terms of club management, standardization has a number of benefits. Importantly, by routinization of the labour process and minimizing its basic unpredictability, instructors’ bargaining power is reduced. Though negotiation is possible for freestyle classes, the pre-choreography instructors are not accommodated through negotiation. Secondly, standardization helps in getting substitute instructors for those who are temporarily unavailable, and helps maintain the continuity of the Exercise to Music course (Felstead et al, 2007: 200). Conclusion This paper has highlighted Exercise to Music courses for Instructors. The two different routes to learning and their impact on end results have been identified. The success rate of the freestyle method in enhancing learning through using independent thinking and creativity, as well as motivated choreographing for best outcomes have been outlined. The pre-choreography instructors’ outcomes are less optimal, since they progressively lose their skills of music mapping and creativity. The beneficial result of pre-choreographed music for exercise is that the standardization helps club management to procure substitutes for absent instructors without losing the continuity of the exercise to music classes. The learning theories of the psychologists Bruner, Maslow and Kolb have been examined. Maslow’s theory of motivation supports the freestyle route to learning, and so do Bruner’s theory and Kolb’s Learning Cycle. Further, in key learning issues, as opposed to the pedagogical the andragogical perspective views the adult learner as self-directed and learning on the basis of internal incentives such as aspirations. Thus, the principles of andragogy and pedagogy also point to the freestyle method as the productive one. Hence, it may be concluded that a “one size fits all” type of class is created by the pre-choreography instructor for whom “training may actually deaden rather than awaken individual creativity” (Felstead et al, 2006: 33). References Crossley, N. (2004). The circuit trainer’s habitas: reflexibe body techniques and the sociality of the workout. Body and Society, 10 (1): 37-69. Curzon, L.B. (2003). Teaching in further education. London: Continuing International Publishing Group. Daffron, S.R. (2003). Andragogy versus pedagogy. M.S. Knowles. Retrieved on 4th February, 2009 from: http://www.trainandeducate.com/docs/ipte_te2.pdf Delin, J. (2001). Keep in step: task structure, discourse structure, and utterance inter- pretation in the Step Aerobics workout. Discourse Processes, 31 (1): 61-89. DeNora, T. (2000). Music in everyday life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 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