A Reflective Lens: Music Pedagogical Research to Transform Practice | Page 45

A Reflective Lens:
Music Pedagogical Research to Transform Practice

Findings

The following accounts for the six most prominent themes
identified from our data analysis. The themes are: (a)
Learning Experiences; (b) Listening Experiences; (c) Technical
Challenges; (d) Emotional Challenges; (e) Impact of Instructor’s
Feedback; and (f) Perceptions on Reflective Practice.
Learning Experiences
We felt that the majority of the data analysed fell into the
category of addressing the members’ learning experiences.
For example, the following was what John wrote:

I learnt that the flat, natural and sharp signs are located on the left of the
note. I also learnt that a sharp is one semi-tone higher than a note while a
flat is one semi-tone lower… I learnt that a crotchet is one beat and that a
dotted note is multiplying 1.5 beats to it.
[Journal 04, 1 Aug 2014]

From this entry, we can picture how John might have
struggled with recognising flats and sharps on his guitar
at the beginning. However, by his fourth journal, he could
describe the differences between the flats, sharps and
dotted notes in his music rather confidently.
Another common thread found within the students’
responses was about the development of instrumental skills
and how it affected the musical sounds produced. This was
what William commented on his first attempt to play his
new instrument, the Guitarron:

...put hand at an angle and when you play, you
play in a circular motion and at the largest angle
of hand of the circle. Your hand is closed to about
hundred and seventy degrees when you play…
[Reflective Dialogue 01, 11 July 2014]

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