Toward Convergence: Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture

Tobias, E. S. (2013). Toward convergence: Adapting music education to contemporary society and participatory culture. Music Educators Journal, 99(4), 29–36. doi:10.1177/0027432113483318

The digital supplement providing examples of the varied musical practices I discuss in the article. (Also available on the NAfME Bonus Content website).

Also included in the same issue of the MEJ is:

A thoughtful and nuanced response written by Thomas Regelski.

My condensed response to Regelski’s response as published in the MEJ.

A complete response is available on the NAfME Bonus Content website.

All NAfME members have access to the article online. If you do not have access and would like the article contact me.

Information on the article:

My article, Toward Convergence: Adapting Music Education to Contemporary Society and Participatory Culture in the Music Educators Journal focuses on several key issues:

1) Acknowledging and addressing contemporary musical cultures in the context of music programs

2) Considering the notion of convergence culture as a way of reconceptualizing music curriculum and curricular structures.

3) Addressing digital media and technology in ways that connect to contemporary musical practices and ways of engaging with music

4) Developing pedagogical approaches to incorporating aspects of participatory cultures, convergence culture, and hybrid curricular structures (though the article does not explicitly address the notion of hybrid spaces . For more info on this area see: Tobias, E. S. (2012). Hybrid spaces and hyphenated musicians: Secondary students’ musical engagement in a songwriting and technology course. Music Education Research, 14(3), 329-346.

I hope all three pieces generate productive dialogue.

If you have related perspectives, consider responding either in a letter to the editor and/or the comment section below or wherever you think the dialogue should take place.