Music-related wellbeing as a teaching objective? A critical interpretive synthesis
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Educational researchers increasingly focus on psychosocial factors, implying the need for an improvement of school settings regarding child wellbeing. However, so far, studies which focus music-related wellbeing of primary school aged children are rare. The paper explores the essential question which empirically based frameworks offer concrete foundations for corresponding educational practices in the music classroom. Hence, the research conducted a critical interpretive review of English-language publications. In a multi-stage process, it sampled publications between 2017 and 2020 targeting children of early primary school age and focussing on a connection between musical practices and well-being. For a full-text analysis, the research selected studies offering theoretical frameworks for synthetic theorisation. Findings show that until now, few studies have focussed on primary school-aged children. However, it also indicates that an integrative model such as the PERMA Well-being Cycle can function as point of reference for the design of educational settings. Departing from ongoing reflections of this research, the paper argues for a differentiated professional perspective on psychosocial processes in the music classroom and music-related wellbeing as an explicit teaching objective instead of following implicit ‘hidden’, yet powerful agendas. The outcome might serve as the clarification of strategies to foster child wellbeing in music education settings.
Author: Silke Schmid
Institution: University of Education Freiburg
Language: English
Subfield: Music
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,450
OpenAlex ID: W4392374347