Broader Bridges in Music Education : Building Paths towards Inclusion

Kurzfassung/Abstract

Growth in global diversity results from interrelated forces like increased international migration driven by globalization, political instability, and environmental issues, leading to more multiethnic populations. Furthermore, advances in medical care and technology have increased survival rates following accidents, illnesses, and congenital conditions, leading to a larger population living with long-term impairments. Changes in diagnostics and health monitoring have expanded understanding of conditions that were previously underreported or misunderstood, such as neurodevelopmental conditions. The world now faces diverse learners and teachers, which emphasizes the need for inclusive tools, as recognized by the UN (n.d.). While music education is often described as a means of “building bridges,” studies caution that it can also reproduce (hetero)sexism, classism and ethnocentrism (Bates, 2022). Within this framework, the call for more inclusive practices in music education has underscored the need to reevaluate both access and participation. In this panel, we will discuss five case studies from Germany, Spain, Sweden, Greece and Türkiye, which draw on the experiences and views of music teachers and learners, as well as the fundamental role of attitudes and resources in building bridges toward inclusive music education.One area of focus lies in the integration of technology during music lessons. At an increasing number of German secondary schools, digital applications on tablets are being used in music lessons (Niediek & Gerland, 2022). In heterogeneous classrooms, digital media raises the question of whether it can enhance participation for all learners. However, normative expectations require digital tools to resemble conventional instruments (ibid), highlighting the role of artifacts in music-making processes (Godau, 2018). Within the ComeArts Net Music research project, group discussions with teachers were analyzed through a practical theoretical approach (Kuhlmann, 2023; Rabenstein, 2018) reveal a dual perspective: Digital media is seen as a facilitator that lowers barriers, yet traditional instruments are ranked as more valuable, underscoring the significance of affordances (Davis, 2020). These tensions illustrate how inclusion through technology is negotiated by learners and music teachers’ values and expectations.This highlights the broader significance of teachers’ beliefs. Teachers’ attitudes towards diversity and inclusion are crucial in shaping inclusive schools (Echeita, 2013). However, the culture, politics and practices surrounding inclusion within individual educational institutions can also significantly impact teachers' perspectives on diversity and their capacity to engage with diverse groups (Ainscow et al., 2006). Building on this, a study in Spain uses biographical interviews with music teachers in various settings to explore, among other aspects, the relationship between their beliefs about diversity and their ability to adapt to heterogeneous learning environments. Findings show that an inclusive practice is linked not only to pre-service training, but also to the professional contexts in which music teachers develop their careers. It demonstrates that this relationship is related to the training they have received and to the environment in which they develop their teaching careers.Alongside music teacher attitudes, new technologies can open doors for learners who have traditionally been excluded. The Swedish project Musicking Through the Eyes, building on Listen to My Eye, explores how people with disabilities can create music using eye-tracking technology. While the hardware exists, pedagogical methods remain underdeveloped, especially for individuals with intellectual disabilities — an internationally recognized research gap (Berthen et al., 2022). Anchored in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN, 2006), the project emphasizes artistic expression as part of freedom of speech and cultural citizenship (Ferm Almqvist, 2016). Interviews and observations reveal how cultural tools can build bridges for participation while also highlighting the urgent need for pedagogies that allow underrepresented groups to make their voices heard.Inclusion, however, is not exclusively about learners. It also needs to involve teachers of all abilities. Yet the voices of disabled educators are often ignored (Brock, 2007). Interviews with four visually impaired music teachers reveal both challenges and opportunities within mainstream schools. Their experiences underscore the importance of structures that provide access to resources, promote supportive leadership, and make inclusion a daily practice. Reflecting the earlier emphasis on beliefs and institutional culture, these music educators highlight that inclusion is never solely the responsibility of individuals, but a collective commitment.At the same time, inclusion should also address wider social inequalities, such as (hetero)sexism. In response, one study explores the experiences of an openly queer Turkish singer. By analysing interviews, media appearances, and musical works through the lens of intersectionality, the study draws on Kumashiro’s (2000) theory of anti-oppressive education, adapted to music education by Bergonzi (2015). This perspective demonstrates how music education can resist discrimination, affirm diversity, and foster practices that embrace the Other(s).These contributions show that creating inclusive music education requires addressing technology, beliefs, pedagogy and equity. In the context of global diversity, this panel advocates for collective efforts to develop music education that reflects today’s multiplicity, including the real “we” (Bowman, 2007).