CTImusic
News

Winter 1998

Leeds University Music in Education iNitiative (LUMEN)

Department of Music, Leeds University

Simon Baines

The Leeds University Music in Education iNitiative project aims to improve the learning experience of music undergraduates by addressing a range of complementary issues in teaching and learning. Materials under development fall within three generic areas of work but are all specifically musical in their implementation. They are:

It is expected that the project will produce a number of final products, including a study skills module paradigm with accompanying handbook, recording and reviewing software, and a year-abroad log scheme and document pack.

Study Skills

The Music Department at Leeds has incorporated study skills teaching into its undergraduate courses for some time. Topics include use of the library, essay-writing skills, etc. The LUMEN project intends to formalise and generalise the materials it has used in the past and, under the guidance of its network group, produce a handbook which will be of general use in other music departments.

Facilitating Recording and Reviewing - the diary software

In their performance studies, students are encouraged to make detailed notes about both their lessons and practice sessions. Software is being developed to assist in this process.

The intention is that a recording and communication support system is provided whereby students identify areas of strength and weakness, current practice strategies, goals, and achievements, by the submission of an informal report at least weekly. This takes place in an electronic environment where it is easy for departmental tutors to access information and respond. The system aims to bridge the gap between an individual's performance and practice activities (in ensembles, solo and with part-time and peripatetic instrumental teachers) and the academic department which directs and examines their performance. The pedagogical value of habitual recording and reviewing is also significant: keeping regular and detailed notes informs students' self-appraisal and self-development. An accurate assessment of their own achievements and weaknesses supports performance examination procedure. As part of the recording and reviewing initiative, an experimental diary software application has been designed which is now being piloted in conjunction with some of the music department's performance teaching. The software has been written in PEARL, facilitating adaptation and implementation in institutions using UNIX operating systems.

Year Abroad Log

This part of the LUMEN project draws extensively on the diary exercise that language students are currently required to undertake during their year abroad.

Additional information

Further information on the LUMEN project will be available on the Web at: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/music/Info/Lumen/lumen.html

Contacts

Project Director

Graham Barber, Tel: +44 (0)113 233 2589, e-mail: g.d.barber@leeds.ac.uk

Project Manager

Rachel Segal, Tel: +44 (0)113 233 2587, e-mail: r.a.segal@leeds.ac.uk

Development Officer

Dr Simon Baines, Tel: +44 (0) 113 233 2587, e-mail: s.g.baines@leeds.ac.uk

Technical Adviser

Dr David Cooper, Tel: +44 (0) 113 233 2578, e-mail: d.g.cooper@leeds.ac.uk

Project Address

LUMEN
Department of Music
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT
UK

Fax: +44 (0) 113 233 2586
e-mail: E-mail: lumen@leeds.ac.uk

CTImusic News is © 1998 CTImusic, Jennifer Barnes, Simon Baines, Cliona Doris, Marianne Hall, Michael Pengelly, Harriet Richmond, Claire Taylor-Jay, Lisa Whistlecroft. All rights reserved

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