Soundabout: A research evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the Soundabout music charity for children and young people with severe physical and learning difficulties (2005-2007)
This two-year research project (2005-2007) focused on (i) an evaluation of current activities by the Soundabout music charity and (ii) the provision of a possible agenda for future development.
The research was envisaged as a collaborative process with Soundabout staff and their clients and was intended to provide an opportunity to identify excellent practice in the field of music and communication for children and young people with complex needs.
The research methodology included:
- case studies of children, young people and schools;
- videoed classroom observations;
- interviews with headteachers, teachers and parents (at home) and a senior Local Authority music representative;
- meetings with the Charity Trustees;
- and also a questionnaire survey of all schools that had experienced the Charity's work in the past three years.
Two interim reports were made. Although the research outcomes are confidential to the Trustees (March 2007), research data indicate that there are particular strengths and areas for development in the structure and function of the organization's distinctive and positive mission and that it offers a unique service to the special school sector.
project team...
- Professor Graham Welch, IoE
- Costanza Preti, IoE
selected project public output...
- Welch, G.F. & Preti, C. (2007). Soundabout: A Research Evaluation. London: Institute of Education. [Mar 07, final] [pp44] [ISBN 9781-905351-07-7]
contact information
· Professor Graham Welch
· Soundabout official website
New London Orchestra: The New London Orchestra Music & Literacy Project: A Research Evaluation (2006)
This research evaluation (completed, October 2006) focused on the workshop activities of the New London Orchestra in inner city schools that were designed to explore the potential for music making to enhance children’s literacy skills and creativity. The research team sought to assess the extent to which the Orchestra's aims for the project were realised by adopting a multi-methods approach in two case study schools. The methodology included a short-term, longitudinal empirical study, with various sources of quantitative data being collected (i) in advance of the NLO's first weekly workshop and then, again, (ii) once the workshops had been completed.
The research instruments used to collect the longitudinal, quantitative data were:
- The Reading Attitudes Questionnaire (Sainsbury and Schagen, 2004);
- The Hodder test of Reading Comprehension (Vincent and Murray, 2000);
- 'My Musical Life' Questionnaire, drawing on Sloboda and O'Neill's (2001) 'Survey of Musical Participation' instrument;
- A test of basic musical aural and practical attainment (drawing on the conceptualisation underpinning the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music's preparatory grade aural test), plus qualitative data from interview, focus groups and field notes.
The data revealed little obvious correspondence between the music activities and literacy skill development. There was a positive impact, however, on pupil and teacher attitudes to music and musical instruments. One additional outcome has been a bid by the NLO for additional Local Authority funding to facilitate a redesign of the NLO's workshops to promote greater links between certain aspects of music (i.e. rhythmic skills and notation in composition) with key aspects of reading competence. If successful, it is intended that the IoE research team will be involved in both the planning and evaluation stages.
project team...
- Professor Graham Welch, IoE
- Ross Purves, IoE
- Dr Marion Long, IoE
- Joy Castell-Evans, IoE
selected project public output...
- Purves, R., Long, M., Castell-Evans, J., & Welch, G.F. (2006). The New London Orchestra Music and Literacy Project: A Research Evaluation. London: Institute of Education. [pp49] [ISBN 1-905351-05-4]
contact information
· Professor Graham Welch
· New London Orchestra official website
Drake Music Project/Youth Music 'Plug IT': A Research Evaluation (2005-2006)
Funded by Youth Music, the Plug IT project was organised by The Drake Music Project charity's London Centre and ran from 15th April 2005 to the 30th March 2006. Its overriding aim was to 'create access to [music making] opportunities for disabled young people'. Approximately two to two-and-a-half hours each week in three, consecutive, term-long residencies were allocated for music-making activities with a designated group of children that exhibited a range of disabilities, including individuals with complex special needs.
As part of the overall project conception, each residency focused on a particular musical style and was supported by IT. The research evaluation (reported in November 2006) gathered evidence of the nature and effectiveness of each term's residency, drawing on observation, semi-structured interviews with key participants, video recordings and project literature.
The outcomes indicate that the organisation can play an important role within the special education schools sector, particularly if they ensure appropriate teamwork and partnership at every stage of the process and that each of the partners draws on their strengths. This would include detailed planning in advance of any classroom-based activities to bring together specialist knowledge concerning (a) musical possibilities and also (b) the most appropriate music technology to realise these possibilities. The research evaluation was undertaken as a follow-up to an earlier, DfES-funded study for Drake.
project team...
- Professor Graham Welch, IoE
- Ross Purves, IoE
- Evangelos Himonides, IoE
selected project public output...
- Welch, G.F. & Purves, R. (2004). The Drake/DfES 'Accessible Inclusive Music in Schools (AIMS)' Project: A Research Evaluation. London: Institute of Education. [pp81] [ISBN 1-905351-00-3]
- Welch, G.F., Purves, R.M., & Himonides, E. (2006). The Drake/Youth Music 'Plug-IT' project: A Research Evaluation. London: Institute of Education. [pp. 39] [ISBN: 1-905351-06-2]
contact information
· Professor Graham Welch
· DRAKE Music Project official website
· Youth Music official website
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) SoundJunction: A research-based evaluation of educational use and effectiveness (2007)
SoundJunction is a new, free-to-use web-based tool for 'exploring, discovering and creating music' that has been produced by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) in association with Atticmedia Ltd and designed for use primarily by young people. The ten-month, multi-methods research project will evaluate how the new SoundJunction website might be used most effectively from an educational perspective and examine what genuine educational benefits and innovations that it brings. Five principal sources of evidence (action research, participant observation and interview, journal-based evaluation, software analyses and literature review) are incorporated in the design and include the perspectives of participant beginning teachers, experienced teachers and pupils with and without a strong interest in music technology.
The research team (Welch, Himonides, Purves & Laurence - led by Himonides) have two prime foci for the evaluation: (i) the four groups of participants overall engagement with the site as a whole, both as learners and also (where appropriate) as teachers, examining particular strengths and challenges in the design and content and (ii) a specific focus on the 'Listening and discovering for yourself' application – the latter being specifically designed to allow the user to engage with specific aspects of 'how music works'.
project team...
- Professor Graham Welch, IoE
- Evangelos Himonides, IoE
- Ross Purves, IoE
- Kate Laurence, IoE
contact information
· Professor Graham Welch
· Soundjunction official website
· Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) official website
