Music education models in the 21st century: the music mediation model for social engagement

Abstract

The idea of social commitment as a transversal element in curricular design in educational institutions has prevailed for the last 25 years in Spain in a very uneven manner in its daily implementation in the classroom. Music education taught at music schools should aim to have a positive impact on the social well-being of the community, and should also contribute to alleviate social dysfunctions in the nearby surroundings, creating social cohesion and feelings of community belonging and identity. Nevertheless, there is some inertia to perpetuation of traditional models of music education where there is no room for innovative projects with authentic social engagement. To alleviate this issue, the educational model for mediation and intervention through music is introduced, which adds a new educational orientation to the traditional offer in music schools. This paper pursues the following objectives: 1) to offer some reflection on traditional educational models; and 2) to introduce the music mediation model that can lend support to socio-community educational projects and integrate social commitment. The main contribution of this work is the presentation of a classification of updated music educational models, including the most recent as the gamification model, and introducing in this taxonomy the music mediation model. In this new educational model, music teachers use their musical knowledge applied to educational activities to cause change and transformation in people, thus contributing to relieve the social dysfunctions of the environment and contributing to the welfare state of the community. Among the most relevant conclusions are the need to update the training of music teachers, expanding their skills in terms of socio-community education, or opting for a specialization in the new models. The need to design teaching strategies, methodologies and activities aimed at developing the social mediation model and promoting educational research in this area is confirmed. Finally, the taxonomy presented responds to the reality observed and generated from the current world scenario, but far from being a static classification, it is foreseeable that it will have to be revised in an ongoing dialogue with the context in the coming years and decades.