Travelling Research Seminar for Music Education
the concept...
The concept of a 'Travelling Research Seminar for Music Education' was born of the need to bring doctoral students in music education together for a sustained, intensive period of time without having to be concerned about the usual distractions of daily life. The intention was, and is, that each student be able to make a contribution that is valued - whatever the stage of their research journey - whilst, at the same time, being able to benefit from the 'community of practice' of other researchers engaged in similar endeavours. Doctoral students at the Institute of Education embrace a diverse range of perspectives, interests, backgrounds and nationalities. There needed to be a moment when each was provided with an extended opportunity to share the current point in their research journey with others who were similarly engaged.
the hosts...
Our first seminar (2004) was hosted by the "Irish World Academy of Music and Dance" (formerly the Irish World Music Centre) in Limerick [Eire], linked to their own year long seminar series, and with a programme that included the participation of local researchers. This 'sharing' of research between visitors and hosts has continued to characterise our subsequent seminars, with close involvement by student researchers and academics in the Malmö Academy of Music (Lund University, 2005) [Sweden], the Conservatorio di Musica "G.B. Martini", Bologna [Italy] (2006) and the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya, Barcelona [Spain] (2007). In 2008, the fifth Seminar was 'at home' in London at the Institute of Education where we were joined by colleagues from the Malmö Academy of Music.
the development of the seminar series...
Two formative experiences in the research journey of Professor Welch underpinned the development of the seminar series. Firstly, the idea of an intensive seminar in which colleagues had opportunities to present to each other and answer questions drew on the design of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) Research Commission Seminars which have been held successfully in different parts of the world since 1968 (http://www.isme.org/en/research/research-commission.html). Secondly, the power of having a 'travelling' research event that would facilitate the fostering of research in a host institution as well as generating opportunities for shared experiences between all the participants grew out of his experience in helping to launch, then evaluate, the Travelling Institute of Music Research (TIMR) in South Africa from 2000 to 2002 (http://www.nrf.ac.za/timr/entrail/docs/TIMR_evaluation_report.pdf).
photo gallery (London '08)...
Travelling Research Seminar 2008 (London)
presentation abstracts (Barcelona '07)...
The abstracts are available here in portable document format (PDF).
photo gallery (Barcelona '07)...
