Projects

Coordination
Graça Boal-Palheiros (PI)

Team
Graça Boal-Palheiros | Daniela Coimbra | Beatriz Ilari | Carlos dos Santos Luiz | Margarida Baltazar | Pedro Figueira | Mafalda Fonseca | João Leite | Mariana Silva | Gina Lemos | Lisete Mónico | São Luís Castro

Consultant: Graham Welch

Reference
UID/00472/2020

Period
01.01.2021-31.12.2023

Abstract
This project studies potential effects of a group active music education program on the development of musical, cognitive, and socio-emotional skills of children from disadvantaged communities, and how effective engagement in music promotes their development and success in school. An innovative multi-method approach articulating quantitative and qualitative methods allows the team to interrogate previous contradictory results, to better understand the effects of active participation in music.
A longitudinal study investigates primary school children from disadvantaged communities attending public schools that do not offer music education either as curricular or extra-curricular activity. The design includes pre- and post- evaluations of a weekly program of group active music education, delivered by a specialist music teacher for 36 weeks. Comparative data are gathered from three groups of children, a target music-based group, an active control drama-based group, and a passive control following their school curriculum. This study will contribute to better understand (a) how a group active music education can enhance specific music skills of school-aged children from disadvantaged backgrounds, (b) how it may develop their cognitive and socio-emotional skills of in a crucial period of their development, and (c) what might be effective in the music learning process which supports any measurable wider benefits.

Keywords
Active music education; children’s musical development; cognitive and socioemotional development; academic achievement