"There is no end to learning": lifelong education and the joyful learner.

This informative Keynote Address by Kathryn Roulston of the University of Georgia drew inspiration from Robert Schumann's maxim, "There is no end to learning." Four areas of research provided the framework for Roulston's address: key issues in the field of music education, adult learners as contrasted with children, embodiment in learning and non-Western perspectives on the topic. Drawing these threads together, Roulston concluded with ideas for music teachers to incorporate into their teaching of adults. (1)

An experience with a former adult student from the early 1980s inspired her opening comments. Donna, a working mother of two with no prior opportunities for music study, turned out to be one of the keynote speaker's most enthusiastic, hardworking and motivated students to this day. At the time, Roulston had little experience working with adults and taught Donna much in the same way she taught her younger students. Having learned much since then, she shared with the audience her ever-increasing realization that it's never too late to learn and that learning how to teach is itself a lifelong endeavor.

Undoubtedly, the audience related to her opening observation that some see no difference between the ways in which adults and children learn. A vignette from the movie The Visitor beautifully illustrated this. In it we saw Walter, a widowed college professor, attempting to add some joy to his life through the study of piano. The scene opens with him waiting for the new teacher to arrive at his house. As the lesson begins, he plays a phrase that she has him repeat, explaining that he should keep his fingers curved like "a tunnel" so that the "train can go through." This leaves Walter very confused. Not surprisingly, at the conclusion of the lesson he tells her he won't be taking any further lessons with her. She responds by telling him that learning the piano is very difficult, especially for those (such as he) without a "natural gift." The teacher here clearly sees no difference between appropriate teaching approaches with adults and children.

Roulston likened the views of the teacher to those of noted Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly, who believed that for music learning to be successful it must take place at an early age. His words show this in rather strong terms:

      The years between three and
   seven are educationally much
   more important than the later
   ones. What is spoiled or omitted
   at this age cannot be put right
   later on. In these years man's
   future is decided practically for
   his whole lifetime.... If the soul
   is left uncultivated up to the age
   of nearly seven, it will then not
   yield anything that can be grown
   in it only by earlier cultivation. (2)

Clearly such a belief does little to promote the pursuit of musical instruction as an adult. Fortunately, recent research offers a very different spin on this topic, adding support to the familiar adage, "It's never too late to start." It is to this research that the speaker turned next.

Discussing adults' orientation to learning, she referenced the work of several adult educational theorists. Cyril Houle suggested three kinds of motivational patterns among adult learners: those who are "goal-oriented," "activity-oriented" and "learning-oriented." These patterns, according to Houle, are flexible in that learners need not conform strictly to one type or another.

Taking this a step further, Barry Morstain and John Smart proposed a broader breakdown of patterns: social relationships, external relationships, social welfare, professional advancement, escape/stimulation and cognitive interest. Those motivated by social relationships may be looking to make new friends. External relationships define those pursuing an activity to please someone else, while social welfare refers to those wishing to serve, such as through participation in a church choir. Career advancement goals apply to those motivated by professional advancement. This is less likely to be a factor for adult learners to engage in music education, however. Escape/stimulation learners seek escape from boredom or mundane activities, while those engaging in learning for its own sake fall in the cognitive interest category. This research, Roulston noted, shows that adult learners are likely to engage in musical activities for various and complex reasons and that these may change over time. For example, adults may take lessons as a child at the prodding of parents, join choirs as adolescents for social benefits or join bands as adults simply to enjoy the making of music.

Contrasting adult learning with learning in childhood, Roulston focused on three issues: the context, learner and learning process. When comparing the context for learning, she noted two key differences between the young and adult learner that apply to music education. First, adults have at their disposal the means to "shop around" for teachers, ensembles, instruments and so forth. Second, adults undertake musical activities voluntarily and are thus typically engaged and enthusiastic self-directed learners.

When she compared the child and adult learner Roulston noted that, unlike children, adults have a lifetime of experience to draw upon. Numerous articles by Roy Ernst, founder of the New Horizons Bands, discuss how the accumulated musical memories of adults enhance their ability to learn music." (3) Another clip from The Visitor illustrated this. In it we saw Tarik, a Syrian musician, give Walter his first lesson on an African drum. Walter seems uncomfortable and inhibited at first. As they begin drumming together, Tarik quickly discerns Waiter's inclination to feel beats in some form of duple meter. Almost instantly he tells Walter not to think and to "forget classical music." Walter responds well to this and quickly begins to "feel the right groove" in threes. Thus, Tarik shows knowledge and respect for Waiter's prior learning and draws from this for his instruction.

Next, Roulston turned to the learning process itself, noting that within this parameter exist the fewest differences between learning for children and adults. A term still unfamiliar to many, andragogy, emerged at this point in her presentation. Coined by Malcolm Knowles, andragogy refers to adult learning as opposed to pre-adult learning (pedagogy). Knowles developed six key points regarding this, noting the adult learner:

1. Is self-directed

2. Has a rich accumulation of life experience that impacts learning

3. Has learning needs that relate to social roles

4. Focuses on problem solving and immediate application of knowledge

5. Is internally motivated to learn

6. Needs to understand the reason for learning what they do

Roulston noted there has been much debate over the years as to whether or not the learning process for children and adults truly differs. She cited, however, several key differences suggested by research that do impact adult learning: the pacing of a lesson, the meaningfulness of an activity and the motivation to learn. That is to say, adults tend to respond more slowly to instruction as they age, more poorly to learning not deemed meaningful and with more motivation to learn things of interest to them. She indicated adults may need to hear phrases or rhythm patterns multiple times before repeating them accurately. To keep things meaningful, she suggested teachers "consider how to help adult learners take initiatives in their learning, and set goals that are relevant to their everyday lives. For example, a goal might be to play a selected composition at an upcoming birthday party. Also, teachers might solicit input from adult learners into lesson content and repertoire selection."

Of particular interest to this writer was the observation that Knowles's thoughts on the subject have themselves evolved over time. He sees andragogy and pedagogy as existing within a continuum from "teacher-directed" to "student-directed" learning. This continuum seems to effectively reflect how we as adults claim more ownership of the learning process as we mature. In many ways we decide what it is we wish to learn, how we wish to learn it and from what sources we wish to do so.

Shifting her focus to "embodiment" in learning, Roulston noted research in adult learning has, in recent years, expanded to include an examination of non-cognitive aspects such as emotions, spirituality and the body. Of these, the use of the body or "embodiment" in learning is of particular interest to music educators. For adult learners, this "refers to the ways in which they must rely on multiple sensory experiences of music-making, often in relation to others. That is, a music maker--whether playing an instrument, accompanying a singer or joining in choral singing--literally orients to others in order to perform."

Music instruction typically includes a focus on this element. Whether it be how one holds an instrument, positions hands, forms an embouchure, maintains posture, breathes or touches a keyboard, these are all physical concerns to be addressed in the teaching and learning of music making. Whereas this may seem obvious, the thing to note in relation to our work with adult students is their likely discomfort with this aspect of the learning process. Typically, prior learning for them has focused more on the cognitive aspects. To acquire mastery in singing or playing a musical instrument, one must develop skills that require the coordination of both physical movements and mental processes such as reading and hearing. Not surprisingly, adults often encounter frustration with this aspect of the learning process.

As with anything, there is much to learn from exploring other cultures and Roulston turned next to non-Western perspectives on learning and knowing. In the area of adult learning, three themes emerge from the research of Sharan Merriam and Young Sek Kim: learning is communal, learning is lifelong and informal and learning is holistic. Learning through communal activity is common in many non-Western cultures. An intriguing parallel for music instruction in Western cultures is the ensemble. Roulston suggested music instructors seek ways to provide ensemble experiences for their students. Such opportunities have the added benefit of motivating students and increase the likelihood of continued enrollment in lessons. Pete Jutras found in his research that adult piano students viewed the "social/cultural" benefits as less important than those of skill development and personal benefits. This finding, he suggested, may result from skill levels not being advanced enough for comfort with public performance. For these students, a good alternative is to offer informal get-togethers where adults may play for and/or with each other in a less threatening social context.

The second precept, that learning is lifelong and informal, is one musicians and educators have long embraced. However, for many, musical instruction is something engaged in during youth and then abandoned. This is especially common for many that were required to learn an instrument as a child when their interests may have led elsewhere. Roulston suggested we refocus our attention on ways in which lifelong and informal learning of music can be a more common reality for adults in our culture. Music educator Charles Leonhard put forth this challenge in 1999, suggesting we find ways to promote multiple opportunities for learning new instruments, participate in ensembles at various levels of advancement and explore non-traditional instruments and traditions from other cultures. Perhaps most striking was his suggestion that adults participate in performances put forth by young students in school settings.

Regarding the third precept, that learning is holistic, Roulston noted that music instruction clearly demonstrates this through the engagement of all the senses required in the production of music making. As an analogy, she pointed out that a focus on music theory is insufficient to capture the essence of a musical experience and suggested teachers consider how to engage their adults in improvisation and other activities as an adjunct to other teaching strategies.

In summarizing the collective research, Roulston emphasized several key ideas. First, that "Adults' motivations to learn music and orientations to learning are multifaceted and complex, and change over time." Drawing on personal experience to exemplify this, she described her own involvement in music learning. As a child her parents, who had been denied the opportunity for music study, decided on piano lessons for her. As a young working adult she began flute lessons because of a desire to pursue learning for its own sake. When she later decided to pursue a career in music she became more goal oriented, attending college and earning formal degrees. Upon her arrival in Georgia she joined a choir for the social benefits it offered. So, her musical endeavors and the reasons for pursuing them changed over time.

The second key idea was that "Learning in adulthood is distinctive from learning in childhood in multiple and complex ways that involve the learning context, the learner, and the learning process." Unlike younger learners who typically follow the wishes of parents, instructors and established curriculums, adults pursue music learning on a self-directed, voluntary basis. Music teachers can therefore guide adult learners in the process with a sense of shared responsibility for what and how the music is learned. Teachers may also need to accommodate physiological changes that typically occur with aging.

"Adults draw upon a lifetime of experiences in their learning" was the third key idea that was emphasized. Teachers may take advantage of this distinction by offering familiar repertoire choices to their adult students. Also meriting consideration is the student's prior musical learning experiences as a child. Teachers may need to be sensitive to negative experiences or acquired bad habits and seek ways to counteract them.

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The fourth idea was that "Music learning involves embodiment." While adult students often respond quite effectively and comfortably to the cognitive aspects of learning, the physiological ones frequently pose challenges that lead to frustration. Beginning musical studies at an early age does offer physical advantages in terms of technical development. Teachers should offer plenty of encouragement and seek ways to make their adult students feel comfortable with exploring the new ways of using the body that are required in musical performance.

"Music learning in adulthood can be informed by non-Western perspectives of learning." Drawing from this fifth area of emphasis, Roulston suggested adult learners might be more motivated to remain engaged in music making through participation in communal music-making experiences. She also suggested music educators seek ways to involve adults in music-making activities in the community. (Community bands and choirs offer wonderful opportunities for adults who wish to pursue these experiences, as do music classes offered through college and university continuing education programs. Not as readily available are opportunities to study non-traditional instruments and the musical traditions of other cultures. Increasingly, however, educational institutions are offering courses in non-Western music and opportunities to hear and play in ensembles such as the Indonesian Gamelan.)

As evident from Roulston's address, there are numerous factors to bear in mind when working with adult students. The video clip shown near the beginning imparted perhaps the simplest, yet most important point of all: adults are adults, not children, and thus need to be both treated and taught as adults. Through the research presented and recommendations offered, Roulston provided concrete examples of how this is true and can be done. As we saw, the challenges are many, but rewards even greater, for those willing and eager to meet their adult students halfway.

NOTES

(1.) The author wishes to thank Dr. Roulston for her generosity in providing a copy of her address for the preparation of this report. Non-referenced quotes are taken directly from it. For further information on her research you may contact her at [e-mail].

(2.) Z. Kodaly, "Music in the kindergarten," in The selected writings of Zoltan Kodaly (London: Boosey & Hawkes, 1974), 129.

(3.) The New Horizons Music Association sponsors numerous ensembles around the country aimed at offering music making opportunities for adults with little or no prior musical experience.

By Tom Pearsall, NCTM 

Tom Pearsall, NCTM, is associate professor of music at Georgia Southern University. Pearsall is a past president of the Georgia MTA and serves on the Steering Committee for the National Group Piano arid Piano Pedagogy Forum.