Exploring the benefits of a school-based Hip Hop program - Video-Based Reflective Practice in Early Childhood Music

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy

This paper discusses the value of using video recordings to support reflective practice in early childhood group music sessions. Video data were revisited to evaluate children’s involvement and interpret signs of shared in-depth learning arising from planned group activities. An observation format using an involvement rating scale (Reflect, Respect, Relate; Leuven scale) was applied to responses during structured music sessions. Findings indicate that retrospective video evaluation of involvement can enhance understanding of learning quality.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose and research focus

Video-based reflective evaluation

Theoretical framework

Literature review

Using video in research

Exploring the benefits of a school-based Hip Hop program Revisiting video data to research children’s involvement when a u s t r a l i a n a s o c i e t y s f o r m u s i c m e d u c a t i o n e i n c o r p o r a t e d engaged in purposeful musical activity Aleksandra Acker, Sarah Jobson and Berenice Nyland RMIT University Abstract This paper discusses the value of using video recordings to support reflective practice. We investigated how video can be used to revisit events to evaluate the teaching and learning experience. Video data were used in a child-initiated music project emerging from planned group activities by a music teacher. The quality of the children’s engagement in the music group was viewed through an observation format that focused on levels of involvement. The context for the research consisted of formal structured music sessions. The video allowed us to identify responses from the children to the group activities and to interpret signs of shared in-depth learning. We unpack the video data by using the involvement rating scale from the early childhood observation scales, Reflect, Respect, Relate. Through this exercise we were able to observe and analyse examples of the children’s musical understandings. We conclude that utilising video to retrospectively evaluate involvement has the potential to enhance understanding of the quality of learning. Keywords: Early childhood music, group learning, video data, involvement engagement Introduction When a music maker belongs in a community and identifies with that community, the community is increased by the gift, and even the music itself is increased (Angelou, 2004, p. ix). This research paper was designed to explore the potential of revisiting recorded observations to explore the relationship between children’s involvement in events and potential for indepth learning. Of interest was the role that video recording can play in designing practice that stimulates children’s involvement so the experiences become part of their world view (Piaget, 1960), in this case, their musical world view. The data were revisited retrospectively in order to develop a deeper understanding of the music the children engaged in during a specific project and to evaluate musical experiences by examining the children’s response through levels of involvement (Laevers, 2007; DECS, 2009). Of particular interest was observing a group of children and the learning that can take place in such a context. In early childhood teacher programs, the idea of working with children in groups is often considered problematic as there is an understanding the content will be simplified to appeal to the largest number in the group (Collins & Kavanagh, 2013). However, the Reggio Emilia approach allows for the notion of the individual within the group (Rinaldi, 2006) and this was an idea that was supported from examining the observations and involvement ratings that were conducted for this study. The focus of this research was the use of video recordings to observe teaching and learning in the context of group music sessions. The teacher in the videos had planned a series of music appreciation exercises for a group of children but these plans were derailed when the children became interested in one of the music examples and over a period of eight weeks enjoyed the video of The Magic Flute asa serial (Taymor, 2010). The children’s experiences of the Magic Flute project have been explored elsewhere (Nyland, Acker, Ferris & Deans, 2015) and this paper specifically had the aim of concentrating on the use of video for evaluation of learning events and for future practice as children’s interests and competence were revealed in the recorded data. We use Laevers’(2007) theories about engagement and involvement as measures of children’s learning to interpret the video data collected during the project. The Laevers’ involvement rating scale from the South Australian quality asses

FAQs

What is the main purpose of revisiting video recordings in this paper?

The paper investigates how video can be used to revisit events to evaluate teaching and learning and to deepen understanding of children’s involvement and musical learning outcomes.

How were children’s involvement and engagement assessed?

Children’s responses were viewed through an observation format focused on levels of involvement, using an involvement rating scale from Reflect, Respect, Relate (Leuven scale).

What kinds of learning contexts does the research describe?

The context consists of formal structured music sessions within a child-initiated music project emerging from planned group activities by a music teacher.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy