Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL): Design of an educational intervention in Practice as Research for music students in Higher Education.

Abstract

The study presents the design and evaluation process of an educational intervention in higher education, targeting practical musicians —instrumentalists, composers, and singers— at different stages of their formation. The intervention, structured as a two-semester elective course, was based on Inquiry-Based Learning and Practice as Research. The educational goal of this intervention was to facilitate the construction of knowledge concerning artistic practice, developing skills convergent with the educational needs of the 21st century. For the design of the intervention, design-based educational research has been used, which has been structured in three phases: exploration, design, and evaluation. In the exploration stage, the environment was described through a literature review and open-ended questionnaires addressed to students interested in participating in the intervention, thus determining the design requirements. In the design stage, a plan that includes learning goals, competencies, and evaluations for two semesters has been proposed. Finally, the intervention was implemented and evaluated by verifying compliance with the proposed learning goals and the perception of the participating students. The results indicate that the intervention is viable in the proposed context and that the participants were able, through the various activities carried out, to re-signify the research activity, coming to consider it a useful tool for their artistic development.