Subject Area: Education

This course introduces students to music and music learning from a cognitive psychology perspective. Topics covered include the perception and production of music, theories and hypotheses about the relationship between music and general intelligence, the development of musical abilities across the lifespan, and the nature and acquisition of musical skills. All of these factors come together to impact on students' motivation to sustain music learning activities inside and outside the music classroom. Students will reflect critically on various conceptions of musical ability and how various theories of motivation may be applied to create engaging and effective music learning programs inside and outside of schools.