Innovative models of music learning and teaching: creative (complex) tasks as a tool for developing the learning process
Music education in contemporary primary schooling is undergoing a significant transformation driven by pedagogical innovation, curriculum modernization, and the increasing demand for interdisciplinary learning. Traditional approaches, which primarily emphasized reproduction of musical knowledge and technical performance, are gradually being replaced by learner-centered models that prioritize creativity, critical thinking, and experiential learning.
In this context, innovative teaching approaches and the use of complex tasks have emerged as key instruments for redefining the nature of music learning. Complex tasks in music education integrate performance, analysis, interpretation, and creative production, allowing students to engage with musical content in a multidimensional and meaningful way. Such tasks not only develop musical skills but also foster cognitive, emotional, and collaborative competencies.
Despite growing interest in innovative pedagogy, there remains a lack of systematic research on how complex task-based learning functions specifically within primary music education and how it contributes to students’ holistic development across different grade levels. In particular, limited attention has been given to the gradual developmental trajectory of learners from Grades I to VI within an integrated pedagogical model.
Therefore, this study aims to explore innovative approaches in music teaching and learning, with a specific focus on the pedagogical role of complex tasks in the modernization of primary education. The research seeks to examine how these approaches influence students’ engagement, creativity, emotional expression, and cognitive development within structured classroom practice.
The study is grounded in constructivist learning theory, experiential learning theory, and the theory of multiple intelligences, which collectively emphasize the active role of the learner in knowledge construction. Within this theoretical framework, music education is viewed not merely as skill acquisition, but as a dynamic process of meaning-making that integrates emotional, cognitive, and social dimensions of learning.
KEYWORDS : Music education, innovative pedagogy, curriculum modernization, complex tasks, student-centered learning, formative assessment, creativity development, interdisciplinary education, reflective teaching, primary education.
