Exchange of practice videos and feedback between two groups
An activity for two groups of students, either within the same institution or from different institutions (possibly at varying levels), where they exchange recordings and feedback.
This activity can be conducted if a teacher has two groups of students or if two teachers collaborate. Each group records their practice, which is shared with the other group via file sharing. The groups review the recordings (possibly with a teacher) and record their feedback for the other group, which is again shared via file sharing.
Navigate the different aspects of the activity here
The purpose of the activity
- To help students gain insight into and reflect on their own practice process
- To develop students’ reflection skills
- To develop students’ feedback skills
- To practice pedagogical skills that can be applied to their current or future teaching practices
- To promote student motivation by seeing where others are in their musical “career”
Target audience
Music students and conservatory students
Technology/setup
- Video or audio recording using a mobile device or tablet
- A means to share videos, such as the institution’s Learning Management System (LMS), like Moodle, Speedadmin, email, private Facebook groups, shared drives, etc.
- Mobile, tablet, or computer access to the videos
- Consider if and how students will consent to video sharing, especially if sharing across institutions, as parental permission may be required
Requirements
Teacher
- A strong mutual trust with the students
- Willingness to structure/organize the activities, follow up on recordings, and facilitate sharing
Student
- Willingness to make recordings, share them, and let others hear a potentially unfinished piece of music
- Willingness to communicate feedback
- Prepared to thoroughly practice their own voices
- Know how to access the videos wherever they are made available
Before, during and after the activity
BEFORE
The teacher
- Find an appropriate group of students at either their own institution or another institution
- Agree on the practical aspects of file sharing, including duration and frequency
- Prepare students thoroughly on what will take place, how it will be done, and why it’s being done
- Collaborate with students to create a plan detailing who will do what and when
- Provide students with guidance on giving constructive feedback
The students
- Prepare a piece of music they would like to receive feedback on
DURING
The teacher
- Help students with their recordings, either during class or at home
- Watch/listen to the counterpart’s video with the students and support them in creating a feedback video for the other group, while also reviewing the feedback they themselves have received
- Facilitate the agreed schedule and activity plan
The students
- Stay attentive to each other and try to act naturally when recording
- Watch/listen to the counterpart’s video with the teacher, practice giving feedback (possibly developing pedagogical skills), and create a feedback video for the other group
- With an open mind, review the feedback they have received and gain inspiration from observing the other group’s process
AFTER
The teacher
- Follow up on the work done with the feedback given
The students
- Reflect on the process and work with the feedback they have received
Experiences with the activity
Students from Aalborg School of the Arts have exchanged practice recordings and feedback with students from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus/Aalborg. Recording oneself can be challenging, as one conservatory student explains: “Recording yourself can be a negative experience at first, as you must confront the raw reality of your playing (through the lens of the camera and microphone), but in the long run, it has many benefits”. Students at Aalborg School of the Arts report that they are not intimidated by making or sharing recordings and that it’s fun to see how the conservatory students approach it. They also mentioned that it was helpful to see/hear how conservatory students directly state feedback in their joint practice sessions, such as “your eighth note doesn’t work there”. However, Aalborg School of the Arts students find it challenging to give feedback to those they perceive as much more skilled but appreciate seeing that “the ‘good’ conservatory students also make mistakes”.
Teacher of brass instruments Ida Hovde at Aalborg School of the Arts and piano teacher Martin Qvist Hansen at the Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg have conducted an exchange of practice videos and feedback between their students.