MODAL Research

MODAL is a Canadian research project that researches youth participation and engagement in artistic activities. MODAL is a partnership between Simon Fraser University And Co-investigators from University of Laval and Brock University. MODAL is funded by an Insight Grant from the SSHRC.

AbOUT MODAL Research

MODAL Research researchers share a common vision of multimodal learning, multimedia literacies, and integrated arts education as key ingredients in educating young people in today’s digital and globalized world. Our name MODAL emphasizes the interdisciplinary approaches and interconnectivity of perspectives that we bring to our research, which forms a multimodal ensemble “suggestive of discrete parts brought together as a synthesized whole, where modes, like melodies played on different instruments, are interrelated in complex ways” (MODE, 2012).

Aim

MODAL Research describes their aims as "we believe that the closer a consumer of knowledge is to the generation of knowledge, the better the uptake of the knowledge, especially when there are different perspectives and worldviews involved. We therefore aim to involve youth in thinking about key issues that impact on their artistic learning and arts engagement and facilitate the exchange of knowledge among youth, academic, and non-academic stakeholders, including: youth and families, artists and arts educators, school district administrators, provincial arts organizations, youth clubs, faith-based organizations, business and industry including technology and digital media, youth media and arts events planning organizations and community policy-makers that affect youth"http://www.modalresearch.com.

RYME - Research for Youth, Music & Education

RYME' - Research For Youth, Music & Education, is a partnership project with MODAL Research. 'The research for RYME was funded by SSHRC and global partnerships with universities and academic institutions. While MODAL Research exists as its own research group, RYME continues to run in parallel with MODAL's research projects.

Simon Fraser University's Youth Participation In Music Project is a part of the RYME research group and is a partnership between Simon Fraser University's Faculty of Education and the University of Western Ontario's Don Wright Faculty of Music. "A key aim of the research is to develop a more comprehensive approach to music education and young people’s music participation through a “culture of inquiry,” where young people can reconsider musical practices through the lens of critical cultural literacy".

About the people of RYME

Background of the project director

The RYME project director, Dr. Susan O'Neill is an international music psychologist and educator who has "expertise in various research approaches involving both quantitative and qualitative methods, longitudinal studies, large-scale survey research, and in-depth qualitative interview studies" Dr. O'Neill's research in youth, music and education was expanded during her time as a Senior Lecturer at Keele University, UK, where she was the director of Young People and Music Participation Research Project

RYME Research collaborators and research project team

Teacher research affiliates

RYME Research associates

Partnerships and funding

The research project is in partnership with:

• AIRS: Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing
• Canadian Music Educators' Association
• Centre of Excellence For Children's Well-Being - Youth Engagement
• Coalition For Music Education In Canada

University affiliations

• Simon Fraser University - Faculty of Education
• The University of Western Ontario, Don Wright Faculty of Music

Funding

Research For Youth, Music and Education (Youth Participation In Music) is funded by SSHRC - The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

SSHRC Awards granted

• 2009: Major Collaborative Research Initiatives - Dr. Susan O'Neill
• 2008: SSHRC Standard Research Grants - Youth Participation in Music - Awarded to Dr. Susan O'Neill

Past research

Previous research projects of Research for Youth, Music & Education include:

Keele University, United Kingdom

The Young People and Music Participation Project at Keele University:

• the Young People and Music Participation Project: Practitioner Report and Summary Of Findings from Keele University, UK
• MusicEd - Children's Participation in Music - The Young People and Music Participation Report from Keele University, UK