UnitLevel 5Undergraduate and Postgraduate

EDF5165 Music education in the secondary years 1A

Faculty of Education

EDF5165 Music education in the secondary years 1A is a level 5, 6-credit-point, undergraduate and postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Education, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 2 units, leading on to 3 units in all.

Credit points
6
Offered in 2025
Semester 1
Clayton
Assessment
No exam
2 tasks
Workload
144 hours
per semester

This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.

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Requisites

Before EDF5165

No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.

Enrolment rules

Prerequisites

  • Enrolment in D3001 BEd(Hons), D3002 to D3007 BEd(Hons)(Secondary doubles), D6001 MTeach
  • 36 credit points (with at least 12 credit points at each of levels 2 and 3) in music with either; practical music; or AMEB Grade VI or Year 12 practical music; or practical music specialising in one or more musical instruments

Overview

This unit introduces you to the teaching and learning methods and major ideas useful in contemporary music education, particularly those that are essential for class music teachers. Further, this unit supports all music teaching and learning including that offered by instrumental specialist teachers. It provides you with opportunities to develop your subject matter knowledge and skills relevant to teaching in secondary schools and also considers primary school music education from the viewpoint of the specialist music educator. You are encouraged to refine your attitudes to music education through critical reflection and evaluation of both your past and current experiences. This introduces you to the research skills considered necessary for your professional work. This is particularly pertinent for class music educators, many of whom are already experienced instrumental teachers and music professionals.

The unit employs a pedagogical approach that connects theoretical and experiential learning, understanding these embedded practices to be interrelated and interdependent. As part of this cycle of learning, you are expected to engage in planning, presenting and evaluating teaching sequences through critical reflection. Furthermore, it reinforces a view of learning about teaching as an ongoing, collaborative process. This unit focuses primarily on lower and middle secondary school music.

Offerings in 2025

Teaching periodCampusMode
First semesterClaytonOn campus, block

Assessment

  • Critical reflection (2000 words or equivalent)
    50%
  • Unit of work using innovative and original curriculum material (2000 words or equivalent)
    50%

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

  1. 1

    articulate key theoretical and pedagogical perspectives and issues in the teaching of music

  2. 2

    translate conceptual ideas and practical processes about music and music engagement into classroom learning activities for students

  3. 3

    facilitate practical and experiential learning experiences and articulate the implications of using these approaches in diverse music education situations

  4. 4

    analyse ways of facilitating students to explore, question and investigate in music contexts

  5. 5

    critically analyse curriculum and assessment approaches in music education

  6. 6

    demonstrate ability to plan and implement lessons and units of work

  7. 7

    apply a wide variety of learning and teaching strategies that support the connections between music theory and practice and formulate a personal approach to teaching music.

Workload and teaching

  • Tutorials24 hours
  • Teaching approachActive learning

The minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per teaching period comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study.

Usually, you can expect to engage with:

• 24 hours* of scheduled learning delivered on campus via weekly/regular directed learning activities; and
• the remaining hours to be allocated towards self-directed/independent study

Scheduled learning activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

*Subject to variation due to professional experience requirements

You will be provided with the opportunity to engage with relevant literature and resources. Further, you will be encouraged to deepen your understanding of topic areas through collegial discussion and debate, and by participating in activities designed to extend your understanding.

Learning resources

Recommended resources

Please visit the unit Moodle site for further information.

Contacts

Chief Examiners
Dr Renee Crawford
Unit Coordinators
Dr Renee Crawford

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for EDF5165?

EDF5165 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.

What can I take after EDF5165?

EDF5165 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 2 units, including EDF5166 and EDF5167. Those lead on to 3 units in all.

When is EDF5165 offered?

In 2025, EDF5165 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.

How much work is EDF5165?

The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.

Does EDF5165 have an exam?

No. EDF5165 has 2 assessment tasks and no exam.

More details

Credit points
6
Level
5
Study level
Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Faculty
Faculty of Education
Type
Coursework
EFTSL
0.125
Student contribution
SCA Band 1
Study abroad
Not available