“it goes like this:” peer interaction and development of learner agency in student-led instrumental chamber ensembles

Abstract

Student-led instrumental chamber music ensembles can provide rich opportunities for learners to share and enrich knowledge using scaffolding (Wood, Bruner, & Ross, 1976) methods that are authentic to themselves. As learners interact in their groups over time, they may create their own shared repertoire of knowledge (Rogoff, 1990; Trevarthen, 1980) which could deepen their communal bonds into a functional community of practice (Wenger, 1998). This could further enrich the conceptual understanding of the members and support the development of learner agency. In this study, I sought to explore the nature of student interaction in peer-led instrumental chamber music ensembles and how those interactions change over time. Qualitative methodology was used with myself acting as teacher-researcher (Kincheloe, 2002). Study groups and video recordings of verbal, physical, and musical interactions provided the data which was transcribed and analyzed for themes related to the social interactions of the ensemble. I discovered that as the ensemble members developed trust for one another, it allowed them to enter their individual Zones of Proximal Development (Vygotsky, 1978) to develop their group intersubjectivity (Rogoff, 1990; Trevarthen, 1980) which aided them as they learned their music together. As time progressed, students who were shy in the learning environment developed greater agency and participated at a greater level than before. Several instances of peer interaction also led me to propose that there may be a shared Zone of Proximal Development where multiple learners can interact together in ways that are authentic to their own learning styles that could aid in increasing the intersubjectivity of the full ensemble and promote the development of learner agency.