Name
Sound Bridges: Forging Educational Alliances through Service-Learning in Music
Date & Time
Monday, July 27, 2026, 5:20 PM - 5:35 PM
Description
Ponts Sonors is an educational research and innovation project that connects university training and schools through the use of the Service-Learning methodology. This study arises from the need to overcome limitations identified both in the university setting and in the Catalan school context. On one hand, the musical training of future teachers must respond to diverse educational needs regarding the acquisition of artistic, musical, teaching, and personal competencies, as well as to real challenges in which students can apply their acquired knowledge and skills, establishing a direct link between theory and practice (Pujol, 2017). On the other hand, schools show a clear need to increase the instructional hours dedicated to the arts. Furthermore, the limited number of specialist music teachers restricts the diversity of musical activities in schools, reducing opportunities for students to experience rich and varied artistic experiences.To find possible solutions, during the 2024/25 academic year a pilot project was carried out at the Faculty of Education of the University of Barcelona with the aim of proposing an adaptive model based on the Service-Learning methodology that strengthens alliances and synergies between the university and schools. Through collaborative artistic practices integrating different forms of expression — music, dance, and literature — the students of the Double Degree in Early Childhood and Primary Education (n = 44) designed and implemented learning situations that allowed the pupils of Escola Salesians d’Horta (n = 250) to experience meaningful artistic activities (Casals, 2023; Saetre, 2018; Burton & Greher, 2007), while at the same time promoting an inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education based on inter-institutional partnerships that strengthen the ties between the university and the educational community.The research was framed within the qualitative paradigm with an action-research approach. Evidence was collected and analyzed (field diaries, reflective narratives, artistic productions, and feedback from school mentors through open-ended forms) allowing the assessment of the development of teaching, and personal competencies among university students.The results show an improvement in the didactic learning and self-confidence of university students, musical enrichment among children, and the establishment of strong links between both institutions. In addition, participating schools directly benefit from the implementation of innovative and experiential musical activities that complement the educational offer and enrich the children’s learning experience. This experience demonstrates the project’s viability and potential and paves the way for a new phase of consolidation and expansion, always maintaining a sustainable and replicable perspective.
Location Name
512D
Full Address
Palais des Congres - Montréal Convention Centre
1001, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montreal QC H2Z 1H2
Canada
1001, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Montreal QC H2Z 1H2
Canada
Session Type
Short Paper Presentation
Presenting Author(s)
Maria Fernanda Viñas