Coursera

The Place of Music in 21st Century Education (Coursera)

Offered by The University of Sydney,
The Place of Music in 21st Century Education (Coursera)

What do children need from education now, and in the future? How is technology best used in teaching and learning? How can innovative approaches to education be reconciled with established, traditional ones? What does student-centred learning really mean? This five module course is not just for classroom or ensemble music educators. It’s suitable for anyone interested in creativity-infused education, in contemporary education issues, and in the integration and use of digital technology.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

It’s designed to challenge old paradigms, to inspire innovative and creative pedagogical philosophies, and to develop your ability to critically respond to the latest research.
We’ll visit schools with vastly different approaches to learning and teaching, and meet inspiring teachers and principals. We’ll venture inside the classroom to closely observe how technology is integrated with music education – or how it’s decidedly not!
We’ll talk to international leaders and experts about innovative and traditional approaches to music education, and I’ll provide insights from my own practice as well as from some of my students.
I’ll be provoking you to think critically and creatively, to develop your own ideas and theories around students’ educational needs and the impact of digital technologies, now and into the future.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Technology in (music) education
What does music education look like with and without technology?

WEEK 2
Aliens
Hein: "Why does classroom music seem alien?"

WEEK 3
Inspiring Research
If we can learn music from the cloud, do we need music teachers?

WEEK 4
The good news
What opportunities do new technologies afford music education?

WEEK 5
To infinity and beyond
What would a pluralist music education look like?

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop (Coursera) Coursera
California Institute of the Arts

Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop (Coursera)

Humanities

Why just write poems when you can write better ones? This course is built on the notion that the most exciting writing begins after the first draft. It is specifically for folks who believe that writing poems just to express oneself is like using the Internet just for email. After all, poetry can change the way you and your readers think of the world and its inhabitants; it can break new ground for language; turn a blank sheet of paper into a teeming concert of voices and music.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Music Art Writing
Details
Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics (Coursera) Coursera
Berklee College of Music

Songwriting: Writing the Lyrics (Coursera)

Film & Audio

There’s a songwriter lurking somewhere inside you, peeking around corners, wondering if it’s safe to come out. Now it is. This course is an invitation to let your inner songwriter step into the sunlight. All it takes is a simple “yes” and you’ll be climbing that windy hill, marveling at the view. If you haven’t written any or many songs, this course will show you an efficient, effective process for tailoring songs to express your ideas and emotions. If you have, you’ll look at your process differently, taking control of aspects of the process you may have not noticed.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Music Song Lyrics
Details
Teaching the Violin and Viola: Creating a Healthy Foundation (Coursera) Coursera
Northwestern University

Teaching the Violin and Viola: Creating a Healthy Foundation (Coursera)

Film & Audio

Join us as we explore the fundamental principles and early stages of teaching violin and viola through a series of engaging video lectures and lesson demonstrations, including: 1) Master classes with some of the world’s top string pedagogues, 2) Individual lesson demos of teaching violin/viola set up, left and right hand technique and pieces from the early violin/viola repertoire, 3) Group lesson demos of teaching music theory, ear training and fun activities that encourage good playing habits, and 4) A “field trip” to the violin shop, where we will outfit a new beginning student with a proper instrument and bow.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Music Art Healthy
Details
The Music of the Beatles (Coursera) Coursera
University of Rochester

The Music of the Beatles (Coursera)

Film & Audio

The Music of the Beatles will track the musical development of the band, starting from the earliest days in Liverpool and Hamburg, moving through the excitement of Beatlemania, the rush of psychedelia, and the maturity of Abbey Road. While the focus will be on the music, we will also consider how recording techniques, the music business, the music of other artists, and the culture of the 1960s affected John, Paul, George, and Ringo as they created the Beatles repertory.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Music Song Beatles
Details
History of Rock, Part Two (Coursera) Coursera
University of Rochester

History of Rock, Part Two (Coursera)

Film & Audio

This course, part 2 of a 2-course sequence, examines the history of rock, primarily as it unfolded in the United States, from the early 1970s to the early 1990s. This course covers the music of Led Zeppelin, the Allman Brothers, Carole King, Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, Metallica, Run-DMC, and Nirvana, and many more artists, with an emphasis both on cultural context and on the music itself. We will also explore how developments in the music business and in technology helped shape the ways in which styles developed.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
History Music Rock
Details
Digital Content Planning and Management (Coursera) Coursera
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Digital Content Planning and Management (Coursera)

Marketing & Communication Business

The evolution of digital technology has vastly impacted the way we communicate, live and work. Whether you’re a content creator, a content manager or a brand account manager, digital content management plays a crucial role in an advertising campaign’s success. Learn what it takes to successfully inventory, create, analyze, and manage content for companies of any scale, as well as the process of implementing these systems across organizations.

Nov 2nd 2026
4 Weeks
Digital Technology Digital Media Content Strategy
Details
Jazz Improvisation (Coursera) Coursera
Berklee College of Music

Jazz Improvisation (Coursera)

Film & Audio

Learn the basic concepts of improvisation from Gary Burton, one of the most renowned improvisers in the jazz world, including the mental, melodic, and harmonic processes that contribute to the instinctive skills that an improviser puts to use when taking a solo. While many people are fans of jazz and understand that musicians are often “making up” the notes they are playing during a performance, most people—often including musicians, themselves, who are beginning to learn improvising—aren’t clear about what exact processes take place to enable this to happen. The purpose of this course is to introduce the basic concepts of modern improvisation and how to go about mastering the different musical and mental skills involved.

Nov 2nd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Music Jazz Improvisation
Details
Electronic Music Performance Techniques (Coursera) Coursera
Berklee College of Music

Electronic Music Performance Techniques (Coursera)

Film & Audio

From the Moog analog synthesizers in the 1960s to the contemporary usage of computers, performance controllers, and mobile devices, Electronic Digital Instruments (EDIs) have long been capable of offering artists a new range of musical expression. In this one-of-a-kind course, you'll learn the essential skills you need to perform on an EDI.

Oct 26th 2026
4 Weeks
Music Electronic Music Electronic Music Production Specialization
Details