Leading Music Education International Conference

Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice in Prison Music Education through Knowledge Transfer Workshops

Music teachers working in Scottish prisons often find themselves isolated, under supported and without opportunities for further professional development in their field. This paper reports on a Knowledge Transfer workshop designed to bring together a researcher from the University of Edinburgh and music teachers that work in Scottish prisons to meet, reflect on their experiences and share current research and best practice. The researcher, also a music teacher with experience teaching in prisons, designed a workbook, Teaching Music in Prisons: Introductory information and ideas for musicians and teachers working in prisons, to supplement the workshop. Surveys were designed to gather participants’ reflections on the workshop and later used a second time to gather feedback on the use of the workbook in their practice. In addition to discussing what prisoners can gain from participating in a music class or music ensemble while incarcerated, this paper outlines the design of the Knowledge Transfer workshop and subsequent workbook, reflections from the researcher and participants on the workshop and participants reflections on the use of the workbook in their practice. Implications on Knowledge Transfer work to better support both researchers and teachers are discussed as well as the use of Knowledge Transfer to influence policy. Further suggestions on the practical task of designing knowledge transfer workshops, which can connect researchers and music teachers that work in the prison sector, are suggested.