Designing a Student-Centered Music Curriculum
Date
March 9-May 1, 2026
Online
TBD based on participant availability
Course Code
7196A
Credits
2
Tuition
$796
Course Description
This course provides music educators with a comprehensive framework for designing culturally relevant, student-centered, and future-ready music curricula across K–12 and higher education settings. Grounded in contemporary pedagogical theory and informed by current research, this course examines instructional practices that respect student identity, agency, and musical backgrounds while expanding access to diverse music-making opportunities.
Participants will engage deeply with pedagogies that support creativity, collaboration, and musical autonomy, including modern band, informal music learning, hip-hop pedagogies, music technology integration, and culturally sustaining practices. Special emphasis will be placed on contemporary music industries and emerging professional pathways, empowering educators to build curricular offerings that reflect today’s musical landscape and prepare students for evolving career possibilities. Attention will also be given to cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence as tools for expanding creativity, producing music, and personalizing learning experiences.
Through weekly reflective practice, case-based discussion, and hands-on curriculum design, participants will construct lesson plans, modular units, and full-semester or year-long course frameworks tailored to their unique teaching contexts. By the end of the course, educators will possess a portfolio of practical, equitable, and innovative curricular materials that position them to lead transformative music programs responsive to diverse learners, contemporary culture, and the future of music education.
Instructor
Shane Colquhoun, Ph.D., is a Grammy-nominated music educator with a diverse musical background in music education and production. Dr. Colquhoun completed his Ph.D. in Music Education from Auburn University, a Master of Education in Music, and a Master of Education in the Administration of Higher Education, both from Auburn University, and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Technology and Business from Bethune-Cookman University, and brings a wealth of teaching experience from serving as Director of Bands at Loachapoka High School for fourteen years before his appointment at ASU. He has published in General Music Today and The Media Journal in Music Education. He has also recently authored a chapter, “Different from the Norm: Teaching Band in Alabama,” in the book Places and Purposes of Popular Music Education.