Academic Field Trip as a Tool for Developing Cultural Competence in Musical and Performing Arts Education

Abstract

Studies have highlighted the importance of cultural competence in higher education musical and performing arts education. While there are various strategies for incorporating culturally relevant experiences in musical and performing arts education, academic field trips stand out as one such strategy. They allow students to engage with aspects of cultures relevant to their studies and post-study life that are often not covered in the classroom. Although previous studies have examined various aspects of culturally relevant education, little has been done on the significance of academic field trips to students’ academic experience in African tertiary education contexts. This study, therefore, examined students’ perception of the significance of academic field trips to cultural relevance in performing arts education, using an academic field trip at Kabarak University as a case study. Drawing on the pragmatic research paradigm, the study employed a mix of quantitative and qualitative designs anchored on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. Findings revealed that academic trips enriched students’ appreciation of indigenous performances and enhanced reflective learning. An overwhelming majority of participants (92%) agreed that the academic field trip provided them a unique learning opportunity that could not be replicated within the classroom. In addition, 88% affirmed that it helped them to bridge the gap between theory and real-world artistic practice. There is a need for academic trips and other immersive, real-world learning experiences to be formally embedded in music and performing arts education curricula to enhance the cultural competence of students in these fields.