How Listening with Curiosity Positions Performing with Courage: A Comparison Analysis of Research Methodologies and Teaching Implementations

Courage and curiosity play an important role in personalizing the characters of learners in the current world. Music educators usually work effortlessly in fostering their learners to be courageous when performing. However, with the value and awareness of diversity and equity in mind, people need to listen to others with curiosity and empathy. These flipped perspectives were practical in sessions of music activities for elderly people with diverse music backgrounds, where everyone was encouraged to listen carefully to the sound they and the others created. Listening is the very first music skill everyone acquired before birth. Accordingly, listening skills should be trained and practiced with a high level of critical thinking and emotional empathy through music activities and research practices.  

 

During concert preparation, the “courage to perform” necessitates a high level of self-actualization, whereas the “curiosity to listen” demands significant cognitive and emotional sensitivity. Courage to perform represents a top-down approach, while curiosity to listen exemplifies a bottom-up process. In research paradigms, action research aligns with top-down methodology, wherein researchers propose hypotheses and theories to create interventions. Conversely, design thinking follows a bottom-up approach, requiring researchers need to listen and observe carefully throughout five steps: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test.  This analysis compares action research and design thinking methodologies, drawing on examples from teaching implementations in sessions for elderly participants. These examples illustrate how curiosity can meaningfully inform and shape the development of courage.