Section 1: Background and Learning outcomes
The Gordon Institute for Learning Music is the home of Music Learning Theory which attempts to explain “how we learn when we learn music” (giml.org). The institute was named for Edwin E. Gordon music researcher and developer of six musical aptitude tests.
Music Learning Theory is primarily focused on the term auditation. Audiation is “a cognitive process by which the brain gives meaning to musical sounds” (giml.org). Audiation is most certainly at the heart of this theory! Gordon had a LOT to say about it:
“Compared to what is often called music imagery, audiation is a more insightful process. Music imagery simply suggests a vivid or figurative picture of what sound of music might represent. It does not require assimilation and generalization of sound of music, as does audiation. Musicians may audiate while listening to, recalling, performing, interpreting, creating or composing, improvising, reading, or writing music. Listening to music with comprehension and listening to speech with comprehension involve similar processes”
-Edwin E. Gordon from his paper “Untying Gordian Knots”
This is a bit confusing! Even for musicians! Here’s some more information on “Audiation”
https://giml.org/mlt/audiation/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMqOOokv4TM
The learning outcome of this method is for students to cognitively understand what they are hearing. “Through development of audiation students learn to understand music. Understanding is the foundation of music appreciation, the ultimate goal of music teaching” (giml.org).
Also, check out this video to see this learning theory in action!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWbbVWrGNs4
Section 2: Direct Instruction or Discovery Learning?
The teaching of Music Learning Theory is structured into “Learning Sequence Activities” and “Classroom activities” (giml.org). From what I understand, the content of learning sequence activities are tonal and rhythm patterns-“sung, chanted or played” for five to ten minutes of class time. These sequence activities are how teachers promote audiation. How exactly, I am still unsure.
Classroom activities, at least in the context of instrumental music, are songs. Gordon states, “Songs are the primary content of classroom activities. Songs are musical stories, essential components of the aural/oral foundation upon which higher levels of audiation are built” (giml.org).
While interesting, this teaching style doesn’t appear to be aligned with discovery learning. To me it appears that Music Learning Theory is about teaching students HOW to audiate or understand cognitively what they’re hearing, not necessarily for them to determine that for themselves. It would seem it aligns more closely with direct instruction.
Section 3: Student autonomy and choice
As I mentioned above, I was unable to find any type of discovery learning present in this teaching style. That being said, improvisation is included in the discussions I researched about music learning theory. However, instead of freely promoting student choice, it is instead considered something that should be systematically taught. “To teach improvisation effectively, proper sequence is crucial. Learning is most efficient when it proceeds one step at a time” (giml.org). The website goes on to outline “guidelines that will help the teacher teach improvisation in accordance to Music Learning Theory principles” (giml.org).
Instead of a student centered autonomous activity, improvisation in this case is a directly instructed facet of the method. Student choice and autonomy don’t feature strongly in this learning style.
Section 4: Personal Experience or Testimony
I don’t personally have experience with this model. I conducted some research on the topic and found mixed reviews. Most positive feedback I found was tied to Gordon himself. I did find one paper of particular interest. It is called “Evaluating Edwin Gordon’s Music Learning Theory from a Critical Thinking Perspective” by Paul G. Woodford of the University of Western Ontario. Woodford states, “In the end, and contrary to what Gordon asserts, his theory fails to explain what is most important of all, that is, how and why children should learn to think for themselves” (Woodford, 1996, p.85)
Section 5:
Similar to Paul G. Woodford, I feel that music is about the development of students’ musical individuality. Unfortunately the Gordon theory isn’t conducive to that personal development. As Woodford puts it, “having taught children conventional music practice, they fail to explain to them that the point is not to mindlessly replicate what others have done (although a certain amount of this is necessary) but rather to put their own “slant” on things and, thereby, to find their own musical answers” (Woodford, 1996, p.91).
Musical answers; I like that. That’s what we need. Our own musical answers. How can students learn to appreciate music using only someone else’s opinions and not their own?
Sources
http://library.sc.edu/music/gordon/499.pdf
https://giml.org/docs/GordianKnots.pdf
Rebel Dreams 
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