Ingrid Maria Hanken

The textbook as a mediator of knowledge

For centuries, the textbook has played an important role in education. In this article, the textbook as a mediator of knowledge is discussed within the context of music teacher education.

It is argued that a textbook can mediate knowledge only to a limited extent. It can rather be seen as a provider of building stones for the student in his effort to construct his own knowledge and tie it to his own context. In order to serve this purpose, the textbook should not give the impression of presenting a canon, but invite to a dialogue betweenthe text and the reader.