Contemporary school music education faces challenges such as maintaining students’ interest, fostering active participation, and developing essential skills (Karageorgakis, 2019). The traditional teacher-centered instructional approach does not adequately address these challenges, making it imperative to adopt more student-centered methodologies. One such approach is Project-Based Learning (PBL), which has been documented as effective across various subject areas, providing practical benefits for both students and educators (Alfonso, 2017).

Gert Biesta emphasizes that this instructional approach supports three fundamental dimensions of education: the transmission of knowledge (qualification), socialization, and the formation of students’ identities (subjectification). Similarly, Dillon (2023), highlights the role of PBL in music education, as it promotes experiential learning and collaborative activities. Likewise, Neophytou (2025), argues that incorporating PBL into music education can enhance the development of 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. Nevertheless, its implementation in music education remains relatively underexplored (Micha, 2022).

This study examines the design and implementation process of the teaching unit "Introduction to Musical Theatre", which falls under the thematic area "Music and Other Arts" in the national music curriculum for first-year secondary school students. The unit will be delivered using the Project-Based Learning approach. Through action research and continuous reflection in my dual role as educator and researcher, I will investigate how students engage with the designed activities and analyse their perceptions and experiences of this learning approach.

This study aims to address the following research questions:

1. How do students engage in the learning process through Project-Based Learning?
2. How does PBL shape the teaching and learning of musical theatre?
3. What is the role of the music educator in a PBL environment, and what challenges emerge during its implementation?

This research aspires to contribute to a deeper understanding of Project-Based Learning in music education by documenting and analysing students’ experiences within this pedagogical framework. The findings may offer valuable insights for music educators seeking to incorporate PBL into their instructional practices, ultimately fostering a more student-centered and skill-oriented approach to music education.

• Curricula and critical approaches

Myria Stavrou Avraamidou is a PhD student in Music Pedagogy at the European University Cyprus. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Musicology from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and a Master’s degree (MA) in Music Pedagogy from the University of Reading, United Kingdom. Additionally, she has completed advanced studies in both theoretical and practical aspects of music, earning diplomas in Harmony, Piano, Instrumentation, Counterpoint, and Fugue. She has extensive teaching experience in Cyprus’ public secondary education sector. Her research focuses on the implementation of Project-Based Learning in school music education, with an emphasis on fostering creativity, active student participation, and the development of 21st-century skills.