Music Education Commons^™

Music Isn’T Just A Special: Amplifying Music's Power In Fostering Social-Emotional Skills In Students, Angelina Davis

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researcher investigated how Dream Academy and Little Foot Elementary educators view music's impacts on social-emotional learning and what they thought could be done to improve it. Based on an analysis of the data and the relevant research literature, the researcher used what they have learned to formulate an action that responds to the impact of music on social-emotional learning in a way that inspires, informs, or involves a particular audience. This is an important issue for students and teachers because music education allows educators to teach social-emotional skills. It is argued that music fosters social-emotional …

Investigating The Relationship Between Politics And Education, Alaina M. Winrow

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper looks into how politics plays a role in the public K-12 education system in the United States, specifically looking at the state of New Hampshire. Federal, state, and local governments provide important resources through funding to schools and create the laws that govern them. However, educational politics can be controversial at times. Within the past several years, there have been more tense school board meetings and divisive laws being passed or considered around the nation. Overall, the divisive political climate has influenced much of the discussion surrounding education and has created more stress for educators, administrators, school staff, …

Music Education Within An Autism Support Classroom: Building Community And Educational Skills, Emma Lamberti

Honors Theses

The purpose of this action research study was to explore how music education might provide a sense of community, develop educational skills, and discuss general best practices for teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in a middle school autism support classroom. To examine community, educational skills, and best practices, this study completed two cycles of action research. The curriculum in Cycle 1 consisted of typical music lessons for a general music classroom. Interviews with teachers and students, video observations, and researcher reflections after each lesson were used to inform the development of Cycle 2. Cycle 2 retained the overall …

Culturally Responsive Teaching And Music Education, Katie Johnson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The United States’ music culture is predominantly focused on the Western music tradition. Yet, the population in the United States is wildly diverse and continues to become even more so at a rapid rate. Because of this, culturally relevant teaching has become an increasingly discussed topic in music education. Why do some music educators feel out of place with music outside of the classical tradition? It can be traced backed to the Eurocentrism of music schools in the United States. Music schools focus primarily on the classical Western music realm, including topics such as music theory, socially accepted ensembles and …

An Analysis Of In-Service Choral Music Educators’ Methods Of Classroom Management, Brooke Ann Ward

Music Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discuss topics of classroom management as it relates to the experience and training of pre-service music educators. Topics reviewed in the discussion include issues of mentorship, pre-service teacher training, experiential learning, student teaching experiences, conducting knowledge, and confidence in pre-service music educators. This research project was granted an IRB exemption by the Old Dominion University College of Arts and Letters.

The participants in the research survey were choral music educators who had accumulated one through 40 years of teaching experience. The participants were graduates of a music education degree program, or a music …

Counterpoint: Music And Art Education, Eileen Kosasih

MA Projects

Music education programming is generally not as accessible or available as museum education programming. General music illiteracy and the elitism of music education perpetuate a cycle of inaccessibility and lack of understanding of the value of music education. Meanwhile, the auditory art form is a fundamental component of culture, society, and history. Music’s language and history should be understood and appreciated widely. Art museum education programmers can work with music educators, music historians, and classical music programmers to incorporate music education into museum education programming. This project consists of three parts. The first section advocates the inclusion of music education …

Black Expressions Of Dillard University: How One Historically Black College Pioneered African American Arts, Makenzee Brown

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The proposed public history project, Within These Walls (WTW), will be one component of a larger exhibit produced by Dillard University’s, Library Archives and Special Collections entitled The Star Burns Bright: History of Dillard’s Theatrical and Musical Arts, Faculty and Students. WTW will focus on Dillard’s historic African American faculty, students and alumni who became prominent painters, musicians, writers, actors and directors among them Adella Gautier, Randolph Edmonds, Ted Shine Frederick Hall, Theodore Gilliam, and Brenda Osbey. This exhibit will also highlight the many art programs, across genres, offered at the university between 1935 and 1970. This exhibit will demonstrate …

Inclusive Ensembles: Differentiating For The Singer On The Autism Spectrum, Natalie Wilkins, Natalie A. Wilkins

Honors College Theses

Exceptional children belong in music classrooms. Music ensemble directors need to overcome complex challenges to meet the goal of inclusion, because ensembles often include a mixture of ages, grades, social and intellectual development stages, musical skills, and a wide variety of diverse learning needs. This study focuses on how a choral ensemble director may create an inclusive environment for students on the Autism Spectrum.

This study reviewed the current research on inclusive rehearsal environments. Analysis revealed varied methods for differentiation that allows students with special needs to thrive in a music classroom and also revealed that music can be a …

Integrating The Fine Arts, Cole Alexander

Honors Projects

This project seeks to understand and apply research to a lesson plan unit regarding the integration of the fine arts (art and music) into the general education classroom.

The Equal Right To Sing: The American Zeitgeist And Its Implications For Music Education, Youngeun Kim

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

According to music educators and proponents of arts education, music education in U.S. public schools seems to be in jeopardy. This thesis brings attention to several issues in current music education. It is a case study of music education in New York City public elementary schools. First, it shows that music education is not equally distributed to all students in the public-school system and is especially unequal among elementary schools. Next, it investigates possible causes for this inequality, from the current system’s limitations to more fundamental causes including the cultural perception of music among the U.S. public. The consequences of …

Religious Music In Public School Choir: Attitudes, Practices, And Experiences, Landon R. Lamontagne

ETD Archive

A large portion of the choral music canon is sacred or religious in nature because the history of choral singing is in large part due to its importance in the development of the Christian church. Many public school choir teachers include sacred or religious music as a part of their repertoire because of its historic, musical and educational value. The fact that religious songs and sacred texts are often included in public school choir curricula has raised numerous philosophical and legal questions over the past several decades, although research regarding public school choir curriculum and religion is limited. The purpose …

Interdisciplinary Arts As An Agent For Community Building In A U.S. Public School, Ida Pappas

Educational Studies Dissertations

The aim of my dissertation research is to understand the relationship between interdisciplinary arts experiences and the establishment of a community culture in a mainstream public high school in northeast United States. With this research, I hope to provide evidence to support the inclusion of interdisciplinary arts projects in the fabric of students’ high school curricular and extra-curricular experiences. Through engagement in design, art, video, music, dance, theater and the close study of a minority culture, high school participants provided regular responses to planned survey questions and open-ended survey questions (Experience Sampling), as well as through interviews, written prompts and …

The Benefits Of Music In Child Development, Dulce-Paola Ixtupe

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Music is a subject that does not limit children to simply having fun, although “fun” is an essential component when trying to engage children in learning activities. Music further enhances a series of transferable skills and can help children with their learning experience in other subjects. By being part of a fun activity such as music, children are able to acquire affective, cognitive, and evaluative skills, which will further reinforce a variety of areas of their development. When engaged in an activity where recognition and expression of feelings are required, they learn that having feelings is perfectly normal and that …

Using Mathematical Research Methods To Solve A Problem In Music Theory Instruction, Specifically, The Teaching Of Secondary Dominant Chords, Angela Ulrich

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The mathematical method for research is used to find a solution to a problem in music theory: understanding and identifying secondary dominant chords. By reviewing and assessing the teaching methods of university professors and theory textbooks, and comparing those findings with student reviews, a new method for teaching the concept is developed. The proposed system incorporates aural, visual, and kinetic exercises to serve every learner. The literature review and sample unit plan are followed by a possible procedure for testing the effectiveness of the new method.

The Benefits Of Music: An Exploration Of Music In Core-Curriculum Classrooms, Courtney Froehlich

Honors Projects

Inspired by research that establishes the benefits of using music in the teaching and learning of non-music subjects, this creative honors project provides sample lesson plans for music, math, and English teachers in grades K-8 that use musical activities to teach math and English concepts. Sample lesson plans are grouped by subject and grade levels, and underlying concepts of each plan are identified. Part One includes lesson plans that combine and draw connections between music and math concepts; Part Two includes lesson plans that combine and draw connections between music and English concepts. Within each part, plans are designed for …

A Historical Descriptive Analysis Of Federal, State, And Local Education Policy And Its Influence On The Music Education Curriculum In The New York City Public School 1950-1999, David Crone

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Classroom Music Continuum For The Vallecito Union School District, Kindergarten Through Sixth Grade, Deborah Glow Martin

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

It is generally recognized and accepted that music is a vital part of a child's education. The Music Educators National Conference stated in "The Child's Bill of Rights in Music":

Every child has the right to full and free opportunity to explore and develop his capacities in the field of music in such ways as may bring him happiness and a sense of well-being.

It is impossible to deal with all aspects of elementary music education in a single presentation; consequently, this thesis is directed toward a specific need in a particular school district, namely the Vallecito Union School District. …

A Study Of Scheduling, Staffing And Housing Procedures For A Comprehensive Elementary Instrumental Music Program In The Highline Public Schools, Gerald Clifton Bayne

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a survey of the scheduling, staffing and housing procedures for elementary instrumental music in selected large suburban school districts surrounding the City of Seattle, Washington. Upon comparison with other available studies and a similar survey of the Highline Public Schools, basic recommendations were made for the implementation of three alternate plans for a comprehensive elementary instrumental music program in the Highline Public Schools. The preferred recommended plan involves simultaneously team teaching with instrumental and vocal music specialists.

Current Status Of Chamber Ensembles In The First-Class High Schools Of Washington State, Dennis C. Crabb

All Master's Theses

The problem concerned in this paper is to establish the extent to which ensembles are used as a teaching method in music departments of the high schools of the first-class school districts of Washington State.

The Superintendent's Point Of View Concerning Music In The High Schools Of Washington State, Morris Ray Pedersen

All Master's Theses

A common philosophy of administrators and music educators should be prerequisite for a successful music program. This philosophy should permit enough flexibility to allow for individual differences and yet be rigid enough to encompass general education needs and goals. It can only be shared through communication. The place of music within the curriculum will be understood through this communication between the music educator and the chief administrator. It shall be the purpose of this study to encourage the shared philosophy and communication relationship between school music educators and their administrators.

An Experiment In Teaching Perfect Pitch With Programmed Learning, Harry Ross Nelson

All Master's Theses

Ten college students were subjects of an experiment dealing with the teaching of perfect pitch through programmed learning. The experiment was based on a similar study by Dr. Robert W. Lundin. An attempt was made to use equipment readily available in public schools, and to make the lessons as nearly self-teaching as possible.

The Influence Of Freemasonry On Some Of The Music Of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Lloyd Earl Mitchell

All Master's Theses

There is considerable evidence to indicate that the Fraternity of Freemasonry exerted creative impulses to some of the music of Wolfgang Mozart, subsequent to 1784. This study shows that Mozart, by virtue of his membership in the Order, was sufficiently impressed with benevolences and spiritual teachings of Freemasonry to symbolically reflect the ritual of the Order in an artistic manner. To support this contention a review of Freemasonry in the Eighteenth Century, an analysis of Mozart's association with Masonry, an inquiry into the relation of Freemasonry and the existing religious order, and an overview of Mozart's Masonic compositions are presented.

An Original Composition For Band “Suite For Band”, Bill R. Love

All Master's Theses

The writer's contemporary work seeks to contribute to the growing repertoire of original band music. The technique, range, intonation, and rhythm problems of average high school musicians are taken into special consideration. It could easily serve as an introductory piece to performers unfamiliar with the contemporary idiom. Although performance difficulties are kept to a minimum, "Suite for Band" should prove musically challenging and worthwhile to both high school and college bands.

Historical Development Of The Clarinet With Special Emphasis On Technique And The Resolving Of Technical Problems, Virgil M. Kocher

All Master's Theses

This paper was written for the purpose of discovering how the clarinet developed into the important instrument it is today. There have been many changes and additions to the mechanism and also in tonal characteristics since the first two-keyed clarinet was invented. These changes were the result of an effort to extend the range of the instrument, improve its tone, and to meet the demands of the composers of the day.

An Analysis Of “Little Bat” In The Opera Susannah, James William Dewey

All Master's Theses

Using both a unique character development and an interweaving of the main motives found throughout the opera, Little Bat emerges as one of the prominent characters in the opera Susannah.