Music Education Commons^™

Notes From Mrs. Hadgu's Class: Conceptualizing Music Education Curriculum For A Changing World, Logan B. Santiago

Student Publications

How can we conceptualize curriculum and school knowledge to better address important questions of social change, contingency of knowledge, life in mediated worlds, and inequalities? To answer this question I wrote fictional stories from students about their favorite moments from their 8th grade music class. Each account deals with a specific activity or instance in which the teacher included social change and/or student centered knowledge in the curriculum. The explanation at the end of the accounts details the reasons for creating each activity and the relation of the stories to texts utilized in class.

Equity In The Classroom, Robert L. Napoli

Student Publications

When discussing how teachers should pursue equity among, in, and through education in their current educational system, many go straight to discussing the lessons. These are very important, and the planning of these lessons can very much influence students to think more openly about equity, but there is something that must be established first before even thinking about executing a lesson plan, and that is the classroom itself. After all, “a large part of the work of teaching is constructing the laboratory for learning.” (Campbell & Demorest, 2008, p. 87). Postman & Weingartner also say that “the most important impressions …

The Changing Role Of The Bass Clarinet: Support For Its Integration Into The Modern Clarinet Studio, Jennifer Beth Iles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The bass clarinet of the twenty-first century has come into its own. Composers often treat it as a solo instrument and clarinetists are more often expected to play bass clarinet. In the last half of the twentieth century, the amount of literature for bass clarinet has grown and the quality of the instruments have improved exponentially. Still, most university studios focus primarily on B-flat clarinet. This document is intended as a pedagogical guide for the inclusion of the bass clarinet in the clarinet studio. As support for incorporating the bass clarinet into the undergraduate curriculum, this document describes three areas …

The Process Of Musical Acquisition For Traditional String Musicians In The Homeschool Environment, Keith R. Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how three accomplished traditional string musicians learned music in their homeschool environments. Data were derived from formal interviews of the three musicians. The research framework for this qualitative study is based upon the socio-educational model of second language learning motivation developed by R. C. Gardner (1959, 1985, 2004, 2010) and applied to the study of instrumental music learning motivation by P. D. MacIntyre (2012). Structured interview questions, triangulated by additional informal dialogues, field observations, externally documented sources, and collaboration with an expert review panel were the data collection activities utilized in the research. Five overarching themes …

Dewey Meets Bluegrass: Progressive Educational Theory In The Establishment Of Traditional Music Programs In Higher Education, John C. Goad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study focuses on connections between the Progressive era educational theories of John Dewey and present-day bluegrass and traditional music programs in higher education in order to explore a pedagogical basis for such programs. The research specifically examines Dewey’s beliefs in experiential learning, individualization, and vocational education and their current applications in traditional music education. The study included two major components: historical research into Dewey’s writings and primary and secondary sources regarding traditional music education in the United States, and interviews of faculty members in college and university bluegrass and traditional music programs. The thesis of this study is that …

Fighting A Resurgent Hyper-Positivism In Education Is Music To My Ears, Hakim Mohandas Amani Williams

Africana Studies Faculty Publications

In this article, I argue that one of the gifts of the Age of Enlightenment, the ability to measure, to experiment, to predict—turned rancid by hyper-positivism—is re-asserting itself globally in the field of education (including music education). I see a neoliberal, neocolonial connection—in terms of the ideologies that fuel them—between some of the homogenizing, epistemologically/culturally imperialist aspects of globalization and this resurgent hyper-positivism that has been accompanied by a corporatization of education. I posit that critical education, including critical music education, is an essential component of a necessary—if rancorous—dialogue in maintaining a definition of education that is as varied and …

Mia's Music, Miranda L. Bubenheim

Student Publications

Mia’s Music is a story narrating what I view as an ideal curriculum being put into practice. Music educators have an advantageous and unique position to explore a medium with students that truly has the power to bring people together and help them to understand one another. A curriculum based in the cultural themes that students identify with will challenge them to learn through sharing their experiences and understanding others'.

Augustine’S De Musica In The 21st Century Music Classroom, John Macinnis

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

Augustine’s De musica is all that remains of his ambitious plan to write a cycle of works describing each of the liberal arts in terms of Christian faith and is actually unfinished; whereas the six books extant today primarily examine rhythm, Augustine intended to write about melody also. The sixth book of De musica was better known in late Antiquity and the Middle Ages than the first five, and it takes up philosophical questions of aesthetics related to the proportionate ordering discernable throughout creation. After a brief introduction summarizing De musica’s content and its importance in subsequent Christian writings, my …

The Irish Experience: Identity And Authenticity In Irish Traditional Music, Elizabeth Graber

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Over the last century, Irish traditional music, or “trad,” has become a global phenomenon that has flourished in communities from the United States of America to Japan. A musician need not be Irish in heritage to play and do justice to Irish traditional music or to feel a strong emotional connection to it; yet ethnic ties, real and imagined, constitute a powerful reason to play. The music is inextricably linked with the poetically-titled Emerald Isle even if its musicians are not. In this project, I explore and analyze the many facets of perception of and participation in Irish traditional music, …

What Self-Reported Effect Does Peer Mentoring Have On A Secondary Music Program?, Mark Torsney

Education Graduate Research

No abstract provided.

Does Music Affect Behavior In The Special Education Classroom?, Randall L. Crum

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

It is general knowledge that music affects our emotions; slow rhythmic music can make us sad and fact upbeat music can make us happy. Music is everywhere and it is a powerful outlet for people’s emotions. Music in the classroom can have many effects on students. It may relax them, motivate them, or even sooth them, helping to reduce frustration levels. Music enhances learning in the classroom and it has long been used to help memory skills in students such as learning the alphabet through song. Music helps stimulate creativity and reflection, and it also provides a welcoming entrance into …

Rockin’ Around The Clock: An Exploratory Study Of Music Teachers' Personal Listening Choices, Virginia Wayman Davis

Research & Issues in Music Education

This study aimed to explore the personal music listening choices of music teachers. Specifically, in which formats do teachers listen to music for personal pleasure, how do they obtain the music they choose, and how frequently do they choose to listen to certain genres of music. Using an online survey, music teachers answered questions about their listening and purchasing habits. Results were then analyzed using simple statistics and Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) to discover listening preferences for the group as a whole, as well as what differences may occur with regards to age, teaching situation or other factors. Through this …

Ua37/36 Faculty Personal Papers Claude Rose, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Personal papers of Claude Rose, WKU Music professor from 1945-1977.

Acting For Opera Singers, Jennifer Hamilton

Teaching Fellowships

As the majority of professional classical singers earn a significant part of their living in opera, it is vital that conservatoires and studios are able to provide fit-for-purpose education for these trainee artists. As opera productions today are increasingly influenced by the trends in cinema and live-streamed media, this study sought to identify and clarify the range and detail of acting and performance skills required of opera singers in this evolving professional environment. A significant part of the data collected relates to the participants’ perceptions about the relevance of technical stagecraft skills. These techniques mainly relate to how performers negotiate …

Social Justice Issues And Music Education In The Post 9/11 United States, Cynthia L. Wagoner

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this paper is two-fold: first, to examine the impact of historical socio-political events on music education, particularly post 9/11 with the intent of establishing a context for social justice issues; and second, how we might examine the broad implications to further music education research focusing on social justice. Issues of social justice are inextricably woven into the fabric of post-9/11 U.S. education, as evidenced through reform efforts aimed at job-related skill sets, standardized testing, national standards, and economic gridlock resulting in the diminished access or elimination of the arts in the public schools, including music. Traditionally music …

Music’S Impact: A Review And Curriculum Proposal, Susanna M. Lindberg

Selected Honors Theses

The following thesis is a review of literature, covered in three chapters, and a proposal for a researched-based education curriculum. The goal of this research is to find how music affects the brain, how it influences education, whether it affects emotions, and if it has an impact on special populations in regards to education. In the final section of this thesis, there is a theoretical proposal for a yearlong music-based literacy curriculum for third grade students who struggle with reading and comprehension.

Experiences And Perceptions Of Middle School Handbell Participants, Debbie Rohwer

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of the current study was to describe the process of music learning and the perceptions of members in a school-based middle school handbell setting. The participants were 39 students and one music teacher in a middle school in Texas. The design of the current study was a case study using observation and interview data. The results highlight a successful middle school handbell ensemble setting that could be used as a model for a different form of music learning environment than the traditional options generally found in the schools. The study describes the practices and perceptions of a handbell …

“If It Fits Into Their Culture, Then They Will Have A Connection”: Experiences Of Two Latina Students In A Select High School Choir, Joshua Palkki

Research & Issues in Music Education

In the United States, Latino/a students are underrepresented in secondary school music programs (Elpus & Abril, 2011). By understanding the needs of Latino/a students, music educators can create programs that will better serve this student population. This intrinsic case study chronicles the experiences of Cassandra and Elena, two students enrolled in a high school choir in a mid-sized Midwestern community. The main research questions were: (a) Which lived experiences of these Latino/a students play a role in school choral music, and (b) Which elements of culturally relevant pedagogy have played a role in choral music education of these two students? …

Mued 397b/D: Practicum (Music Teaching Field Experience)—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Inquiry Portfolio, Dale Bazan

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This course is taken during the spring semester of the junior year in the Bachelor of Music Education degree. The field experience places students inside schools weekday mornings over 5 weeks following Spring Break, and following core music education methods courses in instrumental and choral teaching (i.e., Instrumental Methods MUED 345 and Choral Methods MUED 346). The UNL undergraduate bulletin describes this course as simply, “Supervised teaching experiences in school.” Students are placed in school settings in the discipline opposite their applied instrument. Specifically, vocal applied students are placed in instrumental settings, and instrumental applied students are placed in vocal …

Effects Of Criteria-Referenced Formative Assessment On Achievement In Music, Christopher Valle

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of criteria-referenced formative assessment on music achievement. Archival data from 1,173 students who participated in the first two years of the Arts Achieve project were used to examine the overall and school level effects of criteria-referenced formative assessment on music achievement, as well as its effect on content knowledge, listening, and performance achievement tasks. The relationships between sources of feedback from formative assessment – self, peer, teacher – and music achievement were also investigated. Unbiased causal treatment effects were derived after employing propensity score analysis to minimize selection bias and …

Students’ Attitudes Towards Individual Musical Instrument Courses In Music Education Graduate Programs In Turkey, Gülten Cüceoğlu Önder

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

The Individual Musical Instrument course is a compulsory part of the curriculum, in the Music Education Departments of universities in Turkey. The main purpose of the course is to ensure that each student is able to play a musical instrument and, use the instrument once they become music teachers. This study aims to determine the attitudes of students enrolled in the Music Education Department towards the course within the program. Participants included 334 students studying Music Education at four different Universities in Turkey. The study adopted the “Attitudes towards Individual Musical Instrument Course Scale” (Topoğlu & Erden,2012). No statistically significant …

The Effect Of Smartmusic On Student Practice, Brian Duane Nichols

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to document the use of SmartMusic Interactive Practice Software and its effect on practice habits and motivation. The 12-week study measured participant practice time using paper practice charts and the online grade book/practice chart in SmartMusic Interactive Practice software. In addition, an 11-question Likert survey was administered pre and poststudy to measure students’ reactions and motivations to practice. Participants (N=38) were randomly assigned to either the SmartMusic group (SM, n=19) or the Contact Control group (CC, n =19). Data from an Independent Samples t test measuring group practice time indicate a significant difference between …

The Status Of, Teacher Attitudes Towards, And The Lmpact Of Music Therapy Lnclusive Music Education In Michigan, Ann E. Armbruster

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine Michigan music teachers' attitudes and perceptions regarding their training for and experience with special learners in their classrooms, and their collaboration and consultation with music therapists. Eighty-six music educators completed a 51 item questionnaire. Results showed that music teachers' attitudes and perceptions are generally positive toward inclusion. Mean scores for attitude and perception were not influenced by whether participants had or had not taken a course in special education as a student, whether they had access to continuing education regarding inclusion through their school district, or participants' predominant teaching area or degree …

Choosing A Master's Degree Program In Piano Pedagogy, Angela Meyers

Communication, Media & The Arts Faculty Publications

In addition to program catalogues and the internet, other resources are also valuable in choosing a school. Talk to faculty members, colleagues, and those in your school and teaching community for recommendations. Do you know other students who have enrolled in a master's program in piano pedagogy? Certainly do not limit yourself to one resource, but rather use each resource as a catalyst to get your search rolling.

Carren Moham, Carren Moham, Francine Krieger 2015

All oral histories

Dr. Moham was Professor of Music at Illinois Wesleyan from 1998-2014. She matriculated from The Ohio State University in Columbus where she earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Pedagogy and Black Music History.

During this interview she recounts her move from her doctoral program at the Ohio State University, to the Washington Cancer Institute and her choice of Illinois Wesleyan. Moham also discusses some of the memorable moments from her teaching and performing career in Illinois. After retiring, she became artist teacher voice at Illinois State University and is the owner of a voice rehabilitation business in …

Rookie Season: Build To Achieve, Christopher Aker

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

An independent study project submitted to Richard Miles for the MUSW 676 004 Music course by Christopher Aker in June of 2014.

Folk Music : Connecting Young Children And Their Families To American Roots, Liana Stampur

Graduate Student Independent Studies

This paper will uncover the similarities between American folk music and Central and South American songs of revolution as a way to connect new immigrants to American culture.

Student And Teacher Experiences With Informal Learning In A School Music Classroom: An Action Research Study, Mark C. Adams

Glenn Korff School of Music: Dissertations, Theses, Student Creative Work, and Performances

Despite the ubiquitous nature of music in the lives of adolescents, school music education rarely offers experiences with the informal music making practices that are used by their favorite vernacular artists. This action research study implemented informal learning practices into the formal learning environment of my current teaching position in a rural Midwestern community, to understand more about student experiences and the educator’s role in such a classroom. The qualitative research approach used in this study borrowed from grounded theory techniques. Data collection included twenty-five total interviews with nine first-year beginning instrumentalists. Interviews were conducted in three waves, where the …

Motivation And Retention Of Instrumental Music Students In A Suburban School District, Megan M. Dray

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivation of students to join and remain in instrumental music in suburban school districts through the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. The goal was to seek which area of motivation in each grade level and school building had the highest impact on student involvement and retention. Areas of motivation studied include teacher/student relationships, intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, approach success/avoid failure, competition/ego, peer involvement, parental support, and financial issues. The sample included 205 students from a suburban school district in New York. Students were broken into groups based on school buildings …

Aspects Of The High School Music Program And Their Relationship With The College Marching Band Experience, Glen J. Ullman

Honors Scholar Theses

A quality musical ensemble requires the director to be attentive to the needs and abilities of its members. This study examined various aspects of students’ musical and academic preparation in relation to their current experience with music in college. With more insight about the backgrounds of college musicians, and the way those backgrounds relate to their experiences in performing ensembles, music directors will be better able to tailor instruction to the needs of their musicians. For this study, a survey was distributed to members of the University of Connecticut Marching Band about their demographics, education, past musical experiences, and current …