Music Education Commons^™

Self-Efficacy And Racial Identity For Undergraduate Music Majors, Rachel E. Lim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students’ identities can impact their self-efficacy, or their confidence in their ability to succeed in producing a desired outcome (Bandura, 1997; Klassen, 2004a; Klassen 2004b; Oettingen, 1995; Usher & Pajares, 2008); however, little peer-reviewed research explores the relationship between racial identity and self-efficacy for undergraduate music majors. In the United States, undergraduate music students of color often navigate educational experiences where they do not find their identities represented in the curricula (Ewell, 2020), their faculty (Higher Education Arts Data Services [HEADS], 2020), or their fellow students (HEADS, 2020).

This convergent mixed methods study utilized the theoretical framework of critical race …

The Migration Of South Asians From India To Guyana: The Journey, Struggles In A New Land, Reasons For Changes Over Time And Their Cultivation Of A New Culture., Cynthia C. Harry

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Indians from different regions of India arrived in Guyana through indentureship in 1838. They were under a five-year contract and had to work on the sugar plantations for the duration of their indentureship. While they tried to persist their Indian culture, assimilation in their new environments and interaction with people of different cultures, allowed them to develop a culture unique to Indo Guyanese heritage.

This thesis focuses on the history of Indian diaspora in Guyana. It evokes the struggles they faced on the ships, and during and after indentureship. It also touches on the political and racial issues they had …

Preserving The Historic And Cultural Music Of Louisiana Through School Music: An Ethnographic Case Study, Christopher S. Song

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this ethnographic case study was to examine the lives of teachers, students, community members, and culture bearers within a musical community located in South Central Louisiana. The geographic area of focus in this research was Vermilion Parish and its surrounding area, known as Acadiana, the heart of Creole and Cajun culture where Traditional Louisiana Music finds its origins. Participants’ intrinsic cultural understandings of Louisiana’s music and impact on school music programs was examined through ethnographic interview and observation. A resource pedagogy known as funds of knowledge was used as a theoretical framework meant to maintain participants’ intrinsic …

Methodologies And Adaptations: A Survey Of Selected Teachers And Those Who Specialize In Self-Contained Music Classrooms, Lori Scantlin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the methodologies and adaptations utilized in both self-contained and inclusive music classes for students with special needs in Southwest Missouri. Additionally, the study investigated the availability of and resources for self-contained music education classes. To address these topics, selected teachers were invited to respond through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Music teachers from across southwest Missouri, accessed via the Southwest Missouri Music Educators Association website listing of schools and staff, were emailed, and asked to participate in the survey using the provided link to the Google form questionnaire. 37 people responded to the …

With Love, ; An Interdisciplinary And Intersectional Look At Why Creativity Is Essential, Theo Starr Gardner

Whittier Scholars Program

My Whittier Scholars Program self-designed major, Teaching Creativity, is a mixture of Art, Literature, and Education classes. My research and praxis classes have been focused on the ‘how?’s and 'why?’s of creativity, so it felt only right that my project should be a constructivist, generative project. The project I have been working on throughout my time at Whittier, and that has just fully come to fruition on April 11th, 2024, was a solo art gallery/open mic event entitled ‘With Love,’. With Love, was conceptually inspired by the research I’ve conducted on creativity and creative arts education over the past few …

Bringing Recess Music Indoors: How Attention To Musical Play In The Classroom Impacts A School Community, Angelina B. Scolari

Theses and Dissertations

Why should elementary music teachers learn about the games their students play at recess? This paper discusses the process of recovering children’s folklore at a Bronx elementary school, what findings can teach us about the children in our lives, and how music teachers can use “kid culture” in the classroom.

Implementing Music To Increase Elementary Student Focus, Kathryn Garceau

Master's Theses

This action research project used a mixed methods design to address the effect of different types of music on student focus while performing an independent task. Despite its success with memorization, does music work equally as well on student focus? Data was collected over a period of three weeks for 30 minutes each morning for 5 days each week. The music played while students completed the task changed each week. This included lyrical songs during week one, classical music during week two, and instrumental versions of songs students knew the lyrics to during week three. Four behavior markers were observed …

An Annotated Bibliography Of 45 Select 21st-Century Electroacoustic Pieces For B-Flat Clarinet Suitable For The Undergraduate Clarinetist, Emily Jean Rose

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Electroacoustic literature for the clarinet is bountiful and accessible, though many students do not experience working with this genre until they become a graduate student, if even then. Utilizing a detailed rubric, each of these 45 works in this document are graded according to their accessibility, techniques explored, and overall difficulty to approach to better serve the educator and assist the undergraduate clarinetist in performing this genre of repertoire.

With the accessibility of electronics and electronic equipment coming more readily available to composers and performers at the start of the 21st-century, electroacoustic literature found a sense of deliverance in the …

Lived Musical Experiences Of Autistic Adults, Anetta Fortner

Graduate Thesis Collection

This research set out to explore the relationship between autistic individuals and music. Current research on autism and music education focuses primarily on the accounts of teachers, parents, and other stakeholders, and does not center autistic voices. The following research questions guided this study: (1) What can we learn from autistic adults, specifically those still involved in music, about their lifelong experiences in music and music education? (2) What insight can we gain from these experiences to create more inclusive environments for autistic individuals? To answer these questions, autistic adults who self-identified as still involved in music completed a short …

A Performance-Based Exploration Of Vocal Anatomy And Pedagogy: Maximizing Technical, Stylistic, And Physiological Frameworks For Superlative Vocal Technique In Artistic Function, Michael J. Civitano

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the influence of specific frameworks in performance and vocal pedagogy on artists' capacity to enact evidence-based learning outcomes, with emphasis on vocal physiology and educator-performer relationships. Employing an experimental design, five philosophies that support capacity-building were tested across two trial settings, varying in intensity. The participant utilized narrative reasoning, diversified methods, and mentorship from specialized educators to apply frameworks. Findings indicate that, in practicing evidence-based learning and maximizing anatomic foundations of the voice, substantial developments in artistic capacity ensued. Educator-performer relationships mediate this process through reciprocal collaborations that foster capacity-building. Performers display optimal artistic capacity by effectively …

Native American Choral Music: Strategies For Celebrating And Incorporating Music Of Indigenous People, Mary Ruth Young

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

*Language usage is fluid and evolving, representing past and present people groups. During my discussions with my Indigenous composer colleagues, I've found that they hold varying preferences regarding how they wish to be addressed and the terminology they prefer. Because of this, I use the terms Native, Native American, First Nations, Indigenous, American Indian, and First Peoples interchangeably.*

This document will discuss the historical exclusion of Native American music in the Western art forms, specifically the choral tradition, and provide solutions to incorporate it in modern choral performances. Considering first the wars, disease, displacement, colonization, and missionization, it is no …

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 …

A Bright Point In A Dull Day: A Qualitative Exploration Of Middle School Students’ Perceptions Of Music Ensemble Participation, Kailee Amburgey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Music participation, specifically in an ensemble setting, is known to promote learning and social skills and to contribute to a well-rounded overall education. With this in mind, this qualitative, constructivist grounded theory study explored the impacts that participating in chorus, band, or orchestra has on students’ overall experience in middle school, with a focus on joy and identity development. The researcher interviewed fifteen students about their personal experiences and feelings about their lives as middle schoolers and musicians. The findings, shared in six theoretical concepts tied to the research question, reveal important facets of these students’ experiences that shed light …

Preparing The Next Generation Of Music Teachers: Illuminating Motivations Of Nebraska Preservice Teacher Mentors, Emily Marie Chapman

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This mixed methods study examined factors influencing practicing educators' decisions to mentor preservice teachers in Nebraska. Guided by Expectancy-Value-Cost Theory, the study utilized a sequential explanatory design, integrating a quantitative survey design and qualitative phenomenological interview. Findings indicated that educators' belief in their mentoring ability or Expectancy-Ability Belief (EAB) significantly predicted their willingness to mentor, with PK-12 music educators exhibiting higher EAB scores than elementary or high school music educators. Qualitative insights highlighted reciprocal benefits of mentoring, such as skill development and professional growth. The impact of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on mentoring experiences varied among participants. Recommendations included …

Music Education: Right From The Start. Primary Teachers Survey - South Australia, Rachel Felgate, Toby Carslake, Tanya Vaughan

School and system improvement

A broad-ranging survey of teachers and representatives from 115 South Australian government primary schools. The research in South Australia underscores overwhelming support among teachers for the benefits of music learning. However, it also highlights widespread concerns regarding inadequate investment in teacher training, dedicated facilities, and necessary resources.65% of respondents indicated that less than nine hours were allocated to music learning within their initial teaching degrees. Additionally, only about half (53%) said their school has appropriate musical equipment, with just 7% reporting having a purpose-built building to conduct music learning.

Jazz Ensemble One At The University Of North Florida, University Of North Florida

Flyers, Playbills, Posters, and Programs

Flyer for the 36th Annual Great American Jazz Series presenting Jazz Ensemble One at the University of North Florida, Lazzara Performance Hall.

Mr. J.B. Scott, artistic director

Effects Of Music Instruction For 3-4-Year-Old Children On Cognitive Development And Spatial Skills, Veronica Perez Espinosa

LSU Master's Theses

The impact of music instruction on child cognitive development has been examined by researchers in many contexts, but not as often in very young children. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of music instruction on the spatial and cognitive skills of preschool children ages 3-4. Participants in the study were 68 three- to four-year-old students who received weekly music instruction at a private school in South Louisiana. Of the 68 participants, and using a quasi-experimental design, 30 students in three intact classes were randomly assigned to receive a movement song treatment and the other 38 …

Hidden Meanings In Elementary Instrumental Music Method Books: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis, Mara Hope Thompson

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Textbooks serve as the primary resource utilized to deliver curriculum in a variety of subject areas and educational contexts. However, much previous research has found that texts often convey concealed meanings in the form of hidden and null curricula. This Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) explored the musical discourses and cultural contexts of musical examples in two elementary instrumental music textbook series to investigate whose values, cultures, perspectives, and knowledge are conveyed by the texts and whose are excluded or misrepresented. Framed by the social theory of Postcolonialism, the research revealed binary ideologies of exoticism embedded in many aspects of …

Music Performance Anxiety: Should It Be Addressed In Music Curricula And By Whom?, Kaitlynn Kamer

Honors Projects

Music performance anxiety (MPA) impacts musicians of all skill levels, as demonstrated by existing research on both student and professional musicians. Although most musicians experience MPA, it is not formally addressed in music curriculum. This study seeks to evaluate the views and discourse around MPA in the collegiate music community through a survey of 66 college music students, 17 faculty members, and a series of secondary interviews. Through the results of the surveys and interviews, the thoughts on MPA from both the faculty and student perspective will be discussed. Upon reviewing the results of study, possible avenues for addressing MPA …

Examining The Influence Of A Mariachi Program On Hispanic Students’ Cultural Identity And Schooling Perceptions, Martin Cantu

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a mariachi multicultural program influenced the students’ formation of their cultural identities and schooling perceptions. The study was grounded on the cultural identity theoretical framework. Employing a qualitative narrative research design, the study was informed through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations. Four significant themes emerged from the data: cultural identity, cultural consciousness, social connectedness, and student engagement at school. The findings suggested that mariachi education influenced the participating students’ cultural identity formations by fostering cultural awareness and social connections. Additionally, mariachi programs also positively influenced the students' academic …

An Assessment Of The Utilization Of The National Opportunity To Learn Standards In Middle-Level Music Education, Taylor Brooke Browning

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this research was to gain the music educators’ perspectives on the implementation of the 2020 National Opportunity to Learn Standards in West Virginia’s public middle school general music programs. A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized to gather music educators’ perceptions of whether music programs in West Virginia are providing curricula aligned with the National Opportunity to Learn Standards. Through a combination of convenience and snowball sampling, 20 West Virginia public middle school general music educators were identified, and one-on-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Findings indicate a majority of the music programs were somewhat aligned with the National …

Proactive Classroom Management In Elementary Music, Gregory Jacot

Graduate Research Showcase

The elementary music classroom is a different environment than the normal elementary classroom, and requires careful attention to classroom management. Rather than only focusing on reactive classroom management, teachers should consider using proactive strategies to enhance their teaching and the classroom experience. Building positive relationships with students, both in and out of the classroom, will make them more receptive to corrective actions if necessary, and building strong relationships with parents and guardians can help address individual challenges that may arise. Designing lessons with thought towards student interest, visuals, pacing, teacher proximity and participation, and physiological needs of students will help …

An Analysis Of Traditional Pedagogical Practices With Innovative Strategies For Beginning Band Students With A Focus On Assessment, Higher-Order Thinking Skills And Differentiation, Cole Woods

Music Theses - Archive

Instrumental education is a field rich in tradition, with a strong foundation of methodology being codified in method books used by band directors around the country. Equally rich is the vibrant research community found within music education, and innovative techniques for teaching band are being presented yearly in both journals and conventions. These new strategies and additions to curriculum supported by recent research could potentially deepen the learning taking place in the instrumental music classroom. Nowhere is this more visible than in the wealth of new research, curricula, and literature that has been published regarding beginner instrumental music instruction in …

Development And Implementation Of A Practice And Assessment Tool For Middle School Orchestra, Linda Kathy Hughes

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a practice and assessment tool, Skill Ladders, as used by my 7^th grade orchestra students. This is a tool that I created to help students focus on specific skill acquisition and musical development during their practice time. Designed for the middle section of intermediate level playing skills and aligned with curricular goals, students were to utilize this tool to set goals, practice, self-assess, and demonstrate progress. Prior to utilizing Skill Ladders, students completed a survey of baseline attitudes toward individual practice. After the trial period of the …

Gender Associations Of American Band Instruments: Exploring And Comparing The Perceptions Of Three Age Groups, Kevin R. Merkel

Music Theses - Archive

This collection of three related studies explored the current gender-related perceptions of American band instruments. The first study investigated adults’ perceptions, as they were asked to rank instrument preferences for their hypothetical son and daughter. The second study examined the perceptions of seventh- and eighth-grade band students by allowing them to rate band instruments based on their gender perceptions. The third study investigated the perceptions and experiences of university band students related to gender norms and instruments utilizing a survey and interview process. The results provided evidence that instrument gender perceptions and stereotypes can change, and they suggest that intentional …

Surviving Pandemic Practicum: Early Career Music Teachers' Perceived Self-Efficacy Following The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aubree Pacifico Windish

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This qualitative study examines early career music teachers’ perceived self-efficacy following teacher practicum during a global pandemic. I conducted focus group conversations with undergraduate music education alum (N=16) from Southeastern State University (SSU) at the end of 2023. Participants described the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their music teacher practicum and overall experiential learning at SSU. The focus group questions, and subsequent deductive coding of their answers, aligned with the four roles of Bandura’s (1977) Self-Efficacy Theory. Participants reported low perceived self-efficacy in their first year of in-service teaching, with variations based on the stages of the COVID-19 pandemic …

Facilitating Children’S Musical Development, Andrew Aprile

Open Educational Resources

In this course, early childhood teacher candidates will explore significant issues and current research regarding the musical development of young children, as related to emotional, cognitive and physical musical growth. Observations of natural music-making behaviors, interactive music making experiences, as well as integrative pedagogy focused on children’s engagement with music and movement will be salient to teacher candidates’ learning process.

Utilizing The Theory Of Planned Behavior And Self-Efficacy Theory To Investigate The Retention Of Band Students In A Rural School District, Jerry Junior Robinson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Recruitment and retention play a significant role in the success of high school band programs. The purpose of this study was to examine what impacted post high school graduates’ and focus group participants' final decisions about participating in their high school band program. It utilized Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior and Bandura’s (1977) Self-Efficacy Theory. The participants were asked to answer and discuss questions based on their mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, social/verbal experiences, physiological experiences, self-perception, and other influential factors to determine their future participation. The study was purposefully conducted at two different schools in two different geographical locations …

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, …

Experience Of Parents Attending A Perinatal Lullaby Program, Emily J. Skeers

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Previous research performed with mother–infant dyads has demonstrated that infant–directed singing may make significant contributions to mother–infant attachment, may reduce infant stress, reduce maternal stress, assist mothers and babies with emotional regulation, improve mother–infant interactions, prevent colic, and improve infant sleep. Despite these benefit potentials, parents of today are much less likely to sing to their infants than parents of previous generations. Attendance of postnatal lullaby education programs has been associated with increased maternal singing at home and confidence in their parenting role. Perinatal lullaby programs are not represented in the literature. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of …