Music Education Commons^™

Teaching Music To Special Needs Students Using Multiple Intelligence Theory, Megan Lawrimore Bolt

Masters Theses

Students who fall under the label of “special needs” or “exceptional learners” are often forgotten when it comes to music class. Unfortunately, in many schools they either do not attend music classes at all or they only attend with other students who are also considered special needs students. These students deserve the right to be in an inclusive music class with their peers who are not special needs students. Students of all abilities should receive the same opportunities to learn music together. One question that will be addressed is whether music teachers in South Carolina are making their classrooms inclusive …

Teaching Expression And Communication Through Music And Collaborative Arts, Goeun Kim

Masters Theses

Music and art are vehicles for creative expression that people have practiced throughout history to express and communicate their thoughts, emotions, feelings, and experiences. Art is the purest and most unique form of self-expression, but today’s perception of art is usually accessible for people who are naturally gifted or specialize in a particular art form. Children have the potential to understand, learn, and enjoy music if given a chance to explore creative expression. Especially during pre-adolescence or adolescence, many young children find it difficult to express themselves outwardly because they are concerned about peer relations and people’s expectations. While an …

Teach Your Choir To Read Music, Bryan Cody Rante

Masters Theses

Teaching chorus presents many challenges to directors and one of the main challenges that directors face is teaching their students how to read music. Many students rely on rote teaching or aural repetition to learn music, and this can prevent students from becoming proficient musicians. Bryan Rante researched different ways to assess the choral group and simultaneously teach them how to read music proficiently. The curriculum used for this research was Andy Beck’s Sing at First Sight: Foundations in Choral Singing Level 1 & 2 to help students learn how to sight-sing and become confident in reading music. The curriculum …

A Middle School Choral Methodology And Curriculum Pairing: An Introduction, Eunice Nogueras-Negron, Rebecca Watson

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Theoretical Proposal

First Generation College Students' Lived Experiences In An Undergraduate Music Education Program: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Joseph Earp, Susan Quindag

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Applied

The Role And Possible Impact Of Music Administrators On School District Music Programs, Tracee Garrison White

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In order to assist in building a successful music program that is conducive to the learning of all students within a school district, administrators and board members must be informed of the role and impact of a district music administrator. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to identify perspectives that have not yet been explored and documented concerning the positive effect district music administrators have on school music programs. Perspectives on support, accountability and advocacy have emerged as themes through an exploration of limited existing literature and feedback from questionnaires. Although the information is available for administrators who …

A Study Of American Rural Music Educators: The Impact On Community Involvement In Music, Stanley Norman Harris Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study intends to discover and evaluate positive and negative relationships that music educators experience while teaching in rural educational settings and to discover if broader community involvement can help mitigate resource reductions. Influences such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) have accelerated reductions in music programs. The purpose of the investigation is to recognize the feasibility of rural music educators leveraging increased support through community involvement to benefit their local music programs and students. The study's focus is twofold: first, to discover and examine what causes rural music educators to not participate …

Content Analysis Of Guitar Repertoire For Young People: The Michelson And Suzuki Collections, Brian Douglas Berlin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The guitar is a popular instrument choice in music education; however, most school guitar teachers in the United States neither majored on the instrument nor took a university guitar methods class. These self-taught teachers often rely on trial and error to select repertoire. Effective music curriculum design relies on teachers' ability to select and sequence proper repertoire based on student ability. Through exploration of the existing literature, deficiencies were found in guitar teacher training, pedagogy for young guitar students, and repertoire evaluation. In this study, the author analyzed two collections of printed guitar music in standard notation. The analysis yielded …

Google It! Supplementing Instructional Material In The Secondary Band Classroom With The Google Suite, Jacob Elder

Masters Theses

In order to meet the needs of the students of the 21st century, the traditional methods for teaching in the secondary instrumental music classroom should be updated. The Google Suite coupled with a variety of commonly used instructional music technology programs is one way to modify the traditional classroom to accommodate modern learners. Data from case studies, information on effectively using the Google Suite, and supplemental programs to use for blended instruction are included as resources for the 6th-12th grade band classrooms. Since technology is rapidly changing, the subsequent information and tools provided will be updated continually. Keeping current on …

Creating A Music Education Curriculum Based On Current Teaching Strategies, Stanley K. Holloway

Masters Theses

Contemporary pedagogical, psychological and sociological researches highlight the need for music education available to every child. Starting from the fundamental point of view according to which music affects the development of the child's whole personality, this idea stands out in history since the 17th century. Various educators in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century emphasized the importance of music education for every child. To nurture a child’s music development, as it is to support the development requires other basic skills in the child’s life. Young children learn most basic life skills from their parents because adults create consciously and …

Fundamentals Of Teaching Vocal Music Performance, Malcolm Shaquan Richardson

Masters Theses

This study outlines the significance and sole purpose of developing fundamental techniques of student vocal music performances, using professional constructive evaluation that will improve their overall performance experience. One of the most practical ways to support vocalists is to provide a constructive evaluation of their performances. The implementation of constructive evaluation is to reflect upon what is being done well, discover areas of improvement or refinement, plan and facilitate important lessons, and apply the lessons to future performances. As a music teacher who is actively overseeing the development of students as performing or creating musicians, including constructive evaluation is a …

Gamification Strategies For Music Educators: An Online Continuing Education Course, Luis Enrique Espinosa

Masters Theses

This curriculum project is designed to provide music educators in the public and private sector with introductory knowledge about the topic of gamification and game-based learning, framed within the scope of an online continuing education course. It is meant for adult learners who teach young musicians in the K-12 range. The course offers a set of strategies and step-based processes that help transform a traditional music lesson plan into an interactive and meaningful learning experience that leverages games. The games created by the students in the course can serve to motivate music students by incorporating a sense of competition and …

First-Generation College Students' Lived Experiences In An Undergraduate Music Education Program: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Joseph Benjamin Earp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of first-generation college students (FGCSs) majoring in music education at a small, private university in the southeastern United States. Through understanding FGCSs’ experiences, university faculty and administrators can make informed decisions that can help this important sub-population of students. The self-determination theory (SDT) and the relationships motivation theory (SDT mini-theory) have guided this study exploring the central research question: How do FGCSs describe their lived experiences while majoring in music education? Sub-questions include (1) how do FGCSs majoring in music education describe challenges relating to self-determination while …

Be Still: A Pedagogical Analysis Of Mindfulness-Based Practices In Vocal Music Education, Hattie Hannah Elder

Masters Theses

Mindfulness and mindfulness-based practices improve productivity in general education and vocal settings and have the potential to revolutionize choral music education. The purpose of this research is to improve vocal music education, vocal pedagogy, and voice practice, through the study of mindfulness-based practices and their relevance in vocal practices. The essential question answered as part of this research is, how do mindfulness and mindfulness-based practices increase productivity in the choral classroom? Sub questions addressed in this research include: 1) What is mindfulness meditation?, 2) How is mindfulness already utilized in vocal settings?, and 3) How can mindfulness best be included …

Arts Education: Benefits, Disparities, And Reaching For Equal Access, Madelaine Shreeman

Senior Honors Theses

Arts education is a unique way to engage students. The arts include, but are not limited to, music, theatre, visual/studio arts, poetry, and dance; they are powerful bridges for students to knowledge and classroom contribution. They assist students with lower academic achievement, problematic behavior, or those who have a likelihood of dropping out of school. While there are plenty of resources displaying the student benefits, there remain inequalities in access to arts education among students across America. Often, areas and schools that generally receive fewer opportunities or less arts funding are ones with more at-risk youth. Disproportionate arts access negatively …

Appalachian Folk Music In The High School General Music Class, Caitlin Jayne Hetland

Masters Theses

Murder ballads have been a part of the musical traditions of America since the 1700s, when their source materials were brought from Scandinavia, England, and Scotland. Ballads like “Omie Wise,” “Pretty Polly,” and “The Ballad of Tom Dooley” have been recorded by a variety of artists, and still draw new listeners for commercial success. Despite their historic presence in American music, murder ballads are not often included in the school music curriculum. The content is not always appropriate for elementary or middle school students, but high school students are better equipped to deal with the themes and can often be …

Chopin's Musical Elements, Kaitlyn Collier

Masters Theses

Frederic Chopin composed many great piano works that musicians have enjoyed and studied since the Romantic Era. These pieces continue to be performed around the world. This research focuses on specific aspects of selections of Chopin’s literature, and how those aspects can be taught to those unfamiliar with his works. The goal is to teach others to appreciate his works. The research problem investigated in this study is to determine the melodic qualities of the pianistic texture in Chopin’s solo piano works that are identifiable by theoretical analysis and public performance. The methodology used in this study will be score …

Music Of The World: From Jazz To Hip-Hop, Michael Young

Masters Theses

In this ever-changing world of popular music, we grasp hold of what we enjoy or have delight in. In this document we discuss the highlights of music from the early Jazz era to Hip-hop music in the 21st century. Within general music education we are shifting from the traditional class setting-from where the teacher is imparting knowledge to students to the students teaching students. The classroom instructor is now a facilitator. A new and exciting way for this to happen is through music and popular musics, or music that was deemed popular. Music education-based curricular materials can illustrate the social, …

Responsive Classroom Approach (Rca) In Music Classrooms To Acknowledge And Cultivate Diversity: A Curriculum, Carley Pelella

Masters Theses

In present day America, there is a growing need for educators to acknowledge diversity and create a safe learning environment for all students. Students should feel safe, welcomed, and free to express themselves in any classroom. While there are many social emotional learning (SEL) strategies to support building this atmosphere, for over 40 years the Responsive Classroom Approach (RCA) has made a significant impact on the culture of classrooms across America. By fostering an environment to “build academic and social-emotional competencies every day,” RCA provides teachers a tool to promote relationship building within their school populations. However, with a rapidly …

The Value Of Assessment For The Inclusive General Music Classroom, Mary Elizabeth Quigley

Masters Theses

This project contains an analysis of the current inclusion and assessment practices of the middle school (7th and 8th grade) general music classroom. There are many studies concerning inclusion of students with special needs and the importance of assessments in teaching music. However, there are very few studies that connect assessment techniques with inclusion, demonstrating that music teachers are teaching to each student’s ability. This study used the case study methodology in the qualitative approach with teacher interviews, surveys, and several classroom observations to analyze the data. The data was coded, and names of people and the school district were …

The Relationship Between Music Performance Anxiety And Self-Efficacy In Sixth To Eighth Grade Instrumental Students, Brian Bersh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research study examined the relationship of self-efficacy to performance anxiety, as outlined in social cognitive theory. The purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative study was to test the theory of social cognitive theory that relates self-efficacy to anxiety. MPA and music performance self-efficacy (MPSE) were tested within the context of a school setting for instrumental music-making. The participants (N = 228) included a stratified random sample of Grade 6 to 8 instrumental middle school students located within the Mid-Atlantic region. To determine levels of MPA and MPSE, participants completed the Music Performance Anxiety Inventory for Adolescents and the Music Performance …

A Musically Embedded Curriculum For Rural Elementary Schools, Rachael Marie Dubay

Masters Theses

Rural school districts across the nation have been at a crossroads for decades. The amount of funding and resources provided to these small towns is often meager and falls short to provide the schools and students with the proper education, teacher training, curriculum, building maintenance, and other necessary educational materials. School officials and board members in these areas across the nation each year have had to make the hard decisions of what to prioritize and what will have to fall by the wayside. Unfortunately, cuts in budgetary and educational reform have regularly faced music education programs and it has become …

Music Education Transformation: How Orff, Kodaly, And Suzuki Promote Academic Success, Michelle M. Angeli

Masters Theses

We all need Music in our lives. Music education is valued less in the education system, but present data from these literature sources of articles, books, and research, tells us another story. For decades school systems have struggled with whether or not to include Music in the education system. There are many values for Music, including individual growth and development. In this research study, I intend to showcase the central benefits of Music to help show there is a need for these programs and to help promote music programs based on their own merits and not just because of academic …

Secondary School Chorus: Practical Implication Of Praxial Music Education In Sight-Singing And Ear-Training, Euna P. Kim

Masters Theses

High school chorus students are often required to sing and memorize a diverse range of choral repertoire for performances. In the process of performance preparation, students learn many techniques including basic breathing, vocalization, blending of the voice, singing in pitch, keeping the rhythm, and following dynamics. Sight-singing is an essential technique for singers because music requires coordination of sight and singing through recognition of notation and rhythm. When a group of singers have a higher skill level of sight-singing, the learning of the song is easier and more efficient. The competency of sight-singing level of a group of singers allows …

Moments Of Music: A Qualitative Case Study In A Metropolitan Community Chorus, Katherine Iooss

Masters Theses

Making music in collaboration with others has impacted the strength, development, and connection amongst people throughout American history. Community music ensembles can strengthen social bonds and improve collaboration between citizens. Developing interest and skill in choral singing can provide an avenue for social connectedness in adulthood, as well as reduce stress throughout adolescence. This qualitative study focused on participants’ professed benefits from voluntary participation in a community chorus and the effect of rehearsal participation on perceived stress and/or energy level. The study was situated in a non-auditioned community choir in a densely populated metropolitan suburb in Northern Virginia. Data was …

Teaching Elementary School Music: A Composition Approach, Lauren Amanda Hammer

Masters Theses

The 2014 National Music Standards emphasizes the importance of the three artistic processes of creating, performing, and responding. The Massachusetts Music Standards follow both the 2014 and the 1999 standards. The 1999 music standards are as follows: singing, reading and notation, playing instruments, improvisation and composition, critical response, purposes and meanings in the arts, roles of artists in the communities, concepts of style, stylistic influence, and stylistic change, inventions, technologies, and the arts, and interdisciplinary connections. Both standards mention either creating, improvisation, or composition, but are music educators emphasizing the importance of these standards? In Massachusetts, following both sets of …

Learning To Play A Musical Instrument Affects Student Behavioral Health, Christopher Lafser

Masters Theses

This thesis proposal, entitled “Learning to Play a Musical Instrument Affects Student Behavioral Health”, consists of a research paper detailing how learning to play a musical instrument has made a significant impact on the behavioral health of students, and the need for this study in today’s society. This study will provide readers with solid research and evidence for the results obtained from this musical education study in the hopes it can show that music therapy needs strengthening in these areas. Through research, clinical studies, assessments, test results, and surveys, this project will show if there are physiological benefits and psychological …

The Hybrid Ensemble Model, Melanie Emily Riley-Gonzalez

Masters Theses

Music education plays a significant role within the public school and needs to be available to all students. Students should have opportunities to learn with voice or instrument and learn the art of performing for an audience. Students that are unable to attend music classes in a traditional class setting or have selected different pathways for their education other than a traditional classroom setting, may be excluded from opportunities to work with others in a collective music environment. Limited options are available for students to remain in their school ensembles when schedule conflicts arise for example, with advanced classes or …

"Seeing" Music Theory: Graduate Music Theory For The Visually Impaired Music Student, Moriah Leigh Wilson

Masters Theses

Visually impaired individuals often encounter obstacles when seeking to become financially independent and obtain marketable skills. An increase in technology has allowed visually impaired persons, who desire to further their musical skills, the capability to seek further education. However, there is a lack of curriculum, especially in higher education, for teaching music theory skills to visually impaired individuals. Because a foundational knowledge of music is developed through music theory, it is essential that music educators at higher education institutions are prepared and equipped to properly and adequately teach and prepare visually impaired individuals for the music industry. By building on …

Creating Alabama Music Heritage And Theory: Equipping Students With State Pride Through Effective Curriculum, Julianne Rae Mattox

Masters Theses

Across general music curricula, there is always a concern for student interest. For elementary age students, music is viewed as magical and fun. It seems that as students age, if they are not in band, music begins to lose some of its magic. With any class, student interest and involvement is key for the academic success of the curriculum. If students have to take a class that they do not want to take, they automatically lose interest. It is important for teachers to present their curriculum to students in a way that grabs their attention and allows them to enjoy …