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Full-Text Articles in Music Education

Notes From The Editor Jan 2025

Notes From The Editor

Research & Issues in Music Education

No abstract provided.


Taking It To The Limit: Curricular Responses To Credit Hour Caps In Music Teacher Education Programs, Phillip D. Payne, Edward C. Hoffman Iii, Aaron T. Wacker, Ashley D. Allen Jan 2025

Taking It To The Limit: Curricular Responses To Credit Hour Caps In Music Teacher Education Programs, Phillip D. Payne, Edward C. Hoffman Iii, Aaron T. Wacker, Ashley D. Allen

Research & Issues in Music Education

As tuition rates continue to rise, credit hours required for degree completion emerges as a primary topic of concern. Undergraduate music education programs (or degrees) typically require a high number of credit hours which may also necessitate student class overloads, summer coursework, and/or program completion that could exceed the expected term of four years. To better understand the extent of current degree requirements and offerings, we examined credit allocation practices at 100 randomly selected NASM institutions. Specifically, we focused on emerging trends, commonalities, and potential insights to better guide policymakers when addressing legislative mandates focused on credit hour caps. Findings …


Notes From The Editor Feb 2023

Notes From The Editor

Research & Issues in Music Education

No abstract provided.


Klavar: From Tablature To Comprehensive Music Notation System, E. Joop Van Zoelen Feb 2023

Klavar: From Tablature To Comprehensive Music Notation System, E. Joop Van Zoelen

Research & Issues in Music Education

Music students often encounter problems in reading sheet music, because of the complexity of Traditional Music Notation (TMN). Klavar is an alternative music notation system that is simple, intuitive, and easy to learn. Thousands of compositions from many composers are available in Klavar. In its original form, Klavar can be considered as tablature for keyboard instruments. The present paper compares advantages and disadvantages of Klavar and TMN. Subsequently, the author proposes an innovative extension of the Klavar music notation, such that enharmonic notes can be discriminated, and harmonic and melodic lines can be identified. The resulting Klavar20 notation is complete, …


White Supremacy And The Major Scale: Reframing Narratives To Teach The Blues, Improvise, And Check In With Students, John B. Bass Iii Feb 2023

White Supremacy And The Major Scale: Reframing Narratives To Teach The Blues, Improvise, And Check In With Students, John B. Bass Iii

Research & Issues in Music Education

Increasing diversity and equity in secondary and college music programs is a common thread in the scholarship across disciplines in the field. While crucial work is being done to decolonize curricula broadly, students often express difficulty relating to formal music study and teachers struggle to balance desires to diversify repertoire and incorporate alternative pedagogical strategies with their own training. Narratives of white supremacy and music have intersected for over 400 years, but the effect goes beyond the composers and pieces we choose to program or teach. It influences foundational concepts of theory, tuning, and even what notes are (the major …


Music Education Majors And Mental Health: A Follow-Up Study, Philip D. Payne Feb 2023

Music Education Majors And Mental Health: A Follow-Up Study, Philip D. Payne

Research & Issues in Music Education

Music education majors across the United States (N = 1029) self-reported indicators of depression, anxiety, personality, and stress. According to the results, music education majors are highly busy, and report elevated levels of stress as compared to their peers. Semester enrollment averages include: 18.5 hours (including 0 credit courses) a semester, rehearsing an average of 9.08 hours a week, and a majority of whom work an average of 13-15 hours a week all while reporting high perceived stress levels. Furthermore, 74% of respondents required additional screening on the DSM-V for depression with over 70% exhibiting symptoms of moderate or severe …


Steve Mcneal: Sustained Excellence In Orchestral Education Through Relational Trust, Matthew H. Spieker Feb 2023

Steve Mcneal: Sustained Excellence In Orchestral Education Through Relational Trust, Matthew H. Spieker

Research & Issues in Music Education

No abstract provided.


Notes From The Editor, David A. Stringham May 2021

Notes From The Editor, David A. Stringham

Research & Issues in Music Education

No abstract provided.


The Birth Of Rime And The Passing Of The Torch, Bruce P. Gleason May 2021

The Birth Of Rime And The Passing Of The Torch, Bruce P. Gleason

Research & Issues in Music Education

No abstract provided.


Supply And Demand: Music Teacher Shortage In The United States, Philip M. Hash May 2021

Supply And Demand: Music Teacher Shortage In The United States, Philip M. Hash

Research & Issues in Music Education

Teacher shortage in all subjects, including music, has been an ongoing concern in the United States since the 1980s. The shortage is especially acute in urban and rural schools that serve economically disadvantaged students. This article examines (a) music teacher shortage in relation to P–12 public schools in general, (b) the demand for music teachers in specific states and regions, (c) the declining number of preservice candidates certified in music, and (d) potential strategies for alleviating music teacher shortages and providing equitable instruction for P–12 students. Solutions could involve heightened efforts to recruit music education majors, curricular revision in preservice …


Personal And Professional Characteristics Of Music Education Professors: Factors Associated With Expectations And Preferences Of Undergraduate Students, Tiger Robison May 2021

Personal And Professional Characteristics Of Music Education Professors: Factors Associated With Expectations And Preferences Of Undergraduate Students, Tiger Robison

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this study was to examine music education undergraduate students’ expectations of and preferences for their music education faculty members’ personal and professional backgrounds and compare them to the actual backgrounds of current music teacher educators. Participants (N = 293) from 55 randomly-selected NASM-accredited institutions completed a researcher-created questionnaire. Participants expected and preferred their music education faculty members to have approximately nine years of PreK–12 teaching experience, which is approximately three times the amount posted in faculty searches and doctoral program entrance requirements. Participants most valued their music education professors’ experiences in assessment and classroom management and …


An Examination Of Student And Faculty Perceptions Regarding Music Education Transfer Student Preparedness And Experiences, Natalie Steele Royston, Philip D. Payne, Adrian D. Barnes, Kate Bertelli-Wilinski May 2021

An Examination Of Student And Faculty Perceptions Regarding Music Education Transfer Student Preparedness And Experiences, Natalie Steele Royston, Philip D. Payne, Adrian D. Barnes, Kate Bertelli-Wilinski

Research & Issues in Music Education

Transfer students account for growing numbers in four-year music education programs. To better understand this increasing population of students, researchers employed parallel method design. One strand investigated music education faculty members’ (n = 83) perceptions of transfer student preparedness, procedures, and expectations to understand admissions processes (e.g., curricula, assessments) employed to evaluate incoming transfer students. The other strand examined music education transfer students’ (n = 12) academic, social, and personal preparedness to study music education in a comprehensive four-year music education program. The following research questions served as a guide for data collection and analysis: (a) What themes …


An Exploration Of The Use Of And The Attitudes Toward Technology Among Fourth And Fifth Grade Band And Orchestra Teachers, Students, And Their Parents, Danni Gilbert May 2021

An Exploration Of The Use Of And The Attitudes Toward Technology Among Fourth And Fifth Grade Band And Orchestra Teachers, Students, And Their Parents, Danni Gilbert

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this study was to determine what technologies are used in fourth- and fifth-grade instrumental music and to examine factors that influence the attitudes of teachers, students, and their parents toward the use of those technologies. Two researcher-designed questionnaires, the Technology in Music Usage Questionnaire (TMUQ) and the Technology in Music Attitude Questionnaire (TMAQ), were administered to a sample of teachers, students, and parents associated with first-year elementary instrumental music in a large, American Midwest urban school district. Results indicated that while most teachers use technology in class (87.0%), it is generally only used up to a third …


An Autoethnography Of A Punk Rocker Turned Music Teacher, Jonathan Kladder May 2021

An Autoethnography Of A Punk Rocker Turned Music Teacher, Jonathan Kladder

Research & Issues in Music Education

The criteria used to admit prospective music teachers in colleges and universities across the United States has remained relatively unchanged since their inception. These criteria disenfranchise a population of potential music teachers who hold musical backgrounds outside the Western European art tradition. This autoethnography illuminates the challenges and barriers experienced by a self-taught musician who attended two traditional music programs in a midwestern region of the United States. Using Berry’s (1980) six dimensions of acculturation as the theoretical framework to interpret these data, the author exposes challenges associated with his journey in achieving music teacher certification. As a qualitative investigation, …


An Analysis Of Violin And Viola Instructors’ Opinions Of Using The Third Position As The Home Position For Beginning-Level Violin/Viola Education, Eylem Arıca Jan 2019

An Analysis Of Violin And Viola Instructors’ Opinions Of Using The Third Position As The Home Position For Beginning-Level Violin/Viola Education, Eylem Arıca

Research & Issues in Music Education

Despite the existence of educators who use the third position as the home position for beginner violin training and get positive results, repertoires of violin pedagogues and current music school curricula show an overwhelming preference for the first position. I determined that studies on this preference and research related to the use of the third position technique as an alternative in beginner violin/viola education were scant and narrow in scope, and sent a questionnaire to violin/viola teachers to garner their views. Ninety-four participants who wrote comments in Part 4 of the questionnaire made up the study’s sample. The study aimed …


Instructional Decision-Making Among Expert Choral And Instrumental Directors: How Musical Setting Influences Pedagogy, Wendy K. Matthews, Daniel C. Johnson Jan 2019

Instructional Decision-Making Among Expert Choral And Instrumental Directors: How Musical Setting Influences Pedagogy, Wendy K. Matthews, Daniel C. Johnson

Research & Issues in Music Education

In large music ensembles, directors make countless instructional decisions on a daily basis that indicate their learning priorities and guide student learning. In particular, expert music directors (i.e., those having earned a master’s degree and/or National Board Certification) have advanced problem-solving strategies and effective means of fostering student learning in their ensembles. To explore the influence of musical setting on directors’ instructional decision-making, the authors examined expert choral and instrumental directors’ perspectives on instructional decision-making. Forty experienced music teachers employed as either a choral or instrumental ensemble music teachers wrote open-ended responses to three scenarios, each representing different instructional challenges. …


Establishing Reliability And Validity Of A Tool For Large Ensemble Teacher Use Of Space And Interactions, Nicholas E. Roseth Jan 2019

Establishing Reliability And Validity Of A Tool For Large Ensemble Teacher Use Of Space And Interactions, Nicholas E. Roseth

Research & Issues in Music Education

The primary purpose of this study was to design a reliable and valid continuous-time coding tool for measuring teacher use of space and teacher interactions based on prior research (Hesler, 1972; Martin, 2002). The tool captured teachers’ use of space as they moved through 14 identified areas of the large instrumental ensemble classroom and engaged in 10 types of verbal and musical interactions with students. Evidence for content validity is presented, and the tool was found to have high inter-rater reliability. The secondary purpose of the study was to explore the effect of a brief expository lesson on preservice instrumental …


Exploring The Effect Of Professional Development On Practice In World Music Education: A Mixed Methods Study, Jennifer Mellizo Jan 2019

Exploring The Effect Of Professional Development On Practice In World Music Education: A Mixed Methods Study, Jennifer Mellizo

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to explore K–12 music educators’ changes in practice one year after completing a three-week professional development experience in world music education. Results from the quantitative phase of research indicated all participants (n = 10) perceived distinct changes in practice after taking this course. Findings from the qualitative phase of research indicated participants (n = 3) understood their changes in practice as a combination of critical reflection and pedagogical confidence. These music educators articulated strong personal rationales for including diverse perspectives in the curriculum and discussed the ways in …


Disparate Trajectories In Pre-Tertiary Music Education In Ghana: Implication For Holistic Education, Moses Nii-Dortey, Adwoa Arhine Jan 2019

Disparate Trajectories In Pre-Tertiary Music Education In Ghana: Implication For Holistic Education, Moses Nii-Dortey, Adwoa Arhine

Research & Issues in Music Education

This paper investigates an obvious paradox in the pre-tertiary music/aesthetic education of Ghana, which defies the pedagogical principles of continuity and progression. This paradox involves the simultaneous disappearance and growth of music/aesthetic education at the foundational basic schools and high schools respectively. Growth at the high schools is evinced by rising number of schools, students and teachers offering and teaching the subject, as well as registering for and writing the West African Examinations Council’s West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examinations since 1990. The initial assumption, based on the logic of educational continuity and progression, is that private tuition and basic …


Vocal Accuracy In Preschool Children: Are The Curwen Hand Signs Really Useful?, Stéphanie Boisvert Jan 2019

Vocal Accuracy In Preschool Children: Are The Curwen Hand Signs Really Useful?, Stéphanie Boisvert

Research & Issues in Music Education

The effects of learning to sing with and without Curwen hand signs on singing accuracy in kindergarten-age children were compared. Participants comprised an experimental group (Curwen signs) and a control group (without signs), each containing 33 children aged 5 to 6 years. All participants took 30 music lessons centered on learning songs. The experimental group learned songs using Curwen signs and the control group learned the same songs without signs. Before and after instruction, all participants were tested on singing accuracy and melodic perception. Short-term memory was assessed to ensure between-group equivalence. Complementary data were gathered from a parent-completed questionnaire …


Notes From The Editor 2019, Bruce Gleason Jan 2019

Notes From The Editor 2019, Bruce Gleason

Research & Issues in Music Education

No abstract provided.


A Survey Of Music Teachers’ Working Conditions, David N. Sanderson, Timothy D. Buzza, Christopher S. Jannings, Kangwon Kim, Bryan D. Maurer, Jonathan Soderberg-Chase Jan 2019

A Survey Of Music Teachers’ Working Conditions, David N. Sanderson, Timothy D. Buzza, Christopher S. Jannings, Kangwon Kim, Bryan D. Maurer, Jonathan Soderberg-Chase

Research & Issues in Music Education

For this study the researchers examined music teacher responses to survey items pertaining to their working conditions. Participants reported their satisfaction about factors related to music program funding, facilities, workload, professional development, and school culture. Responses were analyzed to detect possible differences in responses due to demographic factors of teachers, schools, and teaching assignments. Initial findings indicated that teachers were generally satisfied with their all aspects of their working conditions with the exception of professional development. A MANOVA was conducted to determine if there were any significant differences in responses based on participant demographics. While our study found no disparities …


Examining The Effect Of Aural Preparation On Second Grade Students’ Music Literacy Rhythm Skills, Craig Hurley, Dorothy Musselwhite, Brian C. Wesolowski Jan 2018

Examining The Effect Of Aural Preparation On Second Grade Students’ Music Literacy Rhythm Skills, Craig Hurley, Dorothy Musselwhite, Brian C. Wesolowski

Research & Issues in Music Education

Aural preparation is operationally defined as hearing, performing, decoding, and creating rhythms or pitches aurally prior to the introduction of music notation. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of aural preparation on second grade students’ music literacy rhythm skills (i.e. reading, performing, and dictation). The research questions that guided this study included: (1) What are the psychometric qualities (i.e., validity and reliability) of the three measures used in this study used to assess rhythmic potential and achievement? (2) How does aural preparation affect students' ability to read and perform rhythms? (3) How does aural preparation affect …


Student Perspectives And Learning Outcomes From Self-Guided Ensemble Rehearsal, David M. Hedgecoth Jan 2018

Student Perspectives And Learning Outcomes From Self-Guided Ensemble Rehearsal, David M. Hedgecoth

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this study was to examine democratic practice in a large ensemble setting. A large (N = 63) auditioned concert band served as the case study for the present investigation. A series of self-guided rehearsals provided the opportunity for the ensemble members to engage in democratic musical governance without a conductor. Mixed-method methodologies were utilized to gain deep insight into interpersonal and musical events that took place during the group’s rehearsals. Several findings provide new insight into how democratic practices function in large ensembles, and how these practices impact music education instruction. Specifically, I analyzed the impact …


Notes From The Editor, Bruce Gleason Jan 2018

Notes From The Editor, Bruce Gleason

Research & Issues in Music Education

Welcome to the 2018 issue of Research and Issues in Music Education (RIME). In this issue, Christina Smiraglia and Hanako Sawada Lacerda of Harvard University along with Gordon Divine Asaah of the University of Pennsylvania report on the Art of Listening in a middle school visual art program in Edinburgh, Scotland; Wesley Brewer of Oregon State University analyzes and describes the contents of recommended band repertoire lists; Craig Hurley, Dorothy Musselwhite, and Brian C. Wesolowski of the University of Georgia examine the effect of aural preparation with second-grade music students; and David Hedgecoth investigates democratic practice in a large ensemble …


The Art Of Listening: Listening Skill Development, Classical Music Appreciation, And Personal Response Through Visual Art In A Middle School Program, Christina Smiraglia, Gordon Divine Asaah, Hanako Sawada Lacerda Jan 2018

The Art Of Listening: Listening Skill Development, Classical Music Appreciation, And Personal Response Through Visual Art In A Middle School Program, Christina Smiraglia, Gordon Divine Asaah, Hanako Sawada Lacerda

Research & Issues in Music Education

Although many programs aim to develop students’ listening skills and promote the appreciation of Western classical music, relatively few such programs incorporate visual art. This study examined the perceived effectiveness of the Edinburgh International Festival’s (EIF) Art of Listening program in reaching its stated goals to: develop skills for listening, encourage the enjoyment of listening to Western classical music, break down preconceptions held about Western classical music, cultivate a deeper relationship with the imagination through music and art, and encourage students’ personal responses to music. Focusing primarily on the first three goals, this study gathered data from 78 students from …


A Content Analysis Of Recommended Composers In Repertoire Lists For Band, Wesley Brewer Jan 2018

A Content Analysis Of Recommended Composers In Repertoire Lists For Band, Wesley Brewer

Research & Issues in Music Education

In this study I analyze and describe the contents of recommended band repertoire lists to explore which composers’ music is recommended and arranged for band most often. Fourteen repertoire lists provided by state-level music associations and independent publishers were included in the analysis, comprising a total of 32,267 entries. Previous research on band repertoire and programming has tended to focus on composers of advanced literature and has subsequently overlooked the contributions of composers who write music primarily intended for educational purposes. The 25 most recommended composers from each graded difficulty level of literature from 1 to 5+ and overall are …


The Comparison Of Novice And Master Instrumental Music Educators’ Use Of Figurative Language And Their Attitudes Concerning It As A Tool For Effective Teaching, Matthew H. Spieker Jan 2017

The Comparison Of Novice And Master Instrumental Music Educators’ Use Of Figurative Language And Their Attitudes Concerning It As A Tool For Effective Teaching, Matthew H. Spieker

Research & Issues in Music Education

The purpose of this study was to compare the use of figurative language between master and novice instrumental music teachers and to investigate their attitudes toward figurative language as a teaching tool. Figurative language is defined as any creative verbal instruction intended to teach a concept. Sixteen (N = 16) secondary school, instrumental directors were selected as participants. These were divided into two groups of novice and master teachers. Novice teachers were student teachers or first-year teachers, and master teachers had a minimum of eight years of experience, were selected as master teachers by professors at state universities and …


Notes From The Editor, Bruce Gleason Jan 2017

Notes From The Editor, Bruce Gleason

Research & Issues in Music Education

Welcome to the 2016-2017 issue of Research and Issues in Music Education (RIME). In this issue, Wendy Matthews of Wayne State University and Karen Koner of California State University, Stanislaus report on professional attributes and job satisfaction of music educators; Jonathan Bolduc and Melanie Évrard of Université Laval examine music teaching practices at the early childhood level; Elizabeth Bucura of Eastman School of Music and JulieAnn Weissberg of the Kyrene School District in Tempe, Arizona investigate elementary students’ creating processes and perspectives through composition; Matthew Spieker of Ball State University investigates instrumental music educators’ use of figurative language; and Phillip …


A Survey Of Elementary And Secondary Music Educators’ Professional Background, Teaching Responsibilities And Job Satisfaction In The United States, Wendy K. Matthews, Karen Koner Jan 2017

A Survey Of Elementary And Secondary Music Educators’ Professional Background, Teaching Responsibilities And Job Satisfaction In The United States, Wendy K. Matthews, Karen Koner

Research & Issues in Music Education

The focus of this exploratory study was to examine the current trends of K – 12 music educators in the United States regarding their (a) professional background, (b) classroom teaching responsibilities, and (c) job satisfaction. Participants included seven thousand four hundred and sixty-three (N = 7,463) currently employed music teachers who were members of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) during the 2015 – 2016 academic year. To assess the variables, participants responded to a researcher created 49-item Music Educator Survey for K – 12 Teachers. Results indicate that overall, K – 12 music educators were predominately Caucasian …