Music Education Commons^™

On Becoming Pedagogical: Encounters, Challenges And Freirean Criticalities In The Key Of F, Patrick Schmidt

Visions of Research in Music Education

What does it mean to be a pedagogue? To become part and contributor to pedagogical processes? In this article I look back at the work Frank Abrahams developed around the legacy of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire and its efforts fomenting conditions for critical pedagogies to flourish. Following Freire’s interest in connecting reality and theory, I construct a narrative from the word (Freire’s, Abrahams’ and mine) onto the world, highlighting in particular, the impact conceptual framing can have on programmatic development. As I see it, and experienced first-hand, the focus and nature of Abrahams’ work has always been pedagogical, highly conscious …

A Geographical Analysis Of Canadian Students Taking Independent Music Lessons: The Rural Experience, Ross M. Purves, Rena Upitis

The Rural Educator

The engagement of students taking private music lessons is affected by a range of factors, one of which is the geographic location of the student’s family. This is a geographical analysis of 6,500 questionnaire responses completed by Canadian music teachers, students, and parents, including 819 responses (12.6%) from participants living in ‘rural’ areas, as defined by Statistics Canada. Participants’ home locations were categorized on a five-point ordinal scale from ‘rural’ to ‘very large urban population center’, data-matched with further geospatial data relating to deprivation and road distances, and assessed for strength and direction of association with questionnaire items. Results revealed …

Do The National Core Arts Standards (Ncas) Make A Difference In Music Education?, Jordan Mikaela Dues

Masters Theses

Fine arts advocates have pushed for arts to remain a foundation of education for decades Arguments have been made and published that participating in music courses increased scores in other subjects. A change occurred in the realm of music education when assessment-based learning and standardized curricula were introduced. The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) was assembled to revise standards for the arts and create a way to assess them. The NCCAS presented the National Core Arts Standards (NCAS) in 2014 which led to its adoption in most states. There are many schools, however, that do not adhere to …

Effect Of Vertical Alignment On Elementary, Middle, And High School Music Programs, Tamekia Denise Holliday

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effects of vertical alignment on elementary, middle, and high school music programs. Thirty-five (n = 35) elementary, middle, and secondary music educators participated in the study. Of the 35 participants, 41% (n = 15) were high school music educators, 25% (n = 9) were middle school music educators, 27% (n = 10) were middle and high school music, and 2% (n = 1) taught elementary, middle, and high school. Analysis of survey data revealed significant relationships related to vertical alignment. The most significant relationship was between vertical alignment and retention (r = .643, p < .01), suggesting that student retention increases as vertical alignment increases. As well, results indicated that as vertical alignment decreases, the number of students “who wish to continue in music classes but cannot” increase (r = -.530, p < .01). Analysis of open-ended survey questions revealed valuable themes related to consistent band participation, music teacher expectations, and the effect of vertical alignment on music programs. Applying the results of this study may improve understanding of the effects of vertical alignment and enhance effective teaching and learning in music.

Finnish Classroom Teacher Students' Experiences Of An Online Music Course During The Covid Pandemic, Katri-Helena Rautiainen, Mikko Vesisenaho

Visions of Research in Music Education

When studying music, skills are often practised with a teacher, face-to-face, in a classroom. What are the experiences of classroom teacher trainees when music teaching becomes asynchronous, i.e., an individually completed online course? This question, among other things, was explored at a Finnish University's Teacher Education Department in autumn 2020, resulting in the production of a two-credit online music course on the Moodle learning environment. It was implemented for the first time during the summer term in 2021. The students’ experiences with the functionality of the e-learning module were analysed through data-driven content analysis. The study represents an intensive case …

The Great Generalization: Organizational Adaptation Strategies As Entrepreneurship In Higher Music Education, Jacob Bruce Hertzog

Music Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study sought to measure how higher music education has evolved in response to the music industry’s digital revolution. I utilized a framework of organizational adaptation theory to synthesize five distinct organizational adaptation strategies: decentralization, generalization, specialization, formalization, and inaction. Music leaders were surveyed (n = 100) to assess adaptations across ten common domains in higher education. Higher music education was found to have undergone a great generalization through the expansion of activities in nearly every domain. Consistent with elements of organizational adaptation theory, and like individual musicians, higher music education has been entrepreneurial in response to the digital revolution.

Early Career Music Teachers And Trauma: A Mixed Methods Study, Tiffany N. Sitton

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Existing research rarely directly addresses individual trauma experiences of early career music teachers, despite copious research on adjacent areas such as stress and burnout. Early career music teachers have seldom had the opportunity to share stories of their trauma in the literature. Following an explanatory-sequential mixed method (Creswell, 2015), the researcher surveyed 250 music educators about their self-reported trauma experiences and then interviewed six of those participants to gain explanation of the survey data and to further illuminate their stories. Participants evaluated their own experiences using the definition of individual trauma from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration …

What Is A Folk Song? An Exploration Through Collection, Gregory S. Conway

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Over decades of work, scholars have created varying definitions of folk songs. While many have developed clear definitions (Karpeles, 1973; Lornell, 1993; Seeger, 1948; Texas Folklore Society, n.d.), others have concluded that no true definition exists (Brumfield, 1998; Nettl 2011). This lack of clarity in what a folk song is invites an exploration into how we define this genre. The purpose of this multiple case study was two-fold. First, I collected songs sung by families within a rural school community and examined them by using interview data to identify the characteristics of folk music in this context. Second, I shared …

Remedial Rhythm Reading: A Semester-Long Project In Sixth Grade Band, Hannah Fisher

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted student outcomes in all disciplines, but especially in the performing arts. As I began clinical teaching, I found my sixth-grade band students, particularly the students not involved in choir (my “small band”), lacked the music literacy and fluency expected for second-year band students. I designed a one semester rhythm-reading unit to address this issue. The overall objective for the unit follows:

“Students will be able to read, write, perform, and compose rhythms containing whole notes, half notes, dotted-half notes, dotted-quarter notes, quarter notes, paired eighth notes, single eighth notes, paired sixteenth notes, and corresponding rests …

Teachers' And Students' Perceptions Of Goal Orientation Theory In Secondary Instrumental Music Classrooms: A Case Study, Carlye Mcgregor

LSU Master's Theses

Goal orientation theory (Ames, 1992; Blumenfeld, 1992) is a cognitive theory that identifies how goals affect motivation in students. The benefits of mastery goal orientation — aspects of instruction which support the connection between effort and achievement — on student motivation and participation have been well-documented. Researchers (Ames & Archer, 1988; Patrick, et al., 2001) found students can pick up on goal cues and identify traits of each theory apparent in their classroom. Teachers communicate their values through goal structures, and student motivation can be improved by consistent goal structures, or negatively affected by misaligned goal structures (Ames & Archer, …

An Exploration Of How School Leaders Make Decisions About Music Programs In Suburban Schools, Xavier Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the decision-making processes involved with deciding the funding and framing of music programs in three suburban school districts in the New York metropolitan area. School leaders were interviewed to understand the factors associated with the decision-making process. The findings helped to understand educational leaders’ perceptions, how programs changed over time, and the different actions that were taken. Key educators and school leaders from three school districts in the suburban New York Metropolitan area were interviewed. The participants from each school district included a district school leader, a building school leader, a school finance leader, …

Recruitment And Retention In The Choral Classroom, Brianna Riley

Graduate Research Showcase

One of the distinguishing elements of a successful, flourishing music program is the number of students enrolled in a performing ensemble. This literature review examines sources that provide answers to a simple question: How can teachers use strategies to improve recruitment and retention in a music program? Music teachers have always worked to improve enrollment and retention of students in their classes, but as we move forward in a world affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, traditional ways of recruiting may not always be successful. Considerations of current trends include lack of foundational relationships between programs and adherence to traditional, unsuccessful …

Using Song To Teach Sight Words, Taylor Hagood Guin

Graduate Research Showcase

This research is about how a group of seven kindergarten classes used a short and straightforward song to recognize the following six common kindergarten sight words: on, off, up, us, no, & go. As a current music educator and former middle grades English teacher, I wanted to create an opportunity to establish cross-curricular connections in my music classroom. For this specific experiment, seven different classes, including General Education, Self-Contained Special Education, and English Language Learning classes, were selected. They were taught these six sight word songs through the “Sight Word Song.” I selected the sight words specifically because the students …

Empowering Silenced Voices: Implementing Critical Pedagogy To Move Toward Decolonizing Music Education, Alexis Adams

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Throughout this thesis, I will delineate the historical and current issue of Eurocentrism and racism being perpetuated in K-12 music education and music teacher education programs. I will argue that music teacher education programs need to be decolonized and radically transformed so that music classrooms and curricula are anti-racist and counterhegemonic. Through utilizing theoretical frameworks, a historical review, and a literature review, I will further contextualize this problem. Lastly, I will propose a two-pronged intervention to address this over-arching issue: an undergraduate course entitled Critical Pedagogy in Music Education and a radically transformative professional development series for current music educators.

The Development And Validation Of The Preservice Music Teacher Self-Efficacy Survey, Christen Dillon

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Undergraduate programs to prepare future music teachers at colleges and universities across the United States require skill development in instrumental, choral, and general music (NASM, 2015). These preparation programs require students to matriculate through methods courses (e.g., instrumental methods) to learn pedagogical and content skills necessary to be considered competent music teachers. Although content knowledge and teaching skills could be influencing factors on preservice teachers’ future classroom effectiveness, personal beliefs of individual preservice teachers might also influence teacher effectiveness (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996). One such belief, teacher self-efficacy, or teachers’ self-referent judgements of capability (Zee, 2016), has been shown to …

Stress And Burnout Among Undergraduate Music Education Majors: An Examination Of Trends, Influences, And Coping Mechanisms, Emily Carroll

Honors Projects

Previous research points to an increase in undergraduate music education major stress. A stress questionnaire was sent to three Midwest collegiate institutions: one was a mid-sized liberal arts school, another was a conservatory, and the last was a large state institution. Findings confirm concerning elevated levels of stress among undergraduate music education majors. The levels of stress appear to be a universal issue in this particular degree program, implying there is a need for change to better student wellness.

Shaping The Mind Through Music- A Family Challenge Of The 21st Century, Elisa H. Meyer

Honors Projects

This research provides reasoning for the importance of music education in America's schools. Music education is an integral ingredient in the cognitive development of the child- benefiting long term functions such as speech and language skills, memory, creativity, critical thinking, and general intelligence. Music allows a child to develop into their whole selves, encouraging the growth of their fullest potential. Various educational philosophies, such as the Rudolf Steiner philosophy and the Suzuki method describe the significance of this and outline substancial ways in which this integration is made possible. These philosophies are defined and discussed within this paper. Finally, insight …

Empathy In And Through Music Education: Extending Artistic Citizenship, Amanda Ellerbe

Visions of Research in Music Education

Bowman, Elliott, and Silverman's concept of artistic citizenship helps characterize how music education accomplishes social change. However, while Elliott et al. regard artistic citizenship as a means of exercising music in political ways, further investigation of how musical activities prepare students to consider effecting social change might more comprehensively describe artistic citizenship as a socio-musical endeavor. In light of the goals of social justice-oriented programming, the relationship between citizenship and artistic practice, one might think not only of music in the service of exercising citizenship in the greater community but also as a means of developing citizenship skills in the …

Ukulele In Music Class: Teachers’ Perspectives, Grace Doebler

Visions of Research in Music Education

The use of the ukulele in classrooms and communities is growing, and, as a result, so is meaningful musical engagement from people of all ages. In this collective case study, I described the perspectives of three different music teachers and discussed how they implement the ukulele in diverse settings. Research questions were (a) what factors influence participants while creating ukulele groups or lessons, (b) how do participants use ukuleles in their classrooms, (c) what are participants' perceptions of the ukulele's value, and (d) what are participants' perceptions of students' interest in learning the ukulele? Participants were three music teachers located …

Motivational Factors Affecting Recruitment And Retention In The Clever Band Program, Haley Morgan Adams

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Student participation in band has many educational, social, and life benefits for students; however, high attrition rates reflect that many students are not motivated to join and continue in band. This study surveyed sixth, eighth, and tenth grade students in the Clever R-V School District to examine the factors that the students self-identify when deciding to enroll in and persist with band in school. The survey data were analyzed to identify key factors that affect students’ recruitment and retention in school band. Students answered forty multiple choice questions that addressed areas of motivation including parental support, teacher-student relationship, intrinsic motivation, …

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

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

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 …

Developing Student Agency In The Choral Classroom: A Case Study, Danielle E. Laird

LSU Master's Theses

This multiple-case study sought to describe how student agency is cultivated within two high school choir programs. Research questions were: (a) In what ways did participating teachers incorporate student agency? (b) How did their students describe their experience? (c) What opportunities/difficulties emerged when students assumed leadership and decision-making roles? (d) Why do participating teachers offer these to students? (e) How do opportunities for student agency serve student learning and program goals? Data collection included semi-structured teacher interviews in two stages, as well as a student questionnaire. Other data included choir handbooks, student leadership information, social media presence, and classroom signs. …

Video Game Sound As Educational Space, Leonard Grasso

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Synergizing fields such as music theory, computing, musicology, cognition, and psychology, scholars and practitioners have approached game music from many directions. However, research on pedagogical usages of game music is still emerging. While many education scholars have researched game-based-learning (Bourgonjon et al, 2013; Simões, Redondo, & Vilas, 2013; Beavis, Muspratt, & Thompson, 2015; Hamari et al, 2016), music education authors have largely remained distant from ludomusicology (the study of music as it relates to play). I intend to bridge that gap by examining the intersections of game music and sound, player interaction, and learning. My research synthesizes the work of …

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, …

Study & Sing: A Music Class For Home Education Students, Joanna Luisi Reinhardt

Music Graduate Theses

The Study & Sing curriculum is designed (1) to provide homeschooling high school students with a music resource that is easy to access and incorporate within their homeschool environment; (2) to facilitate meaningful and effective music instruction by designing a music class for a qualified music teacher to use within cooperative homeschool groups; (3) to offer homeschooling families a comprehensive music class that closely follows the National Core Arts Standards for music education; and (4) to provide a music class for homeschool co-op students that offers a comprehensive design and fosters collaborative music experiences by integrating a performance component that …

What Have Mississippi Band Directors Found Successful When Teaching The Horn?: A Qualitative Survey, Madeleine Case

Honors Theses

This study surveyed band directors in the state of Mississippi, asking them what methods they use to teach the horn. The purpose of this research was to find some solid methods and concepts that participants found successful in their horn teaching, as well as open the discussion on what makes horn teaching unique to that of other instruments. Participants were selected for an online survey on two criteria: they had to have at least a Bachelor’s degree in Music or Music Education, and they had to have at least one year of teaching experience in Mississippi.

After participants were surveyed, …

Daring To See: White Supremacy And Gatekeeping In Music Education, Brian A. Gellerstein

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Music education in the U.S. maintains a legacy of cultural hegemony that has historically and systemically benefited the White students it was designed to serve, at the expense of Black and Brown students and teachers. As a subdiscipline concerned with cultural production and reproduction, the persistence of White supremacy within music education contributes to its indefatigability within the broader society.

This study is cast within a theoretical framework that connects critical race theory and critical pedagogy in order to address the ways in which music teachers make meaning of gatekeeping practices mediated within hidden structures of White supremacy. This inquiry …

Co-Constructive Music Improvisers: An Ethnographic Case Study, Emma Elizabeth Young

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory ethnographic case study was to examine music improvisations co-constructed by my elementary students and me, their music teacher. Guiding research questions were (a) How do my elementary students and I co-construct music improvisations? (b) How do I describe our music improvisations? (c) How do my elementary students describe our music improvisations? (d) How do my elementary students describe their own music improvisations? (e) How do my elementary students describe their peers’ music improvisations?

I facilitated co-constructive music improvisation sessions with each music class at Coosa Elementary School for seven weeks during Fall 2020. Each student …