Research on adults who identify as "tone deaf" suggest that their poor musical self-concept is shaped by a view of themselves as nonsingers even when their perceptual skills and singing ability are not significantly worse than the general population. Many of these adults self-selected out of further participation as children but expressed regret as adults for lost opportunities. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the role of musical self-concept, attitude, and related variables in predicting students’ decisions to participate in elective music instruction in junior high and whether those same variables were related to their assessed singing ability. Findings suggest that family music participation and positive attitudes toward music, particularly their view of themselves as musicians, can predict with 74% accuracy which students choose to continue in elective music. Musical self-concept was also a unique predictor of singing accuracy performance, suggesting a connection between students’ actual singing ability and their view of themselves as musicians.
The purposes of the present study were to identify the teacher behaviors that preceded learners’ active participation in solving musical and technical problems and describe learners’ roles in the problem-solving process. I applied an original model of problem solving to describe the behaviors of teachers and students in 161 rehearsal frames extracted from 43 lessons with five artist-teachers. Results indicate that the number and type of learner problem-solving components varied according to the preceding teacher behavior. The teacher behaviors that most often preceded learner problem solving were varying the specificity of feedback and directives, asking questions, demonstrating contrasting options, stating principles, and refraining from answering learners’ questions.
This study was designed to explore the director’s perspective on the role organizational images play in social identity development in midlevel choral ensembles. Using a phenomenological methodology, I interviewed 10 current or former directors of midlevel choral ensembles from eight midwestern U.S. colleges and universities. Directors cited different choral configurations, high performance standards, unique group identity, strong personal connections, and good faculty relationships as the primary tools used to build identity. Directors also revealed their perceived challenges with regard to midlevel choirs: director continuity, discrepancy in student musical ability and dedication, negative perceptions, and the need for director flexibility. No director mentioned preparing students to sing in the top ensemble as a purpose or priority of the midlevel ensemble; however, many stated that a good midlevel choir achieved this result and also raised the quality of the entire choral program. Implications of these findings reveal the importance of recognizing and addressing a midlevel identity phenomenon and the impact identity building efforts can make to facilitate stronger midlevel ensembles.
The purpose of this study was to examine participants’ (college band and choral musicians, N = 143) perceptions of conductor clarity and expressivity after viewing band and choral directors conducting with or without a baton. One band and one choral conductor each prepared and conducted two excerpts of Guy Forbes’s O Nata Lux, a piece written in both choral and band idioms, with and without a baton. Participants viewed 10 excerpts (four choral, four band, and two distractors) and rated the conductors’ clarity and expressivity on 10-point Likert-type scales. There were significant main effects for participant ensemble emphasis (choral or band), baton use, and conductor type (choral or band), and a significant interaction between conductor type and baton use. The choral conductor was perceived to be clearer without a baton, whereas the band conductor was perceived to be clearer with a baton. The choral conductor was perceived to be more expressive with a baton, and the band conductor was perceived to be more expressive without a baton.
The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to re-story the student teaching experience of two preservice music education majors who are visually impaired or blind. While music education scholars have devoted attention to P–12 students with disabilities, research with preservice music teachers with impairments is seemingly nonexistent. Using a transformative paradigm and social model of disability as lenses, we retell participants’ experiences across three commonplaces of narrative inquiry: sociality, temporality, and place. Participants told their student teaching stories through various field texts, including interviews, journals, emails, and informal conversations. Three particular issues were highlighted strongly within their narratives: accessible music, reliance on others, and individuals’ attitudes. Issues of what constitutes effective teaching, teacher identity construction, and preparedness for working with individuals with disabilities also emerged. Multiple avenues are suggested for practice, research, and policy in music, teacher education, and teachers with disabilities.
Motor performance in familiar tasks is often advantaged when performers focus on the effects of their movements rather than on the movements themselves. But, this phenomenon has yet to be studied systematically in the context of vocal production. I evaluated 20 trained singers’ vocal tone as they varied their focus of attention. Each participant performed a short vocalise, a phrase of "My Country ’Tis of Thee," and a prepared solo piece under six different conditions in which they focused attention on either keeping the vibrato steady, the position of their soft palate, directing their sound to points in the room at three different distances from the singer, or imagining "filling the room" with sound. Each session began with singers performing with no focus instructions, which served as a baseline for comparison. Expert listeners rated all performances on seven variables. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) revealed significant effects for the evaluation variables of ring and overall tone quality in all singing tasks. Ratings were higher for ring and overall tone quality when the focus of attention moved farther from the singer.
The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of task demands on children’s singing accuracy. A 2 x 4 factorial design was used to examine the performance of fourth-grade children (N = 120) in solo and doubled response conditions. Each child sang four task types: single pitch, interval, pattern, and the song "Jingle Bells." The results indicated that children’s singing accuracy varied by task type, with poorer performance on patterns and songs than on single pitches and intervals. Performance was significantly better for all tasks in the doubled condition than in the solo condition, and a significant interaction indicated task-based performance varied by response mode. Students who indicated some history of private lessons (n = 54) performed significantly better than those without. Internal reliability using five test items for each type of singing task was satisfactory. Application of the Spearman-Brown formula suggests that a minimum of three items can be included in each task in future research for a reliability coefficient of .75, and four items for a coefficient greater than .80. Performance on these singing tasks was significantly intercorrelated.
The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the role aural imitation ability, jazz theory knowledge, and personal background variables play in the development of jazz improvisation achievement. Participants (N = 70) included 26 high school and 44 college instrumentalists with varying degrees of jazz improvisation experience. Data were collected using four researcher-designed instruments: (a) Participant Improvisation Experience Survey (PIES), (b) Improvisation Achievement Performance Measure (IAPM), (c) Aural Imitation Measure (AIM), and (d) the Jazz Theory Measure (JTM). Results indicate that aural imitation ability and technical facility are fundamental skills supporting jazz improvisation achievement. Other contributing factors include improvisation experience, jazz experience, practicing improvisation, perceived self-confidence, self-assessment, and jazz theory knowledge. Further analysis of results led to improvisation being viewed from a developmental perspective and achievement levels being distinguished on a developmental continuum (i.e., novice, intermediate, advanced) based on performance evaluations within musical categories (i.e., rhythm/time feel, harmony, melody/rhythmic development, style, expressivity, and creativity).
The primary purpose of this study was to investigate expertise-related differences in the evaluation of moment-to-moment rehearsal achievement. Nonmusic majors, music education majors, and expert music teachers (N = 60) listened to 18 "before" and "after" pairs of rehearsal trials of various high school bands in their pursuit of proximal rehearsal goals, or targets. These pairs of rehearsal trials ("dyads") were presented to participants on audio compact discs without evidence of the band directors’ intervening rehearsal procedures. The performance quality of the ensembles heard on the recordings was either high or low, and the targets they pursued addressed Tone Quality/Intonation, Musicianship/Expressiveness, or Rhythm/Articulation. The dependent measure was participants’ evaluation of the extent of improvement heard within each dyad. A significant main effect was found for listener expertise, with experts evaluating ensembles’ achievement on these targets most critically (i.e., lower), and with nonmajors offering the highest evaluation scores. No main effect on evaluation scores was found for ensemble performance quality. Results suggest that expert music teachers exercise judgments about moment-to-moment rehearsal achievement according to an internalized standard rather than to the immediately preceding rehearsal trial. Findings are discussed in consideration of the Model of Expert Teaching (Berliner, 1986).
The purpose of this study was to test the effects of octave and timbre on advanced college musicians’ (N = 63) ability to tune their instruments. We asked: "Are there differences in tuning accuracy due to octave (B-flat 2, B-flat 4) and stimulus timbre (oboe, clarinet, electronic tuner, tuba)?" and "To what extent do participants’ posttuning perceptions of pitch accuracy align with actual pitch accuracy?" Participants were organized according to octave played in the tuning process, thus forming bass, tenor, and soprano groups. Results showed no significant effect due to group and no significant differences due to stimulus. There was no difference in the distribution of in-tune, sharp, and flat responses. Comparisons of participants’ performance accuracy and posttuning perceptions of task difficulty were favorable to the electronic tuner’s viability as a tuning stimulus and less so to the tuba stimulus. Participants’ responses to "describe how you know you are out of tune" and "describe the strategies you use to get in tune" brought to the foreground two observations of conceptual importance: tuning as four different and sometimes overlapping "experiences" and a self-imposed comparative strategy. Considered alongside previous research, results address developmental aspects of musicians’ tuning performance.
The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of reported school victimization through physical, verbal, social/relational, and cyberbullying aggression among music ensemble and theatre students in the middle and high schools of the United States as compared to their peers involved in other school-based activities. We analyzed nationally representative data from five waves (2005–2013) of the biannual School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey, a joint project of the U.S. Bureau for Justice Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics. Logistic regression results showed that music ensemble and theatre students were significantly more likely to be victimized by in-person bullying than their non-arts peers. A significant interaction between sex and arts status showed that male music and theatre students faced the greatest risk of being subjected to physical bullying aggression while female music and theatre students faced the greatest risk of victimization through social/relational aggression. Though incidents of experiencing hate speech were rare, music and theatre students faced a significantly greater risk of hate speech victimization than non-arts students. The overall probability of a music student being victimized by any type of in-person bullying was .34 compared to .25 for non-arts students.
Despite substantial attention to measurement and assessment in contemporary education and music education policy and practice, the process of measurement has gone largely undiscussed in music education philosophy. Using the work of physicist and philosopher Karen Barad, in this philosophical inquiry, I investigated the nature of measurement in music education while concurrently exploring the assumptions underlying documents related to the proposed music Model Cornerstone Assessments. First, Barad’s concepts of reflection and diffraction reveal the false assumption that measurement captures rather than alters and produces musical experiences. Second, measurement apparatuses are explained as boundary-making practices. Third, the limits of measurement apparatuses are explored through Barad’s assertions about experimental inclusions and exclusions and Lyotard’s concept of the differend, and these limits are used to problematize the ambitious, value-laden discourse of documents related to the music Model Cornerstone Assessments. Finally, through Barad’s concept of intra-action, measurement is reinterpreted as a process through which "teacher" and "student" emerge. Music education policymakers, teachers, and students might adopt language emphasizing the intra-active nature of measurement and empower themselves to critique and reimagine existing measurement apparatuses and their measurement and assessment practices.
The purpose of this study was to examine pre- and in-service female band teachers’ perspectives regarding their experiences in realizing their professional goals. Domains guiding this inquiry included (a) gaining entry into the profession of band teaching, (b) navigating the profession, and (c) gender issues. Findings from this multiple case study indicated that numerous outside factors affected the career paths of the participants, resulting in all of the women pursuing elementary, middle, or multi–grade level jobs. These factors included (a) the positions available at the time of the initial job search, (b) family responsibilities, (c) the perceived time commitment thought to accompany high school band teaching positions, and (d) the desire to witness musical and social growth in students. Some of the participants believed the band profession was increasingly welcoming to women; however, several of the participants reported challenges of being a woman in band teaching. These challenges included the struggle to network with those perceived to be in power, fitting in at professional development events, and gaining respect from students and colleagues. Although some of the women found their gender could be an asset, they also found themselves restricted by social constructs and stereotypes of gender.
Ubiquitous computing scenarios such as the one-to-one model, in which every student is issued a device that is to be used across all subjects, have increased in popularity and have shown both positive and negative influences on education. Music teachers in schools that adopt one-to-one models may be inadequately equipped to integrate this kind of technology into their classrooms. The purposes of this study were to observe the behaviors and explore the dominant perceptions and concerns of music teachers in schools with one-to-one technology programs. This four-case study was based on the concerns-based adoption model, which has previously been used to analyze stakeholders’ concerns about adoption of an innovation such as a new technology. Participant teachers expressed their concerns about adoption of one-to-one technology in their schools and classrooms as they related to musical goals, extent of integration, changes that could improve the programs, and other pedagogical factors. Results showed that while the participants used the technologies in distinct ways and to varying extents, they shared concerns about technical support, pedagogical support, and authenticity of integration.
The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to explore four midwestern choral teachers’ experiences of creating and sustaining community within their public school choirs. Research questions included (1) how choral teachers describe their experiences of creating choral communities, (2) how the teacher–student relationship is experienced, and (3) what challenges get in the way of sustaining choral communities. Writings by Edith and Victor Turner, Martin Buber, and Nel Noddings were used as a theoretical lens. Participants were selected purposively and represented heterogeneous choral programs, different school sizes, and diverse population densities. Participants included one 8th-year middle school male choral teacher, two female high school choral teachers who had taught for more than 18 years each, and one male middle and high school choral teacher who had taught for 12 years. Cases were bounded by interviews, written and observational data, and artifacts. The data collection included 20 observations, 12 interviews with choral teachers, and 16 student interviews. Data analysis was inductive; 31 codes emerged and were gathered into four themes including support and care, fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance, quality creates and inhibits community, and program legacy and vision. Teacher profiles are included in the findings.
The purpose of this study was to measure music teachers’ attitudes toward transgender individuals and toward school practices that support transgender students. Participants (N = 612) included men and women who teach a variety of music subjects in elementary, middle, and high schools, in urban, suburban, and rural areas. An online questionnaire was distributed to participants representing 28 states in the United States. The questionnaire consisted of demographic information and several attitudinal statements designed to measure music teachers’ attitudes toward transgender individuals (MT-ATTI) and music teachers’ attitudes toward supportive school practices (MT-ATSSP). The results indicated that participants had fairly positive attitudes overall. Multiple regression analyses also revealed that gender and political persuasion on social issues significantly predicted participants’ scores on the MT-ATTI and the MT-ATSSP; female participants had more positive attitudes than did male participants, and individuals identifying as more socially liberal had more positive attitudes than did those identifying as more socially conservative. The variables of school location and age did not significantly predict scores on the MT-ATTI or the MT-ATSSP. Implications for teacher preparation programs and professional development are discussed, and future directions for research are recommended
The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which a professional learning community (PLC) of music teachers sustained growth as they sought to incorporate Comprehensive Musicianship Through Performance (CMP) in their teaching practices. Seven music teachers from a suburban school district in the upper Midwest participated in a PLC as they incorporated CMP into their bands, choirs, and orchestras over a 2-year period of data collection. Findings of this collective case study describe the process of implementing CMP, reinforce the importance of a collaborative culture, and consider the impact of emotional aspects related to teacher change and shifts in teacher knowledge as a result of participating in this learning community. Particular challenges included implementing CMP amid performance expectations of technical proficiency and shifting emphasis from solely performance to performance and understanding. While findings suggest that incorporating CMP can have a positive impact in school ensembles, moving away from established performance routines and expectations can be daunting for veteran as well as novice teachers.
Two journals reflecting the interests and concerns of music educators are Music Educators Journal (MEJ) and Philosophy of Music Education Review (PMER). The purpose of this study was to explore the interests of P–12 music teachers and university faculty as represented by the topics of articles in MEJ and PMER from 1993 to 2012. After identifying the primary topic of articles at least two pages in length (N = 889), we determined the number of articles and pages published in each topic area within each journal. A chi-square analysis indicated topics within journals did not occur with equal probability (p < .001). The most frequently occurring topics in MEJ were curriculum (21.15%), performance (15.86%), and fieldwork (9.02%). The most frequently occurring topics in PMER were interview (15.45%), philosophy to school (11.79%), and performance (10.57%). Performance was the only topic common to both journals for their five most frequently occurring topics. Topics also were examined in 5-year increments, showing topic frequency was more consistent across time for MEJ than for PMER. In MEJ, the topics creativity and technology appeared less frequently over time, while performance and social justice increased. In PMER, marginalization articles decreased, while creativity, research/critical inquiry, and performance increased.
The purpose of this research project was to examine whether music teachers’ perceptions of effectiveness of inclusion, curriculum adaptations/modifications, or student achievement had altered from previous research findings 20 years before. A survey based on that used by Gfeller, Darrow, and Hedden was sent to music educators through the United States and returned by 1,194, with all 50 states represented. Results indicate more positive responses as compared with 20 years ago, with participants generally reporting that the students were successfully integrated, their music needs were being met, and they did not hinder the progress of students without disabilities. Additionally, teachers’ responses indicated they were comfortable adapting and/or modifying their regular curriculum to meet the needs of students with special needs and that these students were graded on the same standards of music achievement as the other students in their classes.
The purpose of this study was to investigate nationwide enrollment in high school music courses from 1982 until 2009 to determine what trends in music enrollment existed and whether these trends were affected by the passage and implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). With data from 10 separate nationally representative high school transcript studies conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, a unique data set was constructed that tracked the transcript-indicated 9th- through 12th-grade music course enrollment patterns for the U.S. graduating classes of 1982, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005, and 2009. Descriptive results showed that overall music enrollment patterns were relatively stable in the public schools, with roughly 34% of all students consistently enrolling in at least one music course during high school across all cohorts. Abbreviated interrupted time series analyses suggest that NCLB had no effect on overall music enrollment rates but exacerbated the preexisting underrepresentation in music courses of Hispanic students, English language learners, and students with Individualized Education Plans.
The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to examine the intersections of music making and teaching for four string teachers. Data included background surveys, three interviews per participant, videotaped classroom observations (jointly viewed during the second interview), and a focus group interview that included music making. Findings revealed that the meanings participants attributed to their past music-making experiences mirrored their beliefs about why their students make music and informed their content knowledge. Music making outside the classroom had personal and professional benefits; participants described music making as something that provided renewed excitement and inspiration, increased compassion toward students as musical learners, was a catalyst for solving pedagogical problems, and maintained their ability to model for their students. Participants’ music making inside the classroom helped them to be more present in their teaching. They also used music making to inspire their students and themselves, to bring students’ attention to the teacher and the music, to gain credibility, to model technique and musicality, and to create a culture based on the love of making music.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of internal and external focus of attention on novices’ rehearsal evaluations. Thirty-two undergraduate instrumental music education students led bands in a series of three 6-minute rehearsals on their assigned excerpt. Prior to these rehearsals, participants were led in score study and rehearsal preparation activities. Internal group (n = 16) participants’ preparation related to knowledge of the score, whereas external group (n = 16) participants focused their preparations on observable rehearsal behaviors with a minimal amount of time devoted to score study. No significant differences were found between conditions for any of several dependent measures, including participants’ self-evaluation of their teaching, participants’ evaluation of ensemble performance, ensemble members’ evaluations of conductor rehearsal effectiveness and of conductor score knowledge, and independent audio evaluation of the final ensemble performance run-through. Results of repeated-measures analyses did indicate significant improvements in participants’ and ensemble members’ evaluations, for both experimental groups, between the first rehearsal and the second and third rehearsals. Both methods may have helped novice conductors prepare to rehearse, but their direct experience in working with ensembles may have been comparatively more informative in preparing them for future rehearsals.