THE ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF PREâ€SERVICE ELEMENTARY
Transcript of THE ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF PREâ€SERVICE ELEMENTARY
THE ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF PRE‐SERVICE
ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM TEACHERS TOWARD TEACHING
MUSIC AND THE NATIONAL STANDARDS
A RESEARCH PAPER
SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE
MASTERS OF MUSIC
BY
PATRICK HORTON
DR. KEVIN GERRITY ‐ ADVISOR
BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
MUNCIE, INDIANA
MAY 2011
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The Attitudes and Perceptions of Preservice Elementary Classroom Teachers Toward Teaching Music and the National Standards
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was signed into law on January 8, 2002,
as a reorganization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Christ
& Taylor, 2010). This legislation has given state and local governments the flexibility
to set teacher standards based on research and to reform teacher education and
certification (Christ & Taylor, 2010). Many difficulties have been presented by NCLB
for music educators, including decreased funding, fewer teaching positions, and a
reduction of instructional time (Beveridge, 2010; Center on Education Policy, 2005).
While these difficulties exist, music educators are still required to be highly qualified
within their discipline. Furthermore, under NCLB, the Indiana Department of
Education considers highly qualified elementary classroom teachers to be highly
qualified to teach elementary music (Indiana Department of Education, 2009). Traditionally, elementary education majors participated in both a music
fundamentals course and a music methods course to prepare for the possibility of
teaching music. At many universities, these courses have been replaced by a single
combined music fundamentals and methods course as a result of an already full
curriculum (Gauthier & McCrary, 1999). As a result, elementary classroom teachers
deemed highly qualified under NCLB may eventually teach music with minimal
formal experiences or content knowledge in the subject.
It is important that instructors of music fundamentals and/or music methods
courses understand elementary education major’s attitudes toward the importance
of the national standards. Additionally, knowledge of students’ willingness to
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integrate music into their future classroom as well as the perceptions of their own
capability to teach the national standards is also valuable. By understanding the
attitudes of these pre‐service teachers in addition to the influence of the instructors’
teaching style and classroom dynamics, instructors can focus attention on
improving the perceptions of pre‐service elementary teachers and therefore
improve the likelihood that they will incorporate music into their future teaching.
The first purpose of this study was to ascertain the attitudes and self‐
perceptions of pre‐service elementary classroom teachers enrolled in a music
methods and fundamentals course (n=68) toward teaching music and the national
standards for music education. Second, this study aimed to determine the factors
that positively and negatively affect the integration of music by pre‐service
elementary classroom teachers. Finally, this study determined how instructor
teaching style and classroom dynamics were connected to student attitudes, self‐
perceptions, and willingness to integrate music into their future teaching.
Review of Literature
There has been a great body of research done involving elementary
classroom teachers and music. Research highlights three primary types of courses
offered to pre‐service elementary teachers at universities throughout the United
States. One course focuses on music fundamentals, another on teaching methods,
and a final course that remains a combination of both. In a survey of 530 National
Association of Schools of Music accredited universities, there was a greater
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consensus of course purpose between instructors that taught music fundamentals
courses for elementary education majors than between instructors that taught
music methods or combined classes (Gauthier & McCrary, 1999). This indicates that
there is less of a defined purpose for methods or combined classes and perhaps that
these courses are less effective in preparing elementary educators to teach music.
When comparing the perceived ability to implement the national standards
of in‐service music specialists to in‐service elementary classroom teachers, the
results have been significantly disproportionate. Byo (1999) surveyed in‐service
elementary music specialists and fourth grade classroom teachers in Florida. On her
measurement instrument, she listed each standard and the participants responded
to each in seven categories: teacher's training, interest, ability, sense of
responsibility, resources, assistance, and perception of available time. Byo found
music specialist’s responses were considerably more positive than fourth grade
classroom teachers.
Other studies have looked at pre‐service elementary education majors and
examined which factors help to determine which types of music activities they will
likely include in their future teaching. Barry (1992) surveyed 125 pre‐service
elementary teachers enrolled in a music methods course at different universities.
Her results were similar to other studies (Birch, 1969) finding that regardless of
how much teachers value music, they may neglect specific musical activities if they
do not feel comfortable teaching those specific concepts (Barry, 1992).
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Jeanneret (1997) conducted research with pre‐service primary teachers in
two universities, one in the United States and one in Australia. Her results indicate
that a music fundamentals course can significantly affect a pre‐service teacher’s
confidence to teach music. She also indicates that the modes of delivery and
teaching strategies may also have an impact on pre‐service teachers’ attitudes more
than their musical achievement.
Probst (2003) sought to determine which factors from an undergraduate
music course best predicted the amount of time in‐service elementary teachers
might spend teaching music in their classrooms. Activities that dealt with creativity
and responding to music were the greatest predictors. This suggests that spending
more time in a music fundamentals/methods class, where such activities are more
prevalent, could potentially increase the amount of time classroom teachers spend
on music.
Kvet and Watkins (1993) surveyed 306 elementary education majors and
asked them to rate the degree to which they believed positive attributes contribute
to success in teaching music. Subjects’ responses were used to identify four major
factors that elementary education majors associated with success or failure in
teaching music: (a) understanding and organizing for individual differences in
children, (b) musical ability/positive feelings for music, (c) proactive personality
characteristics (effective teaching behaviors and skills), and (d) external factors
affecting the teaching process. While these factors can help to better understand
elementary education major’s perceptions of success in music teaching, they do not
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indicate their attitude toward integrating music, the importance of the national
standards, or their self‐perceived ability to implement the national standards.
Berke and Colwell (2004a) conducted a study on pre‐service elementary
education majors that included a pretest–posttest questionnaire measuring
attitudes toward the integration of music into the elementary classroom. Following
the course, there was a positive change in the participants’ attitudes in many areas
including: musical ability, musical knowledge, recognition of the importance of
standards, confidence in capability of teaching music, implementing the national
standards for music education, and integration of music into the elementary
curriculum. This study focused on the change in perceptions over a condensed
summer course.
While there is an abundance of research about pre‐service teachers and their
attitudes and perceptions, there is very little research that examines the effects of
the college instructor’s teaching style or classroom dynamics on attitudes and
perceptions of pre‐service teachers in any discipline. Mitchell (1972) examined the
effects of different instructional strategies on the attitudes and perceptions of pre‐
service elementary classroom teachers on teaching science. The three groups
included: (1) a group instructed in an open learning environment; (2) a group
instructed in a formal lecture‐discussion approach; and (3) a control group that
received no specified treatment. Data analysis revealed no significant difference
between the teaching strategies. However, there were significant differences shown
between perceptions of the teachers and science understanding. The researcher
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suggests that teachers trained in an open learning environment responded
positively to experimentalism, open mindedness, teacher‐pupil relationships and
interest in science. Because little research examines the influence of the instructor,
future research is needed to determine how the instructor’s teaching style may
affect the attitudes and perceptions of pre‐service elementary teachers.
Method
Conceptual Framework
This explanatory mixed methods study utilized a concurrent research design
with an embedded qualitative component. The quantitative component was a
posttest design while the qualitative component focused primarily on the process
being studied. The sequence of data collection occurred in different stages
throughout the course of this study. Qualitative data were collected from classroom
observations during the final weeks of the semester and from participant interviews
directly after finals week. The primary quantitative component was administered
during the last week of classes between the observations and the interviews.
Despite the varying stages of data collection, all data were analyzed after both the
quantitative and qualitative data were completely collected.
Priority was given to the quantitative component because it explored and
described the primary focus of the study: the attitudes and perceptions of pre‐
service elementary classroom teachers toward music. The qualitative data was used
to explain parts of the phenomenon that could not be quantified. Both the data from
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the qualitative component and data from the quantitative component were mixed
because it provided a richer understanding of the attitudes being studied.
Quantitative Methods
This study utilized a questionnaire based on a measurement instrument
created by Berke and Colwell (2004b) and included subject interviews in addition to
classroom observations. Revisions were made to the questionnaire by reducing the
number of times “national standards” and related terminology appeared in the
questionnaire and by rephrasing items to be accessible to participants less familiar
with musical terminology.
The questionnaire was submitted to four experts in the field for validation.
Each validating judge was asked to determine if each item was clear and able to
discriminate between those who had positive attitudes and those who had negative
attitudes. Judges were also asked to offer suggestions for improving each item and
the overall questionnaire. The items on the questionnaire were grouped into two
categories: attitude and perception. The attitude portion consisted of 16 Likert‐type
items, on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree), which focused on
the participants’ attitudes toward integrating music into the general curriculum and
the importance of the national standards in music education. For additional details
regarding the questionnaire see Appendix A.
Three sections of a music fundamentals course for elementary education and
special education majors at a midwestern university were chosen to complete the
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questionnaire as a convenient sample. Near the end of the semester, the
questionnaire was completed at the beginning of class in an effort to ensure the
respondents full focus and thoughtfulness.
An attitudinal score was generated from the participants’ responses to this
section and was a summation of the 16 items in the attitude portion. The perception
portion consisted of 9 Likert‐type items, on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6
(strongly agree), which focused on the participant’s self‐perceptions of their ability
to teach the national standards. A perception score was generated from the
responses of the participants to this portion and was a summation of the subject’s
responses to the nine items on the perception portion. Rubrics were created to
classify the frequency distribution of the participants’ attitudes and perceptions.
The differences between the minimum and maximum possible scores were divided
into six equal sections and labeled with the descriptions used on the questionnaire
(see Appendix A). These rubrics are illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The attitudinal
and the perception portion of the questionnaire were analyzed for reliability using
the Cronbach alpha. The attitudinal portion had a reliability of .91 while the
perception portion had a reliability of .91.
Figure 1: Attitudinal Score Rubric
Very Negative Attitude 16-28
Negative Attitude 29-41
Somewhat Negative Attitude 42-55
Somewhat Positive Attitude 56-69
Positive Attitude 70-82
Very Positive Attitude 83-96
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Qualitative Methods
The researcher observed each of the three sections of the music
fundamentals course three times to document classroom dynamics. Of the three
observations in each class, two took place while the instructor was teaching the
entire lesson and one took place while the instructor was acting as a facilitator
during student presentations. Observations were scheduled during the last four
weeks of the semester at the convenience of the researcher and the course
instructors. Each observation lasted the entire duration of one class. For more
specific details regarding the observations, please see Appendix B.
Two open response items were included on the questionnaire that addressed
experiences that affected willingness or confidence to integrate music (see
Appendix A). The student responses to these items were coded and analyzed for
major themes. Following the end of the semester, the researcher interviewed each
instructor and one randomly chosen student from each section to gather
information on classroom dynamics. The interviews took place outside of class time
at the convenience of the subjects during finals week or directly after. For more
Figure 2: Perceptions Score Rubric Very Incapable 9-16
Incapable 17-23
Somewhat Incapable 24-31
Somewhat Capable 32-39
Capable 40-46
Very Capable 47-54
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details regarding the interviews, please see the interview protocols in Appendices C
and D. All subjects will remain anonymous throughout the study. Triangulation was
established by utilizing the data collected from the interviews with the instructors,
the interviews with the randomly selected students, and the observations conducted
by the researcher. Pseudonyms have been assigned to each of the participants to
ensure their anonymity.
Profiles
Instructor 1 – Jackie
Jackie has extensive experience in vocal music and, in addition to this course,
teaches music full‐time at a local elementary school. She has experience as a music
educator and as an elementary classroom teacher both her native country of Canada
as well as the United States. Jackie has taught this music fundamentals course for
approximately four years and understands that the purpose of this course is to teach
the students to better understand music. She believes in a predetermined sequence
for implementing the curriculum and centers what she will teach on five elements of
music: expression, melody, harmony, rhythm, and form (expression usually coming
first). Jackie strongly believes in modeling musical behaviors during this course and
finds the national standards to be an excellent resource for young teachers to help
sequence and record what they are teaching. She believes music is a hands‐on
activity and incorporates musical or movement activities into every lesson. Jackie
hopes that even if a pre‐service teacher does not feel comfortable singing or playing
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an instrument, they will find there are many ways to integrate music into their
teaching.
Instructor 2 – Brenda
Brenda has an extensive background in vocal and general music at a variety
of levels. She has worked in pre‐schools, religious schools, and with children with
special needs. She is currently a board‐certified music therapist working with varied
age groups and levels. She has taught this course for almost three semesters and
understands that the purpose of the course is to improve the musical skills of these
students. Additionally, she believes it is important to let the pre‐service teachers
know music is a valuable way to connect with students because of the way the brain
is activated during musical activities, because music can aid memorization, and
because many students are just simply musical learners. Brenda describes her
teaching style as including a constructivist approach because she feels students are
then able to assess themselves. She feels the standards provide affirmation for
music teachers as well as a reminder of what is important and expresses feeling
overwhelmed by the small amount of time to include a great deal of content at any
level of music teaching.
Instructor 3 – Rose
Rose’s teaching experience includes elementary general music and
beginning band. She has experience with the trombone and primarily studied the
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piano in college. In addition to teaching this course, she is a children’s music
director at a local church. While she has observed the format of this course change
over the years, Rose has been teaching it in some variation for about 15 years. She
understands that the purpose of the course is not to make her students future music
teachers, but instead to make them more literate in music no matter their ability
because they are then more likely to integrate it in their elementary classroom.
When describing her teaching style she emphasizing that she avoids lecturing. She
prefers to do a lot of modeling – including model projects and model teaching
methods. She has a very organized approach to each lesson. While Rose
acknowledges that much of the curriculum is predetermined, she also determines
what supplemental material she will include if she thinks her students will use it in
the future. Her views of the national standards are positive and she tells her
students it is good to know music education was one of the first disciples to acquire
them.
Student 1 – Anna
Anna was a student in Jackie’s class. During the semester this study was
undertaken, she was a sophomore and was majoring in deaf education. She
describes her upbringing as “very musical” and notes that everyone in her family
sang and took piano lessons. She played clarinet throughout middle school and sang
in multiple school choirs throughout middle school and high school. Additionally,
she occasionally sings with various church groups.
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Student 2 – Carrie
Carrie is a sophomore majoring in elementary education. She was a student
in Brenda’s class. She recalls performing in musical programs during elementary
school, but acknowledges her music experiences are limited to her time singing with
her middle school choir.
Student 3 – Melanie
Melanie was a student in Rose’s class and was senior majoring in elementary
education with a reading concentration. She was put in voice lessons by her parents
when she was “very young”, but recalls that it did not work because she “couldn’t
hum.” Since then, she sang in various choirs throughout middle school and high
school. Melanie also participated in show choir as well as choir competitions during
high school.
The Researcher
The researcher is a full‐time graduate assistant working toward a master’s
degree in music education. He has an undergraduate degree in music education and
five years of experience teaching middle school and high school band. A major
portion of his assistantship work included observing and assessing student
teachers. During his time as a graduate assistant he has also become involved with
several arts organizations that work with students with special needs.
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Results
Quantitative Results
The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed in regard to
demographic information, attitudinal score, perception score, and individual items.
The mean for the attitudinal score was 79.84 with a standard deviation of 9.14. This
placed the mean attitudinal score as “positive.” Table 1 illustrates the frequency
distribution of attitudinal scores.
Table 1: Frequency Distribution of Scores for Attitudinal Scores
Description Score Frequency Cumulative %
Very Negative Attitude 16-28 0 0
Negative Attitude 29-41 0 0
Somewhat Negative Attitude 42-55 1 1.5
Somewhat Positive Attitude 56-69 7 11.8
Positive Attitude 70-82 31 57.4
Very Positive Attitude 83-96 29 100
The mean for the perceptions score was 39.56 with a standard deviation of
8.52. The mean perception score was placed in the category of “capable.” Table 2
illustrates the frequency distribution of perception scores.
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A Pearson Product Moment Correlation was run between demographic
information and both the attitudinal score and the perception score. According to
the Basic Statistical Concepts of Bartz (1999), a moderate correlation was revealed
between participant’s perception score and their participation in a school‐affiliated
ensemble (r = .489). A low correlation (Bartz, 1999) exists between participant’s
perception score and participation in non‐school‐affiliated ensembles (r = .347).
Tables 3 and 4 illustrate these relationships.
Table 3: Relationship between Perception Score and Performance with a School‐Affiliated Ensemble
Perception Score
Have you performed with a school-affiliated musical
ensemble (K-12 and/or college)?
Pearson Correlation 1.000 .489
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
Perception Score
N 68.000 68 Pearson Correlation .489 1.000 Sig. (2-tailed) .000
Have you performed with a school-affiliated musical ensemble (K-12 and/or college)?
N 68 68.000
p < .01
Table 2: Frequency Distribution of Scores for Perception Score Description Score Frequency Cumulative %
Very Incapable 9-16 1 1.5
Incapable 17-23 1 2.9
Somewhat Incapable 24-31 11 19.1
Somewhat Capable 32-39 16 42.6
Capable 40-46 29 85.3
Very Capable 47-54 10 100
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Table 4: Relationship between Perception Score and Performance with a Non‐School‐Affiliated Ensemble
Perception Score
Have you performed with a non-school-affiliated
musical ensemble (K-12 and/or college)?
Pearson Correlation 1.000 .347 Sig. (2-tailed) .004
Perception Score
N 68.000 68 Pearson Correlation .347 1.000 Sig. (2-tailed) .004
Have you performed with a non-school-affiliated musical ensemble (K-12 and/or college)?
N 68 68.000 p < .01
Relationships were revealed between attitudinal score and participant’s
previous performance experiences. A low correlation (Bartz, 1999) exists between
participant’s attitude scores and participation in non‐school‐affiliated ensembles (r
= .326). A low correlation (Bartz, 1999) also exists between participant’s attitude
scores and participation in school‐affiliated ensembles (r = .257). These
relationships are illustrated in Tables 5 and 6.
Table 5: Relationship between Attitude Score and Performance with a Non‐School‐Affiliated Ensemble
Attitude Score
Have you performed with a non-school-affiliated
musical ensemble (K-12 and/or college)?
Pearson Correlation 1.000 .326 Sig. (2-tailed) .007
Attitude Score
N 68.000 68 Pearson Correlation .326 1.000 Sig. (2-tailed) .007
Have you performed with a non-school-affiliated musical ensemble (K-12 and/or college)?
N 68 68.000 p < .01
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There was no relationship evident between participant’s attitude score and
previous participation on private lesson, however a low correlation (Bartz, 1999)
was found between participant’s perception score and previous experience with
private lessons (r = .275). This relationship is illustrated in Table 7.
There were no noteworthy correlations found between perception scores
and year in school or college major. Similarly, there were no noteworthy
correlations found between attitude scores and year in school or college major. The
item within the attitude portion of the questionnaire with the highest frequency of
Table 6: Relationship between Attitude Score and Performance with a School‐Affiliated Ensemble
Attitude Score
Have you performed with a school-affiliated musical
ensemble (K-12 and/or college)?
Pearson Correlation 1.000 .257 Sig. (2-tailed) .034
Attitude Score
N 68.000 68 Pearson Correlation .257 1.000 Sig. (2-tailed) .034
Have you performed with a school-affiliated musical ensemble (K-12 and/or college)?
N 68 68.000 p < .05
Table 7: Relationship between Perception Score and Private Lessons
Perception Score
Did you take any type of private lessons as a
child? Pearson Correlation 1.000 .275 Sig. (2-tailed) .023
Perception Score
N 68.000 68 Pearson Correlation .275 1.000 Sig. (2-tailed) .023
Did you take any type of private lessons as a child?
N 68 68.000 p < .05
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very positive responses was attitudes‐item 1. This item had a median of 6 as well as
a mode of 6. Table 8 illustrates the frequency distribution of responses to attitudes‐
item 1.
Table 8: Frequency Distribution of Scores for Attitudes‐Item 1: Music is an important subject for elementary students.
Description Value Frequency Cumulative %
Very Negative Attitude 1 0 0
Negative Attitude 2 0 0
Somewhat Negative Attitude 3 0 4.4
Somewhat Positive Attitude 4 7 10.3
Positive Attitude 5 22 42.6 Very Positive Attitude 6 39 100
Within the attitude portion of the questionnaire, the item with the lowest
frequency of very positive responses was the attitudes‐item 5. This item had a
median of 4 as well as a mode of 4. Table 9 illustrates the frequency distribution of
responses to attitudes‐item 5.
Table 9: Frequency Distribution of Scores for Attitudes‐Item 5: I believe it is important for elementary students to compose and arrange music.
Description Value Frequency Cumulative %
Very Negative Attitude 1 1 1.5
Negative Attitude 2 4 7.4
Somewhat Negative Attitude 3 14 27.9
Somewhat Positive Attitude 4 32 75.0
Positive Attitude 5 12 92.6
Very Positive Attitude 6 5 100.0
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With in the perception portion of the questionnaire, there were many items that had
similar frequencies of capable or very capable; however, the item with the highest
frequency of very incapable responses was perception‐item 4. This item had a
median of 4 as well as a mode of 4. Table 10 illustrates the frequency distribution of
responses to perception‐item 4.
Table 10: Frequency Distribution of Scores for Perception‐Item 4: I am capable of teaching my students to compose and arrange music.
Description Value Frequency Cumulative %
Very Incapable 1 6 8.8
Incapable 2 9 22.1
Somewhat Incapable 3 11 38.2
Somewhat Capable 4 25 75.0
Capable 5 12 92.6
Very Capable 6 5 100.0
A one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) determined that no relationship
existed between class section and perception score as well as class section and
attitudinal score.
Qualitative Results
The interviews with the instructors, the interviews with the pre‐service
teachers, the open‐response items on the questionnaire, and the classroom
observations were analyzed and common themes were extracted. Throughout each
description, the teachers of each section will be described as instructors and the pre‐
service teachers will be described as students.
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Many parts of the course were identified as having a positive influence.
Responses included everything from the specific assigned projects to the
modifications described for students with special needs. Most specifically, all groups
addressed musical and movement activities. One student responded with the
following on the questionnaire:
I feel that being creative in the course with different songs, song games, and instruments has helped me to further my decision of integrating music in my classroom.
Carrie added an additional example that supports this theme:
One time we were focusing on theme and variation. For our activity we had one set of movements for the theme and we had another set of movements that was the variation on the theme. And then we kept going and we would listen to the song. And we would all have the different parts. A group of us had the theme, a group of us was variation A, and a group of us was variation B. So that specific activity stuck in my head as something I could use.
All three instructors described the hands‐on activities they used as an important
part of helping their students to understand the fundamentals of music and how to
integrate it into the classroom. Jackie said the following about including activities:
Music is sort of a hands‐on thing. You can’t teach music with a piece of paper. So every lesson needs to include hands‐on activities.
Brenda described the following about her perspective on the inclusion of activities
in the music classroom:
It’s kind of a music therapy thing because the “doing” part is important. It’s music, the should be “doing.”
The researcher also witness a great number of musical and movement activities in
each lesson he observed. For example, one of Brenda’s activities required students
to move fast or slow in response to tempo changes of the piece being played for
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them. Students responded with appropriate movements as well as a great deal of
smiles and laughs.
Students emphasized that they found it to be very beneficial when the
instructor explained how each activity or concept could be integrated into a general
classroom. One student responded with the following on the questionnaire:
I love that after every musical activity we would think of ways to integrate it into the general classroom.
Each instructor also described this theme. Jackie utilized an organized approach that
gave specific examples of music integration:
I give the students my lesson plan for the day. ‘This is what I’m teaching you today. These are the objectives’ (and they match up with MENC standards). ‘These are the strategies we’re using and this is the main element we’re using.’
It was also observed in Rose’s class that students were engaged in an activity
focused on modifications for students with special needs. A specific song was
presented to the class and students were prompted for suggestions for dealing with
students with a variety of special needs. A brief discussion followed that involved a
variety of strategies for helping special learners.
All three interviewed students described that they viewed their instructors
as mentors and would go to them for advice on integrating music into their future
teaching. Carrie responded with the following:
I would definitely view her as a mentor just because she seemed to know quite about how you would be able to apply the techniques in a room even though you weren’t a music teacher. She stressed that point time and time again that she understood we were not music teachers and she knew that’s not what we came to school to do, but this is what we could do to help improve [music integration].
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Anna (deaf education major) also revealed the following thoughts on her instructor,
Jackie, as a mentor:
Sure, I would go to her for advice, if I ever had a hearing class.
During her interview Rose remarked:
Past students have contacted me for help with music lessons they are doing for other classes.
She has also worked with former students for a program that connects kids with
college mentors. Additionally, the researcher observed a conversation between
Brenda and two of her students discussing their participation in a program she
coordinates for students with special needs.
A majority of the students felt that learning about musical concepts and
notation was beneficial. One response from the questionnaire is as follows:
Before this class, music was a foreign language. Learning to simply read music gave me enormous amounts of confidence.
Rose’s response to addressing music literacy involves both reading and writing
music.
[Music] reading is addressed with recorders, but also in notating rhythms for the poem project. They take a very simple poem from a list I give them and put the beat above the stress points in each line. Then they write the rhythm under each line and compose an ostinato. They seem to enjoy it.
Additionally, the researcher observed a lesson where students learned a song that
incorporated syncopation. A handout containing the sheet music for the song was
passed out and the students visually and aurally analyzed the rhythm in the melody.
Connections were made between rhythm in music and rhythm in poetry. Students
appeared to be grasping the concept and enjoyed singing the new song.
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There were two activities that had proportionately positive and negative
responses. Activities involving singing and playing the recorder elicited a variety of
responses. Some positive response from the questionnaire included:
Having to learn how to play the recorder again will be a big help. It is an easy instrument that most kids can play and hopefully they will find enjoyment in learning to play it. We have so much fun in this class with the singing and playing recorders.
Melanie’s response also promoted a positive outlook on the integration of singing
into the classroom:
I want to incorporate singing because I like to sing and it helps with memory. . . . Yea, I feel pretty capable to teach it.
The researcher observed a few lessons where the students appeared to be enjoying
the singing activity presented to them. In one of Brenda’s lessons the students used
a popular Christmas carol as a part of an activity exploring rhythmic and harmonic
ostinati. While the ostinati were new and unfamiliar, all the students sang.
There were a few negative responses to singing and playing the recorder as
well. Many students simply listed the recorder as a negative experience.
This was also supported by Brenda’s comments on the use of the recorder:
I teach the recorder. Blaaah. I understand the recorder and I kind of feel like it’s the ‘pre‐band’ instrument. It’s just unfortunate that the tone is so horrid. But it’s accessible and that’s a good thing!
During one of Rose’s lessons, the researcher observed a similar reaction from the
students. As the instructor asked students to get out their recorders a few audible
groans were heard.
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Students that commented negatively in regards to singing were generally
very detailed:
Singing ‐ I’m not good at it. I probably would have completely written off this whole course if singing would have been the main focus.
Jackie also acknowledges that her students may have a negative attitude toward
singing in the following response:
Yes, [singing is] important and I need to do more in the way of teaching them to sing properly. . . . I just don’t feel that they are comfortable singing with me. I can do the singing, so I go ahead and do it. But what I should really do is teach the song and get out of the way ‐ they have to make the sound.
While the researcher did observe a few lessons where the students sang freely with
every instructor, the instructors did the majority of the singing in each class. It is
worth noting that despite the negative responses to these specific activities, some
students could still see their importance. This following is taken from the open‐
response items on the questionnaire:
Playing the recorder gave me a headache most of the time, but I wouldn’t really classify that as a negative because the skills it teaches are so positive.
One noteworthy negative response came from deaf education majors. This
response could not be validated through triangulation, but was unique enough to
report. Anna, as a deaf education major, felt this course was not applicable to her
future career. Another student wrote the following statement as a negative reaction
to the course in the open response section of the questionnaire:
Being that I will teach children that cannot hear, the strategies shown in class for music integration did not apply to me. Also, with my extensive music experience, I felt this class should have a “test out” option for musical knowledge.
25
When discussing the classroom dynamics within each of the three classes,
there were a few similarities that had consistently positive responses. Each
instructor developed a good rapport with her students. Every instructor taught with
a high level of energy and skillfully moved around the classroom. While each
instructor had a different sense of humor, all three instructors were able to get their
students to laugh or smile throughout the observed lessons. All of these were most
obvious during classroom observations conducted by the researcher. The following
responses are from the questionnaire references a positive classroom dynamic or
connection between students and instructors.
I like how [Rose] made music seem fun; and also how excited and passionate she is about music. [Jackie] taught me fun and different ways to approach a certain subject or lesson with music, therefore enabling me to use these methods in other subjects The way that [Brenda] integrated music into the course made it a fun course – there really weren’t any negatives
Each interviewed student also had positive comments regarding their connections
to their instructors. Anna responded with the following regarding Jackie:
She did a good job of connecting with every level of student. She even made it interesting for students with experience.
Carrie indicated the following in regards to the classroom environment created by
Brenda:
It was very free spirited . . . there were no stressful situations. She definitely made accommodations to you if you needed help.
Melanie expressed the following about Rose:
26
She was always happy, you never know if she was having a bad day. She was easy to get a hold of outside of class. She was very respectful of our time. She knew we had other classes
Finally, there were a number of responses that were very general in nature
and cited the entire class as beneficial.
I can’t say one experience in particular. I can say I am now more willing to involve music into my lesson plans even if they are not plans for music class.
Music doesn’t always have to be serious, let it be fun!
The instructors echoed this overall positive attitude. Rose indicated the following:
I’ve had a good experience. I really like the course. I think that is obvious since I have been teaching it for about 15 years!
Brenda indicated positive feedback about the course:
I think it is a great opportunity to spread the value of music to people outside of the music area. I think it’s valuable to see and read the reflections of the students when they say, “Wow, I didn’t realize…” or “I never thought about that…” . . . I think it’s a great opportunity for students to see how musical they are.
These positive responses were also corroborated through the observations
recorded by the researcher. This is supported by consistently full classrooms,
students regularly asking questions, and the attentive smiles of the students in each
class.
Discussion
Overall, the initial findings of the questionnaire are similar to the findings of
another study (Berke & Colwell, 2004a). More positive attitudes toward teaching
music exist in pre‐service elementary teachers that have had a greater amount of
formal music experiences. Similar to the findings of Barry (1992), it is not surprising
27
that possessing a higher level of familiarity with specific content might lead to
higher levels of integration into classroom instruction. For teacher educators, this
can only point to the importance of positive and frequent musical experiences in the
undergraduate curriculum. While squeezing more requirements into an already full
course of study may seem unreasonable, it also may be necessary if teachers with an
elementary license are also to be viewed as highly qualified to teach music (Indiana
Department of Education, 2009).
It is not surprising that despite an overall “very positive” attitude toward
music integration, composition activities seem to be viewed more unfavorably than
any other standard. Similarly, a study that investigated the awareness of and
attitudes toward the voluntary national standards for music education among high
school instrumental and choral music directors in Missouri found that standard 4
(composing/arranging), along with standard 3 (improvising) received the least
amount of attention (Wilson, 2003).
While a greater amount of musical experiences may contribute to greater
positive attitudes and feelings of increased capability toward teaching music, the
curriculum itself offered many positive aspects. These included the specific projects
as well as the musical and movement activities. The overwhelmingly positive
responses to these factors may suggest importance of a well‐designed curriculum in
teacher education.
Interestingly, singing and playing the recorder were both viewed as having
positive as well as negative effects on the attitudes and perceptions of the
28
participants. Because these positive and negative comments were present among
students in all three sections, no connection can be made to a specific instructor’s
teaching style or classroom dynamic. These varied responses cannot be attributed
to the curriculum either, as the curriculum is the same each section. This suggests
that personal preference could be a factor. Therefore positive responses may simply
come from students who enjoy singing and playing the recorder and negative
responses would then come from students who do not enjoy those activities. It may
also be a possibility that students with previous negative experiences in music or
students with lower musical aptitude or achievement levels would not enjoy
performing activities (singing, playing the recorder) and therefore have negative
attitudes. While these performing activities may not be enjoyable for every student,
it is unlikely that they will be removed from the curriculum due to their inherent
value.
There were many similarities between the instructors of the music
fundamentals course. All three instructors included modeling and hands‐on
activities as a part of their lessons. Every instructor taught with a high level of
energy, used humor, and skillfully moved around the classroom. Each instructor also
seemed to agree that the purposes of the course were to improve the musical
abilities of the students, to show why music integration is important, and how it
could be done. While these similarities may indicate that positive student attitudes
and perceptions can be connected to quality teaching as demonstrated by the three
29
observed instructors, negative responses can therefore reinforce the importance of
individual preferences and/or insecurities.
While there were many similarities between the three instructors, there
were also many differences. One general difference is the amount of time each
instructor has taught this course. Other differences are more specific. For example,
Jackie places an emphasis on the national standards and helping her students to
write lesson objectives. She bases what she teaches off her view of an appropriate
sequence of musical elements (expression, melody, harmony, rhythm, and form).
Brenda creates a constructivist classroom environment that is viewed as “free
spirited” and “comfortable”. While she bases what she teaches on the pre‐
determined curriculum, she appears frustrated by the fact she is force to leave out
musical pieces, genres, and/or content due to time restrictions. Rose utilizes very
structured plans and teaches each lesson with a very organized approach. She bases
her curriculum choices on what she thinks her students will most likely use in their
future teaching.
The varied description of each teacher would seemingly be connected to
varied responses between class sections, however a one‐way ANOVA revealed no
relationship between class section and neither perception nor attitudinal score.
Therefore, it is surprising that no relationships exist.
One of the more interesting responses from the interviewed students was
from Anna. Despite her extensive musical background, she felt that music would
have no place in her future teaching as a deaf educator. While music educators
30
believe all students have the right to a quality music education, perhaps an
education in music should be optional for deaf students.
Anna also revealed that she would go to her instructor in the future for
advice if she had a “hearing class”. Perhaps Anna perceived Jackie’s influence to be
only on music in the hearing world, despite the portion of the course that addressed
modifications for children with special needs. Because music may have a place in
deaf culture and because the influence of the instructor does appear to be positive,
perhaps those music educators instructing deaf education majors should create
projects specifically directed toward recognizing the musical similarities and
differences between the hearing and deaf culture.
Conclusions
When comparing the qualitative data to the quantitative data, the
quantitative results are both supported and discounted by the common themes
extracted from the observations, interviews, and open‐response items. Yes, quality
teaching and an expertly administered, highly effective curriculum contribute to
overall positive attitudes and perceptions of teaching music. However, the varied
descriptions of each instructor would ostensibly point to varied responses from
each class section, but does not. Therefore the absence of any relationship between
class section and either attitudinal score or perception score is not supported by the
qualitative data.
31
While teaching style and classroom dynamics did not seem to play a role in
the attitudes and perceptions of these pre‐service elementary educators, perhaps
this study could be replicated with instructors that use a greater variety of teaching
styles or pedagogy. Because the qualitative data both supported and refuted the
quantitative results, more exploration is needed into teaching style and classroom
dynamics in music teacher education courses.
The many positive responses from students in the music fundamentals
course indicate the successes of engaging instructors who utilize modeling, hands‐
on activities, humor, and in teacher education courses. The successes of a
curriculum that includes performing activities, projects that include music
integration, attention to modifications for students with special needs, and group
discussions should also be acknowledged and promoted in teacher education
courses.
There appears to be a need to increase the self‐perceived musical ability of
pre‐service elementary teachers. Without self‐confidence in music, future
elementary classroom teachers will likely not integrate it into their classrooms.
While it may not be possible to reach pre‐service teachers at every level of musical
ability or experience, it would appear that when more confidence to teach music can
be instilled in pre‐service teachers, they will leave the class with more positive
attitudes and perceptions. Music should be included in every child’s education,
whether in the music classroom, the general classroom, or any other setting. By
helping all teachers to become familiar with the benefits and joys of making music,
32
we can better ensure that all students will have positive musical experiences in all
levels of education.
33
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Appendix C
Attitudes Toward Teaching Music Interview Protocol Student Interview Protocol:
1. What is your year in school and your major? 2. Describe your experiences in music. 3. Describe your overall experience in MUSED 265. 4. Describe the classroom atmosphere during a typical MUSED 265 class. How does
this compare to other education classes you have been in? 5. Describe the disposition of your instructor. How do you view your instructor? 6. Do you view your MUSED 265 instructor as a role model? a mentor? 7. Would you ask your instructor for advice about teaching? About teaching music? 8. Do you know the national standards of music education? How do you view the
standards? Positive? Negative? 9. What role do you feel the following activities play in your future classroom?
a. Do you feel singing is important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
b. Do you feel playing instruments is important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
c. Do you feel improvising is an important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
d. Do you feel composing and arranging are important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
e. Do you feel reading and notating music are important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
f. Do you feel listening to, analyzing, and describing music are important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
g. Do you feel evaluating musical performances is important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
h. Do you feel understanding the relationship between music, the arts, and other disciplines is important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
i. Do you feel understanding the relationship between music, history, and cultures is important to integrate into your future teaching? Why or why not? How capable do you feel to teach this?
10. Which experiences did you find most helpful to prepare you to incorporate music into your elementary classroom?
11. Which experiences did you find least helpful to prepare you to incorporate music into your elementary classroom?
12. Which experiences did you enjoy the most from the class? 13. Which experiences from the class were the least enjoyable? 14. Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences in mused 265?
43
Appendix D
Attitudes Toward Teaching Music Interview Protocol Instructor Interview Protocol:
1. Tell me a little about your musical background and interests. 2. Briefly describe your previous teaching experiences. 3. How long have you been teaching this course? 4. What do you view as the purpose of this course? 5. Describe the type of teaching style or philosophy you employ when teaching this
course. 6. How do you decide what to teach (in this course)? 7. Overall, how do you view the national standards in music education? Positive?
Negative? 8. What role do you feel the following play in this class?
a. Do you address singing in MUSED 265? Do you feel singing is an important part of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
b. Do you address playing instruments in MUSED 265? Do you feel playing instruments is an important part of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
c. Do you address improvisation in MUSED 265? Do you feel improvising is an important part of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
d. Do you address composing and arranging in MUSED 265? Do you feel composing and arranging are important parts of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
e. Do you address reading and notating music in MUSED 265? Do you feel reading and notating music are important parts of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
f. Do you address listening to, analyzing, and describing music in MUSED 265? Do you feel listening to, analyzing, and describing music are important parts of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
g. Do you address evaluating musical performances in MUSED 265? Do you feel evaluating musical performances is an important part of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
h. Do you address understanding the relationships between music, the arts, and other disciplines in MUSED 265? Do you feel understanding the relationship between music, the arts, and other discipline is an important part of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
i. Do you address understanding the relationship between music, history, and culture in MUSED 265? Do you feel understanding the relationships between music, history, and culture is an important part of MUSED 265? Why or why not?
9. Describe the atmosphere during a typical class for the __________ section of MUSED 265.
10. Are there parts of this course you enjoy teaching more than others? Less? 11. Are there parts of this course you find more difficult to teach? 12. Describe your overall experience with MUSED 265. 13. Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences with mused
265?