<p> Educating our Dance School Educators examines the relevance of certification for private dance school teachers. I offer a personal history as evidence for the need of certification in dance schools. I also provide a desired outline of the certification, which encompasses the mission statement and requirements for the candidates. The question of what it means to be certified is addressed by using the National Dance Education Organization as defining support. To argue for certification I draw support from dance editors and professors as well as the National Dance Education Standards. I use an example of a certification outline from the Connecticut school district and deconstruct why the outline is insufficient for my ideal standards. I do not have a target age group desired when talking about the students because this subject is relevant for students of all levels and ages. I use support from pedagogical research to explain the human developmental process for all ages specifically concerning the effects this process has on their learning curve. I also use critical pedagogy to explain the importance of pedagogical knowledge versus content knowledge. I conclude with a summary of my findings in support of certification for dance school teachers to ensure a quality education for all students whether pursuing it as a recreational activity or as a career.</p>

<p> This is a study of the development and validation of a rubric to enhance performer feedback for undergraduate vocal solo performance. In the literature, assessment of vocal performance is under-represented, and the value of feedback from the assessment of musical performances, from the point of view of the performer, is nonexistent. The research questions guiding this study were 1) What are the appropriate performance criteria, learning outcomes, and meaningful descriptors for various levels of proficiency for undergraduate solo vocal performance? and 2) How do students perceive their use of the feedback from the solo vocal performance rubric to improve future performances? The three groups of stakeholders of the project were voice professors from the research institution who assisted in the development of the rubric; students from the research institution who provided performance excerpts and shared their perceptions about the quality of the feedback; and voice professors from outside the research institution who used the rubric to assess the student performances. Mixed-methods participatory action research was the method used to conduct the study. </p><p> Interviews with five experts aided the development of a criteria-specific rubric, which defined performance criteria, learning outcomes, and meaningful descriptors for various levels of proficiency for undergraduate students of singing. The rubric was distributed, along with 20 recordings comprised of 14 students, two professionals, and four repeated student performances, to voice professors who used the rubric to score the performances and provided feedback about the instrument as well as the process. Results of scoring were shared with student performers and interviews conducted about usefulness of the feedback. Seven themes emerged from the research analysis: a) levels of proficiency, b) performance criteria, c) descriptors, d) numerical scoring, e) comments, f) recording method, and g) song selection relative to the skill level of the singers. Results of the study determined that the rubric was statistically reliable, and the students received valuable feedback that validated their own self-perceptions and assisted them in long- and short-term goal setting. Practitioners may benefit from further research that explores the validity of the rubric when assigning a grade, assessing live performances, and including additional repertoire.</p>

<p> This thesis explores the ways in which Caucasian theatre makers can become more effective educators and directors in diverse student populations. By drawing attention to their &ldquo;whiteness&rdquo; and overcoming the fear of being implicated in the subjugation of these student populations, Caucasian theatre makers can instead embrace this implication and thereby transform classrooms and theatrical spaces from static appreciations of sovereignty and beauty, into platforms for resistance and revolt. In this thesis, I interrogate my own process in the direction of my multi-actor, undergraduate student production that was borne of the journey of the creation of my solo play entitled <i> ANTIMAN</i>. In this play, I implicate my family and our own racism and naivet&eacute; and the many challenges I faced in telling a story that explores such controversial subject matters as racism, antiblackness, colonialism, colonization, and settler-indigenous relations from my own white, male, heterosexual orientation. It is my hope that through this examination of both my failures and successes in this process of creating and directing <i> ANTIMAN</i>, in concert with the history of St. Croix, that I will articulate the present-day predicament of St. Croix in a manner that creates a space for discourse, resistance, and change.</p><p>

Approaches such as arts-based education optimize the goals of inclusive education, an emergent educational philosophy in Canada. However there is tension between this research, current classroom practice, and education policies. This study explores the perceptions of three primary/junior pre-service teachers as they engaged in the implementation of inclusion of students with exceptionalities using an arts-based approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with the participants (following Seidman's [2006] method) at three points during their teacher education experiences. Central findings and cross-case analysis focused on their contextual histories, teacher education experiences, and culminating reflections. Childhood events and environments influenced pre-service attitudes, while past engagement in the arts facilitated their implementation of an arts-based approach particularly in the absence of guidance from teacher education courses and their associate teacher. Participants cited academic, social, and personal benefits of implementing inclusion through the arts for students with exceptionalities. Implications for practice are discussed.

<p> This was a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional research study that surveyed California homeschooling parents with children in grades K-6 during the 2016&ndash;17 academic year. The purpose was to discover the methodologies and activities California homeschooled K-6th grade students received and experienced in the four arts disciplines: music, dance, theater and fine art. The data was collected through an online survey and a random representation of the research participants. The data collected included collecting specific information regarding arts activities and lessons, the approximated time and hours of instruction, and the locations or places where the lessons and activities were conducted. There were a total of 178 responses collected from the research participants. The overall participation rates within the four arts disciplines for this sample population of California homeschooling students in grades K-6 during the 2016&ndash;17 year in music was 80.34%, dance was 48.32%, theater was 52.81% and visual arts was 94.39%. The specific activities, lessons, time and locations were analyzed and discussed. This research concluded that the sample population participates in visual arts activities and lessons mainly in the home, and music, dance, and theater activities and lessons are experienced at private studios or theaters. It was additionally noted that just over 11% of the California homeschooling parents participating referenced the VAPA standards.</p><p>

This article considers the impact of new technologies on the adolescent experience of live, literary theatre. Drawing together the work of theorists in literacies, new technologies and audience studies, together with brain research, and the results of a focus group of four secondary students who have seen four plays at Canada's National Arts Centre, it examines the consequences of young people's immersion in digital culture and the new mindset that often results. The expectation of instant access to data, inter-connectivity, stimulation and control can make it difficult for adolescents to decode the metaphorical aspects of a theatrical performance. The article concludes that language arts and dramatic arts educators have a key role in teaching students how to decode---and therefore enjoy and appreciate---a play. Keywords: theatre, new technologies, new literacies, school audiences, youth audiences, discourse, space, audience studies

<p>The purpose of this study was to explore the union of technical and imagery-based instruction (hereinafter, T-I instruction) in two phases. Phase one: The researcher (1) explored T-I instruction&rsquo;s influences on aspiring performing artists&rsquo; acquisition of learning and performing newly composed pieces and improvisation, and; (2) observed aspiring performing artists&rsquo; feelings of learning with T-I instruction versus technical instruction. Phase two: The researcher investigated (1) listeners&rsquo; perceived expressivity of aspiring performing artists&rsquo; performances that were either influenced by T-I instruction or technical instruction; (2) listeners&rsquo; perceived expressivity of aspiring performing artists&rsquo; performances of newly composed pieces versus improvisations; (3) whether there was a statistical significant difference of T-I instructions&rsquo; influence on the progressive differences in the means of listeners&rsquo; perceived expressivity between the aspiring performing artists across the time frame of the study; (4) the explanations for their ratings, and; (5) information that helps listeners perceive music as expressive using the <i> Perceived Expressivity Questionnaire</i> (PEQ). </p><p> Results for Phase one: 60 sub-themes and 13 themes emerged from the data relating to two meta-themes: <i>Learning</i> and <i>Quality of Life</i>. Results for Phase two: Cronbach&rsquo;s alpha statistical procedure revealed an unacceptably low internal consistency for listeners&rsquo; perceived expressivity of aspiring performing artists&rsquo; performances (&alpha; = .02). Hence, no further statistical analysis was implemented to answer research questions one through three. Explanations for their ratings dealt primarily with aspiring performing artists&rsquo; use of 11 musical components. The Brief Essay Responses from the <i>Perceived Expressivity Questionnaire</i> (PEQ) provided possible explanations for the low internal consistency and insight on what kind of information help listeners&rsquo; perceive music as expressive. Further discussion on the finding and implications for performing artists and educators&rsquo; use of T-I instruction are offered in this document. </p>

<p>This researcher had two purposes. The investigator's purpose in this action research was to develop a working prototype of a music teacher digital portfolio within the Moodle environment, which included artifacts, as they relate to New York State's Annual Performance Review (APPR) legislation. The regulation on teacher evaluation is New York State Code &sect;3012-c. In order to develop the prototype, a first step involved working collaboratively with a panel of instructional leaders in music education to determine what a music teacher digital portfolio template should contain as per this new APPR Legislation. To achieve this goal in an open source course management system, Moodle was used to collaborate digitally with music education leaders from New York State. This researcher did not seek to establish rubrics for assessment. At the same time, however, by presenting artifacts as they relate to the APPR legislation, &sect;3012-c, the investigator presented prototypical evidence of quality teacher performance in student growth and student achievement, and these data entries may be used as a point of reference by supervisors who evaluate professional music educators. The report of this study took two forms: there is a report of the collaborative efforts that constitute action research and there is the presentation of the portfolio prototype. </p><p> The subjects were 12 instructional leaders in music education from Long Island, New York. Upon completion of the action research, the subjects completed a questionnaire designed to measure their perceptions of the action research study method of instruction and the use of a course management system (Moodle) as a tool for the construction of digital portfolios. </p><p> The results of the questionnaire showed that both purposes were achieved. Furthermore, a consensus was developed that the use of action research study is a valuable method of learning and a course management system, Moodle, is an effective and useful administrative tool for school administrators. </p>

<p>An issue faced by community colleges is the time to completion for student success as defined by obtaining a degree, certificate or transfer to a four-year institution. Issues not addressed in the research are the effects on persistence of the time needed to acquire the performing arts skills, the probable occurrence of student over engagement, and the student's definition of success and their perception of a delayed time to degree. There exists a population of community college performing arts students who continue to persist into their fourth year and beyond after accumulating the units needed to complete an associate arts degree or certificate. </p><p> Using a phenomenological approach, this qualitative study explored the perceptions and experiences of community college performing arts students on their reasons for continued persistence in community college. Semi-structured interviews were used to elucidate themes and to discern the motives of why these students continue to persist. It was discovered that the participants created their own individual definitions of student success and designed personalized academic pathways to obtain that success. It appeared that the acquisition of skills, the building of resumes, and networking were major reasons for the student's continued persistence. And, although the completion of a degree was asserted as important, it was not critical in a majority of their definitions of success. In addition, participants admitted to spending a great deal of time in pursuit of the arts. </p><p> Recommendations were made to implement counselors with specialized training in the needs of performing arts students to mitigate unnecessary persistence, to realign curriculum and programs within the arts as needed (a) to address repeatability issues and to (b) build relationships with local professional arts organizations, and to strengthen the profile of the performing arts as an accepted academic discipline to better align the arts with college missions. Further research is needed in the performing arts as well as in the community colleges to continue to build the body of literature in these areas. A final recommendation was for the policy makers to strengthen institutions by broadening their definition of student success to include the voices of the students. </p>

<p> This study examines the use of performance ethnography as an advocacy tool for students with non-apparent disabilities at Mills College, a four-year institution in Oakland, California. The focus was on the sometimes challenging relationships between these students and their instructors. The methods in this study included analysis of a script that was created and performed by four women students with non-apparent disabilities and a series of interviews held pre-performance and then conducted at one and six months post-performance. The four student writer/performers were interviewed, as well as four faculty members who agreed to participate in the project. After analyzing the data I concluded that performance ethnography or ethnotheatre was a meaningful advocacy tool that deepened understanding and raised awareness and had the potential to improve student/faculty relationships. I recommend that such projects are encouraged in student social justice organizations and receive support from college administrations. For example, after a student performance such as <i>We Are Here to be Heard,</i> scheduling follow-up student/faculty workshops would enhance the learning experience for all concerned. Practitioners in disability services and student life who want to work with marginalized students would be well served to read some of the references cited in this study, and such practical guides for doing this kind of work such as Saldana's Ethnotheatre (2005). Based on my experience, staff considering this type of advocacy work with students with disabilities, apparent or non-apparent, also need to be mindful that embodied work may release strong emotions and topics such as stigma and identity threat may trigger painful memories. It is important that there is sufficient support to contain feelings that may arise, that boundaries are very clear and finally, the creative space needs to be a place of safety and security for all.</p>