The two major research questions were: “What is the current status of 20 prominent piano pedagogy programs?” and “what is the vision of an ideal future piano pedagogy program from the perspective of 20 piano pedagogy leaders?” Subjects were the leaders of the top 20 US university piano pedagogy programs. A survey study with interview questions was used as the instrument for the study. The results showed that faculty, curriculum, and teacher training were three top factors that contributed to the quality of the programs. Most interviewed subjects held a doctoral degree in music. The curricular content and degree options were diverse across the selected programs. The content of teacher training included private and group teaching. The perceived best qualifications of a piano pedagogy instructor were to have a balanced education. Most programs had small or little to no budget, however, the preparatory program was perceived to be an enhancement to teacher training program finances. The greatest challenges were faculty acquisition and financial limitations. Gaining more money was the most common improvement priority for programs. To envision an ideal future piano pedagogy program, most leaders stated that an ideal program should contain encourage: (1) collaborating with other divisions' faculty members for developing a diverse curriculum, (2) providing multiple types of teacher training, (3) offering knowledge that is highly pertinent to students' future careers, (4) continually adjusting topics in the curriculum, and (5) utilizing all the possible resources to establish up-to-date facilities. The chief obstacle was a lack of money. However, finding a major donor, and developing a preparatory program to generate money may help to overcome the obstacles. Having administrators with positive attitudes toward pedagogy could help programs to gain more resources. Encouraging students to participate in workshops and conferences could enrich the training. Several recommendations may help emerging pedagogy programs, such as : (1) raising faculty's visibility in public, (2) developing a diverse curriculum and collaborating with other faculty from different divisions, (3) establishing a preparatory program, (4) offering diverse degree options, (5) developing a general pedagogy degree, and (6) educating administrators on the importance of piano pedagogy.

This study described the career paths of presidents of institutions of higher education which constitute the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). This study identified the demographic characteristics of the CCCU presidents and compared the career paths of the CCCU presidents with a corresponding national profile of American college presidents.

This research study attempts to analyze variables that influence the extent of faculty involvement in learning communities. A theoretical framework identifies three primary variable sets—faculty background, structural, and organizational/environmental.

Nine universities in the United States with the greatest number of international students and having an accredited music program through the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) were selected. Survey research methodologies were used to identify the status of the international music students from East Asia in U.S. higher education institutions and to determine their attitudes toward their schools. Among East Asian international music students at US higher education institutions, the results indicated that the professor's reputation, scholarships, and the program's reputation were perceived as the most influential factors impacting the program choice; a good relationship with professors, good feedback from professors, and emotional stability were perceived as the most influential factors impacting academic success; and the professor's teaching, the professor's expertise, and the improvement of musical skills were perceived as the most influential factors impacting students' satisfaction level. The most problematic issues reported were the language barrier and the cultural differences between their host and own countries. In addition, many of the East international music students in this study noted financial difficulties.

his case study seeks to understand how the college experiences of successful professional musicians can be mapped onto their eventual professional success. Three highly accomplished professional musicians were interviewed about their college experience and musical careers. It was found that participants were highly motivated and had college experiences including collaborative learning, experiential learning, and needs-focused instruction. These conditions all resemble a student-centered learning experience that might be used as a model for effective pedagogical practice. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are offered.

Typical public secondary school students seem unable to compete with distinguished public and elite private secondary school students when seeking admission to highly selective colleges. This study has identified the characteristics that distinguish college guidance and school-wide programs at public secondary schools perceived to be the strongest (distinguished) from other public secondary schools. School boards, public secondary school counselors, school administrators, and the communities they serve now have college guidance programs they can emulate to better prepare students for admission to highly selective colleges. / Ph. D.

Educators, authors and policymakers continue to address the quality and focus of higher education in the United States. Some have noted the unprecedented number of students entering professional colleges and universities as a gateway to promising careers, while others have suggested that our schools lack the wherewithal to reconstitute the idea of a liberally educated person. Yet, over the past 16 years there has been considerable growth in the number of institutions that have established new graduate programs in Liberal Studies. This study examined the growth associated with those programs and addressed the issues of why the programs were started; whom they served; and, how they fit and operated within their host institutions. The methodology encompassed survey and case study research. The population consisted of the total number of schools actively affiliated with the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs (AGLSP). / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was to produce a taxonomy of institutional effectiveness literature for public colleges and universities. The study was a theoretical and comprehensive analysis of the extant literature on institutional effectiveness from 1970 to the present. Conceptually, the study was an exploratory examination of the literature. It provides a framework for refining future institutional effectiveness research investigations, educational evaluation studies, or other assessment activities for colleges and universities. The study contained no a priori hypothesis or research questions in the traditional sense. The following objectives guided the study: 1. To determine characteristics of institutional effectiveness studies. 2. To determine institutional effectiveness measures applied as criteria for evaluation. 3. To determine if the measures reported as similar in the literature are the same upon assignment to the taxonomy. 4. To determine what independent variables are identified in the literature on institutional effectiveness. 5. To identify the various definitions of institutional effectiveness terms presented in the literature. 6. To determine the extent various literature addresses similar issues. 7. To determine if elements of effectiveness characteristics have been omitted or overlooked in the literature. 8. To detect and report trends, similarities, and conflicts existing in the literature. The literature items for the study were identified through queries into printed or computerized indexes. Published literature not indexed was also identified to the extent possible and was included in the study. Books, articles, monographs, or essays written on institutional effectiveness issues make up the study population. Five-hundred-thirty-one separate literature items were identified for the period. Journal articles, ERIC documents, and books were reviewed, separated into distinct classes and a taxonomy developed. Each literature item was assigned to a specific taxonomy classification by major subject content and by dimension. The literature items were also identified as to literature form, i.e., study, narrative, or opinion items. Further, a computerized database was created containing the literature items. The database was separated into three distinct files, one file for higher education, literature, one file for four-year college/university literature, and one file for community, junior, and technical college literature. Within the data files each item was numbered and coded by its taxonomy classification number and dimension. The items in each data file also contain a document identification number, author, title, publication date, abstract, and other relevant data. / Ed. D.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

The purpose of this study was to describe the passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965, and to evaluate faculty development programs at selected black institutions in light of the objectives and guidelines established for the use of Title III funds.