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The purposes of this study are to determine the scope and nature of music programs in rural public community colleges in the United States; to determine the unique characteristics of the rural public community college music program when compared to music programs of the total population of two-year colleges; to propose criteria to serve as a basis for a music program at rural public community colleges and to recommend a music program for rural public community colleges based upon the proposed criteria.

Middle school programs occupy a unique place in choral music education. This study builds upon and makes a unique contribution to the body of literature in choral music education by introducing critical participatory action research into the social ecology (Shotter, 1993) of the middle school choral classroom during the “regular” school day with a non-select choral ensemble. I employed critical participatory action research methodology—a collaborative approach to understanding specific problems in education—because it is a systematic research process conducted for the purpose of generating knowledge that is valid and vital for the well being of learners, communities of learners, and for promoting social change (Carr & Kemmis, 1986; Herr & Anderson, 2005; Kemmis and McTaggart, 1987; Mills, 2010). The purpose of this critical participatory action research study was to create a collaborative model of practice in order to make sixth grade choral music education more relevant and meaningful for learners. In order to accomplish this, I created a constructionist learning environment, applying domains of relevance set forth by Gergen (2001), and examined how this model of practice impacted the pedagogical practices of 19 sixth grade chorus students and their chorus teacher over the period of one semester. All participants collected evidence in the form of video recordings, interviews, journals and portfolios. All evidence was considered in light of the changes that occurred—individually and collectively—in pedagogical and organizational practices and in regard to the original research questions. This report illuminates ways that constructionist principles might be used to create a collaborative model of middle school choral music education and the pedagogical and social practices that emerge when beginning sixth grade students and their chorus teacher share responsibility for teaching and learning.

ABSTRACT With the change of regime in 1994, South African education policies for the arts have been created without a conceptual base. Music is on the outskirts of the present educational master plan that favours mathematics, science and literacy. The current situation of teacher shortages and emphasis on ‘basic’ subjects does not make posts possible for specialist music teachers in primary schools. The generalist trained Arts and Culture teacher is tasked to teach drama, music, and the visual arts. The attempt by policy makers to blur the outlines of individual art forms has created the generic Arts and Culture teacher who is unsure of the art forms in which he/she has little or no training. This lack is exposed and justification for the necessity of a philosophy of music education for South Africa will be proposed. A philosophy of music education refers to a system of basic beliefs, which underlie the operation of musical enterprise in an educational setting, whether school, community centre, or tertiary institution. A philosophy of music education would investigate and create an understanding of the underlying assumptions and principles governing the teaching and learning of music.Music is a modelling system for human thought and is a cognitive activity with forms of knowledge as important as any school subject. The ‘out of school’ influences of music are all-encompassing and ubiquitous to intercultural communication between peoples. Evidence is overwhelming that the political history in South Africa has interfered with and disrupted an enculturation of a musical life for children. The literature research shows that music education in South Africa was used as a political tool to support apartheid doctrines and processes. The restoration of a culture of co-operative musicing would help music teachers. Their active agency would positively affect policy in the arts. Furthermore making music or ‘musicing’ in a collaborative manner would break downbarriers because musicing encourages inter-racial rapprochement in a society where racial barriers are no longer dominant. Such harmonious communicating will help to create a new and idiomatic South African music culture. For this purpose I have proposed the adoption of the musical genre called quodlibet, a technique of composing music for many voices which are played simultaneously. This provides a platform for the collaboration of musicians, teachers, policy makers, and parents, within the wider community from which the pupils come to from. The quodlibet becomes a guiding principle and metaphor for the entire study. The central focus is to articulate the need for a philosophy of music education and to propose and defend conditions that would facilitate the growth of a conceptual centre for music education.

Lorinda Jones, MT-BC, is the longest practicing music therapist in Kentucky. She began her work as a music therapist in 1995 and built a private practice, which expanded over the course of the next 20 years to include services in 16 counties. Ms. Jones’ perspective on the growth of music therapy, both within the state and nationwide, as well as her extensive knowledge of Appalachian folk music, makes her an invaluable resource to Kentucky music therapists. The purpose of this study was to present a historical account of the life and career of Lorinda Jones, to gain her perspective on the field of music therapy in Kentucky, and to learn about how she incorporates Appalachian music into her work with clients. The researcher found that Ms. Jones’ impact on the field of music therapy in Kentucky goes far beyond the individuals with whom she has personally interacted and that her role as a teacher to students of music therapy continues to influence the profession.

This study examines the music programs in liberal arts colleges through the historical lens of three Catholic Universities in the state of Florida. Although there are numerous historical dissertations and theses written about individual music schools and departments, and a few that compare music programs in similar types of institutions, none have compared music programs in Catholic universities within the same state. After teaching at Saint Leo University and experiencing the process of rebuilding a music program after it was almost completely lost in the mid-1990s, I wanted to study the histories of Saint Leo and other Florida Catholic institutions that have struggled through similar circumstances, but with very different outcomes. I examined each music program through interviews with past and current faculty, administrators, and students; archival documents; published histories; school newspapers and yearbooks; and local newspapers and magazines. I visited each campus, photographed the physical facilities, and observed faculty and students. Gradually the stories of three music programs emerged. By comparing the data from each institution I was able to address the following research questions: 1. When and how did each music program begin? 2. How did each one develop (i.e., organization, curriculum, faculty, facilities, performing groups)? 3. What are the relationships between the Catholic affiliation of each of these institutions and the development of their respective music programs/departments? 4. What role does music play in the overall vision of the universities and their development? 5. What are the implications of this study for music education in these and other liberal arts colleges?

This thesis describes a qualitative action research process undertaken ‘in the field’ over approximately eight years of the development of an alternative paradigm for music education. This new paradigm evolved from a simple, practical approach that was not, in the first instance, designed to be transformational, but which quickly showed itself to have potential for providing a different model for conceptualising musical engagement. ¶ It is argued that the standard and widely accepted approach to music education has aspects that does not encourage on-going music making. This study conceptualises that ‘traditional’ Western approach in terms of a ‘virtuosic mountain’ that prioritises and rewards technical achievement. The concept of the virtuosic mountain is developed in terms of three ‘P’s’: Perfection, Practice and Performance. The concept was developed by not just reviewing current literature but also by analysing that literature in light of the developing new paradigm as a means of comparing and contrasting the approaches. ¶ Called ‘The Music Education Program’, this new paradigm is based on a practical approach to the sharing of music making beyond institutional boundaries like the school gate. Children do not ‘perform’ in the community but seek to engage others in making music with them without reference to age, disability or skill level. The focus is on the social outcomes that derive from music making rather than the improvement of skills, which develop as a natural part of community engagement. In this respect, the approach has roots in community enculturation processes that are no longer prominent in Western society. ¶ The new paradigm is presented with a contrasting set of ‘three I’s’: Intent, Identity and Involvement, which are designed to illustrate how the community ‘outreach’ of the Music Education Program provides a model for consciously reconceptualising our approach to music education through re-visiting what might be regarded as ‘old’ practices in a ‘new’ guise. The three ‘I’s’ are illustrated through a series of critical incidents that highlight the necessary change in theoretical underpinnings that the practical application of the Program demands. This includes a particular focus on the Intent behind our music making, rather than the ‘quality’ in terms of technomusical outcomes; stress on the individual and group choices that develop musical Identity; and demonstration of the ways in which this paradigm may contribute to voluntary, rather than enforced, Involvement. ¶ The critical incident data is supplemented by some survey and evaluation data which supports the view that the social component of musical engagement provides an alternate focus to musical development than does an achievement paradigm. The range of data collected shows that classroom teachers can take a significant role in the encouragement of music making in the primary school without relying solely on the expertise of those with specific musical training; and that overcoming negative attitudes and experiences can transform not only the teacher’s relationship with music but produce a positive effect on her students. ¶ The model described here has evolved through a longitudinal process that constantly maintains the centrality of the practical operation of the program. In so doing, it moves away from theoretical constructs that often do not seem to relate directly to practitioners but, at the same time, it avoids prescriptive methodology. Theory is elucidated through practice in a way that encourages teachers to develop their own practices that are consistent with underlying principles. This model is transformative in nature, having first a transformative effect on the principal researcher and thence on those teachers engaging in professional development with the Program. ¶ Since the Music Education Program does not yet have students who have exited the school system, this study does not attempt to claim success in the long-term in terms of promoting ongoing engagement through life. Data suggest, however, that it has had an impact in encouraging teachers to reconnect with music making and enables them to share that music making with their students, thereby helping to develop more school-based musical engagement that is also affecting the broader community in the Australian Capital Territory.

This dissertation has the main purpose of analysing the biggest single musical educational project in Sweden, so far, Radiokonservatoriet (the Radio Conservatory) from an educational perspective. The project was planned and carried out in 1965–68. This was a time of change in Swedish society. The economy was stronger than ever which had made it possible to let education expand explosively. At the same time, the subject of music in schools was in trouble since the previous and obvious religious legitimacy had faded with secularisation. A lack of music teachers and a lack of relevant higher education in music were well known problems. The expectations were high on an educational project that was going to use media and new methods. Musicology was supposed to build the core of music teaching. In spite of the tough education with three new programmes every week, 132 students managed to conclude all the three courses and were awarded a diploma. In the analysis, I have used concepts from the theory of distance education. With great distance between teacher and pupil, the former has to create strong ”structure” and explicit declarations of how the material is formed in the sense of selection and progression. On the other hand, great distance creates a free space where the pupil can choose autonomously: where, when, and what to study. The Radio Conservatory was well aware of the pedagogic imperatives of the time: ”activity” and ”integration”. The included exercises show different activities of registering, analytic and creative kinds. Singing and playing instruments were not included as ”activities”. The integration of the project consisted of the fact that the three courses were given simultaneously. This gave advantages, but made the education extensive and disregarded the intention of blending different school subjects, which was the established pedagogic intention. The essentialistic striving to create a music subject built on musicology was fruitless. In the 1970s the interest in material theories and teaching content was marginalised in favour of formal theories. My proposal is that both these sides of interest, the material and the formal side of music education, should be balanced.