An Examination of the Ideas and Practices Regarding Multicultural Education of Elementary General Music Teachers in Champaign County, Illinois
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JN1VERSITY OF (LLINOIS LIBRARY URBANA-CHAMPAIGN BOGKSTACKS CENTRAL CIRCULATION AND BOOKSTACKS The person borrowing this material is re¬ sponsible for its renewal or return before the Latest Date stamped below. You may be charged a minimum fee of $75.00 for each non-returned or lost item. Theft, mutilation, or defacement of library materials can be causes for student disciplinary action. All materials owned by the University of Illinois Library are the property of the State of Illinois and are protected by Article 16B of Illinois Criminal Law and Procedure. TO RENEW, CALL (217) 333-8400. University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign see oem DEC C 6 2000 When renewing by phone, write new due date below previous due date. L162 AN EXAMINATION OF THE IDEAS AND PRACTICES REGARDING MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION OF ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC TEACHERS IN CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, ILLINOIS BY DAWN T. CORSO A.B., University of Illinois, 1997 A.B., University of Illinois, 1997 THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in Education In the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999 Urbana, Illinois ) IJ/ / A'/ :<T , I 10 V ! li ' / 1 '/■ i/.>! ■ > '.•! . n : 1 n ■■ w i. j ia? r: .m ■ *./ : O i-’ /AG N f).%• to 1' ‘ !-;A.. ' >: - Gp n 1 ) ■ p, * :1 r I) : / ! ■ ' : ■: i t,, • -'ifii •> r. / • . r<>‘ ! • Q. 3 7 O ) a~ so-? ^ ^ cz ^ I UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN THE GRADUATE COLLEGE APRIL 19, 1999 (date) WE HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS BY DAWN T. CORSO ENTITLED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE IDEAS AND PRACTICES REGARDING_ MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION OF ELEMENTARY GENERAL MUSIC TEACHERS IN CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, ILLINOIS BE ACCEPTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS_ t Required for doctor’s degree but not for master’s. 0-517 < Ill ABSTRACT This study concerns the ideas and practices of general music teachers regarding multiculturalism in elementary music education, specifically, general music educators in the public schools of Champaign County, Illinois. Data was collected by mailed, open- ended questionnaires completed by the general music teachers from 11 of the existing 37 schools. Responses were analyzed by frequency and according to a theoretical framework of multicultural education rendered by James Banks (1997). Major findings included that teachers were very positive about the concept of multicultural education, but that they failed to recognize multicultural education to its fullest extent conceptually or in or practice. Teachers thought of and practiced multicultural education mainly in terms of content integration and somewhat in terms of reducing prejudices and providing an empowering school and social structure, neglected the aspect of an equitable pedagogy, and failed to realize the import of reflecting on the knowledge construction process in music education. This incomplete realization may be due to the practical constraints of teaching, such as administrative concerns or lack of resources, or a school setting that is seemingly culturally homogenous, but is most probably due to music educators’ failure to realize the necessity for understanding musics as cultural phenomena and not as a universal constant. Overall, findings indicated that teachers lacked the necessary preparation in terms of pre-service and in-service training and education to approach multicultural education in a comprehensive manner. rmuisuiJluoiflum J i i- n . ■' teJc noo c *ii»Tirioii^ wp bsbrw ojb u &i)i . I m. n 9H ?ji u ?\oofioz .i. -’ f slJ-jai Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019 with funding from University of Illinois Urb^na-Champaign i j i . • I$b. • Kit /'« '■. A; . Ii. sit l;0 J li' ijfi ri ■; i v ' jc /h j to r. i'iiai (j HOiir /■ (. :<| ■ ,» . •' »n / it;!. ■ i fit* j i-1 ii- ib'j I in joi. u fl'jaovw https://archive.org/details/examinationofideOOcors IV DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my husband, Jeremy Payne, my parents, Sheila and John Corso III, and my family. Without their support and unconditional love, I never could have hoped to accomplish this work. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ■ ■ 1 "» ' ■V'-Kl V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge the individual contributions of my committee members. Dr. Tom Turino and Dr. Gregory DeNardo, and especially that of my advisor, Dr. Jacquetta Hill. Dr. Turino has been an ongoing musical inspiration to me and has forced me to think about my own biases and prejudices in musical understanding. Dr. DeNardo has served to remind me of the practicality of my research endeavors, while also being very encouraging about undertaking an area of study not readily accepted in music education. Dr. Hill has allowed me the freedom to pursue an eclectic area of research and supported me every step of the way. I could not have completed this project without their help. aT/.:SM'JDG : JV/OWX'J^ , :■ ni. • ■’ j ■ ■<*>• 3 ■ >i . T >6 •>■. 1, 3/ : .i;>: /i• o 1 •• / . Ui/j iG bru; >nnu I mo l .:Ci o • ! . >tii yff <>i {■..> h • ;^ni*■;;,ro nfi ,<v.•■* fs.r annu l .*»«: ?j’rH ;nai;{J3cl obi K *.Ci ,:;ii U?\ TJ ' ?V„it>UlS»K n ru luodc fit f:1 >•.: j.;!’;- t i;; v .<> v^bir m '!«.> >rb k /n L-j.-m'Ji oj -mrjg aerf m b'jKi'yj'jR vlibh^: ion fuodr> unijjjaiuoono bfiB 11 o'; ;-j 's\ f. .'-j' i i ojj* • -t .«r boa i *vi am bowofifi 26/i Ih» J G n-Mjeoubo asf': >)'sH\u :-sa;.{ :> •. .qfnor- a .ri ton oi*j >a ./)- arlt'to fr^ * - ; • ,*n : atioqqu« VI TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES.viii LIST OF FIGURES.ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION.1 Statement of the Problem.3 Research Questions and Hypotheses.3 Definition of Terms.7 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE.8 Related Areas of Research.8 Summary.44 3 METHODOLOGY.48 Design of the Study.48 Instrumentation.50 Interpretive Content Analysis.51 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.53 Description of the Sample.53 Research Question 1.59 Research Question 2.60 Research Question 3. 68 Research Question 4.69 Research Question 5 70 ■ ' ZUi'.KY 10 SAJ 23>!UOr-ITO '12IJ > : -IAM J . «, Hi'A J rJ( <{/' //'. ?f )i . .1 > ■ J>i ../boo n< > i>'I ..no nun smarten . • /, / " • . .. H ? ' ; ,r -Vi .Z onitav. O italic nl f. noitesuQ vy<ti% ol * Ml ■ : ■ Qt : .U ■ >i . .... ..£ noitesuQ riom&aeofl VI1 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (continued) Research Question 6.77 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.80 Discussion and Conclusions.80 Recommendations.89 REFERENCES.:.91 APPENDIX A QUESTIONNAIRE.98 B LETTER OF INTRODUCTION/PASSIVE CONSENT.101 C APPLICATION FOR RESEARCH PROJECT IN THE SCHOOLS.103 D APPLICATION FOR RESEARCH PROJECT.107 E RESEARCH PROJECT SUMMARY.113 F ADDITIONAL FIGURES.116 : 0 •/ ' /?: ! IP ! ' '/ > - i j / ) .! T l» , 1/ A 1 ,, ,1011 / JUT = A C! . {R/.kv <•: :i WHIDM ■; d\ 35= ii,H . A.' UUA VIII LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Population and Participation Information.50 2 Descriptive Statistics of Music Educators.55 3 Descriptive Statistics of Subjects’ Music Students.58 • • *K ;• .if a :jfi rl >ii. iGf£ ?/ l IX LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Ratio of music educators’ feelings regarding multicultural education.60 2 Categories of music educators’ responses regarding the purposes of multicultural education.62 3 Subcategories of music educators’ responses regarding the purposes of multicultural education in the category of content integration (G=general; M=musical).63 4 Subcategories of music educators’ responses regarding the purposes of multicultural education in the category of reduction of prejudices (G=general; M=musical).64 5 Subcategories of music educators’ responses regarding the purposes of multicultural education in the category of empowering school and social structure (G=general;M=musical).65 6 Subcategories of music educators’ responses regarding the purposes of multicultural education in the category of knowledge construction process (G=general; M=musical).67 7 Music educators’ responses to the question, “For whom is multicultural education?”.68 8 Ratio of music educators’ responses as to whether or not multicultural education applies to all subject areas.70 - ysu§i*f jl • • it, :luni . y\ $fn.fo ,- )ir;\ \ .q /x -not - -TOi /I.-:,- • :< • ..t . jubs i; -W if Jt1. '1 • 0 ' mfn . > ■ ]■ j/b • joi lu n *nuq • • -.n a amn a a > ’ji id Ho s io^oixodij < ' . ’1 loi: ' ■•!: m -o isoi ■ . r ■ ’ ■ ; i «£ a > v •: . fin K ItJl1 4 ' i>) 3'UlOinfe !>;UXJl fioir,.; ‘/v >nA U- / v? rn ’oi/GOi to ImuHuoiJlu n .....(iBoieum^W ;im3nst$K)) • -:0U; v •' ,» ■ ■ j<j\ ,• '> , :ub/i • i m ■ • i< ■ X Figure Page 9 Ratio of music educators’ responses as to whether or not they use multicultural methods in the classroom.71 10 Categories of music educators’ responses regarding personal methods used to create a more multicultural classroom.73 11 Subcategories of music educators’ responses regarding personal methods used to create a more multicultural classroom in the category of content integration.75 12 Subcategories of music educators’ responses regarding personal methods used to create a more multicultural classroom in the category of empowering school and social structure.76 13 Categories of music educators’ responses regarding personal multicultural training, education, or background.79 F1 Age and years of teaching experience of music educators.117 F2 Gender ratio of music educators in the schools.118 F3 Music educators’ current class loads.119 F4 Description of music educators’ classes.120 F5 Total number of music students in the schools.121 F6 Contribution of each school to the total number of music students represented in the current study.122 F7 Diversity of the schools as represented by music educators’ categorizations of music student ethnicities.123 fiouittoteufDfooiftJ! ,< ' zbIo ji". *bo>}j-'jiti i mis:;«?oitfr?;; •• no; <| 'j k .