Alabama Classroom Teachers Who Participated in Arts Integration Workshops and Their Implementation of Music Into the Core Curriculum
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Aquila Digital Community The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Fall 12-2017 Alabama Classroom Teachers Who Participated in Arts Integration Workshops and Their Implementation of Music into the Core Curriculum Laurie Martin University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Martin, Laurie, "Alabama Classroom Teachers Who Participated in Arts Integration Workshops and Their Implementation of Music into the Core Curriculum" (2017). Dissertations. 1455. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/1455 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ALABAMA CLASSROOM TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN ARTS INTEGRATION WORKSHOPS AND THEIR IMPLEMENTATION OF MUSIC INTO THE CORE CURRICULUM by Laura Jane Martin A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School and the Department of Educational Research and Administration at The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved: ________________________________________________ Dr. Lilian H. Hill, Committee Chair Professor, Educational Research and Administration ________________________________________________ Dr. Ann Blankenship, Committee Member Assistant Professor, Educational Research and Administration ________________________________________________ Dr. Myron Labat, Committee Member Assistant Professor, Educational Research and Administration ________________________________________________ Dr. Gregory A. Fuller, Committee Member Professor, Music ________________________________________________ Dr. Karen S. Coats Dean of the Graduate School December2017 COPYRIGHT BY Laura Jane Martin 2017 Published by the Graduate School ABSTRACT ALABAMA CLASSROOM TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN ARTS INTEGRATION WORKSHOPS AND THEIR IMPLEMENTATION OF MUSIC INTO THE CORE CURRICULUM by Laura Jane Martin December2017 With the growing emphasis on academic achievement, it has become increasingly more challenging to justify the integration of arts into the curriculum. Effective teachers employ instructional strategies that enhance student engagement and can positively affect student learning. This qualitative study investigated the instructional practices and experiences of classroom teachers who implement music into the academic lesson to increase student engagement and enhance learning. Specifically, the research questions explored how teachers use music to enhance their curriculum, the level of preparedness after attending arts integration professional development, and where they located resources for music activities. Effective teachers realize that all students learn differently as proven through Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences which served as the conceptual framework for this general qualitative inquiry study. Fifteen classroom teachers volunteered to interview for this qualitative study. In these face-to-face semi-structured interviews, data was collected from participants who discussed practices and experiences of the implementation of music in their classroom lessons. This data was transcribed and analyzed to reveal the extent to which the participants utilized music as an instructional tool in the classroom. The data showed sufficient evidence to support the fact that participants find using music in their classroom to be effective not only fort student ii achievement but for classroom behavior, to reinforce memorization skills, and engage students in the lesson. In addition, data showed that the majority of teachers who participated in this study felt more prepared to implement music into their lesson once they completed the Arts in Education professional development through the University of South Alabama. The findings in this study imply there is a need for more collegiate level classes offered in the area of music integration within the course of study. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge several people who made this dissertation possible. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Lilian Hill and my USM committee members who patiently helped me wrap up and complete this paper. I am most grateful to Dr. Leslie Locke who faithfully worked with me from the beginning until she relocated to The University of Iowa, and my faithful sister in Christ and dear friend Dr. Karen Dennis, University of Mobile, for her unselfish love and devotion with unwavering encouragement. I am forever indebted to my family Judy Martin Bobo, Leslie Martin Nettles, and my precious daughter Sarah Jane Shearer who on many evenings ate cereal for dinner. I love you all and am more than grateful for your love and support though this tremendous endeavor. Finally yet importantly, I acknowledge my four legged fur baby Lula who is always happy to see me when I walk in the door. It is great to be loved unconditionally. iv DEDICATION This dissertation is lovingly dedicated to my parents Judith Martin Bobo and the late James Richard Martin who have always believed I was number one and made me feel like I was “the winner and still champion”. Their constant devotion and Godly example have inspired me to be determined and successful. Thank you for giving me every tool needed to pursue my passion for vocal music. I love you and will forever be indebted. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv DEDICATION .................................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................... xiv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... xv CHAPTER I – INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 1 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................ 2 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................... 4 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 4 Assumptions .................................................................................................................... 5 Limitations ...................................................................................................................... 5 Justification ..................................................................................................................... 5 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................... 6 Definition of Terms......................................................................................................... 7 Summary ......................................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER II – LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................... 11 History and Early Research in Music Education .......................................................... 11 vi Early Influences on Music Education ........................................................................... 12 Early Music Conventions .............................................................................................. 15 The Yale Seminar ..................................................................................................... 16 The Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project ........................................................ 18 The Tanglewood Sympsium ..................................................................................... 19 National Association for Music Educators ................................................................... 20 Music Education Curriculum ........................................................................................ 22 Politics in Music Education .......................................................................................... 24 No Child Left Behind.................................................................................................... 27 ESSA ............................................................................................................................. 29 Music and the Brain ...................................................................................................... 30 Listening to Music. ........................................................................................................ 36 Funding in Music Education ........................................................................................