Constant Recalibrations: A Study of How College Marching Band Members Develop Understandings of Inclusion Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Alaina Rose Peters Graduate Program in Educational Studies The Ohio State University 2020 Thesis Committee: Dr. Rebecca E. Crandall, Advisor Dr. Susan R. Jones Copyrighted by Alaina Rose Peters 2020 Abstract The purpose of this constructivist descriptive case study was to understand how college band members develop understandings of inclusion within a college marching band program with a stated commitment to inclusion. Central research questions pertained to how college band members understand inclusion, how they evaluate the inclusion of their band program, and how they understand their roles as responsible for developing inclusive environments within the band. Data collected included formal band documentation, observations of both full band rehearsals and Inclusion Committee meetings, and interviews with band members and gatekeepers. Bronfenbrenner’s (2005) bioecological theory of human development served as a theoretical framework through which to analyze both personal and environmental characteristics that influence student development. After providing a contextual description of the case, the findings depict the students’ understandings of inclusion as based on feeling a sense of community and feeling supported, with varying descriptions pertaining to how social identities and personal characteristics influence that experience within the band. With these understandings of inclusion in mind, the students evaluated inclusion as both fully reached and not yet realized. The participants also noted that every band member was responsible for creating change towards inclusion, particularly by learning about others’ experiences. However, the ways in which they were able to do so were largely dictated by formal structures within the band. This study highlights the need for further research ii on collegiate marching band members’ experiences in a variety of areas, along with implications for band students, directors, and student affairs professionals. iii Acknowledgments I would like to thank many people who supported me throughout this process. First and foremost, I am incredibly grateful to the gatekeepers and students of the marching band I studied. Your willingness to open your rehearsal spaces, procedures, and—most importantly—your stories to me means so much, and I hope your insights will illuminate steps towards stronger inclusion for both your band program and others. I also owe a tremendous amount of gratitude towards many faculty, alumni, and students of the Ohio State HESA community for their support. Dr. Becky Crandall, thank you for guiding me throughout the entire thesis process as my thesis committee chair and advisor. Dr. Susan R. Jones, thank you for providing your qualitative research expertise to my education and for serving as my second thesis reader. I am also grateful to both of you for supporting my spiritual and personal development throughout this program. To Dr. Mitsu Narui, thank you for helping me develop my social justice education skills and for serving as my peer debriefer for this study. To those alumni who coordinated the Porterfield-Dickens SPA Assistantship Fund, thank you for the generous financial contribution towards my research. To my HESA cohort, thank you for your continuous encouragement through a particularly difficult fall semester and for cheering me on in meeting my deadlines. Chelsea Whitaker, thank you for serving as a tremendous iv colleague and sounding board who also values the experiences of performing arts college students. And, to Joe Tran, thank you for serving as my primary source of emotional support throughout this project. It has truly been a roller-coaster of stress and successes, and you have been there through every twist and turn. I am also thankful for the incredibly supportive staff members of the Kuhn Honors & Scholars Center and Sorority and Fraternity Life. Thank you to Jade, Kate, and Hunter for serving as supportive supervisors and giving me the time and encouragement to accomplish this project. I owe special thanks to Jade and Anna for fueling my love for college marching band in all its forms. Finally, I am grateful to the groups of people who allowed me to develop my passion for college marching band before graduate school. Thank you to my parents, Mary Pat and Chris, for supporting me in all of my academic and musical pursuits. Thank you to all of my former music instructors for fostering my passion and developing my skills. To the Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi, thank you for helping me develop my leadership skills, diversifying my understanding of college bands, and for charging me to continue exploring ways in which to serve them. It is truly an honor to be selected to serve. v Vita June 2012……………………………A.G. West Black Hills High School May 2016……………………………B.M.E. Music Education, Arizona State University Fields of Study Major Field: Educational Studies vi Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments.............................................................................................................. iv Vita ..................................................................................................................................... vi List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... x List of Figures .................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Study and Research Questions ................................................................ 4 Significance of Study ...................................................................................................... 6 Definition of Terms......................................................................................................... 7 Inclusion ...................................................................................................................... 8 Diversity ...................................................................................................................... 9 Socially Responsible Leadership Development........................................................ 10 Marching Band-Related Terms ................................................................................. 10 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 12 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature .................................................................................. 13 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 14 Bronfenbrenner’s Theory Applied to Marching Band .............................................. 16 The Study of Students’ Understandings of Inclusion ................................................... 22 What Can Foster Students’ Understandings of Inclusion? ....................................... 25 How Students Demonstrate Understandings of Inclusion ........................................ 31 Development of Student Leadership for Creating Inclusive Environments ............. 33 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 40 Marching Band as a Potential Site for Developing Understandings of Inclusion ........ 40 Background of College Marching Bands .................................................................. 41 Band, A Diverse and Developmental Opportunity for Inclusion Understanding ..... 50 Potential for Student Impact on Marching Band Inclusivity .................................... 57 Barriers to Marching Band Inclusivity and Student Understandings of Inclusion ... 61 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 65 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 66 Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................... 68 Research Design............................................................................................................ 69 Researcher Worldview and Positionality .................................................................. 70 Epistemological Assumptions ................................................................................... 72 vii Methodology: Case Study ......................................................................................... 73 Case Selection ............................................................................................................... 75 The Case.................................................................................................................... 76 Access, Rapport, and Institutional Approval ............................................................ 77 Interview Participant Selection ....................................................................................