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ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. “SMOOTH AS BUTTER”: PRACTICES OF MUSIC LEARNING AMONGST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN BY DAWN T. CORSO A.B., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997 A.B., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997 A.M., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2003 Urbana, Illinois Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3115152 ___ ® UMI UMI Microform 3115152 Copyright 2004 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © 2003 by Dawn T. Corso. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN GRADUATE COLLEGE November 10, 2003 date WE HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS BY Dawn T. Corso ENTITLED "Smooth as Butter": Practices of Music Learning Amongst African-American Children BE ACCEPTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Doctor of Philosophy_______________________________________ Director of Thesis Research C.Jt-mts. (A ijam'llHu/- " Head of Department Committee on Final Examination! CJbuai.:_(jb_( j i r u L h & L Chairperson or’s degree but not for master’s. 0-517 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. iii ABSTRACT The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe and analyze the musical content and learning processes apparent among African-American children in Tucson, Arizona, in two settings—an out-of-school summer program and an in-school student- focused musical activity period. Of primary interest were how African-American children demonstrated musical knowledge and skills amongst each other and what the knowledge and skills consisted of. The theoretical issues guiding this study came from research focused on sociocultural perspectives of learning, African-American children’s musical play, and multicultural music education. The conceptual framework for the study is a sociocultural approach based upon Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (1978, 1986) and modem interpretations of Vygotsky, such as Barbara RogofFs (1990) notion of apprenticeships and Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger’s (1991) communities of practice. Data was collected primarily through participant observations and formal and informal interviews of the two aforementioned groups in a combined ethnographic and case study design. Field notes, audiotape recordings, videotape recordings, photographs, school enrollment forms, and participant-requested materials were all procedures and devices used in data collection. Jordan and Henderson’s (1995) method of interaction analysis provided the outline for data analyses, while the specific protocol of Emerson, Fretz, and Shaw (1995) was implemented for field note and audiotape analyses and Collier and Collier’s (1986) method of photograph and videotape analyses was followed. The results of this study lead to several arguments. First, children learn music by participating to varying degrees within a community of practice. Individuals within the group serve as sources of information and skill based upon their own expertise and Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. iv interest creating an environment of reciprocity and shifting leadership. Furthermore, the bonds of friendship strengthen these communities of practice by providing pre- established common ground, intimacy, and concern amongst members. Second, musical play simultaneously functions to prepare children for adult life and allows children to engage in recreational entertainment. Moreover, the activities serve the distinct purposes of identity and gender-role formation and allow for exploration in areas of power and sexuality, especially as they apply to females. Finally, although specific musical abilities may not be chronologically developmental, engaging in particular musical activities is. Handclaps were most common among children ages seven to nine years, drills were practiced mainly between the ages of nine to 11 years, and dances were most frequent amongst children ages 11 to 12 years. A possible reason for the age-graded activities might be the increasing awareness and use of social commentary present in the lyrics and movements of a music activity genre, rather than the technical complexity across a musical activity genre or genres. The implications of these findings are for music educators who would like to improve their understanding of African-American musical traditions and revise their teaching methods to be sensitive to this cultural group; creators of music curricula and standards choosing to reform existing ideology and materials to be more multiculturally comprehensive; ethnomusicologists concerned with expanding information regarding the musical culture of African-American children; and educational psychologists interested in expanding the area of sociocultural learning theory, especially regarding ideas of learning through practice, contexts of activity, and developmental sequencing of knowledge and skills. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. V I dedicate this work to my husband, Jeremy Payne, for all o f his support and understanding throughout these difficult years. Without your certainty, strength, and love, I could never have accomplished this task. The journey continues. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge several individuals who have assisted me in completing this project. To my original academic adviser and continued research adviser, Dr. Jacquetta Hill, I would like to thank you for supporting my unorthodox venture into educational psychology and forcing me to stretch myself intellectually. To my current academic adviser, Dr. Christi Cervantes, thank you for empathizing with the difficult life of a doctoral student, always being open to my ideas, and helping me to complete this work. To Dr. Gregory DeNardo, my music education professor and academic adviser in my other life, thank you for always cheering me on, even when I criticized popular views. To Dr. Thomas Turino, my friend and teacher, thank you for opening my mind to alternative ways of thinking, playing, and living. To my friend and confidante, Dr. Rebecca Bryant, thank you for always listening, responding, and being there when I needed you. To the employees at each site of study, thank you for granting me permission to work at your facilities and assisting me in gathering information for this project. Finally, to the participants of this study, thank you for letting me into your world. You have granted me access into your lives and allowed me to experience music making and learning in ways I would otherwise never have known. Without your assistance, this work would not exist, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES...................................................................................................................ix LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................................x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1 Background and Significance of the Study .................................................................1 Statement of the Problem.............................................................................................4 Overview of the Methodology...................................................................................