A Descriptive Study of Music Teacher Educators’ Beliefs About Policy

Abstract

While policies at all levels affect music educators, and music education researchers have called for increased attention to policy issues, few have explored preservice music teacher educators’ beliefs about policy. This study examined music teacher educators’ ( N = 81) familiarity with and attitudes toward contemporary education and music education policies as well as how frequently they addressed these policies in their undergraduate classes. The data indicate that participants had the most familiarity with and most positive attitudes toward the National Music Standards, music education advocacy, and state music standards. Conversely, participants asserted that they had the least positive attitudes toward and spent the least amount of time addressing Race to the Top and STEAM. Respondents indicated more personal knowledge about policy, more time in undergraduate courses, and greater personal interest in policy would have the greatest influence on the amount of time they spent on policy in undergraduate courses.