The Music History Classroom ed. by James A. Davis (review)

Abstract

PEDAGOGY The Music History Classroom. Edited by James A. Davis. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2012. [xxiii, 197 p. ISBN 9781409436584. $104.95.] Illustra- tions, bibliography, index.Pedagogical concerns continue to gain traction as a primary issue for musicolo- gists. A growing number of publications on teaching music history at the collegiate level join the vast compendium of universal advice for teachers in higher education and demonstrate its increasing importance. The Music History Classroom, edited by James A. Davis, presents a collection of essays ad- dressing specific elements of creating and running a successful course, ranging from syllabus design to lecturing to integrating new technology in classes. The compilation also includes advice concerning the first year of teaching and professional develop- ment. Practical approaches form the basis of this collection, which seeks to bring cur- rent thought on the scholarship of teach- ing and learning within the unique envi- ronment of the music history (p. xxii). The breadth of topics considered, coupled with easily implemented strategies and a wealth of personal experience, create a well-rounded resource for teachers of music history.In the opening chapter, Creating a Music History Course: Course Design, Text- books, and Syllabi, William A. Everett ad- vocates a backwards design, which identi- fies a central theme and molds all elements to interact with that goal. References to the taxonomies of learning by both Benjamin Bloom and L. Dee Fink stress the impor- tance of teaching basic facts, but also illu- minate how teachers may guide students to apply and integrate this knowledge into other aspects of educational and musical experiences. He addresses the textbook and the syllabus in detail, as these comprise two of the most important student tools. The comments on syllabus creation provide a valuable guide to content and practical advice. Finally, particulars of setting an ap- propriate tone the first day by placing con- tent at the core, staying ahead of planning, and utilizing graduate assistants, round out the discussion.The following chapter, Classroom Activities, by Mary Natvig, acknowledges different learning styles and cites educa- tional research to emphasize the impor- tance of techniques that directly involve the student in the learning process. She de- scribes a new framework for the traditional discussion about creating an active learning experience: identifying elements of a good discussion and an appropriate end goal, starting with shared knowledge, and find- ing a suitable group size. Natvig also pro- vides a helpful list of further possibilities for classroom activities, including sample worksheets, performance activities, and games. Inviting performances by students or colleagues and incorporating different speakers appears as an especially interest- ing means of generating content. Finally, Natvig voices support for a slow integration of new activities and a careful selection based on the unique situation of each class.In Lecturing, Edward Nowacki suggests methods to overcome challenges posed by the impersonality of the lecture as a genre and by the specific difficulties of teaching the music history narrative. Nowacki indi- cates the instructor's demeanor as a crucial tool in mediating the anonymity of lecture; he identifies enthusiasm born of sincerity as a key factor, and explains how one might convey this in his or her teaching. He con- tinues with practical considerations, dis- cussing his skepticism of PowerPoint based on pedagogical research. New teachers will find Nowacki's discussion of the tone and length of a script or notes from which one may lecture especially valuable. As another means of reaching students, he advocates meeting them through the shared passion and interest in music, specifically indicating theoretical terms as a common language. To this end, he provides a list of examples to integrate theory into the music history classroom. …