Music Education Research Articles

“Once We Found Our Groove, . . .”: A Study of Preservice Music Teachers Engaged in a Popular Music Education Experience

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to examine the perceived benefits and challenges of implementing informal learning practices through popular music education for preservice music teachers. Specifically, we sought to understand why and how preservice music educators would perceive benefits and challenges from their experiences in a modern band. We conducted a study with five preservice music teachers in a modern band outside of the curriculum in a music teacher education program. We collected the data for 9 weeks, gathering multiple interviews, participants’ written responses, artifacts, and researchers’ field notes. Three overarching themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) a self-navigating process of aural-based learning, (b) autonomy with freedom, and (c) reflective educators. Our findings indicated that the ultimate goal of informal learning practices in music teacher education may not be limited to mastering musical skills but should include improving problem solving and classroom decision making.

Unlocking the Beat: How AI Tools Drive Music Students' Motivation, Engagement, Creativity and Learning Success

ABSTRACTThis study explores the relationships among music students' artificial intelligence (AI) perceptions, motivation, engagement, creativity and learning success. Through a random sampling method, 521 Chinese music students participated in the research, which employed a range of questionnaires to assess AI perceptions, motivation, engagement, learning outcomes and creativity. The study utilised SPSS (version 27) and AMOS (version 24) for comprehensive statistical analysis. Findings reveal a significant relationship between students' perceptions of AI in music education and their motivation, engagement and learning success. Positive AI perceptions were found to enhance motivation by increasing interest in innovative learning tools and fostering engagement through interactive AI‐based learning environments. Moreover, these perceptions were predictive of higher motivation, engagement and learning success. The study suggests that AI can play a crucial role in enhancing educational outcomes by making learning more interactive, personalised and engaging, thus improving overall student performance and creativity in music education.

MODERN FORMS AND METHODS OF AESTHETIC EDUCATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

With the deepening of the reform of China’s general education system and the popularisation of information technology, computer music software has become an essential component of music education in primary schools. The purpose of the article is to theoretically study modern forms and methods of aesthetic education of primary school students. The problems existing in general music education in China at the present stage are analysed, the important role of computer software in music lessons is explained, and ways and means of integrating information technology into the process of aesthetic education of schoolchildren are proposed.

Mixed reality strategies for piano education

Head-mounted mixed reality interfaces, in which a user perceives a seamless blend of real, virtual or remote content, have great potential in a wide range of educational contexts. In this paper, we explore the use of mixed reality (MR) in piano education. We begin with a review of previous examples of virtual and mixed reality for piano teaching and learning, identifying four major categories of functionality: remote teaching, learning to read musical notation, providing alternative notation systems to Western musical notation, and enhancing users’ understanding and experience of music. Following this review, we present an application designed to demonstrate the use of MR for facilitating remote student-teacher piano lessons. Additionally, hand-tracking enables real-time, bi-directional visualization of both the student’s and teacher’s hand movements while playing, which is a crucial communication channel in piano instruction. We also present the Piano Theory Hub, an interactive area for independent learning and practice designed to compliment remote instructions. The Piano Theory Hub uses MR to provide spatial in situ explanations and exercises on notes, intervals, scales, and chords. User studies were conducted to evaluate both remote and solo aspects of the application. The first study with 10 participants revealed a strong sense of immersion and co-presence with the teacher during remote lessons. Trials also revealed that, in addition to virtual hands, visual highlighting of key-presses was found to improve visualisation of the remote users’ play. The second study, with 15 participants found the Piano Theory Hub to be helpful for beginners and some intermediate players, with feedback suggesting improvements in user experience and highlighting the limitations of replacing traditional piano teachers. Our experiments demonstrate that MR can be successfully employed for the following strategies for piano education: hand interaction coaching, flexible virtual hand and piano visibility, augmented feedback including key highlighting, gamified learning elements, and flexible teacher positioning options. Overall, the findings suggest that mixed reality holds promise as an effective tool for remote piano learning and music education, offering immersive and engaging learning experiences.

‘If You Love Music You Should Learn How to DJ’: Maria Chavez and Elijah interviewed by Jake Williams

In this article, DJ and scholar Jake Williams speaks with Maria Chavez and Elijah about their ideas concerning education and pedagogy in electronic music. Although they come from very different musical backgrounds, the rationale for the joint interview was twofold: first, they are both DJs who think deeply about their practice and have strong pedagogical commitments; and second, their pedagogical practices have led to them to work between informal and formal educational spaces, across a range of age groups. The talk touches on their views on music education, academia, definitions of success, what it means to be ‘open source’ and, of course, DJing.

Preservice music educators’ perceived self-efficacy in teaching students with disabilities following special education coursework: A comparative mixed-methods study

Preservice music educators’ (PMEs) experiences teaching students with disabilities (SwD) often occurs through general education coursework. Researchers have examined the effect of content-specific course work on PMEs preparation to teach music to SwD but have not examined if differences in course and clinical settings impact their self-reported feelings of self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine whether differences in the delivery (online or in-person) of music-specific coursework and clinicals affected PMEs confidence to teach music to SwD. Students who participated in an online course reported a significant decrease in their self-efficacy ( t (17) = 3.57, p = .002, d = 0.89), while those who participated in an in-person course reported a significant increase ( t (10) = 7.116, p = .001, d = 2.15). Although no statistical significance was found between groups ( t (28) = 0.976, p = .33, d = 0.36), a comparative analysis of interview data provided nuanced differences. Applications for preservice music educator needs and instruction are discussed.

Restoring Nsukka Music School, 1970–1985

During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was plundered and was restored thereafter. This paper is about how the Department of Music in the UNN Nsukka Music School (NMS) was restored following the war. Data for the study were obtained from alumni who were eye witnesses; data-bearing documents in NMS’s office; embedded experience as a student in the NMS between 1977 and 1982; and, relevant publications. The data were subjected to deductive analysis and sequenced to answer the research questions. Findings indicate that between 1970 and 1975, the Sowande Building (SB) was renovated; the pioneer staff re-enlisted, as other faculty were appointed and sponsored abroad for graduate studies; a modicum of teaching-learning facilities was provided; a new curriculum was produced; and another building was erected and extended to cope with growing student registration. By 1979, most NMS faculty on graduate studies had returned, the extant teaching-learning facilities were decrepit, and some were replaced. With the new facilities, more ensembles were formed and public performances increased. By 1985, NMS was the flagship in Nigeria’s higher music education.

Implementing practices for the Chinese Nationalized Piano teaching model in undergraduate music education

Implementing practices for the Chinese Nationalized Piano teaching model in undergraduate music education

Recent Research in Singing

Abstract: This “Recent Research in Singing” article chronicles four academic documents authored during 2024. A thesis by Elaina M. Frissell, “Ukrainian Symbolism in Mykola Lysenko’s Art Songs and Taras Shevchenko’s Poetry,” and dissertations by Ju Eun Oh, “Harmonizing Language and Music: The Potential Role of Voice Pedagogues in Advancing Foreign Language Acquisition Through Music,” Bixiao Wang, “Selected Chinese Art Songs of Tzu Huang: A Performance Guide,” and Edwin R. Williams, “The Interdisciplinary Music Degree: Music Education, Music Performance, and Music and Fine Arts Administration.” Each includes a complete bibliographic citation and an Author/ProQuest abstract.

Towards modelling instructional quality for music class-rooms: Exploring subject-specific application of the TA-LIS/GTI generic framework

Arts subjects have so far been absent from large-scale studies on instructional quality as well as from related methodological development. The purpose of this article is to explore whether an observation scheme that builds on generic theoretical models and aims to capture instructional quality across school subjects might be meaningfully employed in general music education so that it could serve as a basis for empirical research and reflective practice. We evaluated instructional quality criteria proposed in the video observation system from the study Global Teaching InSights, the third cycle of OECD’s large-scale Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS/GTI) by exploring the system’s observation codes for analysis of music lessons on video and comparing the criteria with quality criteria from general music education. We found that the generic models are helpful and may have more to offer both research and practice in music education than we initially expected. The risk when attempting to apply quality criteria that are intended to be generic is that those aspects may be overemphasised while criteria that are essential for music education are pushed out of sight. However, we argue that modelling instructional quality in music classrooms is worthwhile in itself and that the friction points where generic criteria do not fit our subject are particularly interesting. A systematic discussion of quality criteria can sharpen our views and understandings of general music education and connect music education research with interdisciplinary discourse and with a much-needed, broad dialogue within the educational sciences.

A Study on How to Cultivate Musical Transitions Using A. Copland’s Theory of Students of Liberal Arts Music Education at University

This study adopted literature analysis and hermeneutic research methods, utilizing Aaron Copland's theory of film music to explore strategies for promoting musical transfer among students in college-level general music education. Music courses in liberal arts education at the university level typically focus on enhancing students' appreciation and understanding of music. however, given the nature of such courses, there may be limitations in applying musical concepts to real-life situations unless a specific instructional design is considered. To address this issue, this study developed a preliminary educational model through a literature review, and subsequently refined and finalized the model by incorporating revisions identified during the actual process of designing lessons using film music. The findings indicate that the educational model employing film music has the potential to enhance students' musical comprehension and appreciation skills and serves as an effective tool for facilitating the transfer of musical concepts across various contexts. These results suggest that the integration of film music into liberal arts music education is an effective approach for expanding students' musical thinking and experiences, thus presenting a new direction for music education.

메타버스와 인공지능을 반영한 최신 음악교육매체 기반예비교사 교육과정 적용 및 경험 탐색

The study aims to examine experiences and draw implications by designing and applying a pre-service teacher curriculum based on the latest media in music education that reflects of the metaverse and artificial intelligence. Using backward design as stage, 15-session curriculum was planned, and appropriate media were selected for each session. To analyze the experience of pre-service teachers, the survey was planned with 8 TPACK questions of technological pedagogical content knowledge and 9 questions of instructional self-efficacy, and the subjective experience was closely examined by analyzing reflective journals, performance tasks, observation diaries, and learning management systems (LMS). As a result, a significant increase in the mean TPACK scores of pre-service teachers was observed. Observations indicated that tailored learning tools could be developed using media functions, and media-based instruction methods were effectively recognized. Descriptive analysis of the self-efficacy survey revealed high average scores, particularly in 'motivation' and 'instruction planning suitable for social flow,' while 'strategies for underachievement' showed relatively low scores. To improve the media-based curriculum: First, media-based curricula should be implemented considering the various levels of prospective teachers and should have sufficient time. Second, suitable media must be selected in elementary classrooms, considering student differences, and a curriculum addressing underachievement is needed. Third, a stable digital environment should be ensured through regular checks of equipment, with additional support for headsets during sound editing. This study hopes to help pre-service teachers enhance their technological pedagogical content knowledge and develop media-based music education for the digital age.

음악과 개념기반 탐구학습 수업모형 개발 및 수업설계 방안 탐색

This study begins with the issue that existing models of concept-based inquiry processes generally fail to capture the distinctive characteristics of music education, which involves creation, practice, immersion, and expression. The aim of this research is to develop a music class model applicable to concept-based inquiry learning. To achieve this, we examined the features of concept-based curricula and the unique characteristics of music education, analyzed existing related instructional models to derive their features, and then developed a seven-stage instructional model. This model, which incorporates feedback from a music education research group and expert reviews, was applied to music classes centered around the concept of "change". The seven stages include: 'Observing', 'Exploring Contextual Information', 'Refining', 'Immersing and Expressing', 'Meaning Constructing', 'Transferring', and 'Reflecting'. The focus on 'Immersing and Expressing', a core characteristic of music education, is central to this model, with the structure allowing for flexible transitions to 'Immersing and Expressing' from other stages as needed. This model is suitable for forming music concepts and transferring them to other musical areas, thus promoting enriched musical experiences and practical applications in life. It is expected that this model will contribute to discussions on various applications of concept-based inquiry learning in music and practical approaches to instructional methods in the future.

2015 개정 및 2022 개정 교육과정에 따른 '즐거운 생활' 교육과정과 교과서의 음악 학습 내용 비교

As the 2022 revised curriculum was implemented, significant changes emerged in the content structure and textbook system of the elementary school integrated curriculum. This study aims to investigate how the "Pleasant Life" curriculum and the music learning content in elementary school textbooks impact music education. To this end, the study first compares the characteristics of the "Joyful Life" curriculum in the 2015 and 2022 revised curriculum. Second, the study analyzes in detail the characteristics of songs and music learning activities included in the integrated textbooks of both periods. Third, it identifies the challenges faced in music education for first and second-grade students within the integrated curriculum system and proposes improvement strategies to address these issues. The findings reveal that while the 2022 revised curriculum emphasizes teacher and student autonomy, it does not adequately support foundational music learning. Specifically, as the difficulty of songs in the textbooks increased and music activities decreased, students lacked sufficient opportunities for meaningful musical experiences. Therefore, to ensure effective music education for lower grades, music instruction should be delivered separately from integrated subjects, with a more systematic and developmentally appropriate approach. Additionally, there is a need to present musical scores in varied formats and include easier songs in textbooks. Improvements should also focus on designing music learning activities that align with the developmental stages of young learners, making musical concepts easier to understand and learn systematically.

The Role of Musical Instruments in the History of the Art of Singing at the End of the 19th - the Beginning of the 20thcentury, Music Education and Art in the BPSR

This article talks about the types of national musical instruments available at the beginning of the last century, famous musicians who played them, and valuable information about the creation of musical instruments. In 1920-1924, during the government of the Bukhara People's Soviet Republic (BPSR), effective works were carried out in the field of music art in a short period of time. One of the 4 branches of the Bukhara Public Education Inspectorate is called the "music" branch, and the work of this branch, especially, did effective and good things during the period when Abdurauf Fitrat, Musa Saidjonov, and Qori Yoldash Polatov worked as education inspectors. Special attention was paid to provide theater troupes with singers. Concert troupes were organized and they toured the regions of the BPSR.

디지털 매체 및 인공지능 기반의 과정 중심 음악창작 수업 모형 제안

This study aims to provide specific procedures and core teaching-learning contents for music education in school while suggesting an instructional model for process-centered music creation employing digital media and artificial intelligence. To this end, the researcher reviews the several instructional models for music creation in the field of music education, and identifies the key process for digital media and AI-based music activities. Based on the finding, the researcher introduces a novel instructional model for process-centered music creation based on digital media and AI tools. Furthermore, in the light of the instructional model, the researcher demonstrates how music textbooks can be effectively reorganized using digital media and AI tools. Additionally, the researcher proposes specific educational suggestions for teaching and learning activities and process-centered evaluation, thereby contributing to enhance the quality of music creation process for music education in school.

Current Situation and Thinking of Contemporary National Music Teaching

National music, as an important carrier for inheriting and promoting the excellent culture of the Chinese nation, has distinct, unique and profound national characteristics and aesthetic education value. National music teaching demonstrates the value concept of educating people with beauty and people-oriented, which is the concentrated embodiment of the core value of art courses. Based on the analysis of the current situation of national music teaching in my country, this paper proposes to focus on the cultural literacy of music teachers, improve the construction of national music teaching materials, and enhance the status of music education in school education, etc., to optimize the countermeasures of national music teaching in the new era, and provide a practical path for the widespread dissemination and popularization of national music in school education in my country.

초등학교 ‘즐거운 생활’ 통합교과서의 생태음악교육 내용 분석

The necessity of ecological education for coexistence between nature and humans, such as environmental education, ecological education, and ecological transition education, is increasingly emphasized through gradual changes in schools. Therefore, ecological education is now an important educational topic that should be addressed not only in specific subjects such as social studies, morals, science, and environment, but also in all fields. Ecological education in the music field starts from ecological musicology, which explores the relationship between music, culture, and the natural environment, and includes the area of environmental sounds. Therefore, the types of ecological music education that appear in the integrated textbook for elementary schools, “Pleasure Life,” which is being used for the first time in accordance with the revised 2022 curriculum this year, were analyzed by dividing them into ecological education through the text of the original song and sound activities such as exploring, listening to, and imitating environmental sounds. Through this, we examined whether the 2022 revised curriculum music text composition is appropriate in terms of ecological and environmental education, and the most common text related to the 'land ecosystem', while few or no texts such as 'climate change and response', 'marine ecosystem', and 'eco-friendly energy' were used. In addition, the sound activity area was classified into three categories based on soundscape ecology: 'geophony', 'biophony', and 'anthrophony', and it was confirmed that sound activity appeared in all three categories, and that the activity area had a variety of organization ranging from search, listening, and imitation of sound. This analysis is considered to be helpful in setting the direction of ecological music education and operating the subject.

구글 크롬 뮤직랩을 활용한 초등학교 예비 교원의 AI · 디지털 매체 역량 강화 방안 연구

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data to prospective elementary school teachers to strengthen their teaching and digital media utilization capabilities in the field of music creation using AI · digital media, and to help them research on improving the curriculum of pre-service elementary school teachers. Based on this, the 2022 revised music curriculum, and current music textbooks were analyzed and 4 sessions for pre-service elementary school teachers using Google Chrome Music Lab were developed. The significance of this study is that it presented a curriculum plan for pre-service elementary school teachers that focused on Google Chrome Music Lab among various AI · digital media for music education. It is also significant that the 2022 revised music curriculum, current textbooks, and achievement-based music creation were analyzed to consider the connection between digital media and the educational field. To make suggestions through this study, first, it is necessary to discover various cases of music teaching methods using AI · digital media. Second, music creation training using digital media should be actively conducted not only for pre-service teachers but also for teachers. Finally, it is necessary to create an educational environment with digital literacy in accordance with the changing times by sufficiently establishing AI · digital-related equipment in the educational field. It is hoped that this study will help improve elementary school music creation classes and pre-service teacher curriculum using AI · digital media.

국악 교육에서의 PBL 모형을 적용한 메타버스 국악공연 제작연구

This study aimed to develop students' self-directed problem-solving abilities and explore new possibilities for producing Korean traditional music performances in the metaverse by applying the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model in Korean traditional music education. The PBL teaching-learning process was structured into five stages: encountering the problem, planning for problem-solving, exploring and re-exploring, devising solutions, and presenting and evaluating. Through the process of planning and producing a Korean traditional music performance, students were encouraged to solve problems independently, and they carried out the performances they created using the metaverse platform 'ifland.' The results of the study showed that the production of metaverse Korean traditional music performances, using the PBL model, significantly improved students' self-directed learning abilities and collaborative learning skills. Furthermore, it confirmed the potential of Korean traditional music education within the metaverse environment. This study suggests that the application of the PBL model to the production of metaverse Korean traditional music performances can contribute to the modernization of Korean traditional music education and the advancement of educational methodologies. It also emphasizes the need to expand the use of digital platforms in Korean traditional music education in the future.