2021 Research Poster Session

The purpose of this study was to explore adolescent self-views of singing ability through both implicit theories and self-concept meaning systems in the context of a choral hierarchy. Using a researcher-designed survey instrument, I gathered data from middle- and high-school students currently enrolled in a hierarchical choral structure. I analyzed descriptive statistics of survey responses to items designed to measure implicit theories of singing ability, singing self-concept, and goal orientat... (continue)

The benefits of playing by ear are recognized by many educators and Musco (2010), argues that such methodology promotes the development of learner’s aural skills, memory, and creativity. Gordon (1997), believes that improvising and playing by ear is an essential skill for the development of well-rounded musicianship, and recommends that such methods should be implemented during the early developmental stages of music learning. Furthermore, Schleuter (1997), argues that introducing the musi... (continue)

This review of literature examines the historical development of artificial intelligence (“AI”), the general use of AI in music, and the theory and utility of using AI in music education. The review consisted of an examination of a wide range of journal articles and media reference material. AI is a software tool that analyzes large volumes of data, provides insight, learns from its mistakes and transforms many human centric activities to make them more accessible and less expensive.... (continue)

The growing number of charter schools in Florida has potential to impact enrollment in arts programs as well as music programs such as band. The purpose of the research is to examine arts enrollment trends, especially music courses, in charter schools during the 2019-20 school year.  The research questions are: 1. How many types of arts programs are students enrolled in at charter elementary and secondary schools?  2. How does charter school music course enrollment compa... (continue)

This study is an investigation of the effects of short-term conducting-gesture instruction on eighth-grade string orchestra students. Comparison was done between conducting-based instruction and modeling-based instruction. Participants were 31 eighth-grade string orchestra students. During five consecutive days, experimental-group subjects (n =14) received instruction designed to improve recognition and response to conducting gestures. The control group (n = 17) participated in modeling-based in... (continue)

Over the past 60 years the repertoires of high school and college bands have diverged over the course of time. This research evaluates current trends in wind band programming by looking at these two groups. Both groups typically programmed transcriptions and marches during the 1920s through the 1940s. They did not just perform concerts but also provided music for various functions such as athletic competitions. The founding of the Eastman Wind Ensemble in 1952 led to an increase of original work... (continue)

Music Standards, Educational Objectives, and Reflective Practices in Early Elementary Music The purpose of this mixed-methods action-study was to monitor the development of a second-grade music classroom with violent tendencies. We conducted an intervention design in 12 cycles of simultaneous data collection and analysis. A researcher-constructed scale was used to measure group achievement on selected National and State Standards, as well as educational objectives classified ... (continue)

Music Technology Curriculum Inquiry Using the National Standards and Domains Our objective with this mixed-methods study was to test a music technology curriculum in an elementary school in Miami-Dade. We conducted an intervention design in ten cycles. We used a researcher-constructed scale that measured group achievement on selected National Music Standards and educational objectives classified by either cognitive, affective, or psychomotor domains. We also used field notes ... (continue)

On the Spectrum: The music experiences of two young adult brothers This is an auto-ethnographic mixed methods case study in the style of Michael Quinn Patton. The primary purpose of this study is to add to the body of knowledge regarding persons with Autism Spectrum Conditions—their lived experiences and their experiences with music and music education. The secondary purpose of this study is to document the musical experiences of two persons with Autism Spectrum Conditions: giving special ... (continue)

The purpose of this poster is to highlight the initial coding and analysis process of a qualitative study focused on addressing and combatting performance anxiety in the collegiate class piano setting. Students representing a range of collegiate group piano settings submitted responses to free-response questionnaires regarding their experiences in class piano.  Responses were classified according to Saldana's (2013) model of holistic coding.  Excerpts of thes... (continue)

Assessing musical performance is a common practice throughout the field of music education. Directors often use ensemble performances, such as marching band competitions or concert band music performance assessments (MPAs), as a tool to gain feedback and determine if students are reaching the necessary benchmarks (Werpy, 1995). Ratings at these performance assessments can be important to parents, administrators, and the community (Boyle, 1992), and in many situations, director job security and p... (continue)

Without a doubt, music educators and scholars have long believed that developing a music education philosophy is vital for preservice music educators (Austin & Reinhardt, 1999; Bowman, 2012; Ervin, Edwards, Kerchner, and Knight, 2002; Hodges, 2017; Reimer, 1970; Townsend, 2011). Philosophy in music education often offers guidance for curriculum design and a lesson plan for decision-making (Abeles, Hoffer, & Klotman, 1995; Hodges, 2017), and it promotes both effective teaching and a posit... (continue)

Teachers are being impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic. The traditional methods of music instruction are not easily transferable during this crisis as teachers are forced to teach a small number of students face-to-face in classrooms that must be sanitized regularly, or they are teaching online with limited supplies. To compound the issue, teachers are still required to provide equitable access to a quality music education in an environment that makes equitable instruction difficult at bes... (continue)

The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and analyze a curriculum unit using the Brazilian pífano into two classes of fourth-grader students from an urban public elementary school in the US. The research questions: (1) How the selected fourth-grade students respond to the Brazilian curriculum unit? and (2) What are the challenges of teaching this curriculum unit in a public school in the US? The methodology consisted of (a) the development of six lesson plans focused on <... (continue)

It has been suggested that almost half of ensemble rehearsals are dedicated to the detection and correction of performance errors. Therefore, the ability to detect errors is an essential skill for music educators. In order to prepare students to develop error detection skills, many colleges offer in depth aural training courses. However, the transferability of skills learned in aural training courses to real life error detection scenarios seems to be limited. Therefore, researchers have suggeste... (continue)

Most middle school and high school band directors encourage their students to participate in an honor band at some point during their musical career (Stegman, 2009). Participation in honor bands can allow students to learn about their interests and impact future college decisions (Lien & Humphreys, 2001) and career choices (Rickels et al., 2013). In typical classroom settings, researchers have shown that student behaviors, attitudes, and opinions are associated with conductor effectiveness (... (continue)

The purpose of this study was to see if preservice music teachers’ can accurately identify musical responses in children with disabilities using the Sounds of Intent framework. Specifically, the study sought to examine if basic Sounds of Intent training could affect preservice music teachers’ accuracy in identifying: (1) reactive responses, (2) proactive responses, and (3) interactive responses in children with special needs.  Participants for this study (N = 15) were u... (continue)

Paula Thornton has been a staple figure and contributor to the local and national field of band directing. Her legacy has had lasting positive effects on the profession. Paula, as I personally address her, is a retired band director who taught primarily in Central Florida and was the second woman president of the Florida Bandmasters’ Association. Her high school bands were nationally recognized, performing at events such as the renowned Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. She also served in... (continue)

The rapidly growing interest in popular music education in recent years has been striking (Allsup, 2008; Isbell, 2007; Mantie, 2013; Niknafs, 2019; Williams, 2017). This interest has been discussed and promoted in both research and practice with regard to reducing the gap between in and out of school, and explicating its influence on students (Abramo, 2011; Byo, 2018; Beauregard, 2019; Froehlich & Smith, 2017; Green, 2002, 2006, 2008; Jaffurs, 2004; Niknafs, 2019; Tobias, 2019; Woody, 2019).... (continue)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the demographics of college band directors at NCAA Division One colleges and universities across the United States. Specifically, the research questions were: (1) What are the current demographics of college band directors in terms of gender, race, and level of professorship? (2) Are there differences in demographics of gender and race based on athletic conference? (3) Are there differences in the level of professorship based on race? Results showed t... (continue)

Musical experiences (e.g., performing, creating, and responding) are related to working memory processes. Working memory is an important element during the execution of cognitive tasks that require the maintenance and manipulation of information for short periods of time. Researchers have been interested in the relationship between working memory and academic performance in the domains of writing, mathematics, reading, and science. Since working memory assumes an essential role in cognitive acti... (continue)