Applying the Flipped Classroom Methodology in a First-Year Undergraduate Music Research Methods Course

Online learning environments and teaching tools are becoming increasingly present on University campuses and continue to impact the way information literacy instruction is delivered. The flipped classroom is a methodology that allows students to access lecture content before class as homework, leaving room during class time for higher level cognitive activities and assessments. This article discusses a program review of a first-year undergraduate music library research methods course. A pre- and posttest survey was administered to collect students’ perceptions of the methodology as well as information literacy skill development

Practical and Philosophical Reflections Regarding Aural Skills Assessment

Assessment in aural skills courses is a tricky intersection of instructors’ expectations, students’ skills in audiation, students’ perceptions and anxieties regarding assessment and performance, and the peculiarities of evaluative instruments. After several years in my teaching position at a large university, I became increasingly dissatisfied with assessment in the second-year aural skills program I coordinate. In short, I was displeased both with the nature of the student activities we evaluated and with the ways in which success on those activities was measured. Students’ and instructors’ frustrations convinced me of the need to make assessment more obviously relevant, less intimidating to students, and more reflective of students’ success in mastering the skills we hope to foster. My hope in sharing the problems I identified, and my responses to them, is to inspire introspection about what our aural skills assessment methods actually measure, the expertise we intend for students to gain from this part of their music studies, and the potentially dangerous distance between these two things. I must acknowledge in advance that, throughout this article, I presume an orthodox approach to collegiate aural skills instruction. Such an approach provides students with strategies for completing common audiation activities such as melodic and harmonic dictation and sightsinging, alongside in-class practice employing these strategies. Students’ mastery of audiation skills is tested periodically with dictation activities (i.e., quizzes and/or exams) and singing activities (i.e., “hearings” or “audits”), student performance on these activities is measured with an assessment tool, and the measurement becomes a basis for students’ grades in the class. It would be disingenuous to imply that this model is the only way in which an aural skills curriculum could work, or that it is without its faults. But rather than attacking this broad-stroked outline, which mirrors normative curricular practice at a great many American postsecondary schools that offer music degrees (including my own), in this essay I will consider closely the role and makeup of assessment activities in this model. Doing so can strengthen the student outcomes of such programs—and our measurements of those outcomes—without upsetting the entire curricular apple cart

Music Theory for Student Composers: A Course Designed for Engagement by Using Both a Flipped Classroom and Praxial Philosophy

In a world filled with innovation, technology and hands-on learning, the subject of music theory in the high school classroom has stayed relatively the same for the past fifty years for the student composer. By using the same tried-and-true methods, teachers are introducing concepts through lectures, while students reinforce concepts on their own during their homework assignments. Music examples are given on a regular basis and they are usually played on the piano by the professor or through recording. These methods, while effective, are not meeting the needs of today’s tech savvy and hands-on generation. While students are engaging with new material and interfaces in other subject areas, the content delivery for music theory for the student composer is in need of an update. Based off of recent literature in the field of the flipped classroom and the Praxial philosophy makes the case on behalf of the hands-on learner for the need of classroom innovation. This generation is not only excited about music, but it also desire to create its own content by using a variety of platforms. The development of easily accessible technology has given student composers a plethora of means to learn how to compose and distribute their content. However, student composers are in need of curriculum that can use those existing platforms and actively engage them in their compositional skills. While the common view of music theory is that it is a dry, dull, yet needed subject, a Praxial music theory course will be engaging and exciting for the aspiring student composer

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STANDARDS BASED GRADING ASSESSMENT PLAN IN THE SIXTH GRADE CHORAL CLASSROOM

This project focuses on the best assessment methods for standards-based grading in the sixth grade choral classroom. In the middle school choral world, resources are limited in the area of standards-based grading in the sixth grade choral classroom. This project was created to study and focus on how the new national standards connect with assessments methods utilized by choral music educators for sixth grade and then to connect these methods to standards-based grading. The aim of the project was to create the best assessment methods to be utilized with the new national music standards in the sixth grade choral music classroom with standards-based grading semester assessment plans. It is hoped that this project will be significant in helping choral music educators, specifically sixth grade, have access to research-based best assessments and understand how to connect them to standards-based grading. This project was designed by gathering the current research on standards-based grading, choral music assessment tools, best grading practices for the choral music classroom, and assessments connected to the new national standards. The project design was to take the research, layout the new nationals standards, and find, or create, the best tools for assessing these standards. Next, this project created a semester assessment map to put the assessments in a sequential order for a school year that would be user friendly for a middle school choral music educator. In this project, the major conclusion is that the best assessment and grading methods for the sixth grade choral music classroom are connected to standards-based grading

Flipped Learning as a pedagogical alternative for the work of musical expression in times of pandemic

La inclusión de la innovación metodológica es una realidad presente en la enseñanza en general. En esta tendencia hacia la optimización del proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje se posiciona el modelo flipped learning o de aprendizaje invertido, un interesante recurso metodológico para la dinamización del aula. El presente estudio analiza la efectividad del flipped learning para el trabajo de la expresión musical, respecto a una metodología de formación tradicional. Para ello, se ha desarrollado un diseño cuasi-experimental en una muestra de 59 estudiantes de educación secundaria. Los resultados obtenidos reflejan que el uso de un método tradicional o del modelo de aprendizaje invertido genera resultados variables y cambios significativos en cada una de las dimensiones analizadas: interacciones, acceso a los contenidos, autonomía, colaboración, profundización, resolución de problemas, aprovechamiento del tiempo de clase y calificaciones. Se concluye que el aprendizaje invertido influye positivamente en diversas dimensiones socioeducativas, lo que permite una optimización del proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje y una interesante herramienta para la innovación en la didáctica de la música.The inclusion of methodological innovation is a reality present in teaching in general. In this trend towards the optimization of the teaching and learning process, the flipped learning or inverted learning model is positioned, an interesting methodological resource for the dynamization of the classroom. This study analyzes the effectiveness of flipped learning for the work of musical expression, compared to a traditional training methodology. For this, a quasi-experimental design has been developed in a sample of 59 secondary school students. The results obtained reflect that the use of a traditional method or the flipped learning model generates variable results and significant changes in each of the dimensions analyzed: interactions, access to content, autonomy, collaboration, deepening, problem solving, use of class time and grades. It is concluded that flipped learning positively influences various socioeducational dimensions, which allows an optimization of the teaching and learning process and an interesting tool for innovation in music teaching.Proyecto titulado: “Metodologías innovadoras y buenas prácticas docentes en la enseñanza universitaria de Ceuta en el contexto de pandemia por COVID-19

Challenges to Student Success in an Introductory Music Theory I Course

A state college in the mid-Atlantic United States requires a music theory course for 4 of its undergraduate music programs. In the 6 years prior to this study, students had difficulty with the course, with many failing or withdrawing. Tinto\u27s theory of student retention served as the foundation of the conceptual framework for this study, the purpose of which was to identify challenges to successfully completing the course. This purpose was reflected in the study\u27s driving research question focused on students\u27 experiences regarding challenges to success. In this instrumental case study, 12 students and 2 instructors participated in individual interviews, and 7 students participated in a focus group. Initial coding was used for the 1st-cycle coding phase. Axial coding was used for the 2nd cycle. Seven themes emerged through an iterative categorization protocol: 3 student-related themes, 3 college-related themes, and 1 theme relating to solutions for overcoming challenges to success in Music Theory I. Although data indicated that students experienced diverse challenges to success, the need for additional help was most evident. Thus, a logical project for this study was a music theory lab designed using best practices for course redesign and adult learning found in the literature and developed to support student learning of the concepts presented in Music Theory I. This study may contribute to positive social change by providing an opportunity for students at the college to receive academic support structured to meet their learning needs and improve their performance in Music Theory I, which may prevent students from withdrawing from or failing the course

Music theory pedagogy in Malta: implications for practice in higher education from the perspectives of teachers, lecturers and students

This study examines insights concerning teachers’ and students’ perspectives, strategies and experiences of music theory teaching and learning in Higher Education in Malta. Inspired by a combination of approaches (case study, constructivist-interpretivist), the research aimed to provide an empirical exploration of music theory teaching at the Malta School of Music (MSM), whilst acting as a backbone, to the researcher’s design and structure of two study guides for the higher theory grades. Findings from the empirical part of the study suggest distinctive core skills for all music theory learners in Higher Education. These are aural and sight singing skills, analysis skills, part-writing and composing skills, keyboard harmony and impovisation skills. The theoretical framework has also identified approaches that music theory teachers could adopt for effective teaching such as student-centred and inquiry-based learning, using a variety of music repertoire, adopting creative digital technologies, connecting theory with practice and assessment through portfolios. In particular, responses from the participants in the study suggest that active listening, keyboard harmony and improvisation, analysis through a variety of repertoire, student-centred approach that encourage the students’ creative voice in composition, the connection of theory with practice, digital technologies and the organisation of the portfolio assessment were all underscored as being pivotal in the students’ musical development. The thesis concludes with recommendations on the content and ways of teaching of music theory in Higher Education directed at helping students to connect actively with the subject in a pragmatic and enjoyable way. Besides the written submission, the separate portfolio submission also includes sample material from the final versions of the music theory guides for Grades VII and VIII that the researcher has created, which will form part of the forthcoming music theory workbooks, compiled by the researcher upon the request of the Maltese Government

The role of the school management team on the academic performance of Mathematics, Science, and Technology schools in the Whiteriver circuit

South Africa is one of the countries with a poor performance in Mathematics, Science, and Technology (MST) subjects. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the role of the School Management Team (SMT) on the academic performance of MST schools in the Whiteriver Circuit of Mpumalanga Province. This study is located within instructional and distributive leadership. The instructional leadership assumes that SMT members must be instructional leaders, while the distributive leadership assumes that the SMT members and teachers need to distribute or share leadership in an environment of trust. A qualitative approach was utilised in this study since it attempts to make sense of the SMT members and teachers experiences, views, beliefs, mentality, and behaviour in particular school settings. This qualitative study focused on the research paradigm of interpretivism. The interpretivism paradigm focuses more on what the teachers and SMT members in the study perceive as reality within their context. Using this approach involved investigating MST teachers and members of the SMT within their contexts and trying to understand their experiences and interpretation of management skills that result in learner academic performance. Five MST schools were purposively sampled, with five participants in each school; therefore, the study had twenty-five participants. A literature review was conducted on the role of the SMT on the academic performance of MST schools in South Africa and internationally. This study was approached from the human relations theory of management. The human relations theory was developed in the early 1920s by Professor Elton Mayo, an Australian psychologist and organisational theorist. The human relations theory of management assumes that teachers desire to be part of a supportive SMT that enables progress and development; hence, if teachers and other staff members receive special attention from the SMT and are encouraged to participate in school activities, they view their work as significant. As a result, they are driven to be more productive, resulting in good academic performance. Semi-structured interviews were used as the primary instrument to collect data. Data collected through semi-structured interviews was then triangulated with observation and document analysis in order to ensure validity and reliability of the data. This study revealed that the SMT plays a significant role in the academic performance of learners of MST schools. The findings also showed that MST schools use different strategies to improve the academic performance of learners. Moreover, MST schools face numerous challenges, and many factors are affecting the academic performance of learners in MST schools. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends the following: the SMT should ensure that daily directions are set in order to ensure effective school management. This includes the day-to-day operations of schools; hence, this can only be done if the SMT has operational plans that detail the activities and the time the activity should be done. Secondly, teachers should ensure effective teaching and learning is taking place in their classes. This study makes an important contribution to the academic improvement of MST schools.Educational Management and LeadershipM. Ed. (Education Management