Discusses the founding and activities of the National Arts Education Research Center, focusing on the site at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Outlines the center's current seven project program, briefly describing each project. Defines the Center's purpose as seeking the best ways to teach and assess learning in the arts. (DB)

Contends that knowledge and its representation in the scholarly community has undergone changes in the past two decades. Examines the nature and contributions of teacher knowledge in the scholarly literature of music teaching. Reflects on the contribution of teacher knowledge to existing university-based literature. (CFR)