Despite historic and ongoing support for the inclusion of improvisation in the elementary general music curriculum, music educators consistently report challenges with implementation of improvisational activities in their classes. This study was designed to examine (a) the extent to which improvisational activities were occurring in the…

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to examine the ways an elementary general music teacher's curricular beliefs and practices influence the expression of "music in identity" and "identity in music" for second-generation students. In addition to the music teacher, participants were 4 students whose…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether children's recall of tones, numbers, and words was supported by a common temporal sequencing mechanism; whether children's patterns of memory for tones, numbers, and nonsense words were the same despite differences in symbol systems; and whether children's recall of tones, numbers, and nonsense…

Using two sequential key press sequences, we tested the extent to which subjects' performance on a digital piano keyboard changed between the end of training and retest on subsequent days. We found consistent, significant improvements attributable to sleep-based consolidation effects, indicating that learning continued after the cessation of…

Purpose of the study was to design, implement, and evaluate an experimental series of sequentially structured lessons in listening to selected contemporary art music, and to discover the effect of a fourteen-week program on the musical preferences of seventh-grade students who participated. (Author)

Reports on a study that compared the use of standard lesson planning to sequential teaching by prospective teachers. Concludes that task analysis and the sequential approach may improve instruction by providing students with an opportunity for mastery and a positive learning experience through frequent success. (CFR)

Examines the relationship of sequential patterns of instruction and individual pattern components (including task presentation, student response, and teacher feedback) to the overall effectiveness of music lessons taught by elementary education majors. Indicates that there were no differences in teacher effectiveness scores based on instruction in…

Looks at effective teaching research in order to identify a "correct" teaching sequence. Analyzes rehearsals to determine how teachers with varied levels of training and experience conformed to the optimal sequence. Finds that teachers spent too little time in correct sequences and failed to use enough positive reinforcement. (Author/LS)