Rewards are frequently used in classrooms and recommended as a key component of well-researched methods of cooperative learning (e.g., Slavin, 1995). While many studies of cooperative learning find beneficial effects of rewards, many studies of individuals find negative effects (e.g., Deci, Koestner, & Ryan, 1999; Lepper, 1988). This may be…

In this article, the author describes how an experiment in a class she taught called Minority Musics of North America developed into a surprisingly successful and flexible teaching tool known as "Shaker Oats," created to encourage the concepts of ensemble and community. Most music educators in the United States today are familiar with…

Willem Van de Wall (1887-1953) and Max Kaplan (1911-98) built careers spanning music performance, music education, adult education, sociology, social work, music therapy and community music. Willem Van de Wall was a seminal influence on the development of the fields of music therapy and adult education--researching the role of music in…

For many individuals, engagement with the arts and music in later life plays a significant role in identity formation. Research indicates that music engagement facilitates successful aging. While participants may or may not establish identities as musicians, musical activities provide interactions and opportunities that facilitate their…

Copyright law is a daunting subject for most lawyers, so it's no surprise that many music educators feel uneasy dealing with it as well. But in truth, obtaining permissions for using copyrighted works can be a very simple and straightforward process. This article walks the readers through the steps of obtaining permission for a fictional piece of…

The author of this article encourages teachers to present not only general music performances but also informances. Multiple examples and potential themes are given, as are the rationale and suggestions for planning such a program. (Contains 2 figures.)

This article focusses primarily on the findings relating to the musical participation of boys in one Melbourne school. As part of a project that investigated boys' attitudes and participation at fifty-one schools, several contextual features were identified that set "Balton Boys" High School' apart from other participating schools,…

This dissertation undertakes an analysis of 1,044 performance evaluations from New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Spring Festival solo adjudication ratings of student performers from a large suburban school district. It relies on results of evaluations of observed performances, and takes these evaluations as assessments of what the…

The purpose of this study was to explore South Korean parents' understanding of and desires for music education for their children. Following a constructivist paradigm and qualitative research methodology, data collection involved in-depth interviews, observations, written questionnaires, family music materials, and the researcher's journals. The…

In the UK, recent years have witnessed a considerable growth in youth participation activities that seek to involve children and young people in various forms of decision-making. One such form of youth participation to benefit from increased government support since the late 1990s concerns community arts activities, especially those targeting…

Teacher turnover is an important issue in education. Studies have reported that almost half of new teachers leave by their fifth year. The problem is being examined in a number of ways, including the preparation of new teachers, costs to school districts, the impact on student achievement, and models of supply and demand. In the current study,…

Building on concepts relating to informal science education, this work compares science-related activities which successfully engaged public audiences at three different "generic" locations: a garden festival, a public park, and a music festival. The purpose was to identify what factors contribute to the perceived success of science…

This exploratory study surveyed 118 music majors to investigate their music listening practices. The questionnaire specifically assessed musical tastes and examined the roles that listening plays in personal and professional activities. With regard to the amount of time spent in their daily lives, these music majors reported spending more than…

The purpose of the present study was to identify whether conductors distinguish functions of conducting similarly to functions implied in previous research. A sample of 84 conductors with a full range of experience levels (M = 9.8) and of a full range of large ensemble types and ensemble age levels rated how much they pay attention to 82…

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was the ultimate child prodigy. It is said that Mozart, after attending a service at the Vatican, wrote down an entire sacred piece of music after one hearing. There are countless examples of the amazing feats that Mozart accomplished through his childhood, not to mention his huge compositional output through…