The purpose of this descriptive case study was to examine two music education students' experiences as String Project teachers (SPTs). Research questions were as follows: What connections were made between coursework and the authentic-context learning (ACL) experience? and What was the impact of ACL experiences on music teacher identity? Data were…

The purpose of this study was to examine and empirically test the pedagogical claim that playing the piano while listening to choral singers impedes error detection ability. In a within-subjects design, participants (N = 55 preservice teachers) either listened to four excerpts of choral hymns or played a single part (soprano/bass) on the piano…

Preservice music teachers often use their voices differently during the semesters leading up to student teaching as compared to during the semester itself. Vocal demands often increase and change as students move from a student role to full-time teacher role. Consequently, music student teachers frequently experience vocal distress symptoms that…

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to understand how learning to play the ukulele influenced the music identity of elementary education majors. Eighteen participants (17 females, 1 male) from two universities created YouTube playlists and recorded solo ukulele performances for their YouTube channel. Music identity perceptions were…

Preplanning movement may be one way to broaden novice conductors' vocabulary of gesture and promote motor awareness. To test the difference between guided score study and guided score study with preplanned, intentional movement on the conducting gestures of novice conductors, undergraduate music education students (N = 20) were assigned to one of…

The purpose of this study was to examine linguistic indicators of reflective practice in preservice music teachers' written reflections following peer-teaching experiences. In an instrumental rehearsal techniques course, eight preservice music educators completed four peer-teaching episodes and submitted a written reflection after each episode.…

The purpose of this practical action research study was to explore how preservice music teachers, preservice classroom teachers, and a methods course instructor responded to the experience of rehearsing a Korean percussion ensemble piece. Seven preservice music teachers and nine preservice classroom teachers rehearsed "Samulnori" for 20…

The purpose of this study was to investigate current secondary woodwind, brass, and combined wind instrument methods courses for preservice music teachers across the United States. Two-hundred eleven (N = 211) wind methods course instructors from National Association of Schools of Music-accredited institutions completed an online survey that…

Few entering music education students plan to teach in an elementary general music (EGM) setting, and the majority of those who teach EGM are female and have vocalist backgrounds. The purpose of this collective case study was to examine six male instrumentalists' decisions to pursue a career in EGM teaching rather than secondary instrumental…

The purpose of this case study was to describe how one band director used pedagogical content knowledge while working with beginning-band students to help them develop the skill of playing brass lip slurs. Data were generated from (1) video recordings of each class over two different weeks during the school year, (2) "think aloud"…

The purpose of this study was to examine music education students' experiences (N = 64) in courses designed to develop vernacular musicianship and expand understandings of informal music making. Students participated in one of two classes (undergraduate/graduate), formed their own small ensembles, chose their own music and instruments, led their…

Increasing evidence, both in general education and music education, points to the significance of inquiry as a part of teacher preparation. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the ways in which an introductory research project would help preservice music educators understand good "music teaching" and to discover the extent…

Acquiring nonverbal skills necessary to appropriately communicate and educate members of performing ensembles is essential for wind band conductors. Virtual reality learning environments (VRLEs) provide a unique setting for developing these proficiencies. For this feasibility study, we used an augmented immersive VRLE to enhance eye contact, torso…