Matching Items (2)
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- All Subjects: Music teachers
- Creators: Stauffer, Sandra L
Description
The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences and opinions of Arizona music teachers related to interactions with peers in formal online professional development (OPD) courses approved for recertification of their teacher credential. The target population (N = 584) was current music teachers in K-12 schools who are members of the 2014 Arizona Music Educators Association. Ultimately 279 respondents completed a researcher-constructed online survey (response rate = 48%).
The survey instrument explored four primary research questions; (1) Do music teachers in Arizona participate in formal OPD related to recertification of their teacher credential? (2) Do music teachers in Arizona who participate in OPD courses interact with their peers during OPD? (3) What is the nature of self-reported peer interactions among Arizona music teachers who participate in OPD courses? (4) What are Arizona music teachers' opinions regarding peer interaction in OPD courses?
Almost half of the 279 respondents participated in OPD courses for their recertification. Some participated in music-specific OPD courses such as online music classes, webinars, or online degree programs. Many respondents considered OPD courses to be effective because of convenience, location, time savings, and flexibility. Most who took online classes participated in multiple OPD courses.
Of the respondents who took OPD courses, nearly two-thirds indicated that they interacted with peers during those courses. Most of these respondents reported that required interactions were effective. Some benefits were sharing ideas and acquiring information from others. Participants preferred asynchronous interaction with peers to synchronous interaction. Factors that may have prevented these music teachers from interacting in OPD courses were superficial level message content in discussion boards or low participation from peers. Teachers also reported using informal online interactions in social networks not related to recertification hours.
Findings from this study may help improve teacher interactions with peers in OPD courses. This study may serve to influence instructors in OPD courses, administrators, policy-makers, and online course developers to improve OPD by integrating peer interactions into online courses for music teachers. Additional research on many aspects of OPD for music teachers is needed to improve educational practice.
The survey instrument explored four primary research questions; (1) Do music teachers in Arizona participate in formal OPD related to recertification of their teacher credential? (2) Do music teachers in Arizona who participate in OPD courses interact with their peers during OPD? (3) What is the nature of self-reported peer interactions among Arizona music teachers who participate in OPD courses? (4) What are Arizona music teachers' opinions regarding peer interaction in OPD courses?
Almost half of the 279 respondents participated in OPD courses for their recertification. Some participated in music-specific OPD courses such as online music classes, webinars, or online degree programs. Many respondents considered OPD courses to be effective because of convenience, location, time savings, and flexibility. Most who took online classes participated in multiple OPD courses.
Of the respondents who took OPD courses, nearly two-thirds indicated that they interacted with peers during those courses. Most of these respondents reported that required interactions were effective. Some benefits were sharing ideas and acquiring information from others. Participants preferred asynchronous interaction with peers to synchronous interaction. Factors that may have prevented these music teachers from interacting in OPD courses were superficial level message content in discussion boards or low participation from peers. Teachers also reported using informal online interactions in social networks not related to recertification hours.
Findings from this study may help improve teacher interactions with peers in OPD courses. This study may serve to influence instructors in OPD courses, administrators, policy-makers, and online course developers to improve OPD by integrating peer interactions into online courses for music teachers. Additional research on many aspects of OPD for music teachers is needed to improve educational practice.
ContributorsKim, Hyung Seok (Author) / Schmidt, Margaret E (Thesis advisor) / Stauffer, Sandra L (Thesis advisor) / Sullivan, Jill M (Committee member) / Tobias, Evan S (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2015
Description
ABSTRACT In this study, I used a qualitative approach to explore the music teacher role identities of six beginning music teachers prior to, during, and after their student teaching experience. Data collection included participant-observation, interviews, and e-mail communication. Specifically, I looked at what each of these beginning music teachers discussed when describing themselves in the role of music teacher. These participants' music teacher role identities appeared to focus on four main components, while also remaining unique from one another. Those four components were: musical selves, instructional selves, professional selves, and ideological selves. Further, the participants' role identities appeared to change from the period prior to student teaching through student teaching to the time after their student teaching experience. Based on data gleaned from the participants in this study, I created my own definition of music teacher role identity. This study's findings suggest further research using a longitudinal approach to explore the role identities of music teachers at various stages of their careers.
ContributorsPaise, Michele Paynter (Author) / Schmidt, Margaret (Thesis advisor) / Stauffer, Sandra L (Committee member) / Bush, Jeffrey (Committee member) / Sullivan, Jill M (Committee member) / Schildkret, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010