Current Trends in Music Education
MUE 543

Course Overview

This on-line course is part of the School of Music's Master of Arts in Music Education. Completion of this course is required for the MA in Music Education (Music Education).

This course provides a critical analysis of current pedagogical trends in music education. Emphasis will be placed on evaluation of various music education curricula. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

The thrust of the course will be to improve classroom instruction through critical analysis of current educational thought in music education and closely related disciplines (e.g., constructivist learning theory, social learning theory, etc.). Through critical study and discussion each member of the class will improve her/his own pedagogical style.

Purpose

This course is designed to provide each student pursuing the Masters of Arts in Music Education degree a basic understanding of current pedagogical thought, theory, and best practices in general music education. The course’s principle objective is to give students an opportunity study current music education trends and to reflect on their own practices. The readings, discussions, presentations, and model lessons provided throughout the course will ultimately assist students in providing the best possible music education for their students.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Articulate how social learning theory can be applied to music education.
  • Apply social learning theory in her/his current teaching assignment.
  • Design a unit of study in her/his current employment position that uses ideas and thoughts discussed in class.
  • Critique lesson plans and unit plans based upon ideas and thoughts discussed throughout the course.
  • Identify areas of interest within music education that can be used as possible topics for thesis work.

Orientation to SFA Distance Education

SFA has developed its distance learning courses to meet the needs of "non-traditional" students and those individuals who are interested in completing a degree program from
the university but who cannot travel to Nacogdoches. It should be stated that distance learning is not for everyone. SFA has a wonderful Distance Learning Orientation page that can help answer many of your questions, provide information about registration, course offerings, an introduction to on-line learning, and distance education programs, to name a few. Please make certain that you are familiar with and have access to a computer with the recommended requirements.

To assess your particular learning style and whether you can flourish in a learning environment that places more of the educational onus on the student,please look carefully at the My Success section of the OIT orientation page.

To ascertain if you have the computer skills necessary to successfully complete this course, please avail yourself of the opportunity to look at the OIT Orientation Self-Check page. This self-check will be an important tool in determining your personal comfort level with computers and technology.

It is suggested that you visit the demo WebCt course. This will acquaint you with the format of a course delivered by WebCt. Also, to get you started at the beginning of the semester, please visit this Getting Started page. This is yet another "help" page that will acquaint you will WebCt and Distance Education.

Library Resources

During this course you will also use the SFA Steen Library's on-line resources. For the Steen Library's homepage, click here. The department of music is developing a web-page of useful web resources that will assist you in completing all of your graduate coursework. To help you get started, we advise you to visit the Steen Library's on-line help page. This will provide you with information about navigating through the Library's web pages and how to use their resources. Additionally, you will need to have a Proxy in order to access some of the university's on-line journals. Make certain you have obtained a proxy before the second week of class.

Also, the Steen Library has a information page that you may find useful. Information on this page will acquaint you with what services the library offers distance learning students. For introductory information about library support of distance learning, click here.

Overview of the Course

The course is designed to foster critical thinking and thoughtful reflection on music education research. While you may be physically removed from Nacogdoches, you will, and are expected to be, in contact with the instructor and other students in the course on a weekly basis. The format of the course blends traditional learning strategies found in a typical correspondence course (e.g., weekly assignments, quizzes, etc.) with the benefits of interacting with one another through the Internet (e.g., discussion boards, chat rooms, white boards, etc.). Successful completion of this course requires the following:

1-Weekly chat sessions,
2-Discussion board postings,
3-Critical Analysis Summaries
4-Term paper,
5-Final Examination

Students should be familiar with accessing on-line research journals or should have access to a large regional or university library. As a student of SFA, you will have access to our on-line journals.

Texts

The texts for the course change from time to time but may be selected from among the following:

  • Bluestine, E. (2000). The ways children learn music: An introduction and practical guide to music learning theory. GIA Press.
  • Wing, L., ed. (1999) (2001). Mountain Lake Reader, Volumes 1 and 2.
  • Wiggins, J. (2000). Teaching for Musical Understanding. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Campbell, P. (1998). Songs in their heads. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Madsen, C. K. (2000). Vision 2020: The housewright symposium on the future of music education. Reston, VA: MENC.
  • Scott, D.B., ed. (2000) Music, Culture and Society: A Reader. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • DeNora, T. (2000) Music in Everyday Life. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Keil, C. and Feld, S. (1994) Music Grooves: Essays and Dialogues. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
  • Froehlich, H. and McCarthy, M. (In progress). Music-Sociology-Education: Vital Perspectives for the Music Teacher. Prentice-Hall.
  • Rideout, R. R., and Paul, S. P., eds. (2000). On the Sociology of Music Education II: Papers from the Music Education Symposium at the University of Oklahoma. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts.
  • Eisner, E. W., (2002). The Arts and the Creation of Mind, New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-09523-6
 

Instructor

Mark E. Turner, DMA
Associate Professor of Music
School of Music
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3043
Click here for biographical information about the instructor.