This study is an examination of whether accuracy and delivery of teacher instruction and student attentiveness would affect evaluative perceptions of teacher effectiveness. Participants were 168 musicians and were grouped according to experience level: (a) Grades 6–8, (b) Grades 9–12, (c) undergraduate, and (d) experienced teacher. Participants viewed and evaluated a videotape of eight teaching segments for teaching effectiveness. A two-way ANOVA with repeated measures indicated significant differences due to experience level and teaching segments. Results indicated that the secondary students rated a teacher giving inaccurate instruction relatively high when the teacher demonstrated high delivery and the class was attentive. Analysis of the descriptive data suggested that the four groups attended to the delivery of the teacher more than any other variable. Experienced teachers attended to accuracy of instruction more than did any other group, and middle schoolers attended to student attentiveness, or perceived classroom management skills of the teacher, more than did any other group.

Seven rehearsal excerpts demonstrating research-identified teaching skills were presented to university music majors ( N = 89) for ratings and comments. The excerpts focused on the conductor/teacher and were selected from previously taped choral rehearsals of two contrasting pieces across one complete semester. Numerical ratings from 1 to 10 were assigned by subjects to 10 categories of student and teacher behavior: time use, musicianship, accuracy of presentation, student attentiveness, student performance quality, enthusiasm, intensity, pacing, personality, and overall effectiveness. Comparisons of the characteristics of the highest-rated excerpt with the highest-rated showed that the highest-rated excerpt contained less off-task student behavior, a higher percentage of approvals, more eye contact, more activity changes, and that the average length of both teacher and student activities was from 5-6 seconds. Subjects' comments revealed that the highest-rated excerpt received the most positive comments and the lowest-rated received the most negative comments. For the highest-rated excerpt, the most positive comments were for student attentiveness, enthusiasm, pacing, and overall teaching effectiveness; and for the lowest-rated, the most negative comments were for student attentiveness, pacing, and overall teaching effectiveness.

The purpose of this study was to examine preservice and experienced teachers' ratings and comments on teacher effectiveness and student learning after observing videotaped music classes. Comparisons were made among experience levels of observers and between focus of attention of observation. Subjects for the study included college junior and senior music education majors who either had no practicum teaching experience ( n= 26) or who had practicum teaching experiences but had not student-taught ( n= 26). A third group included subjects with full-time music teaching experience ( n= 26). Subjects watched two videotapes, one of an elementary music lesson with the camera focused on the teacher and one with the camera focused on the students. Subjects were asked to rate the effectiveness of teaching and student learning of both videotapes and provide a written rationale for assigning the ratings. Ratings were analyzed statistically and indicated a significant difference among groups ( p < .001), with experienced teachers rating teachers and students lower than undergraduate subjects. Comments were categorized as relating to teacher behavior, student behavior, or other. Analyses indicated that all groups made more comments about the teacher regardless of whether they watched the teacher tape or watched the student tape. Experienced teachers were more critical in their evaluations and made more judgment statements than the undergraduate subjects did. Total ratings of the teacher were significantly higher than those of the students. No differences were found due to focus of attention of observation.April 1, 2005May 25, 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of presentation modes on evaluations of conducting and choral ensemble performance. Participants ( N = 36) were graduate music students with conducting and teaching experience studying in Argentina ( n = 18) or the USA ( n = 18). The participants viewed and evaluated a stimulus videotape that presented a director conducting two different choral performances in three different presentation modes (aural-only, visual-only, and aural—visual). The conductor alternated between good and bad conducting in each of the two performances. While the good conducting remained consistent, the bad conducting changed in style from performance 1 to performance 2. A four-way ANOVA with repeated measures indicated significant differences as a result of performer (director and choir) and excerpt (performance 1 and performance 2). No significant differences were indicated as a result of presentation mode or culture. Results indicated that experienced teachers may be more critical of a director's performance than a choir's, that different styles of conducting behavior may influence perceptions and that poor conducting may influence evaluative ratings more so than good conducting.

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