Core Practices in Music Teaching: A Delphi Expert Panel Survey

Abstract

The pedagogical content knowledge framework has been used to decipher the complexities of teaching by integrating subject matter knowledge with knowledge of teaching and knowledge of learners. Researchers in math, English, and history have modified this framework to identify core teaching practices within their disciplines. Core teaching practices are those that novices can begin to master and have a direct impact on student success. We developed a preliminary list of core practices in music using a Delphi panel approach. This panel of public school and college teachers with expertise in band, choir, orchestra, and elementary music found that modeling, sequencing instruction, and deconstructing musical concepts were core teaching practices that apply across a wide variety of teaching and learning contexts. The panel felt developing knowledge of and relationships with students was important for in-service teachers, but other practices should be developed first by novice teachers.

Music Teacher Rankings of Selected Core Teaching Practices

“…The Delphi (Millican & Forrester, 2018) panel's high rating for in-service teachers' developing knoweldge of and relationships with students corroborated the findings reported by Forrester (2018) in a study that examined the intersection between instrumental music teachers and conducting. Instrumental music teachers (N = 4) reported that developing and maintaining relationships was a key aspect of their practice, and this was the only intercase finding that was common across each of the participants.…”

“…There is a decades-long history of music education researchers examining characteristics and skills associated with effective teaching and assessing the extent to which preservice music teachers develop those competencies. Building on studies of PCK and the professional opinions of experienced music educators, researchers are now attempting to identity a body of core music teaching practices (Abramo, 2016;Ballantyne, 2006;Ballantyne & Packer, 2004;Chandler, 2012;Duling, 1992;Gohlke, 1994;Haston, 2018;Haston & Leon-Guerrero, 2008;Mateiro, Russell, & Westvall, 2012;Millican & Forrester, 2018;Venesile, 2011). The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate how in-service music educators rated and ranked selected core music teaching practices in terms of their relative importance for beginning music teachers.…”

“…This list of core music teaching practices and definitions reflects modifications made to a prior set based on the results of Millican and Forrester (2018) as well as a pilot study involving band, choir, orchestra, and general music teachers (N = 30) from a Southwestern state. In addition, three prominent scholars familiar with the concept of core teaching practices reviewed the pilot study results, suggested minor revisions, and confirmed the technical format of the final survey instrument as well as the face and content validity.…”

“…By considering other experts' comments and rankings, a consensus may be formed as to the categorization and relative importance of the issues under consideration. In the study by Millican and Forrester (2018) a panel of experts composed of college teachers and public school music educators (N = 16) completed three rounds of questionnaires in which they rated proposed core teaching practices. At the conclusion of three rounds, the panel came to consensus that modeling, sequencing instruction, deconstructing music concepts, and developing relationships with students were important core practices that applied to a variety of music teaching and learning contexts.…”

Preparedness of Instrumental Music Majors Teaching Elementary General Music

“…ACL experiences have been discussed in research regarding preservice preparation as an approach to improve teaching (e.g., Brophy, 2002; Conway 2012; Groulx, 2016; Roulston et al, 2005), develop pedagogical content knowledge (Ballantyne, 2007; Grieser & Hendricks, 2018; Millican, 2008), and affect teaching efficacy (Prichard, 2017). Core teaching practices, as identified by researchers such as Millican and Forrester (2017), may also provide a framework within which music teacher educators can support the development of undergraduate students’ skills that will be used in music teaching regardless of specialization. Hendricks’s (2015) review of studies on self-efficacy outlines numerous ways to develop self-efficacy in music settings and might be a foundation for practice and further research regarding the implementation of this idea.…”