Perceptions and Preparedness: Preservice Music Educators and Popular Music Teaching Skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of undergraduate music education majors regarding the skills needed to teach popular music classes, and their comfort level with those skills. Preservice music educators ( N = 81) completed a researcher-designed questionnaire describing their previous experiences with popular music, their perceptions of necessary teaching skills for popular music instruction, their comfort level with those skills, and their overall feelings of preparedness to teach popular music. Respondents rated the teaching skills of ear training, piano/keyboard, and informal learning practices as most important. In addition, respondents indicated that they were most comfortable with the teaching skills of singing, music theory, and informal learning practices. In general, respondents felt moderately prepared to teach popular music, but many believed they were lacking important knowledge and skills, including proficiency on various instruments, understanding how to integrate popular music, and music software proficiency. Implications for music educators are discussed.

Preservice Music Educators’ Preparedness, Self-Efficacy, and Commitment to Incorporate Popular Music

“…The purpose of this study was to examine preservice music educators' preparedness, self-efficacy, and commitment to incorporating popular music into their P-12 music classrooms, as well as the relationship among the constructs in the context of popular music teaching. Participants felt moderately prepared to incorporate popular music, which is consistent with Sorenson's (2021) findings and yet diverges from those of Springer and Gooding (2013) who suggested a low level of preparation among undergraduate preservice teachers. Sorenson (2021) and Springer and Gooding (2013) drew samples from a single institution in the United States whereas participants in the current study were sampled from 23 universities located in various states in the United States, which captured a broader geographic representation.…”

“…Participants felt moderately prepared to incorporate popular music, which is consistent with Sorenson's (2021) findings and yet diverges from those of Springer and Gooding (2013) who suggested a low level of preparation among undergraduate preservice teachers. Sorenson (2021) and Springer and Gooding (2013) drew samples from a single institution in the United States whereas participants in the current study were sampled from 23 universities located in various states in the United States, which captured a broader geographic representation. Almost seventy-eight percent (77.8%) of the participants indicated that they had never been taught popular music pedagogy in their undergraduate curricula.…”

“…Nevertheless, music educators have reported low to moderate levels of preparedness for teaching popular music—commonly due to their lack of preparation in the required skills to teach the genre (Blackwell et al, 2022; Davis & Blair, 2011; Sorenson, 2021; Springer, 2016; Springer & Gooding, 2013). Springer and Gooding (2013) examined undergraduate and graduate preservice music teachers’ ( N = 82) attitudes toward popular music teaching at one large university located in the southern United States.…”

“…Participants indicated that they received minimal popular music teaching preparation in their undergraduate coursework and felt unprepared to teach it. Sorenson (2021) surveyed undergraduate music education majors ( N = 81) at one large research university in the southeastern United States, revealing a moderate level of comfortability and preparation in their skills to teach popular music. In addition, Springer (2016) investigated inservice teachers’ popular music teaching preparation from two regional chapters of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and found that an absence of preparation in popular music pedagogy resulted in participants’ feelings of unpreparedness to teach the genre.…”

Examining Ensemble Requirements for Music Education Majors

“…It is possible that the requirements at these institutions were substantially different from those captured in this analysis. In addition, our analysis was based on the minimum requirements outlined in official course catalogs and may not fully capture the actual experiences of students in these degree programs—including extracurricular ensemble participation, which can be an influential part of preservice music teachers’ undergraduate experience (Durkin, 2015; Sorenson, 2021). It is important to note, however, that this procedure and the exclusion of some degree programs was specifically intended to ensure that our results captured the basic required experience of students in standard 4-year degree programs.…”