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  • Music in the Year 8 Classroom: An Action Research Project

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    Author(s)
    Hartwig, Kay A.
    Primary Supervisor
    Burton, Bruce
    Other Supervisors
    O'Toole, John
    Year published
    2004
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    The number of students electing to study music at the Senior Level in Queensland State High Schools has declined over recent years. Year 8 is the last time that students experience music lessons before being faced with subject choices. This study investigates the year 8 music program - its content and delivery. What can be done to improve music teaching in year 8? How can we present experiences at this level that will stimulate students' interest; improve their knowledge and skills; and develop students' aesthetic sensitivity to the art of music? This study involved conducting an action research project in a year 8 music ...
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    The number of students electing to study music at the Senior Level in Queensland State High Schools has declined over recent years. Year 8 is the last time that students experience music lessons before being faced with subject choices. This study investigates the year 8 music program - its content and delivery. What can be done to improve music teaching in year 8? How can we present experiences at this level that will stimulate students' interest; improve their knowledge and skills; and develop students' aesthetic sensitivity to the art of music? This study involved conducting an action research project in a year 8 music class. This was done in collaboration with the classroom music teacher and her class of 25 students. The cyclical process as described by Zuber-Skerritt - acting, observing, reflecting, planning - was adopted. The study aimed: (a) to document positive experiences that could be used in the year 8 music classroom; (b) to stimulate new interest in the studying of senior music; (c) to discover ways to encourage music teachers to become reflective practitioners with a view to improving their practice; (d) to offer an action research model that other music teachers could implement in their classroom. The data collection involved the keeping of journals by the teacher and researcher; recorded interviews with the teacher and students; videos and photographs of the class; as well as interviews with other year 8 music teachers. The study identified a negative attitude by music teachers to the teaching of year 8 music. The dominant theme being taught at this level is Pop Music with a foundation unit being the starting point. Year 8 students also revealed a negative attitude to music lessons. This research project has demonstrated that it is possible to set up a program which engages year 8 students in music making and provides them with worthwhile learning experiences. However, at the end of the project, there was not a significant increase in the number of students electing to study music at the senior level. The study also set up a model for action research that could be adopted by other music teachers in their classrooms. The results of reflective practice employed by the researcher and the music teacher provided positive attitudes for other music teachers and encouragement for others to implement this practice in their classroom. Further studies are needed to involve other music teachers in reflective practice; collaboration in action research (especially in the year 8 classroom); and also the implementation of the new syllabus that will have a positive effect on the future of the subject of music and a positive effect on students' attitudes to the music subject.
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    Thesis Type
    Thesis (Professional Doctorate)
    Degree Program
    Doctor of Education (EdD)
    School
    School of Cognition, Language and Special Education
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/620
    Copyright Statement
    The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
    Item Access Status
    Public
    Subject
    high school students
    Year 8
    Grade 8
    Queensland
    Australia
    music
    music education
    music teaching
    action research
    journals
    journal keeping
    curriculum
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366790
    Collection
    • Theses - Higher Degree by Research

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