Faculty of Education - Theses
Permanent URI for this collection
Search Results
1 - 2 of 2
-
ItemAn investigation into the design and implementation of professional development programmes in technology for music teachers( 2009)The ,purpose of this study was to investigate the design and implementation of professional development programmes in technology for music teachers. The aim of the study was to identify characteristics of effective professional development and formulate a new paradigm for professional development. Music technology offers much to enhance music education for students, but many teachers are apprehensive about using it. The study examined research literature related to music education, information and communications technology and professional development. A school-based action research project provided practical data for the study. Reflection on this project and the literature found that effective professional development in music technology is school-based, authentic, collaborative and ongoing. Teachers will reap the benefits of such professional development when they participate in online communities of learning, engage in reflective practice, embrace lifelong learning and seek the guidance of mentors.
-
ItemDevelopment and validation of a music improvisation measuring instrument( 1998)Many music students- engage in learning activities apart from formal instruction and directed practice. In these activities, especially those related to improvising, students often demonstrate and develop competencies that their teachers do not realise that they have. If teachers knew more about these 'hidden' competencies and harnessed them in their teaching strategies, the music learning of students could be enhanced. This research sought to develop an assessment instrument to measure students' ability to improvise. The resulting Music Improvisation Measuring Instrument (MIMI) was devised to serve two purposes: 1. as a teaching tool to identify strengths and weaknesses of students; 2. as a research tool to find out more about the processes involved in musical behaviour. A set of computer-interactive tasks designed to investigate improvisation skills was developed and administered to 78 students aged between 10 and 18 years. A criterion-referenced rating scale comprised of three dimensions - rhythm, tonal movement, and coherence - was devised for the purpose of evaluating the responses to the tasks. An assessment of the validity of the MIMI supported the content validity of the instrument, but found that flaws in the rating scale threatened its construct validity. Thus, although the rationale behind the construction of the MIMI and the implications of the method of measuring musical behaviour adopted were appropriate for the experimental nature of the study, the application of the MIMI as a valid measuring instrument remains in doubt. Nevertheless, the study found that the MIMI has practical application as a teaching and learning tool. Given the importance of improvisation in music education and the advantages of music technology, the MIMI has a contribution to make to the enrichment of music education programs by offering new opportunities for students to engage in improvisatory practice.