Outcomes of a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) for Music Therapy and Music Education Students

Abbey L Dvorak; Eugenia Hernandez-Ruiz

doi:10.1093/jmt/thy020

Student music stimuli composition in a scaffolded course-based undergraduate research experience

Dialogues in Music Therapy Education ◽

10.18060/24287 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 1-32

Author(s):

Abbey L. Dvorak ◽

Eugenia Hernandez-Ruiz ◽

Halle Nick ◽

Ruowen Qi ◽

Celeste Alderete ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Music Education ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Teaching Model ◽

Research Experience ◽

Education Students ◽

Research Experiences ◽

Graduate Assistants ◽

Undergraduate Research Experiences

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) allow students opportunities to develop research skills. In a scaffolded CURE, music therapy and music education students composed, evaluated, and selected the music stimuli used in a music and mindfulness study with non-musicians at Site 1 and musicians at Site 2. The purposes of this paper are to (a) describe the process of student music stimuli composition and evaluation for use in a course-based undergraduate research experience and (b) identify benefits, challenges, and lessons learned from the viewpoints of students, graduate assistants, and faculty who participated in the multi-site study. Eight students, two graduate assistants, and two faculty provide an overview of the CURE teaching model and assignments, and share first-person accounts of their experiences participating in this CURE.

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Music Therapy Knowledge and Interest: A Survey of Music Education Majors

Journal of Music Therapy ◽

10.1093/jmt/thaa020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 57 (4) ◽

pp. 455-474

Author(s):

Lori F Gooding ◽

D Gregory Springer

Keyword(s):

Music Education ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Music Teachers ◽

Degree Programs ◽

Education Majors ◽

Education Students ◽

Career Option ◽

Key Factor ◽

Career Options ◽

Music Education Majors

Abstract Music teachers play an important role in exposing students to career options in the field of music. As a result, there is a need to explore music education students’ interest in and knowledge of music therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate music education students’ exposure to, knowledge of, and willingness to promote music therapy as a career option for prospective collegiate students. A survey was given to 254 music education majors from four research institutions, two with and two without music therapy degree programs. Participants answered demographic, yes/no, Likert-type scale, and open-ended questions about their exposure to, knowledge of, and willingness to promote careers in music therapy. Results indicate that exposure to music therapy occurred in both pre-collegiate and college settings, and that music teachers appear to be influential in exposing students to music therapy. Students often sought out information on music therapy independently, which played an important role in how individuals learned about music therapy, though it has the potential of providing misinformation. Significant differences were found in participants’ knowledge and willingness to promote music therapy as a career option based on the presence of music therapy degree programs. Exposure seemed to be a key factor in music therapy knowledge and promotion; thus, music therapists need to ensure accurate dissemination of music therapy-related information in both pre-collegiate and college settings. Increasing the visibility of the field has the potential to expand interest and potentially attract young musicians well suited for a career in music therapy.

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Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience: Music Education and Music Therapy Student Outcomes

Journal of Music Teacher Education ◽

10.1177/10570837211002167 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 105708372110021

Author(s):

Abbey Dvorak ◽

Eugenia Hernandez-Ruiz ◽

Kevin M. Weingarten

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Music Education ◽

Student Outcomes ◽

Undergraduate Research ◽

Reliability Estimation ◽

Research Experience ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Research Knowledge ◽

Student Researchers ◽

Psychology Course

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in a required music psychology course and to measure student outcomes and conduct reliability estimation for the Research Skill Development Questionnaire (RSDQ) and Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA). Student researchers ( N = 33) completed the URSSA and RSDQ. We analyzed URSSA Likert-type items using descriptive statistics and performed content analysis on open-ended responses. Student researchers reported moderate improvement across three subscales of Thinking and Working Like a Scientist, Personal Gains, and Research Skills, and some change for Attitudes and Beliefs. A comparison of pretest and posttest RSDQ subscale scores showed no significant change in participants’ self-reported research knowledge, skills, or dispositions. URSSA and RSDQ subscales demonstrated strong internal consistency. Based on content analysis of URSSA open-ended responses, participants reported interest in graduate school, greater understanding of and confidence about research, and plans to use research in their career.

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Familiarity with Basic Song Repertoire: Music Education/Therapy Majors versus Elementary Education Majors

Journal of Research in Music Education ◽

10.2307/3345343 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 461-468 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carol A. Prickett ◽

Madeline S. Bridges

Keyword(s):

Elementary Education ◽

Music Education ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Music Educators ◽

Education Majors ◽

Education Students ◽

Song Repertoire ◽

Elementary Education Majors ◽

Elementary Education Students ◽

Teaching Music

An audiotape of the tunes of 25 standard songs assumed to be known by everyone who has finished Grade 6 was played for 273 undergraduate music therapy and music education students and 306 elementary education students who were beginning a music skills class. Music majors identified significantly more tunes than did elementary education majors, but the means for both groups indicated that neither had developed a strong repertoire of standard songs outside the college classroom. Several songs that music educators have stated are very important for children to learn could not be identified by even half the students in either group. It is recommended that those preparing elementary education students emphasize building a song repertoire and that those teaching music therapy and education students consider adding this goal to appropriate courses.

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