My primary research interests are in music and music education assessment; measuring musical learning within higher education, K-12 settings, and the applied studio. I have examined teaching readiness in future music teachers, their professional dispositions and their reflective as well as teaching effectiveness and teaching quality more broadly. My research activity is found in publications that are well-regarded in the disciplines of music education and higher education, such as the International Journal for Music Education, the Journal of Research in Music Education, the Journal of Music Teacher Education, the British Journal of Music Education, the Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, the International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, the International Journal of ePortfolio, and the Journal of Technology and Teacher Education. Other publications appear in influential educational handbooks by Oxford and Cambridge. The areas I research are assessment (in both K-12 and higher education settings) and music teacher education. These two areas have spanned my career and my essential questions are: “Is that a fair assessment process?” and “Do teachers really want to teach; how and why”? My professional persona in music education is two-fold; first, as an assessment expert in the field of music education, in K-12 music making settings, and in the applied (studio or one-to-one) music setting. The impact of my research can be seen in my publications where disseminated, they have assisted K-12 and applied studio higher education music teachers improve the assessments they use with their students, arguably improving student learning outcomes. My teacher preparation work has demonstrably improved the educative processes and readiness of teachers entering the workforce.
keywords
Assessment of musical performance, music teaching and music learning, applied music studio, teacher preparation, motivation and teacher dispositions
MUSC 2103 - Introduction to Music Education
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2024
Introduces students to the broad range of skills and responsibilities inherent to the music education profession. Explores current topics in public school music teaching while developing teaching skills through supervised field experience. Offered fall only.
MUSC 3033 - Brass Class
Secondary Instructor
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Spring 2026
For music education majors with choral or choral/general emphasis. Develops basic performance skills on two or more brass instruments. Addresses teaching strategies and other specialized topics related to beginning and intermediate brass instruction. Offered spring only.
MUSC 3043 - Percussion Class
Secondary Instructor
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Fall 2025
Provides an introduction to playing techniques and pedagogical principles necessary for music educators to teach young students, including general understanding of the techniques used in playing and teaching percussion instruments in the school music program. Required of all string, voice, choral and instrumental general track music education students. Offered fall only.
MUSC 3223 - Teaching Brass Instruments
Secondary Instructor
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Spring 2026
For music education majors with instrumental or instrumental/general emphasis. Develops basic performance skills on three or more brass instruments. Addresses teaching strategies and other specialized topics related to beginning and intermediate brass instruction. Offered spring only.
MUSC 3243 - Teaching Percussion Instruments
Secondary Instructor
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Fall 2025
Provides an introduction to playing techniques and pedagogical principles necessary for music educators to teach young students, including general understanding of the techniques used in playing and teaching percussion instruments in the school music program. Required of all instrumental band and instrumental band-jazz track music education students. Offered fall only.
MUSC 4443 - Teaching Instrumental Music
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024 / Spring 2025 / Spring 2026
Examines instrumental music curricula, instructional materials and teaching techniques appropriate for rehearsal, class, and lesson settings. Also addresses administration strategies for instrumental music programs. Offered spring only. Same as MUSC 5443.
MUSC 5443 - Teaching Instrumental Music
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024 / Spring 2026
Examines instrumental music curricula, instructional materials and teaching techniques appropriate for rehearsal, class, and lesson settings. Also addresses administration strategies for instrumental music programs. Offered spring only. Same as MUSC 4443.
MUSC 6213 - Assessment of Music Learning
Primary Instructor
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Summer 2024
Provides an overview of traditional and contemporary approaches to music assessment. Topics include psychometrics, standardized tests, test construction, grade reports, and student portfolios. Offered on a rotating basis during summer session.
MUSC 6233 - Pedagogy of Music Teaching and Learning
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2025
Explores four topics (reflective/critical thinking, teacher effectiveness, cultural/program contexts, teachers' lives/career development) relevant to long-term teacher development. Includes individualized feedback on teaching. Open to graduate students in music education and performance-pedagogy. Recommended prerequisite: MUSC 6113 and/or significant teaching experience. Offered spring terms of odd numbered years.
MUSC 7113 - Quantitative Research in Music Education
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2024
Topics include sampling, questionnaire development, research design, intermediate and advanced statistics, presenting/publishing research, and research ethics. Students conduct an original research study. Offered fall of even-numbered years.
MUSC 7203 - Doctoral Seminar in Music Education
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023 / Fall 2025
Provides an advanced study of topics central to the music education profession. Requires class presentations and a major paper or project. Offered fall of even-numbered years.
