Alice M. Hammel

Professional Development Research in General Education

Professional development among experienced teachers has been a topic of research for several decades (Fullan, 1999; Lasley, Siedentop, & Yinger, 2006; Smith & Strahan, 2004; Zahorik, 1987). Sarason (1971) noted that, as of the early 1970s, the education community had been reflecting upon professional development for 30 years. This suggests that the study of teacher professional development has been ongoing for more than 65 years. However, research indicates that the profession is not always making connections between research and practice in terms of professional development. A recent study by Choy, Chen, and Bugarin (2006) for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) found that only 23% of teachers participated in professional development as recommended by reform models and research. This indicates that research-based models of professional development are often not implemented in school systems. Teacher educators are primary stakeholders in the structure of change, and familiarity with current literature regarding professional development is of importance. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to share results of selected resources on general teacher education regarding professional development for educators. This synthesis of selected studies from general teacher education literature includes a discussion of the role of professional development in school reform and change, the lack of communication between teachers and administrators regarding professional development, concerns regarding a “one-size-fits-all” approach to professional development, research on delivery formats for professional development, professional development that leads to heightened collegiality and collaboration between teachers, and best-practice professional development research. A discussion of the possible connections between research and experiences of music educators is included in each section of the paper.

The Fundamentals of Special Education Policy: Implications for Music Teachers and Music Teacher Education

The purpose of this article is to examine the fundamentals of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and its impact on music educators. Topics include: (a) zero reject, (b) non-discriminatory evaluations, (c) free appropriate public education, (d) least restrictive environment, (e) procedural due process, (f) parental involvement, and (g) response to intervention (RTI). Detailed explanations of policy are provided along with strategies for implication in the music classroom.

The Effect of Instruction on Teacher Perceptions of Competence When Including Students With Special Needs in Music Classrooms

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of professional development instruction on teacher perceptions of competence when including students with special needs in music classrooms. Subjects for the study were in-service music educators (N = 43) enrolled in an online graduate-level course specifically created to address the skills and knowledge needed to effectively include students with special needs in classroom activities. The researchers conducted this inquiry using the one-group pretest–posttest design. A paired-samples t test revealed that a −5.6 difference between pretest and posttest means was significant (p < .05). Comments were also solicited from the participants to further explain the effect of instruction. Areas in which participants expressed the most growth were related to transparency, knowing both students’ rights and teachers’ obligations, and modifying teaching strategies and the learning environment.

Understanding the Mind of a Student with Autism in Music Class.

This article offers a unique look into the cognitive processes of students with autism spectrum disorder in music classrooms. Concepts include theory of mind, weak central coherence, executive function, joint attention, and social attention. Behavior implications are also examined. Specific examples of support tools for the music classroom are provided.

Music for children with hearing loss

relevant performances. With a simple click, readers can download Grant’s MVEF and use this tool in their own research trajectories involving endangered music. Grant brings to our attention the need for the systematic study and preservation of endangered music using language maintenance-inspired tools. While she suggests future research implications for ethnomusicologists and ethnographers in her final chapter, it might be worthwhile to extend Grant’s thinking into the realms of music education. This text may well be one that is relevant to study of music in its cultural context, related to music educators’ task of transmitting multicultural musical materials in respectful and culturally appropriate ways. Music education in the form of transmission and dissemination, indeed, are parts of the equation in maintaining the vitality of endangered musical genres; perhaps the classroom offers a setting in which to maintain and preserve endangered musical traditions.