Jared R. Rawlings

An Interview with Lynn Tuttle about the Core Arts Standards: Embracing a New Paradigm in Arts Education

Lynn Tuttle is presently the director of arts education for the Arizona Department of Education. Leading K–12 arts education in Arizona since 2003, Ms. Tuttle has facilitated the revision and adoption of state arts standards and implemented a

The Potential Use of Micropolitics in Examining Personal and Professional Experiences of Music Teachers.

5 million arts education initiative. Ms. Tuttle also serves as president of the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE), an organization composed of persons in state education agencies whose responsibility is education in the arts (dance, music, theater, and visual arts). In addition to her post as president of SEADAE, Ms. Tuttle serves on the boards of the Arizona Music Education Association, the Arizona Art Education Association, and the Arizona Alliance for Arts Education. She holds a bachelor of music degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, a bachelor and master’s of arts degree from Johns Hopkins University, and an M.B.A. from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. I conducted this phone interview focused around the the new National Standards for Arts Education that are currently being written by five discipline teams. As a member of the leadership team for the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS), Ms. Tuttle is cognizant of the most current information regarding the Core Arts Standards. In this interview, she discusses the rationale behind the revisions to the 1994 National Arts Standards; reveals the emergence of a fifth content area; explains the writing processes associated with the new voluntary, national Core Arts Standards; predicts the impact the new standards will have on student

Benefits and Challenges of Large-Ensemble Instrumental Music Adjudicated Events: Insights From Experienced Music Teachers

This literature review defines the field of micropolitics in education, presents empirical studies of micropolitics from both general education and teacher education research, and connects micropolitics research to music teacher education research. Suggestions for music teacher education include: (a) introducing policy in preservice education; (b) future studies of the micropolitical landscape of schools; (c) future studies on the attainment of micropolitcal literacy for new teachers; and (d) continued investigations of school reform, school climate, and school change as they relate to music teacher education.

Music Teachers' Descriptions of Their Workplaces in Relation to Micropolitics.

Adjudicated events, including music festivals, contests, and competitions, are performance opportunities for American instrumental music programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits and challenges of participating in large-group instrumental adjudicated events in three Kansas high school programs. Data analysis followed cross-case procedures for coding data, as well as strategies for trustworthiness. Select findings revealed that participants (a) valued the process of preparing for adjudicated events, (b) valued and sought out additional instructional staff as a means of enriching the process of preparation for adjudicated events, (c) identified multiple logistical challenges associated with preparing for and attending adjudicated events, and (d) identified music considerations associated with attending large-group adjudicated events. These are likely pivotal factors in attending adjudicated events and thus can help us further understand how and why adjudicated events hold an important place in the history of American music education.

An empirical assessment of the short-term impacts of a reading of Deborah Zoe Laufer's drama Informed Consent on attitudes and intentions to participate in genetic research

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the descriptions of workplace experiences of nine music teachers in direct relation to the literature on micropolitics. Research questions were: (a) How did participant music teachers’ descriptions of their workplace experiences relate to teachers, administrators, and students (as discussed in the micropolitical literature)? and (b) How can micropolitics be used to understand the similarities and differences between a qualitative comparison of the responses from beginning teacher participants and experienced teacher participants? Findings are presented within Hoyle’s [1986. The Politics of School Management. London: Hodder and Stoughton] micropolitical organisational underworld including: (a) cooptation (diversion of potential opposition); (b) displacement (concealing ‘real’ interests); and (c) controlling information. This secondary analysis study revealed that the vast differences in the negotiations and challenges of beginning and more experienced music teachers, most importantly, the ways in which experienced teachers learned to share power with the stakeholders in their settings. Music teachers both shape and are shaped by their micropolitical context which suggests further analysis of organisational structures and power in the workplace may be more important to understanding music teaching and learning than often assumed.

Peer Connectedness in the Middle School Band Program.

ABSTRACT Objective: This study assessed the short-term impact of the play “Informed Consent” by Deborah Zoe Laufer (a fictionalized look at the controversy over specimens collected from the Havasupai Tribe for diabetes research in 1989) on perceptions of trust, willingness to donate biospecimens, and attitudes toward harm and privacy among the medical and undergraduate students, faculty, and the public in the Intermountain West. Methods: Surveys were administered before and after a staged reading of the play by professional actors. Survey items included the short form Trust in Medical Researchers, and single-item questions about group identity, ethics of genetic testing in children, and willingness to donate biospecimens. In addition, respondents were given the option to answer open-ended questions through e-mail. Results: Out of the 481 who attended the play, 421 completed both the pre and post surveys, and 166 participants completed open-ended questions online approximately 1 week after the play. Across all participants, there were significant declines for trust in medical researchers and for the survey item “is it ethical for investigators to test children for adult onset diseases” (p < .001 for both) following the play. There was a significant increase in agreement to improve group identity protections (p < .001) and there were no differences on willingness to donate biospecimens to research (p = .777). Qualitative data provided extensive contextual data supporting these perspectives. Discussion: This is one of the first studies to document short-term impacts of a theatrical performance on both attitudes and behavioral intentions toward research ethics and clinical research participation. Future research should continue to explore the impact of theatrical performances among public and investigators on the ethical issues and complexities in clinical research.

Collegiate Connections: The Story of a Licensed Teacher in a Paraprofessional Music Position--A Cautionary Tale.

Previous research suggests that students participating in school-based musical ensembles are more engaged in school and more likely to connect to their peers in school; however, researchers have not specifically investigated peer connectedness among adolescents in school-based music ensembles. The purpose of this study was to explore middle school band students’ perceptions of peer connectedness. Participants (N = 317) indicated moderately high levels of peer connectedness both within the concert band and school. Levels of peer connectedness differed between schools; however, no statistical difference was found by grade/band level or SES. Suggestions for future research and implications for youth development and music education professions are discussed.

Study Abroad as Professional Development: Voices of In-Service Spanish Teachers.

A trained music educator accepted a band paraprofessional position and discovered some of the challenges inherent in the role. Certified for K–12 music, he was hired part-time in a large suburban instrumental music program. The job, although interesting and challenging, did not pay enough to sustain him financially. Other music educators warned him about being “used” by the administration, but he learned a great deal from the experience and is now a full-time assistant band director. The data shared here also include statistics about increased numbers of paraprofessionals in the education field and offer a personal look at paraprofessional work.