Exploring Collaborative and Creative Learning Experience Through Playing Ocarina Ensemble in Chinese Public Schools

Author(s):  
Danqing Zhou

The current general music class in China, especially in low income communities, does not provide students many opportunities to gain ensemble playing experiences, due to the cost of getting and maintaining various instruments and to the lack of music teachers who know and have experiences of teaching ensembles and the various instruments. According to current teaching pedagogy and learning theories, ensemble playing and collaborative and creative learning experiences are important to students. This chapter presents the value and benefits of group playing, collaborative and creative learning models, and the reasons for choosing ocarina as a media for gaining group playing experiences in Chinese public schools. In the last part of the chapter, some ocarina teaching activities are explored and discussed as examples of how students can learn creatively and collaboratively and gain ensemble playing experiences.

Author(s):  
Gena Greher

This chapter examines the role of both high- and low-tech solutions, when using music technology as a form of reflective practice in working with special needs populations. Music teachers often are given little coursework in working with at-risk and special needs students. It is little wonder that music teacher attitudes are often negative regarding the inclusion of these students in music activities, whether it’s in a general music class or ensembles. Rather than marginalizing these students, music technology can be adapted to allow even the most severely impacted student a means to music participation in school settings. Providing music education students with context-specific field experiences working with a variety of special needs populations can help students realize the musical potential of all students.


2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Strand

The primary purpose of this study was to examine composition practices in public schools across the state of Indiana, to investigate who incorporates composition and why they chose to use or not use composing tasks. A second purpose was to learn if teachers had an operational definition for composition. Three hundred thirty-nine teachers participated in a survey to answer questions about their use of compositon in the classroom. Respondents who used composition answered open-ended questions about learning goals for composing tasks and gave examples of typical classroom composing tasks. Although 88.5 % of the respondents indicated that they incorporated composition, only 5.9% reported using composition tasks often. General music teachers were slightly more likely to incorporate composition in their classrooms than were ensemble directors. There were no significant relationships found between years of experience or years at a school, certification, or school use of Standards and the relative use of composing tasks. An analysis of the responses to open-ended questions revealed that teachers used composing tasks for a great variety of purposes. No one definition of composition emerged from the analysis. Instead, respondents labeled a range of activities from dictation and practicing notation and improvising to complex tasks as "composition. " The article calls for developing an operational definition and pedagogy for composition in the classroom and discusses possibilities for future research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 45-53
Author(s):  
Gina J. Yi

Korean folk music has been rarely included in the Western music curriculum due to limited materials for music teachers to use. This article introduces Ganggangsullae, a prominent Korean folk tradition (called a “folk play” by Koreans) that incorporates singing and dancing, and discusses its historical background and the unique elements of Korean folk music that it illuminates: Korean rhythm, minyo singing, dancing, and dialogue play. In addition, this article offers practical teaching guidance for incorporating Ganggangsullae into the elementary general music classroom.


2014 ◽  
Vol 84 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 244-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Karp ◽  
Gary Wong ◽  
Marguerite Orsi

Abstract. Introduction: Foods dense in micronutrients are generally more expensive than those with higher energy content. These cost-differentials may put low-income families at risk of diminished micronutrient intake. Objectives: We sought to determine differences in the cost for iron, folate, and choline in foods available for purchase in a low-income community when assessed for energy content and serving size. Methods: Sixty-nine foods listed in the menu plans provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for low-income families were considered, in 10 domains. The cost and micronutrient content for-energy and per-serving of these foods were determined for the three micronutrients. Exact Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for comparisons of energy costs; Spearman rho tests for comparisons of micronutrient content. Ninety families were interviewed in a pediatric clinic to assess the impact of food cost on food selection. Results: Significant differences between domains were shown for energy density with both cost-for-energy (p < 0.001) and cost-per-serving (p < 0.05) comparisons. All three micronutrient contents were significantly correlated with cost-for-energy (p < 0.01). Both iron and choline contents were significantly correlated with cost-per-serving (p < 0.05). Of the 90 families, 38 (42 %) worried about food costs; 40 (44 %) had chosen foods of high caloric density in response to that fear, and 29 of 40 families experiencing both worry and making such food selection. Conclusion: Adjustments to USDA meal plans using cost-for-energy analysis showed differentials for both energy and micronutrients. These differentials were reduced using cost-per-serving analysis, but were not eliminated. A substantial proportion of low-income families are vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies.


2021 ◽  
pp. 105708372110245
Author(s):  
Karen Salvador ◽  
Mara E. Culp

Although many music teacher candidates begin university studies planning to teach secondary ensembles, most will ultimately be certified to teach younger children and may be called to do so. The purpose of this study was to examine how music teacher education programs prepare preservice music educators to teach music to children from birth through elementary school through coursework. We emailed survey invitations to representatives from 512 institutions accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music to prepare music educators. We received 134 usable responses (response rate = 26%). Nearly all respondents offered elementary general music methods (EGMM), and over three quarters required EGMM for all students in initial licensure programs. Only about one in ten responding institutions offered early childhood music methods (ECMM). We describe findings on EGMM and ECMM course structures, content, and materials as well as the employment status, degree background, and other qualifications of the person who typically taught this coursework


2021 ◽  
pp. 104837132110160
Author(s):  
Tiger Robison ◽  
Mara E. Culp

General music teachers can promote gender inclusivity in music classrooms through music listening activities. Helping all students feel included and honored could improve student learning and foster continued and diversified music listening in school and beyond. The purpose of this article, the first of three about gender inclusivity in general music, is to help music teachers create inclusive general music experiences to support all students during music listening activities. By knowing learners as individuals, teachers can help all students feel valued in music classrooms, which may serve to deepen and extend their music listening skills and preferences.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Medeiros Figueiredo ◽  
Danette Waller McKinley ◽  
Adriano Massuda ◽  
George Dantas Azevedo

Abstract Background Shortages and inequitable distribution of physicians is an obstacle to move towards Universal Health Coverage, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. In Brazil, expansion of medical school enrollment, curricula changes and recruitment programs were established to increase the number of physicians in underserved areas. This study seeks to analyze the impact of these measures in reduce inequities in access to medical education and physicians’ distribution. Methods This is an observational study that analyzes changes in the number of undergraduate medical places and number of physicians per inhabitants in different areas in Brazil between the years 2010 and 2018. Data regarding the number of undergraduate medical places, number and the practice location of physicians were obtained in public databases. Municipalities with less than 20,000 inhabitants were considered underserved areas. Data regarding access to antenatal visits were analyzed as a proxy for impact in access to healthcare. Results From 2010 to 2018, 19,519 new medical undergraduate places were created which represents an increase of 120.2%. The increase in the number of physicians engaged in the workforce throughout the period was 113,702 physicians, 74,771 of these physicians in the Unified Health System. The greatest increase in the physicians per 1000 inhabitants ratio in the municipalities with the smallest population, the lowest Gross Domestic Product per capita and in those located in the states with the lowest concentration of physicians occurred in the 2013–2015 period. Increase in physician supply improved access to antenatal care. Conclusions There was an expansion in the number of undergraduate medical places and medical workforce in all groups of municipalities assessed in Brazil. Medical undergraduate places expansion in the federal public schools was more efficient to reduce regional inequities in access to medical education than private sector expansion. The recruitment component of More Doctors for Brazil Program demonstrated effectiveness to increase the number of physicians in underserved areas. Our results indicate the importance of public policies to face inequities in access to medical education and physician shortages and the necessity of continuous assessment during the period of implementation, especially in the context of political and economic changes.


Author(s):  
Jennifer Potter

The purpose of investigation was to examine the perceptions of elementary music teachers concerning the preparation of elementary music performances and the impact on their perceived stress. Participants were practicing elementary general music teachers ( N = 3) representing three different elementary schools from a metropolitan area in the Midwest. All participants were interviewed twice over a period of two months via Zoom. Data were analyzed through an open coding process (Gibbs, 2007), which yielded three themes: time management, control, and isolation. Facets of time management included strategic planning, organizational techniques, and instructional time; control concerned scheduling, repertoire selection, equipment, and performance venues; and isolation pertained to relationships with colleagues and administrators and an overwhelming amount of responsibility. These findings indicate the importance of acknowledging various stressors affecting music educators and how those might positively and negatively affect teachers and students.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 282-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela De Allegri ◽  
Chris Makwero ◽  
Aleksandra Torbica

Abstract Our study estimated the full economic cost of implementing performance-based financing [PBF, the Support for Service Delivery Integration Performance-Based Incentives (SSDI-PBI) programme], as a means of first introducing strategic purchasing in a low-income setting, Malawi. Our analysis distinguished design from implementation costs and traces costs across personnel and non-personnel cost categories over the 2012–15 period. The full cost of the SSDI-PBI programme amounted to USD 3 402 187, equivalent to USD 6.46 per targeted beneficiary. The design phase accounted for about one-third (USD 1 161 332) of the total costs, while the incentives (USD 1 140 436) represented about one-third of the total cost of the intervention and about half the cost of the implementation phase. With a cost of USD 1 605 178, personnel costs represented the dominant cost category. Our study indicated that the introduction of PBF entailed consumption of a substantial amount of resources, hence representing an important opportunity cost for the health system.


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