Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Data Collection Methodology
I. Intervention Plan:
During the data collection period, I examined current music education practices in both the Irish and the U.S. contexts in order to glean insights
from the provision of music education in the U.S. that could, if at all, be applied to the Irish primary school context. Literature reviews provided
the initial background to the research and helped the researcher to understand music education as it currently stands in both countries. Teacher
surveys and interviews compiled the experiences and practices of current educators in the field. An analysis of curriculum documentation traced
and tracked mandated musical development trajectories. Music education expert interviews revealed models and visions of best practice within the
music education domain. All of these data were comparatively analysed and triangulated to achieve the most indepth and comprehensive
investigation into music education provision.
II. Research Question/Topic:
MUSIC ACROSS THE WAVES: A COMPARATIVE EXAMINATION OF THE IRISH GENERALIST AND THE AMERICAN SPECIALIST
MODELS OF ELEMENTARY MUSIC EDUCATION.
Embedded Questions:
What is the current state of music education in Irish primary schools?
What is the current state of music education in the US elementary schools?
What does the preservice training/initial teacher education of specialist and generalist music education teachers look like in Irish and
U.S. education systems?
What are some of the challenges and difficulties specialist and generalist music education teachers face in implementing their respective
music curricula?
What is the content of an effective music curriculum for the elementary/primary grades (PreK to 6)?
In what ways can American specialist music teachers' practice strengthen the Irish generalist teachers' teaching of music?
How can the generalist teacher be supported in teaching the musical strands of listening and responding, composing and performing?
III. Data Collection Plan:
It was intended to compare and contrast some current
Artefacts – I decided to collect this data in Weeks 12 instead
Gathered and analysed in weeks 56 (3/8/18 examples of music curricula from both Irish and U.S.
Irish/U.S. Music as I realized that these documents were already
3/22/18) of the data gathering segment of the systems. Common, distinct and unique elements of
Curricula published and ready to be analysed and that they
project. the curricula were mapped in order to analyse what is
might actually inform the structure and layout of
defined as best practice in music education.
my surveys and interviews.
The purpose of the expert interviews was to identify
best practice in the area of music education provision.
Expert Interviews
These interviews provided the culminating
– 1 Irish music Conducted and transcribed in weeks 78
information needed to tie the data together in a
education (3/22/184/5/18) of the data gathering segment
coherent fashion. Consequently, the interviews took
professor, 1 U.S. of the project.
the form of semistructured interviews to allow for
music education
flexibility and scope for deviation from topic where
professor Coded and analysed week 9 (4/5/18).
necessary. The questions were informed by the voices
of teachers from the interviews, surveys and
curriculum documents.
IV. Data Source Descriptions:
I began collecting data on 2/8/18 and concluded on 4/20/18. In this time frame, multiple sources of data were utilized in the project. Literature formed a
connecting thread throughout the data collection process and was used to inform all stages of the inquiry, from increasing background knowledge to
assisting with the design, plan, findings and classroom implications. Curriculum documents were subsequently analysed to compare objectives and
learning outcomes in music for students in both countries. This was to examine if, on paper, the experiences of music for elementary students were
comparable. Surveys were distributed to both Irish and American music teachers to gather initial insights and impressions of music education as it exists
currently in the field. Two separate, but similar surveys were distributed to each population. Following the collection of survey data, an interview
schedule was generated. This was to gain a greater insight than the surveys, especially at a more qualitative level. In total, 5 interviews were conducted –
3 Irish teachers and 2 American teachers. Expert interviews were also conducted once the other data had been collected and preliminary findings had been
drawn up. The purpose of conducting these interviews was to add an expert layer of knowledge and validity to the project and to make sure that the
findings were an accurate representation of both models of music education.