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Beegle, A. (2001). An Examination Of Orff-Trained General Music Teachers' Use Of Improvisation with Elementary School Children. Masters Thesis. (Source type: Thesis)
| Author(s): | Beegle, A C |
| Title: | An Examination Of Orff-Trained General Music Teachers' Use Of Improvisation with Elementary School Children |
| Source Type: | Thesis |
| Source Name: | Masters Thesis |
| Year: | Masters Abstracts International |
| Year: | 2001 |
| Volume: | 40 |
| Catalog No.: | 05A 2026 |
| Country Code: | USA |
| Location: | St. Paul, MN |
| Institution: | U. of St. Thomas |
| Language: | English |
| Orff Topic Category: | Creativity/Improvisation |
| Secondary Orff Topic Category: | Pedagogic process/Settings |
| Research Methodology I: | Qualitative |
| Research Methodology II: | Ethnography |
| Participants: | Three teachers with Orff training |
| Purpose: | To examine the use of improvisation, the process of improvisation, and student outcomes |
| Data Type: | Interviews, classroom observation transcripts |
| Analysis: | Cross-case analysis, coding of transcripts based on Simpson and Tuson (1995) |
| Abstract: | The author interviewed three teachers and observed each teaching for two hours. These teachers were described as Orff-trained as they had received all three levels of Orff Schulwerk Teacher Training and more. The researcher gave a pre-observation and post-observation interview with the use and process of improvisation as the focus. The observation covered four lessons and at least three of the four were transcribed for analysis. Data collection was completed in two months in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. The teachers planned their lesson after the pre-interview in order to plan lessons using improvisations in the context and content of the lessons. Students ranged from second grades to sixth grades. |
| Results/Conclusions: | Transcripts of the classroom were coded according to guidelines of Simpson and Tuson (1995) to examine the content and context of classroom for improvisational activities. The interview data were compared to the observed data according to several themes and were subject to cross-case analysis: providing environment conducive to creativity, use of improvisation, purpose of improvisation, developmental aspects, assessment, pedagogic techniques, achievement standards, and students responses. Results indicate that teachers agree on the importance and definition of improvisation as creating something new. They agreed that teachers modeling improvisation behavior is important for stylistic elements. They differed in the amount of structure in teaching improvisation, as well as ways of assessing student outcomes. |
| Implications for music education (continued research): | Teachers here agreed that improvisation is an important content for elementary music learning and students enjoy such activities. It is difficult to study the amount of improvisation. |
| Keywords: | Improvisation |