Michigan State University Perceptions of Preservice Music Educators Concerning their Preparation to Teach Students with Exceptionalities Ashley G. Moss Michigan State University Thompson Symposium Saturday, May 2, 2015

Related Research Inconsistencies in course requirements, course offerings, course structure, and course content (Colwell & Thompson, 2000; Heller, 1994; Salvador, 2010; Schmidt, 1989) Participation in coursework pertaining to the education of individuals with exceptionalities greatly impacts feelings of preparedness (Davila, 2013; Hammel & Gerrity, 2012; Smith & Wilson, 1999; Wilson & McCrary, 1996) Active participating in field experience greatly impacts feelings of preparedness (Kaiser & Johnson, 2000; VanWeelden & Whipple, 2005/2007)

Related Research Hammel (2001b) Purpose: Identify teaching competencies for the elementary general music classroom Methods: Surveyed in-service elementary music teachers and college music education faculty Interviewed college music education faculty Observed instruction in elementary general music classrooms Findings: 14 salient competencies identified through coding Competences based in knowledge and development of skills

Purpose To examine the effect of teaching practices in higher education regarding teaching students with exceptionalities on the perceptions of students in those programs of their preparation to work with students with exceptionalities.

Research Questions How do institutions of higher education prepare preservice music educators to teach individuals with exceptionalities? To what degree do students feel they grasp and can implement the essential competencies for teaching students with exceptionalities outlined by Hammel (2001b)? Is there a relationship between methods of instruction and students’ perceptions on preparation to work with students with exceptionalities?

Participants Criteria for Participation Respondents Enrolled at institution in Big 10 Conference Current undergraduate student Participating in student teaching internship (Spring 2015) Distributed: 155 Complete: 33 (21.29%) Representation from 10 of 13 eligible institutions. Representation for all teaching area and teaching level preferences.

Data Collection Questionnaire Questionnaire hosted on SurveyMonkey.com Researcher-designed Three Sections Background Teaching Competencies Educational Experiences Questionnaire hosted on SurveyMonkey.com Distributed to participants by faculty members at qualifying institutions.

Results

Educational Experiences Course Structure Course Content Readings, no lecture 1-2 Lectures Single Unit Full Semester Course History of IDEA IEPs and 504 Plans Types of Exceptionalities Instructional Accommodations Collaborating with Special Educators

Educational Experience “It’s been covered tangentially in several classes, but I’ve never been evaluated on it in any depth before.” -Respondent #19- “...we did not have the opportunity to take a course that incorporates any educational methods for exceptional students unless we elected to...” -Respondent #21- “I don’t have enough experience working with students with exceptionalities. The most helpful experience has been in student teaching.” -Respondent #25-

RESULTS: Teaching Competencies M = 39.58 SD = 8.13  = .98

RESULTS: Teaching Competencies Cronbach’s Alpha History, Legislation, & Guidelines .92 Implementing Instruction .95 Evaluating Students & Instruction Classroom Environment .90

RESULTS: Teaching Competencies Preference M General Music 41.73 Choir 41.22 Band 39.35 Strings 35 Private Studio 41.39 Other 43 p > .05 for all values

RESULTS: Teaching Competencies Preference M Early Childhood 37.33 Elementary 40.25 Intermediate 39.29 Junior High 38.22 Senior High 38.52 Other 50.67 p > .05 for all values

RESULTS: Teaching Competencies Experience M Personal Experience 41.93 No Personal Experience 35.69 p < .05 PE x NPE

RESULTS: Educational Experience & Teaching Competencies Experience Provided 41.95 No Experience Provided 35.42 p < .05

RESULTS: Educational Experience & Teaching Competencies No Education Experience 35.42 EE w/ Field Experience 45.63 EE w/o Field Experience 39.69 p < .05 NEE x FE p = .05 FE x NFE p > .05 NEE x NFE

Findings Coursework in special education not required (Colwell & Thompson, 2000; Heller, 1994; Salvador, 2010) Inconsistencies in course offerings, course structure, and course content (Salvador, 2010; Schmidt, 1989) Active participation in field experience greatly impacts feelings of preparedness (Kaiser & Johnson, 2000; VanWeelden & Whipple, 2005/2007) Participating in coursework pertaining to the education of individuals with exceptionalities greatly impacts feelings of preparedness (Davila, 2013; Hammel & Gerrity, 2012; Smith & Wilson, 1999; Wilson & McCrary, 1996)

Limitations Small response rate; limited generalizability Indirect communication with respondents Questionnaire design Competency statements derived in general music setting. Statements all positively oriented.

Personal Implications Acknowledging gaps in knowledge pertaining to the education of individuals with exceptionalities. Continued investigation of the how institutions prepare future music educators to teach individuals with exceptionalities.

Professional Implications Creating of a sequential, research-based course of instruction with a field experience component. Intentional, sequential integration of material pertaining to the education of individuals with exceptionalities into preexisting coursework. Adding structured field experience opportunities in inclusive and self- contained settings to preexisting coursework.

Michigan State University Perceptions of Preservice Music Educators Concerning their Preparation to Teach Students with Exceptionalities For More Information Ashley G. Moss Michigan State University amoss989@gmail.com www.ashleygmoss.weebly.com