Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Online Professional Development in Preschool Settings: Music Education Training for Early Childhood Generalists

Lenzo, Terri Brown

Abstract Details

2014, PHD, Kent State University, College of the Arts / School of Music, Hugh A. Glauser.
TERRI BROWN LENZO, PH.D., DECEMBER, 2014 MUSIC ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN PRESCHOOL SETTINGS: MUSIC EDUCATION TRAINING FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD GENERALISTS Dissertation Adviser: Dr. Craig Resta Preschool generalists are often responsible for leading musical activities despite the fact that they may not have received training. The online format showed promise for ameliorating training barriers such as time commitment, cultural misconceptions regarding music education, and self-efficacy for leading musical activities. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effectiveness of an online training program for increasing preschool generalist self-efficacy for leading musical activities. This was research of the quasi-experimental genre in which a one-group pretest-posttest design was utilized. The researcher conducted four preschool music classes which were videotaped by an assistant. Selected recordings were combined with narrated PowerPoint presentations to create three separate video-training modules focused on teaching techniques for leading singing, instrumental, and movement activities. The modules were posted online and designed to allow unlimited asynchronous access for a two-week period. Using purposeful sampling methods, participants were recruited by contacting affiliates of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Snowball sampling was also employed. The sample (n = 26) included classroom educators working in child care centers and independent settings from all six regions of the United States. Data were collected via Qualtrics online survey service and analyzed with IBM SPSS. At an alpha level of .05, overall teacher self-efficacy for leading musical activities increased significantly (p = .005). Self-efficacy for leading specific singing, instrumental, and movement activities increased in 21 of 22 categories, and 14 of those findings were statistically significant. The significant findings for teaching musical concepts and facilitating the development of creativity were particularly meaningful as previous researchers have found these activities lacking in preschool curricula. Significant results were also obtained for beliefs about inherited musical talent. Given an appropriate training design, study data support the use of an online delivery method for the music education professional development of in-service preschool generalists. Implications exist for the training of other generalist populations and music specialists. Considering the critical nature of early childhood musical development, additional training programs should be implemented with classroom teachers and music educators.
Craig Resta, Ph.D. (Advisor)
299 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lenzo, T. B. (2014). Online Professional Development in Preschool Settings: Music Education Training for Early Childhood Generalists [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1416315624

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lenzo, Terri. Online Professional Development in Preschool Settings: Music Education Training for Early Childhood Generalists . 2014. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1416315624.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lenzo, Terri. "Online Professional Development in Preschool Settings: Music Education Training for Early Childhood Generalists ." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1416315624

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)