An investigation of the relationship between instructor and institutional characteristics and the concert report assignment in music in general studies courses in the United States

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between institutional and instructor characteristics and the assignment of the concert report within American college music in general studies courses. Four research questions were addressed: (1) Do significant differences exist in instructor practices regarding the assignment of, and attitudes towards the concert report when grouped by region, instructor, and institutional characteristics? (2) Do significant differences exist in the role the concert report plays in MGS courses when grouped by region, instructor, and institutional characteristics? (3) Do significant differences exist in writing pedagogy, writing preparations, and the use of guides for writing the concert report when grouped by region, instructor, and institutional characteristics? (4) According to instructors, what dimensions of student learning are reflected in the concert report?

Data were collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire, consisting of three parts and 43 items, resulting in 182 sub-items. Participants responded online via SurveyMonkey.com. A population of 256 MGS instructors answered the survey questions. The largest number of respondents were full professors with a doctoral degree whose teaching load was made up of 25% or less MGS courses, from small public undergraduate and graduate institutions in the North Central and Southern regions of the country. The largest number of instructors had over 25 years of overall teaching experience, and 10-14 years experience teaching MGS.

Overall results indicate MGS instructors' expectations for and attitudes about the concert report were more similar than dissimilar. The most important areas addressed by the concert report were the improvement of listening skills, promoting aesthetic awareness, and building future audiences. Instructors assigned an average of two concert reports per semester, most frequently requiring them to be two pages in length.

Very few significant differences were found based on region, and instructor and institutional characteristics. A significant difference was found between type of institution and number of pages expected for the concert report. Full- or part-time status created a significant difference in whether or not the concert report was meant only to verify concert attendance, and whether or not there was a common grading rubric. A significant difference in the use of re-writes was found based on years of teaching experience and institutional enrollment. A significant difference was found in the use of critiqued drafts when compared by region.

Factor analysis revealed three dimensions of student learning: applied analysis, affective development, and critical evaluation. Qualitative analysis of open-ended response data supported survey findings. Due to the small size of the sample, the results of the study were not generalizable. However, the results provide a baseline of information about the concert report previously unavailable to instructors interested in this assignment in college level MGS courses.