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The music education research community works hard to reach out and connect with K-12 music educators; Update: Applications of Research in Music Education itself is an example of this dialogue. Yet, despite these efforts, as Edwards (1992) suggests, "Research is not viewed as being in the mainstream of either music or music education. Most musicians and music teachers have little interest in what music researchers do, how they do it, or the conclusions that they reach" (p. 5). Even when music education research is presented in a practitioner-friendly way, problems arise because most research ideas and designs come from the university community. One way to make connections between research and teaching practice is through action research. When applied to music education, action research refers to studies of music teaching and learning that are designed and implemented by K-12 music teachers or in equal collaboration with them.
Colleagues in educational research currently place increased emphasis on exploring designs that involve K-12 music teachers in the process. Many teachers in general education have become involved in identifying research problems, collecting and analyzing data, and writing research reports. The field of music education has just begun to take an active interest in promoting this type of research (Bresler, 1995). Practicing music teachers, therefore, can benefit from the results of action research; this account of a recent action research study serves as an example.
Action Research in Music Education?
As Burnaford, Fischer, and Hobson (1996) suggest, "Research can be seen as the search for practical possibilities teachers and students searching themselves, their classrooms, and their worlds for educational meaning" (p. xii). In relating action research to music education, Bresler (1995) states: "Action research aims at the direct improvement of teaching and curriculum within a particular classroom, gaining a more critical perspective from which the teacher/researcher can reflect and change" (p. 15). Action research refers to inquiry that is designed by teachers to make changes and affect teaching.
Altrichter, Posch, and Somekh (1993) state that "Action research is intended to support teachers, and groups of teachers, in coping with the challenges and problems of practice and carrying through innovations in a reflective way" (p. 4). Action research reports describe teachers doing research to make changes in their own classrooms...