The Impact of a Professional Development Program in Popular Music on a Music Teacher’s Beliefs and Practices

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the process of music teacher change resulting from a long-term professional development program in popular music in the United States. Specifically, I sought to examine change in a general music teacher’s beliefs and practices over a 3-year period. I used a case study methodology informed by a pilot study with the same music teacher. Data included observations, interviews, field notes, and artifacts which I used to explore the four conditions necessary to change described by Yang, namely a mismatch between habitus and field, reflexivity, explicit pedagogy, and an open system. While these emerged as important prerequisites of change in the present study, features of the teacher’s agency, including valuing ownership, teamwork, and discipline, emerged as further enabling conditions of change. Additionally, meaningful and impactful professional development is (a) chosen by the teacher, (b) occurs over a sustained period of time, and (c) requires reflection by the teacher regarding their curricular beliefs and practices.