Date

1-13-2023

Department

School of Music

Degree

Master of Arts in Music Education (MA)

Chair

Monica Taylor

Keywords

music education, music curriculum, biblical integration, Musical Expressions, private Christian education

Disciplines

Education | Music

Abstract

There is an increasing need for a music curriculum that not only guides students in creating, analyzing, performing, and arranging musical ideas, but also integrates a biblical perspective connecting students to themselves and their environments. This applied study measured the effectiveness of the first two units of the curriculum “Musical Expressions” as a guide for students in upper elementary education as they developed, organized, analyzed, and composed their own musical ideas while understanding the biblical implications of music. Guided by Eisner’s model of arts-based research, this applied artistic creative research study yielded quantitative data to identify student achievement in their ability to compose a four-measure composition using a specific criterion in the curriculum and evaluated student achievement in the biblical perspectives of music collecting qualitative data from personal student journals. Perspectives on student cognitive, spiritual, and emotional development during their intermediate elementary years have emerged as themes through exploration of a small body of existing literature, personal interviews, and supporting quantitative data. The comparison of both data methods revealed strengths and weaknesses of the “Musical Expressions” curriculum. Overall, the data conveyed success in the curriculum’s ability to guide students in composing a four-measure composition and gather insights on music from a Biblical perspective according to God’s character, creation, mankind, moral order, and purpose. This research provided insight to educators, curriculum developers, and spiritual leaders while fulfilling the need for a comprehensive music curriculum for Christian Schools.

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