Examines effects of aural, visual, and combined aural/visual conditions on the emotional response to music and dance of musicians and nonmusicians. Indicates no significant differences in perceived artistic tension based on musical background or on experimental conditions. Responses were similar regardless of prior consideration of the existence…

Examines whether musicians who rehearse and perform a musical selection perceive tension in the music differently than do listeners who have not had the performance experience. Indicates that the experience of performing did not seem to greatly affect perception of tension as measured in this study. (DSK)

Attempts to determine the relative difficulty of playing selected types of melodic pattern by ear; studies the effects of performance experience and instrument family on the ability to play by ear; and investigates the relationship between tonal aptitude and ability to play by ear. Presents results and questions for further research. (DSK)

Assesses the opinions of fifth graders and adults concerning messages conveyed to preschool children through video songs. Compares their responses to questions about the same video. Solicits opinions regarding the importance of the messages, whether they would be learned, and how well they would be liked by preschool children. (DSK)

Investigates the aural-diagnostic and prescriptive skills of preservice and expert instrumental-music teachers, specifically how the two groups compare with respect to evaluations for band performances of different music-difficulty and performance-quality levels. Discusses the test measurement tool and the results. Identifies future research…

Devises a new curriculum to introduce rational numbers by using developmental theory as a guide. Experiment concluded that students in the treatment group showed a deeper understanding of rational numbers than those in the control group, showed less reliance on whole-number strategies when solving novel problems, and made more frequent references…

Reports on an 18-month investigation of a teacher's actions during class discussions in a second-grade classroom in which student disagreement was resolved by argumentation. Concludes that creating a classroom environment in which students struggle with their own learning requires that teachers understand the complex relationship between the…

Demonstrates how research-based knowledge of students' incompatible solutions to various representations of the same problem could be used to raise their awareness of inconsistencies in their reasoning. Reports that students' decisions as to whether two given infinite sets have the same number of elements depend on the specific representation of…

Extends O'Callaghan's computer-intensive algebra study by using his component competencies and the process-object framework to investigate the effects of a graphing-approach curriculum employing the TI-82 graphing calculator. Concludes that students in the graphing-approach classes demonstrated significantly better understanding of functions on…

Explores research relating to the use of conducting gestures as instructional tools to teach musical concepts, focusing on the effects of conducting on musical understanding and conducting as an organizational and management tool. Discusses why teachers fail to focus on conducting activities. (CMK)

Explores children's music, addressing such issues as studying children's music, the research of John Blackling on children's songs, comments by ethnomusicologists (from the book "Music in Cultural Context") on child involvement with music, observations of children in playful interactions, children's comments on music's value, and research…

Provides information on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1990 (IDEA), the inclusion of autism in the law, and autism in general. Summarizes research on music and children with autism, addressing music as a means to improving communication skills and as a motivator. Considers the implications for music educators. (CMK)

Provides information on intellectual property, copyright, and the issue of fair use. Addresses the guidelines for fair use in the classroom, focusing on fair use guidelines in the context of information technologies, particularly electronic media, and the "Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia." Considers implications for music educators.…

Explores the types of behavior in the studios of acclaimed string teachers whose instruction is based on the principles of Shinichi Suzuki. Focuses on (1) the time allocated to teacher, student, and parent and (2) the relationships between student characteristics and lesson participants. (CMK)

Explores whether focusing the attention of evaluators on students versus the teacher would affect the assessment of teaching in choral rehearsal situations. Music education majors used 10 categories to rate the teacher or students. Reveals that subjects gave the highest ratings when viewing the teacher and the lowest ratings when viewing students.…