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Developing

a Modern Guitar Curriculum



A final report prepared by Alexandra Millan


University of Connecticut
Neag School of Education
EDCI 5095
April 2015













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Acknowledgments
This work would not be possible without the following people:

Dr. Abramo, for inspiring me to carry out my vision of rock & roll world domination
Dr. Eckert, for keeping me calm throughout the entire inquiry process
The E.O. Smith Music Department, for unconditionally trusting the intern team
The 2015 Music Ed Cohort, for sticking together since day one

















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Table of Contents
Introduction

Project Summary....4

Internship Context.......................6

Rationale......6


Envisioning the Modern Guitar Classroom
Attitudes Toward School Music: A Review of the Literature...8
Informal Learning in the Guitar Classroom.14
Project-Based Learning in the Guitar Classroom.....16
Cultural Responsiveness (or Not) in Music Education.....19

The Curriculum

Why Go Digital?.....24

Course Summaries..25
The Eisner Model of Assessment...27


Case Study: Piloting the Facilitated Informal Learning Method
Introduction....29
Methodology...30
Limitations...31
Student Profiles....33
Findings: Efficacy of the Facilitated Informal Learning Method....34
Findings: Students Self-Perceptions and Perceptions of the Curriculum37


Conclusion
Applications for Practice.....41
Toward Musical Futures..44

References.....46

Appendices

Appendix A: Music Questionnaires...49

Appendix B: Syllabus for Pilot Study.......51






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Introduction
I am a creature of the culture that I create.
Brian Sella - Swimming Pools

Project Summary

This year, three music education interns from the UConn Neag School of Education

worked directly with the Music Department at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs, CT. Having
completed our student teaching the previous spring, we had the opportunity to spend an
entire school year working with a single community to further improve our teaching skills
and explore particular issues within education. The goal of the fifth year internship is to
more thoroughly explore non-classroom issues such as working with stakeholders,
immersing in the local community, and developing large-scale projects. In the fall semester,
the E.O. Smith intern team collaborated with the music department faculty to develop a
mutually beneficial research focus. We developed the following research question that
would guide our work for the rest of the year:
Research question: How can we get more students
involved in the E.O. Smith music program?

At present, only 18% of E.O. Smith students are involved in the music program. (We
define involved as being enrolled in a music class and/or participating in an extracurricular
musical activity sponsored by the music department.) The music department faculty are
highly interested in exploring strategies to increase involvement and improve students
musical experience. Although we initially envisioned completing a joint report, the intern
team decided to branch off into specific areas of interest in order to explore those areas in
depth. I chose to focus on strengthening the general music program, since those types of
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classes have the most potential to reach students that are not interested in traditional
performing ensembles. I spent the fall semester exploring the various general music course
offerings to identify areas of need. Ultimately, I decided to put my educational philosophy
to work and develop a modernized class guitar curriculum.
Inquiry project: Develop a culturally responsive,
student-centered guitar curriculum.

To tackle this problem, I posed the following questions:


1.
2.
3.
4.

How do various groups perceive formal music education?


How can informal learning be incorporated into music education?
How can project-based learning be incorporated into music education?
What does a culturally responsive music classroom look like?

Each of these questions was a cornerstone in my inquiry process and will be


examined at length in this report. I first examined existing literature to see how others had
addressed these questions in various music education contexts. I used those conclusions as
a lens through which I conducted course observations at E.O. Smith. The body of knowledge
I gathered helped me develop my own curriculum that aims to address common problems
and areas of need. The final product of my inquiry is a digital curriculum covering eight
units of guitar study at the high school level. The curriculum is posted online at
www.millanmodernguitar.weebly.com with free public access. Although the entire
curriculum has not been tested, I was able to pilot some lessons with students on an
individual basis. I will discuss the curriculum and the pilot studies in more detail later in
this report.


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Internship Context

E.O. Smith High School is a rural community of 1,173 students. It is a regional high

school that serves grade 9-12 students from Mansfield, Ashford, and Willington. It is not
considered a diverse school: 87% of students are white, 6% are Asian/Pacific Islander, 4%
are black, and 2% are Hispanic/Latino. Just over 10% of students are eligible for free or
reduced lunch compared to the state average of 35%. The E.O. Smith community is
primarily affluent; a majority of students are the children of professors and faculty at the
adjacent UConn Storrs campus.
Curricular performing ensembles at E.O. Smith include two sections each of string
orchestra, concert band, and SATB choir. For general music, several sections of guitar,
piano, and music technology are offered. Music theory is offered for band students on a
pullout basis. There are also a variety of extracurricular music clubs, including womens
and mens choirs, jazz band, and rock and roll club. The E.O. Smith music program reflects
the demographics of the school at large. As previously stated, 18% of students at E.O.
Smith participate in the music program. The guitar classes alone serve a mere 4% of the
population, making it a substantial area of need.

Rationale

I deliberately chose to design a class built around guitar performance (as opposed to

using guitars as a vehicle for understanding recording technology or the music industry)
for the following reasons:
1. Class guitar is popular in many schools, so the likelihood of having an inventory of
guitars and associated equipment (amps, cables, tuners, etc.) makes my curriculum
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easily adaptable. My intention was to create a class that can be implemented into a
music program without requiring drastic changes or purchases.
2. Similarly, schools are less likely to have a professional recording studio, instruments
with which to form several full rock bands, or other facilities needed for a robust
music technology curriculum. My curriculum does offer many opportunities for
technology integration if those facilities are available, but they are not required for
the success of the units.
3. A performance-based class is easily acceptable by educators who teach primarily
performance-based classes. Although this is not a curriculum for a guitar ensemble,
it is more accessible than trying to meet the same objectives with music technology
as the primary vehicle.

I deliberately chose to present the curriculum digitally for the following reasons:
1. The curriculum is accessible by anyone with an Internet connection. Students can
preview course outlines and use that to decide whether or not to enroll, instead of
relying on the short blurb typically found in course catalogues. Stakeholders
(administrators, colleagues, parents, researchers) can all view the website
simultaneously since there is no single physical copy.
2. Digital documents are living documents. The curriculum can be constantly updated
and instantly available without having to reprint or otherwise alter a physical
artifact. The material will not collect dust in a binder underneath other binders for
all eternity.

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3. A graphic map that links to detailed web pages is attractive, not intimidating, to the
digital natives that fill our classrooms. Using technology to go beyond engaging with
lessons and actually engaging with the course structure itself is yet another way to
include students in decisions that affect their academic lives.

Envisioning the Modern Guitar Classroom


Attitudes Toward School Music: A Review of the Literature
As previously stated, the general music classes offered at E.O. Smith include guitar,
piano, and music technology. I believe that these non-performance courses are the key to
accessing the portion of the school population that does not currently participate in music,
but they are currently not as effective to this end as they could be. The intern team
surveyed over 500 students at E.O. Smith High School about their experiences with and
attitudes toward school music, and looked for patterns in the data that correlate with
patterns in existing literature. (See Appendix A for the questionnaires.) The main trend we
discovered that also appears in the literature is the conflict between what students want
out of music classes and what they are actually given.
Some research indicates that the seed of negativity toward formal music study can
be planted long before high school. Lowe (2013) investigated why lower secondary
students often drop out of elective instrumental programs. In particular, Lowe aimed to
examine the impact of instrumental lessons on students beliefs and values about playing
an instrument. Does the current standard of practice help or hinder young students,
especially those who are transitioning to high school? Lowe framed his research question
and methods around the expectancy-value theory of motivation. The expectancy-value
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theory compares the relationship between the value students place on participating in an
activity, and self-perceptions of their competence. Lowe facilitated focus groups of 48 year
eight (age 12-13) students in Perth, Australia. He found that the majority of students played
an instrument for intrinsic reasons, such as the ability to express oneself or simply because
music making is fun. However, many perceived negative aspects of instrumental lessons
contributed to feelings of incompetence. Repetitive, technical work like scales and etudes
were seen as boring due to their difficulty and lack of immediate musical gratification. This
created situations where students felt embarrassed or incompetent when made to perform
in front of their teachers and peers. According to the expectancy-value theory, perceptions
of low competency will contribute to a decrease in value for the activity. This manifested in
many of the focus group students choosing not to do instrumental ensembles in high
school: the teachers expectations of methodical practice divorced from musical context did
not match the students expectations of what playing an instrument should be like. As a
result, the students felt so incompetent that they would rather quit than continue pursuing
an instrument they used to love.

Further negative feelings toward school music are a result of the disconnect

between the music students engage with outside of school and the content of their music
classes in school. In my own teaching experience, I have met many young people who self-
identify as nonmusical despite listening to music for hours every day. The issue arises
when they see what the school defines as a music class: instrumental and choral ensembles
that focus on performing works from the Western art music canon. If this is real music
then surely other students are not real musicians despite their voracious consumption of
music every day.
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Ruismaski & Tereska (2008) and Campbell (2007) wrote on the phenomenon of

primary and secondary students negativity toward school music. They revealed that the
most common source of this negativity is disengagement due to the disconnect between
school music curricula and the ways students engage with music independently. School
music, particularly the large ensemble paradigm, is often based on Western music
principles with a focus on rote learning and performance as product. By contrast, these
researchers found that students prefer listening to popular music, engage frequently with
recording software, and flourish in informal learning situations such as garage bands and
jam sessions. Students reported that they highly value choice in what music they engage
with and how, further amplifying the dichotomy between in-school and out-of-school
music; the typical wind band experience is teacher-directed from literature selection to
rehearsal procedures to the final performance.

Peter De Vries (2010) also examined the disparities between how students in one

Australian primary school engage with music inside and outside of school. Through
surveys, focus group interviews, and class observations, De Vries team of researchers
gathered a profile on the preferences of 86 Year 6 (age 12-13) students at Happy Valley
Primary School. This research is unique because it was actually requested by a music
teacher at Happy Valley. She felt frustrated after years of disengagement in her general
music classes and developed the aim of the study: to discover the musical preferences of
her students in order to adjust her pedagogy appropriately. Her experienced difficulty with
Year 6 students is supported by previous research: Ruismaski & Tereska (2008) and
Bowles (1998) wrote on the phenomenon of upper primary students negativity toward
school music. De Vries reached a similar conclusion: disengagement is due to a disconnect
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between school music curricula and the ways students engage with music independently.
Although this study is limited in its scope, it contributes to the increasing body of support
for K-12 school music reform.
A similar study by Kelly-McHale (2013) examined the correlation between one
elementary music teachers curricular beliefs and her students musical expression and
identities. The researchers observed four students and one music teacher in a Midwestern
suburban school. The teacher believed that if her students became notationally literate,
they would develop deeper musical skills and see themselves as musicians. Her curricular
practices focused on developing music notation literacy; she taught mostly American folk
songs and dances using solfege syllables, Kodaly hand signs, rhythm syllables, and stick
notation. The teacher also frequently discussed the importance of notation literacy and
how it would help her students participate more deeply in musical activities outside of
school. However, interviews with the students revealed that they found their musical
identity isolating. The students did not see their classroom activities as transferrable to
other venues. This outcome is supported by further research (Carlow, 2006).
Additionally, it is highly important to note that the four students studied were first
or second generation Mexican immigrants. Rather than utilizing this diversity to choose
culturally responsive teaching materials and enhance the perspectives of all students, the
teacher only taught American music supported by Western principles. Culturally
responsive teaching is a hot topic in all subject areas, but the arts have a particular duty
and opportunity to engage and embrace it. By definition, the study of art is the study of
culture. When teachers take the opportunity to connect school and home life, their
students will be better equipped to see how classroom skills can be transferred.
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There are some indications that secondary music teachers may have to deal with
unique stressors that impact their performance. In 2010, Robert Gardner conducted a
survey of 128,479 K-12 teachers in the United States, including 1,903 music teachers, in an
attempt to create a profile of the typical teacher. The researchers found that music
teachers, especially at the secondary level, are more likely to hold part-time jobs and teach
in multiple buildings within a district. They also felt underprepared to support students
with special needs, especially in large ensemble classes where their attention is already
spread thin across 40 or more students holding noise-making devices. Not surprisingly, the
secondary music teachers reported lower job satisfaction compared to their elementary
counterparts. In fact, female elementary school music teachers were the most satisfied with
their work environment compared to all teachers. The authors speculate that this is due to
the collaborative environment of being on a specials team, and having a work environment
similar classroom to teachers. Is it unreasonable to expect secondary music educators to
constantly innovate while immersed in what they perceive as a more stressful work
environments? Not necessarily, but Gardners research indicates that it may not just be
sheer laziness that keeps many music programs stagnant.

It is easy to see some of the problems within music education when students

perspectives are compared to teachers. The studies by De Vries (2010) and Kelly-McHale
(2013) demonstrate that students greatly prefer autonomy in the music classroom. It has
been shown time and time again that when students are given ownership of class rules and
procedures, they are more likely to approve of and abide by them. Why cant the same be
said about an ownership-based approach to content? This allows teachers to use their
expertise to facilitate robust learning experiences while at the same time ensuring the
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students remain passionately engaged. Unfortunately, many music educators are bound to
tradition. For example, even in general music classrooms it is common for teachers to
choose literature that they personally enjoy. For instance, a classical guitar etude can be
said to be the best way to learn how to tremolo pick. My cursory Internet search for the
phrase songs with tremolo picking found hundreds of classic rock and metal songs that
utilize the technique. Offering several song selections for the tremolo picking lesson will get
students excited about the repertoire instead of bored by the technique. This is just one of
many ways to incorporate student choice in lesson planning and engage with several
musical cultures and traditions in a single class.
A 2004 study by Hal Abeles showed that early exposure to classical music breeds a
favorable attitude that can last for years. This makes the solution seem simple: beginning
instrumental music in the lower elementary grades will snowball into well-populated
middle and high school programs. After all, there are many teachers like the woman at
Happy Valley Primary School who are passionate about getting kids to show off their
Kodaly hand signs while they sing folk tunes. By all accounts, early intervention should
make our students more excited for the advanced study of Western classical music.
However, I believe that intensifying the traditional approach is not the way to reform
music education; it will only serve to further mask negative trends by holding a magnifying
glass up to its positive attributes. This changes nothing and is ultimately a disservice to our
students. In my curriculum I propose an entirely new approach to both choosing the
content as well as choosing the strategies with which to teach it.

The future of music education will be a far more student-constructed experience.

So-called emergent ensembles, that is, rock bands, music technology workshops, mariachi
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groups, and so forth are successful because they give students an opportunity to delve
deeply into activities that they may already be pursuing in their community. Envision the
legions of young people who congregate in basements and garages across America. They
dedicate their afternoons and weekends to becoming the next Nirvana or Lady Gaga, or at
least to blow off steam and annoy their parents. This widespread cultural phenomenon is
often brushed off by formal educators who believe schools should not be responsible for
teaching the vernacular. (Newman, 1971; Caswell & Smith, 2000; Woody, 2007) In
response, imagine the power of turning this hobby into a true curriculum, backed by
research, sequenced appropriately, and funded generously. Teachers will be trained in
methods of informal pedagogy so they can most effectively support their students musical
growth. Assessments will be built around open-ended projects that demand creativity and
internal motivation. How much more can students achieve with a teacher whose role is to
facilitate, not dictate?

Informal Learning in the Guitar Classroom


A major pitfall of many guitar curricula is not the content itself, but the discrepancy

between what is taught and how it is taught. As examined in the literature review, music
education does not always offer students the experiences they expect or want. If education
is to reflect life itself, (or, on a more contemporary note, prepare students for the real
world), then there must be a crossover of social context between in-school and out-of-
school musical experiences. In rock musics case, that social context relies heavily on
informal learning. Many researchers have written on the importance of informal social
contexts in learning popular music. David Cope (2002) conducted interviews with six
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Scottish musicians, all of whom were primarily self-taught and participated in community
music making events called sessions. From the interviews, Cope concluded the following:
Informal learning may provide a key to increasing the accessibility of participation
in playing of musical instruments. Although such learning is not a common
feature of academic subjects, where it does take place context plays a vital
role.The formality and precision of classical music mean that the likelihood of
success from a basis of self-tuition and informal learning is slim. But, informal
learning is not uncommon in traditional music, popular music and jazz. So, for some
forms of music, at least, the provision of tuition which is often seen as a huge
resource barrier to increasing participation, may not be as central as the
support of social contexts where learning can take place. (emphasis added)










(p. 102)

Cope importantly notes that the nature of music learning is inherently different from other
academic subjects, and as a result, music learning environments do not necessarily have to
look like academic learning environments. Informal learning can be seen as a constructivist
concept, since constructivism in education encourages learners to arrive at their own
version of the truth, and that the individual complexities of each learners sociocultural
experiences are rewarded (Wertsch, 1997). Other research corroborates Copes findings
(Allsup, 2003; Green, 2006; Rusinek, 2008; Tobias, 2015). Formal education can and should
mirror the real-life traditions of the musical culture being studied, which can more often
than not leads to individualized, student-constructed experiences.
In How popular musicians learn, Lucy Green (2001) observed and codified the most
common informal methods that rock musicians use to learn their craft. In particular, she
noted musicians tendency to acquire skills and knowledges on an as-needed basis without
relying on an instructional sequence. This is the greatest difference between formal and
informal methods of music education; where a didactic curriculum might sequence
knowledge in what is believed to be the most logical, effective manner, informal musicians

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learn whatever skills they lack to complete the task at hand. While this may go against the
norms established by teacher education programs and teaching culture as a whole, Green
found that the popular musicians did not perceive themselves to be held back by their
abilities. A majority of the musicians felt that creating positive interpersonal relationships
and achieving the ineffable feel of the music was more important to their experience than
having a particular set of technical skills (Green, 2001).
Informal learning is what happens when musicians engage with music on their own
terms. However, it would not be appropriate for a teacher to leave their students to their
own devices 100% of the time. How can music educators set up a democratic learning
space that values student agency while still ensuring quality learning? I believe the term
facilitated informal learning describes the ideal scenario for the practice of my curriculum.
In a facilitated informal learning situation, students receive guidance from the instructor
while engaging in independent or collaborative work. The instructor is at times a mentor,
model, peer, and additional resource. When used thoughtfully, facilitation serves to
enhance, not detract from, the authentic musical experiences described by Green (2001),
Cope (2002), and others. The case study described later in the report offers a snapshot of
what facilitated informal learning can look like in the guitar classroom.

Project-Based Learning in the Guitar Classroom


Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered model for inquiry drawn from
constructivist learning theories. Projects are tasks based on authentic questions or
problems that call for students to engage in problem solving, decision making, and
investigative activities in order to learn about the topic. Teachers facilitate project work by
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allowing and expecting groups to work autonomously instead of following a lesson plan.
Assessment normally occurs through presentations of a final authentic product (Jones,
Rasmussen, & Moffitt, 1997; Thomas, Mergendoller, & Michaelson, 1999). Thomas (2000)
describes five criteria for successful PBL (emphasis added):
1. Projects are central, not peripheral to the curriculum.
2. Projects are focused on questions or problems that "drive"
students to encounter (and struggle with) the central concepts
and principles of a discipline.
3. Projects involve students in a constructive investigation.
4. Projects are student-driven to some significant degree.
5. Projects are realistic, not school-like.
(p. 3-4)

In other words, PBL activities must be authentic and significant in order to be successful.
They do not simply synthesize concepts students have already learned (as in a project-
based assessment), but require students to construct new knowledges and skills in order to
complete the inquiry. PBL is the best modern expression of John Deweys call for students
to engage in learning by doing.

Several studies have measured the efficacy of PBL on comprehension and retention

of subject material. Gallagher (1992) devised a problem-based math and science course for
high school seniors. Stepien (1993) did similar research with high school students using
problems that introduced ethical issues to science and history curricula. In each study, the
experimental groups engaged in PBL while the control groups did not. Both Gallagher and
Stepien found that their experimental groups performed better on the posttest than non-
PBL students who had been taught the same material. A longitudinal study by Boaler
(1997) found that Gallagher and Stepiens conclusions held up over time. Boaler followed

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300 British mathematics students over a three-year period. Half the students attended a
traditional school that employed teacher-directed, didactic methods of instruction. The
remaining students attended a project-based school that revolved around working on
open-ended projects with little use of textbooks or written assessments. Boaler found that
significantly more students from the PBL school passed the national mathematics
examination when compared to students from the traditional school, and in fact, three
times as many PBL students attained the highest possible grade on the exam.

One criticism of project-based learning is that it requires a high degree of

independence and motivation from students. How does PBL affect the learning outcomes of
students who are not already high achievers? In 1995, researchers Bartscher, Gould, &
Nutter surveyed third, fifth, and tenth grade students who had taken part in project work.
82% of the students agreed that the projects motivated them to work harder, and 93%
indicated increased interest in the subject matter. The following year, Horan, Lavaroni, &
Beldon (1996) compared the behavior of high ability to low ability PBL students. The
researchers observed five critical thinking behaviors (synthesizing, forecasting, producing,
evaluating, and reflecting) and five social participation behaviors (working together,
initiating, managing, inter-group awareness, and inter-group initiating). Unsurprisingly,
high-ability students engaged in both the critical thinking and social participation more
frequently than the low-ability students. It was observed, however, that during the course
of the study the lower ability students achieved the greatest gains in critical thinking and
social participation behaviors; those students saw a remarkable increase of 446%
compared to an increase of 76% for the high-ability students.

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It can be concluded that project-based learning is appropriate for students of all

levels of achievement, including mixed-level classrooms. The self-directed nature of PBL


allows independent students to flourish while providing a platform for lower-achieving
students to engage with the material in new ways. PBL also encourages collaboration, since
many styles of thinking and learning are required to create the most authentic product. All
of these signs point to the guitar classroom as an ideal environment for PBL. Based on this
research, I built each course unit around a driving question that must be explored through
authentic project work. More information is available in the Course Summaries section of
the report.

Cultural Responsiveness (or Not) in Music Education


So far I have hinted at the relationship between informal learning, student-centered
classrooms, and culturally responsive pedagogy. In this section I will unpack the notion of
cultural responsiveness within the larger scope of music education and assess how it is
handled by the profession. Diversity scholar Gloria-Ladson Billings (1994) describes
culturally responsive pedagogy as a pedagogy that recognizes the importance of including
students cultural references in all aspects of learning. It is important to note that this must
reach beyond tokenism and other shallow celebrations of diversity. A culturally responsive
educator asks: into which traditions have students been enculturated before they enter my
classroom? How can I use this information to thoughtfully bridge the gap between their
prior experiences and the experiences my class will offer them? How can I choose diverse
content that is reflective of more than just my values or our few shared values?

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Culturally responsive pedagogy permeates every aspect of the classroom


experience. For the sake and scope of this project, I will focus on the impact of choosing
culturally responsive content in the music classroom. Many students prior musical
experiences will most likely revolve around the vernacular music of their culture; to
Americans and those assimilated into American society, guitar-based pop and rock are the
predominant vernacular. Can the educator incorporate these musics into a meaningful
educational experience within the parameters of their school culture? Absolutely, and in
fact, I argue that to consider otherwise is simply poor teaching. Below is a list of situations
one typically encounters in high school music classrooms:
1. A high school orchestra begins a chamber music unit. The director meets with
each chamber group to assign literature. A violinist mentions that one of her all-
time favorite pieces is an arrangement of A Night In Tunisia by the Turtle Island
String Quartet. The director responds that jazz is an inappropriate genre for the
chamber music unit, and assigns her the Sarabande from Bachs first French
Suite.
2. A band director devotes an hour each night to score study and meticulously
plans each rehearsal. He has a clear artistic vision for each piece and works hard
to teach his students the technical skills that will help realize that vision. He
programs only the highest quality wind band repertoire in order to expose his
students to a rich musical tradition.
3. A group of friends enroll in a music appreciation class. None of them have ever
played an instrument so they are excited to find a music class that doesnt
require prior experience. The students are avid fans of pop culture and are eager
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to better understand their favorite genres. They become frustrated to learn that
the course will only cover the baroque, classical, and romantic periods of
Western music.
4. A group of students use their free period to set up for jazz band rehearsal. They
use some of the equipmentguitar, keyboards, and the drumsetto practice
indie rock songs they have written outside of school. The music teacher tells the
students not to touch the equipment before rehearsal begins, and instructs them
to fool around on your own time.

I believe these scenarios will arouse different responses from each reader

depending on their exposure to diverse methods of instruction. Some may read these as
correct decisions by the music teacher: Students must be directed toward the most
appropriate music for study; the band director is a highly successful musician-educator; the
students need to learn how to appreciate music of high cultural value; the teacher must
protect expensive equipment from unruly children. But in the context of cultural
responsiveness, each scenario is suddenly cast in a negative light: The orchestra director is
stifling his students passion for quartet playing; the band director does not value student
input; the music appreciation class is not sensitive to students backgrounds; the teacher is
suppressing his most creative and motivated students.

This conundrum raises a number of questions. What culture should be taught in

school? Who decides? Should schools teach the vernacular? Students are not trained
educational professionals, so should they have a voice in this conversation? Recall the
student attitude study by Kelly-McHale (2013). The elementary school teachers curricular
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goal was for students to use Kodaly hand signs. She chose to teach that concept through
literature reflecting her own lived white, American, female experience. The majority of her
students were of Mexican descent and struggled to relate American folk tunes to the music
they engaged with at home. As a result, they felt no connection to the material and did not
understand why they were being made to learn it. The same thing happens time and time
again in teacher-directed environments to the detriment of student engagement. Here are
the original four scenarios with different results:
1. A high school orchestra begins a chamber music unit. The director meets with each
chamber group to assign literature. A violinist mentions that one of her all-time
favorite pieces is an arrangement of A Night In Tunisia by the Turtle Island String
Quartet. The director responds that jazz has its own language, but is similar to
classical chamber music because it requires excellent communication between
musicians. Inspired by the violinist, the director includes a mini lesson on jazz so
students can compare and contrast the performance traditions and see how
musical skills transfer across genres.
2. A band director devotes an hour each night to score study and meticulously counts
students votes for which pieces they want to learn. He frequently includes the
ensemble in artistic decision making and works hard to teach his students the
technical skills that will help realize their shared vision. He programs only the
highest quality repertoire of a variety of genres to ensure the students are always
motivated to make music.
3. A group of friends enroll in a music appreciation class. None of them have ever
played an instrument so they are excited to find a music class that doesnt require
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prior experience. The students are avid fans of pop culture and are eager to better
understand their favorite genres. The instructor polls the class on their musical
backgrounds and interests in order to design lessons that meet the needs of that
particular group.
4. A group of students use their free period to set up for jazz band rehearsal. They use
some of the equipmentguitar, keyboards, and the drumsetto practice indie
rock songs they have written outside of school. The music teacher has never seen
those students so focused on making music, so he asks them about their
backgrounds and interests. The jazz band performs an arrangement of Paranoid
Android by Radiohead at the next concert.
John Dewey (1897) wrote, I believe that education which does not occur through
forms of life, or that are worth living for their own sake, is always a poor substitute for the
genuine reality and tends to cramp and to deaden. (p. 77) Research shows that many
young people have felt cramped and deadened by school music experiences that have little
connection to their usual engagement with music. When the increasing diversity of
American schools is combined with the increasing standardization of learning experiences,
students are likelier than ever to believe their perspective is absent from the classroom.
Our music programs should, as Evan Tobias (2013) suggests, help students engage with
music in contemporary society (p. 29) as well as strive to promote student agency so they
can become independent thinkers. Music education must admit that the cultural vernacular
is contemporary society, and as such, there is a responsibility to appropriately facilitate
students engagement with it.

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The Curriculum
Why Go Digital?
A major component of this project was the generation of a digital presentation of the
curriculum materials. This is because transparency and collaboration are hugely important
to my educational philosophy. As a musician, I have always embraced collaboration as a
means to improve my own skills and give back to the musical communities that have
supported me. This experience has made its way into my general educational philosophy; I
certainly did not complete this project without help, and my hope is that the combined
efforts of my professors, colleagues, friends, students, and myself can be paid forward to
create outstanding educational experiences for others. The curriculum website,
www.millanmodernguitar.weebly.com, contains the following information:
1. Descriptions of each curriculum unit
2. Visual maps connecting Guitar 1 and 2, and their respective units
3. A brief description of the curricular method
4. A more detailed rationale with research citations and inquiry highlights
5. Links to additional music education resources
6. A contact page
Even though I put a years worth of full-time work into this project, I realize that the
curriculum is very much a blank slate. It has not seen a full field test and I can only rely on
my own research and educational ideals to defend the methodology and sequencing of
materials. By posting the curriculum publicly, every single aspect is free to be viewed or
altered by others. I do not believe in scripted, one-size-fits-all teaching. If I get to properly
implement this curriculum someday, I fully expect that I will make many more changes. I
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hope that other teachers feel inspired to do the same. A digital presentation ensures that
my materials are easily shared, debated, and improved to work toward the common goal of
improving students educational experiences.

Course Summaries

Guitar 1 and 2 are comprised of four project-based units each. Each curriculum unit

is designed to address a driving question by having students tackle an authentic project


through a combination of independent work and peer collaboration. Although students will
learn different skills at their own pace, the sequence of units is designed to cumulative. It
builds upon previously acquired skill sets. For instance, the first unit project is a cover
song. This reflects the reality of learning the guitar; students are often inspired by their
favorite artists and pick up the guitar to learn those songs. From there, they expand their
skills to other genres and begin composing their own works. Guitar 1 mirrors this common
trajectory by guiding students toward acquiring the knowledges and skills needed to write
an original song. Guitar 2 expands on that concept to guide students toward writing and
recording several songs that comprise an EP.

Both course sequences include historical components to expand students academic

knowledge of rock musics history. By the simple action of choosing to play the guitar,
students become situated in the instruments rich sociocultural context. The Rock History
units aim to familiarize students with the past and present states of the genre through the
study of important figures and events. Even though this curriculum is primarily
performance-based, a well-rounded music education must ensure that students become
proficient consumers and critics as well.
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The Rock History and Genre Study unit projects are listed as Student Choice due to

the myriad appropriate ways students may acquire and demonstrate content knowledge
during those units. Rock History 1 and 2 are designed to prepare students for the Genre
Study, which mimics the Rock History model but requires a more self-directed exploration
of the students preferred rock subgenre. Rock History can be considered a broad
exploration of many interconnected cultural traditions, while the Genre Study is a deep
exploration of a single tradition. The curriculum website
(www.millanmodernguitar.weebly.com) describes potential projects that students might
complete during those units.

Below is the entire curriculum sequence for Guitar 1 and 2:


Guitar 1

Driving Question

Unit Project

Unit 1: Fundamentals

What skills and knowledges do rock


guitarists need to learn new songs?

Learn a cover song

Unit 2: Rock History 1

What people and events have contributed


to the trajectory of rock music?

(Student choice)

Unit 3: Improvisation

What role does jamming play for rock


musicians?

Attend or host a jam


session

Unit 4: Songwriting 1

What skills and knowledges do rock


musicians need to write quality songs?

Write an original song


with music and lyrics

Guitar 2

Driving Question

Unit Project

Unit 1: Rock History 2

What people and events have contributed


to the trajectory of rock music?

(Student choice)

Unit 2: Genre Study

How do various genres function within the


broader culture of rock music?

(Student choice)

Unit 3: Songwriting 2

What skills and knowledges do rock


musicians need to write a quality album?

Write and record an


original EP

Unit 4: Getting the Gig

What goes into a quality rock performance? Put on a rock concert



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The Eisner Model of Assessment


In this guitar curriculum, like in most performance-based music classes, ongoing

formative assessment is the teachers major responsibility. A productive music class often
looks more like barely-controlled chaos than the trope of students obediently taking notes.
After all, the skills needed to create, interpret, and perform music require more than rote
memorization of concepts. The fact that my curriculum revolves around informal learning,
project-based learning, and, above all, the individuals relationship with art, means that I
had to look outside the box to find the most appropriate assessment system. My research
into arts assessment led me to the Eisner model of assessment.

Elliot Eisner (1933-2014) was professor of art and art education at Stanford

University for several decades. He was a leading figure in the fields of arts education,
curriculum reform, and educational policy reform. Eisner published often, but his 2002
book The arts and the creation of mind is most often cited for its insight into how and why
the arts should be seen as a necessary part of the educational system. In his review of The
arts and the creation of mind, James Rolling (2006) summarizes Eisners (and his own) view
of quality assessment of art:
Authentic assessment is repetitive; like any good mining operation, it revisits the
shaft and extends it as it follows after veins of possible meaning. Authentic
assessment does not seek to quantify; it will move a mountain of rubble and drain a
bucket of sweat for the small diamond it values. Authentic assessment allows the
miner to set their value, seek their bounty, stake their claim and then return their
acquisition to open market. Authentic assessment is self-directed and privately
owned. What have I learned today? What is my evidence?










(p. 12)

Eisner notes three domains of student artwork that commend themselves to authentic
assessment: the technical quality of the work, its inventive use of an idea or process, and
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the works expressive power and/or aesthetic quality (2002, n.p.). Together, these ideas
form what is colloquially known as the Eisner Triangle:

According to this model, a highly successful piece of artwork will form an equilateral

triangle; that is, it is equal parts technically proficient, inventive, and expressive. Many
typical art assessment schemes focus on how well the student executes the technical
objective of the work. While technical growth is an important facet of artistic growth, the
Eisner Triangle demonstrates the reality that all parts of the artistic process must be
viewed in context to get a clear picture of the students progress. Some may fear the
implications of grading someones personal expression through art; Eisner asserts that
innovation and expression can still be assessed, though on a more subjective basis than
technical proficiency. This requires expertise and sensitivity on the teachers part.
In the concluding section of this report, I discuss the potential for applying the
Eisner model to my guitar curriculum. Due to time constraints I was not able to
meaningfully test it during the pilot study. Nevertheless, I believe Eisners theories are
worth further study based on the rigor with which Eisner and other arts education
researchers are able to defend them.

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Case Study: Piloting the Facilitated Informal Learning Method


Introduction
In late February I was given the opportunity to pilot aspects of my curriculum. This
development was unexpected but proved to be one of the most important parts of my
inquiry process, since I could use authentic field experience to inform the final draft of the
curriculum. With only a month to carry out the study, I prioritized an examination of the
effectiveness of the facilitated informal learning method. The actual sequencing of
content/objectives is highly flexible because teachers must revise lessons frequently to
meet new needs and challenges. The question I most wanted to answer is whether or not
the informal learning method is effective. I devised the following research questions to
guide the case study:
1. What is the relationship between this curricular method and students musical
growth? I hypothesize that students will make excellent musical progress by
participating in a student-centered informal learning environment. I also argue that
this curricular method is appropriate for mixed ability level groups due to the
emphasis placed on collaboration and peer learning. I will compare my students
progress to the progress of students who participate in the E.O. Smith Guitar 1 class
for a similar amount of time.
2. What is the relationship between this curricular method and students self-perceptions
of musicality as related to a growth mindset? Throughout the study I will attempt to
cultivate a growth mindset in my students so that they remain open to continuous
learning and rising to the challenge of new problems. As a result, I believe they will
have high self-perceptions of their musical potential regardless of relative skill level.
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3. How might the Eisner model of assessment be adapted to monitor students artistic
progress in a guitar class? Technical skill, creativity, and expressive power are
important qualities to consider when assessing artistic products. Since the
assessment model was developed for visual art, how can I adapt the parameters to
most appropriately serve a guitar class? What target student behaviors fall under
each of the parameters, and to what degree should they be expected to appear
throughout the course of the study?
4. How do students perceive the curriculum? The ultimate goal of this study is to
improve the curricular method of facilitated informal learning. The students
opinions are valuable to me because I want to make sure that I make appropriate
compromises to meet their individual needs. To document students changing
perceptions of the curriculum, the last ten minutes of each class session will be
devoted to reflective journaling. I will also conduct formal interviews at key
transition points to make appropriate adjustments to the method.

Methodology
To study these questions, I collected data by observing and delivering lessons to two
high school students (aged 14-15, one male and one female) in my experimental guitar
class, as well as conducting private interviews, from early March 2015 to early April 2015.
Within the study I found that student perceptions of the curriculum were the easiest data
to gather, and the limited time prevented any meaningful work with the Eisner assessment
model. The most useful information came from comparing the students self-perceptions of
their musicality to my evaluations of their behavior and abilities.
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The study comprised seventeen class sessions lasting approximately fifty minutes
each. The group met each Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with substantial long
weekend assignments to maximize productive use of the off days. Students had access to
online curriculum materials to guide their home work. As a tenet of the facilitated informal
learning model, the majority of each class period was devoted to independent guitar
practice. The most common class period structure included an introduction of the days
objectives, a demonstration of new skills when appropriate, and independent practice
facilitated by my occasional participation. The majority of class meetings ended with a ten-
minute reflective session during which students journaled on a topic related to recent
activities. I conducted three formal interviews: on the first day of the study, approximately
halfway through the study, and on the last day of the study. I documented these interviews
and my informal observations by making typed field notes and audio recordings (Emerson,
Fretz, & Shaw, 1995). I also reviewed the participants journal responses after the
conclusion of the study.

Limitations

Time was the most substantial limitation of the study. Making the most of my

remaining internship hours, I was able to plan seventeen meeting days over the course of
approximately one month. Since both students had little to no prior experience playing the
guitar, it was impossible for them to acquire the technical skills required to progress
through several curriculum units in the given time frame. As a result, I could not test the
efficacy of many of the project-based learning experiences I had devised and had to instead

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focus on the general impact that the facilitated informal learning method has on
instrumental practice.

With only two students participating, opportunities for collaboration and peer

learning were severely limited. I attempted to assuage this by participating in many of the
activities, including my own independent practice sessions, and facilitating jam sessions,
discussions, and other collaborative events. I initially hoped to make more discoveries
related to the social learning of music, but collaborative opportunities were limited by the
students needing frequent independent practice. I found that the fundamental guitar
techniques needed for success were best learned in isolation, hence devoting most of our
meeting times to independent practice. The makeup of the group did have some benefits,
though; the male student, David, had no significant prior music education. By contrast, Julie
has studied classical piano and voice at an advanced level for many years and is described
by her teachers as hyper-musical and creatively driven. This allowed me to study the
effects of creating a mixed-ability classroom. During group activities I tried to emphasize
David and Julies common threadtheir newness to the guitarrather than play up the
discrepancies in their overall musical knowledge so as not to intimidate David or bore Julie.

Finally, as a result of the above complications, the Eisner model of assessment was

not meaningfully studied. Students were introduced to the Eisner Triangle on the first day
of the study and revisited the concept during the final days. But formal Eisner assessment
did not occur on a regular basis since both students were preoccupied with learning
fundamental guitar techniques for the duration of the study. It would not have been
appropriate to assess their ability to create and interpret art without first ensuring they

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had the skill set to do so. Further thoughts on testing the Eisner model can be found in the
Applications for Practice section of this report.

Student Profiles
David is a male freshman aged 14. He enjoys rock bands from the 60s and 70s such
as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd, often wearing a t-shirt representing
one of those groups. His previous guitar experience includes improvising by ear (known as
noodling) along to his favorite songs. Davids prior formal music experience is limited to
rudimentary fluency with standard notation, a relic from his required general music days in
elementary and middle school. David received a guitar for Christmas and was interested in
joining E.O. Smiths extracurricular rock and roll club. The music department head spoke to
Davids guidance counselor about participating in my study and she agreed it would be a
beneficial first experience for him. David expressed excitement about learning to play the
guitar via experimental methods and retained that positive attitude throughout the study.
Julie is a female freshman aged 15 with extensive musical experience. She is a
classically trained pianist, sings in the choir, and plays saxophone in the concert band. She
also enjoys studying music theory and has mastered theory content beyond the grade-level
average. In the fall semester I was responsible for Julies pullout saxophone lessons but it
was quickly determined that she did not need the extra help. When considering an
alternate use for that time, Julie remarked that she had always wanted to learn how to play
guitar. We had a handful of introductory lessons but unanticipated schedule conflicts
prevented further meetings. When I approached Julie about participating in the study, she
expressed excitement and gratitude for the chance to continue working with me.
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Findings: Efficacy of the Facilitated Informal Learning Method


The main purpose of this study was to determine how the facilitated informal
learning method compares to traditional education in terms of student progress. I
hypothesized that my curriculum would promote comparable or higher musical growth
due to the authenticity of the student-centered environment. I also sought to measure the
effect of collaboration and peer learning on the overall growth of a mixed ability level
group. Due to the limitations imposed by time and number of participants, however,
opportunities for meaningful collaboration were too scarce to provide useful data. At the
conclusion of the study I compared my students growth to the expected growth of a
student during the first month of E.O. Smiths Guitar 1 classes. Since the initial pacing of the
two courses is dissimilar, a direct comparison between students could not be made.
The E.O. Smith Guitar 1 curriculum focuses primarily on classical guitar technique
and repertoire. Students learn the notes in first position using exercises written in standard
notation. Exercises are scaffolded so students learn one string at a time and eventually
become capable of reading and performing melodies using several strings. This prepares
students to read, practice, and eventually memorize several major scales in first position.
Alongside this technical study, students learn the basic open chords. Typical class
assignments involve learning the melody and chords to world folk tunes so students can
accompany each other in small groups. After the first month of Guitar 1, students are
expected to read and interpret standard notation using rhythms up to eighth notes.
By contrast, the first month of my curriculum does not necessarily utilize standard
notation. Both students in the pilot study chose to learn cover songs using a combination of
tablature, chord charts, and tutorial videos. Since the first unit project involves building the
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skills needed to learn a cover song, isolated technical exercises are introduced based on
students needs rather than as prescribed assignments. I did requite both students to learn
the open G, C, and D major chords and the G pentatonic scale in order to play a 12 bar blues
progression in G. However, aside from regulating their home practice routines, that was the
only task I assigned without input from the group. We did not perform any rhythmical
exercises but I did emphasize ear training in order to develop rhythmic accuracy during
practice and performance.
David had no guitar experience prior to participating in the study. Over the course of
one month, he was able to play along to a recording of Sunshine of Your Love by Cream. This
involved performing the main riff, power chords, and taking an improvised solo. We also
did mini-lessons including an introduction to the 12 bar blues progression and soloing in G
and D pentatonic. Davids rhythmic feel improved dramatically over the course of the study.
He is also developing an ear for soloing and is very comfortable playing in front of people. I
am curious to see how his newly acquired knowledge (and knowledge gaps) impacts his
further independent learning.
Julie initially decided to learn Yesterday by The Beatles. However, after a number of
frustrating weeks she decided to focus on playing and singing The Way I Am by Ingrid
Michaelson. The song requires her to perform a bass line during the first verse and chords
during the rest of the song. Julie did not feel prepared to perform all of the chords by the
final day of the study. I instructed her to practice the chords for her own benefit, but to
focus on the bass line for her performance. I accompanied her on guitar so she could hear
the chords and get used to the nuances of performing with a partner. I had expected
greater progress from Julie due to her musical aptitude; she experienced two critical
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setbacks, including having to miss every Tuesday meeting for tutoring, and having to play
on an acoustic guitar with uncomfortably high action. Should Julie have access to a better
instrument, I am confident that her progress will increase dramatically.
As previously stated, the main benefit of my curriculum is the student-centered
learning environment. In my time observing the E.O. Smith guitar classes I have noticed a
high level of student disengagement. This is not due to a lack of interest in playing the
guitar; in fact, most students create disruptions by playing their preferred rock and pop
tunes instead of practicing the assigned piece. I interpret this as the students attempting to
make their voices heard. Every day I spent observing the E.O. Smith classes, I heard
snippets of songs by Guns n Roses, Death Cab for Cutie, Ed Sheeran, and even the theme
song from the Super Mario video games. I also heard students practicing chords that were
not part of the course repertoire. None of the students musical interests were present in
the curriculum, which caused them to act out in order to share the music they wanted to
learn. These early observations actually served as a major inspiration for the development
of my curriculum. Research shows that student choice is the number one factor in
sustaining engagement (Campbell, 2007; Rusinek, 2008; Kelly-McHale, 2013). By creating a
blank slate curriculum, I allow the students to choose materials that best suit their needs
and interests. From there, the instructor fills in the blanks by using those materials to guide
the pacing of the course and meet the broad objectives. This creates a more responsive,
flexible, and productive environment for students. Based on my observations of both the
pilot study and E.O. Smiths guitar classes, I can confidently extrapolate that my curriculum
prepares students for more long-term musical success.

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Findings: Students Self-Perceptions and Perceptions of the Curriculum


The first day of the study was devoted to introducing objectives and expectations.

One expectation outlined in our conversation and the course syllabus (Appendix C) was the
cultivation of a growth mindset. I facilitated a conversation with David and Julie about how
fixed mindsets and growth mindsets can affect musicians. In her book Mindset: The new
psychology of success, Carol Dweck (2006) describes the way various mindsets inform
peoples goals, beliefs, and decisions. ONeill (2011) writes that an unhealthy fixed mindset
compel[s] individuals to seek constant validation of their abilities and achievements (p.
37) and is responsible for the belief that abilities are fixed attributes. By contrast, a healthy
growth mindset is characterized by a passion for learning, the active seeking of challenges,
a valuing of effort, and resiliency. (p. 37) Cultivating a growth mindset is crucial for
success in creative endeavors because those who engage in art and music are constantly
surrounded by models that should be seen as inspiring rather than discouraging. I felt it
important to devote time to a discussion of the impact that mutual trust and respect have
on developing a healthy growth mindset among musical peers.
I was particularly worried about Davids self-perceptions. How would he compare
his fledgling musicality to that of Julie and myself? During the first half of the study I
observed that he was making adequate progress with his first cover song, Creams Sunshine
of Your Love. He used an instructional video from the popular website
www.justinguitar.com to learn the main riffs, and found supplementary Internet resources
whenever the video used unfamiliar terminology. Since David and Julie spent most class
periods in separate practice rooms, and David has not been exposed to many non-
professional models of musicianship, I wondered how he felt about the learning experience.
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The midterm interview on March 23, 2015 revealed that David had an almost naively high
perception of his progress.

Interviewer: Tell me about your experience learning guitar so far.


David: Its been very positive. Ive seen a lot of results, probably faster than I thought I
would. I learned the song [Sunshine of Your Love] pretty quickly. Again, I thought it
would take longer, but it didnt.

Interviewer: Has anything been very frustrating or difficult?

David: Nothing in particular that I can remember. If anything, the overall song is
challenging, but I think the challenges are manageable. There are parts of my song
that were hard, but the more I kept working on it, the easier it got. Its easy to practice
because this isnt like a class that I have to go to and dont want to be there.


I realized after this interview that my use of language as a trained music teacher is different
from Davids use of language as a novice. He shared immediately that he had learned the
song pretty quickly, which I assumed meant that he was able to perform the entire song
with technical accuracy. The next day I brought an electric bass and asked David if we could
play the song together. Our first duet attempt revealed that, while David could play the riff
fairly well, he had severe tempo issues. I suggested that we play along to the original
recording so we could stay in time more easily. Again, David struggled to maintain the
tempo for more than a few bars at a time. I did not want to discourage him by repeating the
clearly unsuccessful activity, so I left him alone to practice playing along with the recording.

Upon revisiting the interview I realized that Davids self-perception was probably

relative to his ability level. Any gains are likely to feel monumental for someone who has
never seriously practiced an instrument before. David is highly motivated to practice and
enjoys overcoming the challenges of learning his first cover song. This is evidence that
David had a growth mindset at the beginning of the study. With no one else to compare

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himself to, David could have been equally likely to see his progress as slow and
unrewarding, and to subsequently believe that he has no musical potential. For many
people, low self-esteem is simply a lack of awareness that they can manipulate their
outlook to begin with (ONeill, 2011). Impressively, David maintained this mindset
throughout the study. I offered him the challenge of improvising a solo during his final
performance; he happily accepted and set off to work practicing. After David shared his
performance with Julie and me, I asked what he thought of it. Despite some expected slip-
ups, he smiled and said he felt really good about the performance and the learning
process.

I anticipated that Julies self-perception of her guitar skills would come from a place

of heightened musical awareness. Julie is a gifted classical pianist and, as previously


mentioned, dropped her saxophone lessons because the concert band repertoire does not
challenge her. From my own experience and the experience of my peers, picking up a new
secondary instrument can be frustrating because our motor skills rarely match up with
the musical knowledge we already possess. For instance, teaching myself trombone last
year was intellectually simple because of my prior knowledge about the harmonic series,
but physically challenging because my facial muscles were not developed enough to play
notes in the higher range. I wondered if Julie would experience similar frustrations.

Interviewer: Tell me about your experience learning guitar so far.


Julie: Its been very frustrating in some ways because I have small hands and I cant
always get the chords right. But its also really fun. Learning cover songs on the guitar
is very different from learning on the piano, but also very similar in some ways, which
is cool. A lot of it is becoming very similar. Its also very useful because if you look
online, most cover songs are for guitar instead of piano.

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Interviewer: Do you feel that your piano skills are crossing over to guitar?

Julie: Definitely.

Numerous times I observed Julie using her prior musical knowledge to advance her
knowledge of the guitar. She frequently tunes the guitar by ear using a piano and often
double checks her chord pitches on piano as well. During an introduction to blues
improvisation, I deliberately showed the group only one octave of the G blues scale so as
not to overwhelm them with note options. Julie independently discovered additional notes
outside of that octave and attempted to use them in her improvisation. Just as frequently,
though, Julie expressed frustration with her lack of technical skill as evidenced in the
interview excerpt. During the same improvisation lesson, she lamented that she heard a
particular melody in her head but couldnt figure out how to play it on the guitar. This
experience did not seem to negatively impact Julies self-perception. She expressed during
the midterm interview that she has identified a crossover between her piano and guitar
playing, and thinks the connection is really cool. Julie seems to already possess a growth
mindset as a result of her piano training, and refers to her success in other musical venues
as evidence that she can also succeed at the guitar. Both students experience made me
confident that it was worth the time to make them conscious of the various mindsets they
could adopt.
Students positive self-perceptions were mirrored in their perception of the
curriculum itself. Both Julie and David adapted well to the facilitated informal learning
method. In a journal entry from April 8th, 2015, David wrote that he enjoyed the
unconventional learning style, and that this class made me feel like it was so easy to do
something I thought would be hard. On the same date, Julie said the course was very
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refreshing and felt very natural. Although Julie is content to remain in traditional large
ensembles at E.O. Smith, she enjoys having the class time to learn her preferred content at
her own pace. By contrast, David described in a March 25, 2015 journal entry that he left
concert band in middle school because we didnt play the kind of music I wanted to learn.
Davids disillusionment with the formal school music tradition appears to have been
tempered by this personalized learning experience. The body of research related to
student-centered learning and informal learning corroborates the students experience
with my curriculum. Overall, both Julie and David met personal and musical success
through participation in the facilitated informal learning method. Most importantly, they
themselves recognize this success and are equipped to continue learning independently
beyond the scope of this case study.

Conclusion
Applications for Practice

The facilitated informal learning method shows great promise. Research shows time

and time again that student-centered environments are more conducive to meaningful
learning than traditional direct instruction (Hannafin & Land, 1997; McCombs & Whistler,
1997; Weimer, 2002; Azevedo, 2012). The content and method of this guitar curriculum
are designed to promote a culturally responsive, student-centered learning environment.
Facilitated informal learning allows students to learn guitar on their own terms without
developing the bad habits of a completely unsupervised musician. As far as the content
itself, much of it is the students choice to begin with. They decide what songs to learn, what
songs to write, and what songs to study. Any predetermined musical examples (such as the
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artists on the Rock History timelines) can and should be updated to reflect the students
cultural positions as well as the ever-changing trajectory of rock music. So long as the
instructor is dedicated to a student-centered philosophy, this case study suggests that the
majority of students will respond positively to facilitated informal learning.

The most positive measured outcome of the study was the impact of establishing a

class-wide growth mindset. David and Julies experience indicates that it is worth spending
class time discussing that concept and providing frequent opportunities for independent
reflection. In this case study, we spent the entire first class meeting discussing behavior
and performance expectations and did not even talk about playing the guitar until the
second meeting. While I might have initially preferred to make the most of our limited
instructional time, I do not believe that the students would have been as successful, nor do I
believe their success would have felt transferrable to other creative, effort-based contexts.
Green (2001) observed that popular musicians overwhelmingly value positive personal
connections between colleagues. This is one of the greatest cultural differences between
classical and popular pedagogies. When asked, What do you value most highly in another
musician, Greens interviewees responded with positive group-oriented traits including
friendship, tolerance, loyalty, kindness, and shared tastes. Young guitarists who participate
in rock/pop musical culture outside of school will likely benefit from a similar classroom
environment. It is no shock that teams who respect and value each other achieve better
results. By cultivating a growth mindset on the individual and class-wide scale, students
involved in this curriculum will be more open to the cycle of
collaboration!reflection!improvement that is required of successful rock guitarists.

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Although its use was not tested in this study, I anticipate that further work with the

Eisner model of assessment will yield positive results. Regarding young peoples post-
school experiences, Eisner (1999) wrote, Our children will need to know how to frame
problems for themselves, how to formulate plans to address them, how to assess multiple
outcomes, how to consider relationships, how to deal with ambiguity, and how to shift
purposes in light of new information. (p. 658) The goal of education should be to prepare
students to face these real-world issues independently and collaboratively. Each authentic
unit project is designed to address some or all of those contexts. Constantly framing class
projects within the context of Eisners post-school visions will keep the work relevant and
relatable. The assessment model can be tailored and modified for students specific areas of
growth in addition to being used as a self-reflection tool. Should the curriculum be piloted
on a larger scale, I believe the Eisner model will be the most appropriate way to assess
students personal artistic growth.

This curriculum is easily adaptable to any high school setting. The only mandatory

resources are a set of guitars, an Internet connection, and a sense of resourcefulness.


Schools with an existing guitar program will likely have more than enough materials for
students to use. Schools without an existing guitar program can consult a number of
purchase guides for guitars, tuners, amplifiers, etc. Schools without district financial
support may access a number of grants through the NAMM Foundation (www.namm.org)
and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation (www.vh1savethemusic.org). NAfME has several
publications aimed at beginning guitar teachers, including How to Set Up a Guitar
Classroom (http://www.nafme.org/wp-
content/uploads/2014/05/Setting_Up_A_Guitar_Room.pdf) alongside numerous other
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financial and practical resources. In the spirit of creativity, teachers should not be afraid to
think outside the box to procure authentic resources. Consider human capital: what
colleagues, friends, or community members can offer your students a great musical
experience? What local music events can inspire your students and bridge authentic
experiences from the classroom to the greater world? As previously stated, this curriculum
is closer to a blank slate than a fully-fledged program. Any changes that promote a
musically authentic, culturally responsive, student-centered experience are changes worth
making.

Toward Musical Futures

I opened this inquiry report with a song lyric: I am a creature of the culture that I

create. Aside from the whimsical alliteration and relevance of quoting a rock song, I
believe those ten words carry a powerful message for educators. We are born into cultures
and we are influenced by cultures; but we also create and shape cultures through our
practice. Over dinner one recent evening I lamented to a mentor that I often feel alone
among peers in my desire to reform and innovate music education. She encouraged me to
be proud of my tendency to make waves, and to consider that integrity might be worth the
price of occasional isolation. Throughout this inquiry process I kept myself in check by
constantly asking: Am I doing right by my past, present, and future students? Am I creating
a culture that I can be proud to own? Do I want myself and my children to be creatures of
this culture? Will my actions shape the future of music education for the better? If not, what
needs to change?

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Throughout her professional experiences, Patricia OToole (2000) learned that


music education methods are not universal despite the professions desire for that to hold
true. As a student and pre-service music teacher I have found plenty of things to question
within our deeply held traditions. My current work is inspired by the students who
continue to question those traditions and advocate for their musical-cultural needs. I know
now that I am not alone in my desire to do better. I hope to continue sharing and revising
my guitar curriculum to meet the ever-changing needs of my students. I also hope to be a
vocal advocate for positive reforms in music education. I believe that tapping into the
fields potential requires more than embracing new content. We must also embrace new
methods of teaching, learning, and experiencing that content. Only then can we most
effectively inspire young people to be lifelong musicians, learners, and dreamers.













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Appendices
Appendix A: Music Questionnaires
E.O. Smith Music Department Survey (A)
Grade:
1. Have you ever taken a music class before? circle one:
1a. If yes, when and why did you stop? Be specific.

Yes

No

2. Do you know what music classes are offered at E.O. Smith? List them below.

3. Is there a music class you wanted to take but couldnt?


3a. If so, which one and why?

Yes

No

4. What other music classes would you like to see offered at E.O. Smith?

5. What music do you listen to in your spare time?





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E.O. Smith Music Department Survey (B)


Grade:
1. Which music class(es) are you currently enrolled in?

2. Is there a music class you wanted to take but couldnt? circle one: Yes
2a. If so, which one and why? Be specific.

No

3. What do you like about your current music classes?

4. How would you improve your current music classes?

5. What other music classes would you like to see offered?

6. What music do you listen to in your spare time?





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Appendix B: Syllabus for Pilot Study


Ms. Millans Modern Guitar Curriculum
Syllabus

Mon-Wed, C period


Music Department Practice Rooms




Ms. Millan
alexandra.millan@uconn.edu

Course Description

This is a pilot study of an experimental guitar course. The instructor will collaborate
with students to investigate topics related to guitar performance, music theory, rock
history, and songwriting. The course is based on theories of informal learning and project
based learning (we will discuss what this means during the first week of class). Each unit
seeks to address an authentic driving question about the guitar and/or rock music.
Students will, independently and in groups, complete tasks to learn more about these
questions and improve their guitar skills and musical knowledge.

Due to the experimental nature of this course, all lessons and assignments are
flexible and subject to change. There is no set schedule aside from the large units/projects,
but due dates will be clearly laid out when necessary. Work will be graded according to the
parameters set out for each assignment, but grades will not affect students academic
progress at E.O. Smith.

Objectives
Become proficient with basic guitar technique and interpreting music notation
Understand, listen for, and use basic concepts of music theory
Learn others songs and write your own original songs
Know the history of rock music and how various genres fit into that timeline
Participate in the authentic culture of rock musicianship

Assessment

Informal assessment is ongoing by the instructor and students. Frequent discussions
will occur about the progress of the course. Reflective journals may also be used. More
information about this will be discussed as it becomes necessary. Formal assessment of
creative work will be based on the Eisner Triangle of arts assessment.

Technical quality: To what degree does my work display my technical skills and
knowledge?
Inventive use: To what degree is my work creative and innovative?
Expressive power: To what degree is my work expressive of my emotions?

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Students are expected to:


Complete all work to the best of their ability
Be flexible and responsive to change; everything we do is a work in progress
Stretch their creative and expressive muscles
Be open about their musical, cultural, and personal needs

The instructor is expected to:


Facilitate student learning so each student can reach their maximum potential
Communicate information about the course in a timely manner
Be sensitive to students musical, cultural, and personal needs
Be open about how information from this pilot study will be used outside of school


Below is the sequence of units for Guitar 1 and 2. Notice again that there is no set
schedule of lessons or projects. The number of units we complete is entirely dependent on
your progress. I will ALWAYS put your learning experience above my goals for the study.
Each curriculum unit will address a driving question by tackling a real-world project. We
will talk more about the theory of project-based learning in the first week of the course and
discuss how we want to structure our class time.

Guitar 1

Driving Question

Project

Unit 1: Fundamentals

What skills and knowledges do rock guitarists


need to learn new songs?

Learn a cover song

Unit 2: Rock History 1

What people and events have contributed to the


trajectory of rock music?

(Student choice)

Unit 3: Improvisation

What role does jamming play for rock musicians?

Attend or host a jam


session

Unit 4: Songwriting 1

What skills and knowledges do rock musicians


need to write quality songs?

Write an original song


with music and lyrics

Guitar 2

Driving Question

Project

Unit 1: Rock History 2

What people and events have contributed to the


trajectory of rock music?

(Student choice)

Unit 2: Genre Study

How do various genres function within the


broader culture of rock music?

(Student choice)

Unit 3: Songwriting 2

What skills and knowledges do rock musicians


need to write a quality album?

Write and record an


original EP

Unit 4: Getting the Gig

What goes into a quality rock performance?

Put on a rock concert


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