Music Education: is it Time to Go With the Flow?
Date
2009-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Professional development for music teachers often occurs in short, unrelated
workshops-rarely enacting change in practice. Therefore, the purpose of this research was
to investigate elements that contribute to effective, sustained professional development
for music teachers. Specifically, this study is an examination of the efficacy of a 90
clock-hour, immersion-based professional development cluster on steel pan through the
unique lens of flow theory. According to Csikszentmihalyi (1991), flow is considered to
be an optimal state in which skill and perceived level of challenge match. In the present
study, music teachers’ (N=33) experiences in the steel drum professional development
cluster were documented. The cluster was a 5-day period in which music teachers were
immersed in learning how to play and teach steel pan. Data sources were participants’
daily journal reflections (N=137 entries), videotaped rehearsals (13 hours), interviews
(N=7), and results from a follow-up satisfaction survey (N=25; 65% return).
Csikszentmihalyi’s indicators of flow were used to code the data. Prevailing indicators of
flow found to exist for the participants were immediate feedback, chance for completion,
and high levels of interest/motivation. Findings suggest that the immersion context
fostered participants’ growth in knowledge and skill for playing and teaching steel pan.
Findings also suggest that immersion-based professional development promotes flow and
has many attributes of an effective professional development paradigm.