Faculty-led Inquiry into Reflective and Scholarly Teaching (FIRST)
Date of this Version
2021
Document Type
Portfolio
Citation
Gilbert, Danni. "A Peer Review of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio for MUED 403 Student Teaching Seminar" (2021). UNL Faculty Portfolios, 175. digitalcommons.unl.edu/prtunl/175
Abstract
This portfolio examines the course planning and delivery of MUED 403—Student Teaching Seminar. Taken concurrently in the final semester of the music education degree with full-time student teaching field experiences, in addition to fulfilling the ACE 10 requirement, this course provides an analysis of PK-12 music teaching with special attention to teacher certification, selected legal aspects of education, current issues in education, and professional communication. I chose this course for the Peer Review of Teaching Project to determine whether undergraduate music education students could successfully complete an action research project during their student teaching semester and if so, whether the addition of the new project improved the delivery of the student teaching seminar course. I collected data from student teachers throughout the semester by examining drafts of students’ action research projects as well as written reflection assignments. Results indicated that students made improvements in understanding research methods, gathering information, designing an action research study, collecting and analyzing data, writing and sharing a research report, and reflecting on the purpose of action research. Comments from written reflections indicated that students felt better prepared for in-service music teaching and more empowered to take charge of their own classroom environments. Recommendations for future offerings of the course include providing students with additional guidance in the project planning stage, reducing the number of required resources needed in the literature review given the scope and timing of the course, and expanding the amount of time students have to collect and analyze data.