Research Article: The Evolution and Success of Music Integration

Hello BTSALP Arts Educators,

I hope you are all well, happy, and thriving.   Many of you are returning to face-to-face teaching after having been online for months.  Whether experiencing a change in format, or continuing in the same structure, there’s no doubt that both you and your students have been adapting to these ever-changing times.  One idea we had to make this more personable, was to include research particular to your artform.   Over the next 5 months, we will post articles that are artform-specific.  This month we will be highlighting music integration for our BTSALP Music Educators. We’d love to hear from you!  Please reach out any time. My email is rpenerosa@westminstercollege.edu.

The article we have chosen for February  2021 is:

Scripp, L., & Gilbert, J. (2016) Music plus Music Integration: A model for music education policy reform that reflects the evolution and success of arts integration practices in 21st-century American public schools. Arts Education Policy Review, (117)4, 186–202.  

DOI 10.1080/10632913.2016.1211923. 

Here is a little bit of information about this article:

This article explores closely a curriculum entitled Music Plus Music Integration, where music educators align their curriculum to include integration strategies.  Sounds familiar, right? In hopes to find something relatable for you to read, these authors explore learning in music as a model for 21st century music education policy reform based on the principles that have evolved out of arts integration research  Examples of curricular frameworks, teaching practices, and research findings from several research-based Music and Arts Plus Arts Integration initiatives in elementary and middle schools make clear the ways in which the underlying principle of differentiation and synthesis serves as an effective strategy for optimizing learning in artistic and academic domains and also benefits the entire 21st century school community in and through the study of music.

We hope you are able to check out this article and look forward to reaching out again next month to share another bit of current research in our field!

Warm Regards,

Rebecca Penerosa, Ph.D.

rpenerosa@westminstercollege.edu

Beverley Taylor Sorenson Assistant Professor of Arts Education |Westminster College

Elementary Vice President |Utah Music Educators Association