ALABAMA PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL CHORAL TEACHER INVOLVEMENT IN ALABAMA VOCAL ...

90 Pages·2015·3.13 MB·English

by  Preston Motley

ALABAMA PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL CHORAL TEACHER INVOLVEMENT
IN ALABAMA VOCAL ASSOCIATION SPONSORED EVENTS

by
KHRISTINA S. MOTLEY
MARVIN E. LATIMER JR., COMMITTEE CHAIR
CARL B. HANCOCK
CAROL A. PRICKETT
SUSAN CURTIS FLEMING
ANNE C. WITT

A DISSERTATION

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction
in the Graduate School of
The University of Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA

2015
Copyright Khristina Spruill Motley 2015
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ABSTRACT

The Alabama Vocal Association (AVA) is the choral division of the Alabama Music
Educators Association (AMEA), the state chapter of the National Association for Music
Education (NAfME). This mixed methods study examined non-participation in AVA All-State
Choral Festival and AVA State Choral Performance Assessment (SCPA) among Alabama public
high schools (N = 355). Quantitative data were event choral program participation lists for 2012
– 2013 provided by the state AVA office and demographic statistics found on the Alabama State
Department of Education website including ethnicity (percentage of White students), FRL
(percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch), and school size (total enrollment)
for all Alabama public high schools. Qualitative data were transcripts and field notes (N = 56
pages) from interviews (N = 26), a focus session at the 2014 AVA Fall Workshop with AVA
members (N = 35), and follow-up personal communications (N = 39) with choral teachers
representing all AVA districts (N = 7). An Analysis of Variance revealed two significant
indicators for AVA participation: (a) FRL, F(1,353) = 169.5, p < .001 (non-participating schools
M = 63.74 FRL; participating schools M = 49.05 FRL) and (b) school size, F(1,353) = 48.39, p <
.001 (non-participating schools M = 414.99 students; participating schools M = 983.03 students).
Ethnicity, F(1, 352) = .458, p = .499, was not found to be a significant indicator of AVA
participation. Qualitative findings suggested administrative support, financial limitations,
teaching classes other than choral music, and lack of communication between AVA and some
choral teachers accounted for non-participation in AVA events.
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DEDICATION

This dissertation is dedicated to those who guided me through the process of creating this
manuscript. Perseverance, commitment and dedication were fundamental elements for the
completion of my doctoral dissertation, but even more was the support of my family. My
husband Reginald, my aunt Lydia, my sister Kathy, my nieces, Alexa and Amelia, and the three
greatest gifts of my life: my sons, Christian and Preston and my daughter, Claire, were all
tremendously supportive. I achieved my goal because of their laughter, support, and
unconditional love. Lastly, to my talented mother and grandmother: I miss you dearly; you
taught me I could achieve great things if the purpose was honorable.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am pleased to have this opportunity to thank the many colleagues, friends, and faculty
members who have helped me with this research project. In addition, I would like to thank the
members of my doctoral dissertation committee, Dr. Susan Fleming, Dr. Carl Hancock, Dr.
Marvin Latimer, Dr. Carol Prickett and Dr. Anne Witt for their encouragement and support.
Also, I want to thank my research partner, Danielle Todd, for her ability to inspire me to
continue this journey, Cathie Daniels, for her guidance, and Pat Blackwell, for her wealth of
AVA information and reassurance that this study was essential for our state.

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CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. ii
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................ iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................ iv
LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... vii
1. CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................1
a. AVA Structure and Scope ........................................................................................................1
b. Purpose .....................................................................................................................................3
2. CHAPTER 2 – REVIEW OF PUBLISHED RESEARCH ......................................................4
a. Teacher Benefits of Organization Participation .......................................................................4
b. Student Benefits of Organization Participation .......................................................................8
c. Music Festival Participation ...................................................................................................10
3. CHAPTER 3 – QUANTITATIVE METHOD ......................................................................17
4. CHAPTER 4 – QUANTITATIVE RESULTS ......................................................................20
5. CHAPTER 5 – QUALITATIVE METHOD .........................................................................27
a. Grounded Theory Analysis ....................................................................................................29
b. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis ................................................................................31
6. CHAPTER 6 – QUALITATIVE RESULTS .........................................................................34
a. Codes ......................................................................................................................................34
b. Themes ...................................................................................................................................38
c. IPA .........................................................................................................................................40
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7. CHAPTER 7 – DISCUSSION ...............................................................................................53
a. Research Question One ..........................................................................................................53
b. Research Question Two .........................................................................................................55
c. Research Question Three .......................................................................................................57
8. CHAPTER 8 – IMPLICATIONS FOR AVA ........................................................................63
REFERENCES ...........................................................................................................................66
APPENDIX A: AVA DISTRICT BOUNDARY MAP ..............................................................71
APPENDIX B: AVA CHORAL DISTRICT DISTRIBUTION BY COUNTY .........................72
APPENDIX C: AVA MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION DATA ..................................73
APPENDIX D: CHORAL TEACHER VERBAL CONSENT SCRIPT ....................................81
APPENDIX E: INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL LETTER .......................82

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LIST OF TABLES

1. Public high school choral teacher non-membership in AVA by AVA district .....................23
2. Public high school choral teacher non-participation in AVA events by AVA district .........24
3. Ethnicity, FRL, and school size for all Alabama public high schools by AVA district .......25
4. Ethnicity, FRL, and school size for all Alabama public high schools by AVA district .......26

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
Professional music educators, similar to educators generally, have created and maintained
professional organizations to provide support for music teachers and their students. The
Alabama Vocal Association (AVA) is one such organization. AVA is the choral division of the
Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA), the state chapter of the National Association
for Music Education (NAfME). AVA’s purpose is, “To promote cooperation among choral
teachers, enhance vocal music in schools, provide a means for professional ideas and methods to
be shared, and promote growth and higher standards in music education throughout the state”
(Alabama Vocal Association, n.d.).
AVA Structure and Scope
The Alabama Vocal Association is a non-profit educational organization. It is divided
into AVA Districts (N = 7), which differ in size (Appendix A), number of counties (Appendix
B), and demography (Table 3). According to its website, membership in AVA currently consists
of choral teachers (N = 400) in public and private elementary schools, middle schools, high
schools, and universities (Alabama Vocal Association, n.d.).
AVA is governed by a Board of Directors, which consists of a President, Vice President,
President-Elect, and Recording Secretary: all volunteers elected by AVA membership. The
AVA President appoints District Chairs (N = 7), also volunteers, who schedule and plan choral
district events, inform teachers in their districts about various activities, and serve on the AVA
Board of Directors. AVA is managed primarily by a salaried Executive Secretary with duties
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that include organizing and implementing state events such as All-State Choral Festival and State
Choral Performance Assessments (Alabama Vocal Association, n.d.).
Advocacy statements designed to assist choral teachers in educating others about the
organization are prominently featured on the AVA website home page. One statement reads, for
example, “The AVA Board is committed to serving the choral teachers of Alabama by offering
growth opportunities, providing positive encouragement for individual school choral programs
and by making a commitment to fund the production of a brochure for teachers to share with
legislators, parent organizations, and school boards, as well as other visual means of advocacy”
(Alabama Vocal Association, n.d.).
In addition to various in-service opportunities for Alabama choral teachers and their
students, AVA offers one annual All-State Choral Festival and State Choral Performance
Assessments (SCPA) in each AVA District. According to AVA requirements, choral teachers
must be active AVA members in order for their students to participate in either of these events.
Additionally, participating students must be enrolled in their respective school choral programs
(Alabama Vocal Association, n.d.).
The All-State Choral Festival occurs once a year in the spring. It consists of several
honor choirs conducted by guest clinicians. Audition fees for All-State Choral Festival include a
$50.00 participation fee for each school and a $7.00 fee for each participating student. If
selected for the honor groups, students are required to wear formal attire, a choir robe, or an
appropriate school uniform (Alabama Vocal Association, n.d.).
State Choral Performance Assessments are also offered each year in the spring.
According to AVA bylaws, choral teachers may choose from any available SCPA site. SCPA
fees are $50.00 per school and $2.00 for each participating singer. SCPA requires a minimum of
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