The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research in American Music Education

Qualitative research has become increasingly popular in music education over the last decade, yet there is no source that explains the terms, approaches and issues associated with this approach. In The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research in American Music Education, editor Colleen Conway and the contributing music educators provide that clarification, as well as models of qualitative studies within various music education disciplines. The handbook outlines the history of qualitative research in American music education and explores the contemporary use of qualitative approaches in examining issues related to music teaching and learning. It includes 32 chapters that address a range of topics, from ways of approaching qualitative research and ways of collecting and analyzing data, to the various music teaching and learning contexts that have been studied using qualitative approaches. The final section of the book tackles permission to conduct research, teaching qualitative research, publishing qualitative research, and provides direction for the future. An ambitious and much-needed volume, this handbook will stand as a key resource for drawing meaning from the experiences of students and teachers in music classrooms and communities both in America and in other countries.

Colleen M. Conway has published over 80 articles in all of the major music education journals. She is currently Editor-in-Chief of Arts Education Policy Review. Books in print include: Great Beginnings for Music Teachers (2003); Handbook for the Beginning Music Teacher (2006); Teaching Music in Higher Education (2009); Handbook for the Music Mentor (2010); Curriculum and Assessment in Music Education (in press).