Skip to content
1981
Volume 9, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 2397-6721
  • E-ISSN: 2397-673X

Abstract

The purpose of this case study was to explore the development of the North Carolina Music Educators Association Popular Music Education Committee (NCMEA-PMEC) from the perceptions of its membership. Wenger’s theory of communities of practice was used to frame the study. Participants in the study were members of the NCMEA-PMEC and the current president of NCMEA. Data sources for the study included: individual interviews, a focus group interview, meeting agendas and planning documents, and participant observation of monthly meetings. Three themes emerged from the data: (1) creating inclusive spaces for popular music education in North Carolina, (2) popular music provides to be inclusive, diverse, accessible and equitable and (3) PMEC struggles with the homogeneous makeup of their membership. By reaching out to local hip hop artists, DJs and community musicians, the PMEC could widen its breadth and depth of music teachers.

© 2025 Intellect Ltd
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jpme_00158_1
2025-08-07
2026-04-12

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Abbott, A. (2004), Methods of Discovery: Heuristics for the Social Sciences, New York: W. W. Norton.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Albert, D. J. (2023), ‘Perceived influences of a music teacher education programme on preservice music educators’ occupational identity development’, Music Education Research, 25:3, pp. 269–79, https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2023.2217710.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Choate, R. A., Fowler, C. B., Brown, C. E. and Wersen, L. G. (1967), ‘The Tanglewood Symposium: Music in American society’, Music Educators Journal, 54:3, pp. 49–80, https://doi.org/10.2307/3391187.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Clauhs, M. and Cremata, R. (2020), ‘Student voice and choice in modern band curriculum development’, Journal of Popular Music Education, 4:1, pp. 101–16, https://doi.org/10.1386/jpme_00016_1.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Clauhs, M. and Sanguinetti, R. (2022), ‘Music teacher attitudes toward popular music education’, Music Education Research, 24:5, pp. 549–63, https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2022.2134329.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Creswell, J. W. (2013), Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Elpus, K. and Abril, C. R. (2019), ‘Who enrolls in high school music? A national profile of U.S. students, 2009–2013’, Journal of Research in Music Education, 67:3, pp. 323–38, https://doi.org/10.1177/0022429419862837.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Farnsworth, V., Kleanthouse, I. and Wenger-Trayner, E. (2016), ‘Communities of practice as a social theory of learning: A conversation with Etienne Wenger’, British Journal of Educational Studies, 64:2, pp. 139–60, https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2015.1133799.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Fitzpatrick, K. R. (2014), ‘Blogging through the music student teaching experience: Developing virtual communities of practice’, Research Studies in Music Education, 36:1, pp. 91–105, https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103X13509350.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Florida Music Education Association (n.d.), ‘2023–2025 board of directors’, https://fmea.org/about/board/. Accessed 20 June 2024.
  11. Gurgel, R. (2019), ‘The Tanglewood Symposium: Popular music pedagogy from 1967 to today’, Music Educators Journal, 105:3, pp. 60–65, https://doi.org/10.1177/0027432119831752.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Hall, S. N., Brooks, A., Bryant, R. L., Doutt, K. C., Smith, R. and Weidner, B. N. (2024), ‘Retention and recruitment of students of underrepresented populations in music teacher education (Part I)’, College Music Symposium, 64:2, pp. 1–14, https://doi.org/10.18177/sym.2024.64.sr.11639.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Hendricks, K. S. (2017), ‘Negotiating communities of practice in music education: Dorothy’s narrative’, in B. C. Talbot (ed.), Marginalized Voices in Music Education, Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 65–79.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Hewitt, A. (2009), ‘Musical styles as communities of practice: Challenges for learning, teaching and assessment of music in higher education’, Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 8:3, pp. 329–37, https://doi.org/10.1177/1474022209339956.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Kattenbeck, C. (2024), ‘Institutionalizing beatmaking: Challenges and opportunities for music education’, in L. Eusterbrock, C. Kattenbeck and O. Kautny (eds), It’s How You Flip It: Multiple Perspectives on Hip-Hop and Music Education, Carrington, ND: Transcript, pp. 81–101.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Kenny, A. (2014), ‘Practice through partnership: Examining the theoretical framework and development of a “community of musical practice”’, International Journal of Music Education, 32:4, pp. 396–408, https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761413515802.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Kim, R. J.-H. (2023), ‘Using technology to expand communities of practice and support culturally sustaining pedagogy in music education’, Music Educators Journal, 110:2, pp. 45–53, https://doi.org/10.1177/00274321231214224.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Krikun, A. (2017), ‘The historical foundations of popular music education in the United States’, in G. D. Smith, Z. Moir, M. Brennan, S. Rambarran and P. Kirkman (eds), The Routledge Research Companion to Popular Music Education, Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 33–45.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Kroger, M. (2024), ‘Hip-hop doesn’t need school, school needs hip-hop: A response to Hein and Blackman’, in L. Eusterbrock, C. Kattenbeck and O. Kautny (eds), It’s How You Flip It: Multiple Perspectives on Hip-Hop and Music Education, Carrington, ND: Transcript, pp. 243–45.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991), Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Luebke, L. (2013), ‘The music specialist among generalists: Learning to lead in a community of practice’, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 32:1, pp. 59–66, https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123313502347.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Mahlmann, J. J. (1994), National Standards for Arts Education: What Every Young American Should Know and Be Able to Do in the Arts, Reston, VA: Music Educators National Conference Publication Sales.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Matthews, W. K. and Koner, K. (2017), ‘A survey of elementary and secondary music educators’ professional background, teaching responsibilities, and job satisfaction in the United States’, Research and Issues in Music Education, 13:1, https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/rime/vol13/iss1/2/. Accessed 10 April 2025.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. New York State School Music Association (n.d.), ‘NYSSMA committees’, https://www.nyssma.org/committees/. Accessed 20 June 2024.
  25. North Carolina Music Educators Association (n.d.a), ‘North Carolina Music Educators Association home’, https://www.ncmea.net/. Accessed 20 June 2024.
  26. North Carolina Music Educators Association (n.d.b), ‘Popular music committee proposal: Goals’, https://www.ncmea.net/committees-2/popular-music-committee/. Accessed 20 June 2024.
  27. North Carolina Music Educators Association (n.d.c), ‘Inclusive vision for music education’, https://www.ncmea.net/committees-2/ivfme/. Accessed 3 December 2024.
  28. Nowak, T. E. (2024), ‘Recruit, retain, repair: Toward diversity in the North Carolina Music Educators Association’, Arts Education Policy Review, online first, https://doi.org/10.1080/10632913.2024.2380259.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Parkinson, T. and Smith, G. D. (2015), ‘Towards an epistemology of authenticity in higher popular music education’, Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education, 14:1, pp. 93–127.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Powell, B. (2023), ‘A history of popular music education in the United States’, Journal of Popular Music Education, 14:1, pp. 93–127, https://act.maydaygroup.org/articles/ParkinsonSmith14_1.pdf. Accessed 10 April 2025.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Powell, B., Hewitt, D., Smith, G. D., Olesko, B. and Davis, V. (2020), ‘Curricular change in collegiate programs: Toward a more inclusive music education’, Visions of Research in Music Education, 35:16, pp. 1–22, https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1235&context=vrme. Accessed 10 April 2025.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Prendergast, J. S. and May, B. N. (2020), ‘Curriculum reform and policy considerations: A multiple case study of the inclusion of modern band into music teacher preparation programs’, Journal of Popular Music Education, 4:1, pp. 21–40, https://doi.org/10.1386/jpme_00012_1.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. Rathgeber, J. and Bernard, C. F. (2021), ‘“When I say ‘modern’, you say ‘band’”: A critical narrative of modern band and Little Kids Rock as music education curriculum’, Journal of Popular Music Education, 5:3, pp. 337–58, https://doi.org/10.1386/jpme_00063_1.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. Robinson, T., Williams, B., Hoffman, E. and Eros, J. (2020), ‘Music teacher recruitment of precollegiate and marginalized populations: A review of literature’, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, 38:2, pp. 20–28, https://doi.org/10.1177/8755123319884989.
     [Google Scholar]
  35. Saldaña, J. (2021), The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Smith, G. D. and Powell, B. (2017), ‘Welcome to the journal’, Journal of Popular Music Education, 1:1, pp. 3–8, https://doi.org/10.1386/jpme.1.1.3_2.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Stake, R. E. (1995), The Art of Case Study Research, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Volk, T. M. (1993), A History of Multicultural Music Education in the Public Schools of the United States, 1900–1990, Kent, OH: Kent State University.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Wenger, E. (2000), ‘Communities of practice and social learning systems’, Organization, 7:2, pp. 225–46, https://doi.org/10.1177/135050840072002.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Wenger-Trayner, E. and Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015), ‘An introduction to communities of practice: A brief overview of the concept and its issues’, https://www.wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice/. Accessed 20 June 2024.
  41. Woods, P. J. (2024), ‘Conceptualizing anti-racist pedagogies within experimental music’s communities of practice’, Adult Education Quarterly, 74:1, pp. 3–22, https://doi.org/10.1177/07417136231198218.
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Hess, J. (2019), Music Education for Social Change, Abingdon: Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/jpme_00158_1
Loading
  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): diversity; hip hop artists; inclusion; modern band; National Association for Music Education; popular music showcase; songwriting; whiteness

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test