Incentives and Barriers for Potential Music Teacher Education Doctoral Students

• Published in: Journal of research in music education Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 234 - 247
• Main Author: Teachout, David J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA MENC: The National Association for Music Education 01-10-2004; SAGE Publications; MENC Subscription Office; MENC - The National Association for Music Education; National Association for Music Education
• Subjects: Aural learning; Doctoral Degrees; Doctoral Programs; Doctoral students; Factor Analysis; Family Life; Futures (of Society); Graduate studies; Incentives; Income; Music; Music Education; Music in education; Music learning; Music Teachers; Professional Development; Special education; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher education; Teacher Educators; Teacher shortages; Time; United States; Universities; United States; North Carolina; United States > US
• ISSN: 0022-4294; 1945-0095
• DOI: 10.2307/3345857

The purpose of this study was to examine positive influences and barriers associated with entering a music teacher education doctoral program. Practicing music educators (N = 63), were asked to rate 48 positive-influence items and 54 barrier items. The highest-ranked positive influence was "Training young teachers to provide worthwhile educational experiences for their students," while the highest-ranked barrier item was "Reduction of income while working on the degree." Using the top 21 positive-influence items and the top 21 barrier items, two factor-analysis procedures were calculated to determine whether positive-influence and barrier items could be reduced to a smaller number of discrete factors. Four positive-influence factors ("Prestige of and Connection with Faculty/University," "Desire to Affect Future Music Teachers," "Desire to Learn," and "Personal/Professional Future") and two barrier factors ("Financial Challenges" and "Family/Time Considerations") were identified.