The purpose of this study was to construct a demographic and time allocation profile of the typical music education faculty member in the United States. Participant institutions (n = 220) were selected from a random sample of National Association of Schools of Music–accredited institutions offering music education degrees (N = 517). The authors sent invitations to complete the online survey to 665 music education professors at the institutions in the sample. The completed response rate for the survey was 35% (n = 236). Findings aided in the construction of a profile of the typical music education faculty member in the United States. The data demonstrate that the typical respondent has a doctorate, 9 to 12 years of K–12 teaching experience, and is 51.5 years old, but entered the professoriate around age 36. The typical respondent spends approximately 11 hours per week teaching undergraduate students and has only 10% of his or her workload devoted to research. The report explores numerous other variables as well. Certain characteristics of the profile varied according to the type of institution at which the respondent worked. For example, the data demonstrate a significant difference in mean percentage of workload devoted to teaching and research between various institution types but not in time devoted to service. The exploration of demographic and time allocation norms in the music education professoriate may be of interest to those who prepare music teacher education faculty. Such information may also be of value to current and future graduate students preparing for careers in the music education professoriate.

For the spring 2011 semester, the MUS 230 class was given the opportunity to purchase an Apple iPod Touch (4th generation) at a substantial discount. All members of the class elected to purchase the device and participate in the research project (100%, n = 19). All participants were asked to complete the first of five observation reports using a standard written form adapted from Hoffer (2009). In observations two through five, in addition to the traditional written reflection, students had the opportunity to demonstrate reflection and comprehension of field-based knowledge by submitting reports in m-Learning media or Web 2.0 formats: annotated video clips, narrated audio clip podcasts, captioned photo slideshows, or blog entries. Students were required to submit a minimum of two reports in m-Learning formats. Analysis was guided by two questions, with data gathered from student work samples and survey tools.

Can using media-enabled mobile devices engage the students in deeper reflection on their field experience?

• Students seemed positively engaged by the experience

• 12 students (63%) did more than the required minimum two reports in m-Learning formats

• The option for creativity seemed to spark unique moments of reflection

• Use of a “new” format may lead to greater attention focused on the assignment

• Attitude data may be skewed by the fact that the cost of the mobile devices was heavily subsidized, and attitudes may be different when such subsidies are absent

Can using media-enabled mobile devices allow the instructor a more meaningful assessment of the knowledge gained in field experience?

• Media tools allowed the instructor to partly experience what the students were seeing in the field

• Requiring the students to submit artifacts to support their reflection heightened the authenticity of the assessment

• Benefits may be limited by sporadic technical issues and time required to assess student work in real-time media

• Some formats generated more quality student work than others

Funding for this research was provided through the m-Learning Scholars program of the Center for Teaching & Learning at Boise State University.

To create a generalizable sample that could accurately reflect high school marching band activity around the United States, a sample of six states was randomly selected from a stratified design to avoid bias for geographic region and population size. Using an online questionnaire, data were collected from marching band directors whose bands participated in representative contests in the selected states, resulting in a response rate of 52.15%. Results of a stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated five significant models predicting 50.0% of the variance in contest scores. The five significant predictor variables included the size of the marching band; the number of uncertified paid assistant instructors; a scale of the director's attitudes towards marching band and competition; the hours of weekly rehearsal; and, the dollar budget of the marching band. All five predictors were positive, and all exhibited log-linear or inverse-linear relationships to the contest score, indicating a complex relationship.

The high percentage of variance in contest scores explained by this set of nonperformance predictors (50.0%) carries strong implications for participants and administrators of band contests, and raises issues of equity and fairness in the competitive process, particularly when considering that these variables are often largely beyond the control of the student performers. Further attention to these issues is suggested in research and practice, with a goal of ensuring that competitive outcomes are maximally determined by actual student performance.