Abstract
<p>The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCSA) adopted new standards for theatre, dance, media arts, visual arts, and music in 2014, which emphasized that music teachers expand teaching styles and pedagogy beyond rehearsal techniques, and asked teachers and students to make connections beyond merely creating sound with instruments or voices. In a discipline that has traditionally been teacher-centered, there is limited use of constructivist instructional approaches, such as inquiry-based learning and allowing time and psychological space for students to ask questions that go beyond the realm of pure musical technique during class time. Therefore, this qualitative collective case study examined perceptions and implementation strategies of educators to instruct with an inquiry approach. Using a collective case study design, data were gathered from 11 participants who taught large-ensemble (band, orchestra, or chorus) music in a secondary school setting. Participants consented to a classroom observation and a semi-structured interview. Data were collected through audio recordings and transcripts of the interviews, and with the Electronic Quality of Inquiry Protocol (EQUIP) instrument. Artifacts such as field notes, artifacts, analytic memos, and a reflexive journal were collected and kept throughout the study. An inductive approach to analysis of data gathered from the interviews and observations was used to explore constructs, themes, and patterns. Four thematic findings emerged: teacher identity; philosophy, attitudes and beliefs; perceptions of inquiry; and obstacles to inquiry. The significance of each theme and its implication for music education researchers and music teacher practitioners were discussed and offered.</p>
