Situated learning in undergraduate music education degree programs in California
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Abstract
Through a convergent mixed methods research design, I examined how California music education majors participate in situated learning environments as part of their undergraduate curricula and their perceptions of those experiences. I performed a content analysis of the music education degree requirements, course catalogs, 4-year degree plans, and program learning outcomes (PLOs) for all California universities with bachelor’s degree programs in music education (N = 38) to determine the amount and timing of field experiences and the situated learning indicated within program goals. I conducted individual interviews with five spring 2023 graduates of music education degree programs from each of the three types of California universities (California State University, University of California, and private university) and analyzed the responses using situated learning characteristics as a priori themes and for emerging themes regarding the participants’ perspectives on the application of situated learning in their degree programs. The number of courses with field experience offered within a program ranged from zero to ten. The average number of courses with required field experiences was 3.2, and the most common number of required field experiences courses was two (n = 7, 18.42%). The greatest number of programs (n = 20, 52.63%) began field experience courses in year 3 or 4. The PLOs from 10 institutions (27.03%) contained one or more outcomes with evidence of situated learning. The situated learning opportunities embedded in undergraduate music education curricula included observations and some classroom teaching. The participants reported desiring more situated learning experiences with a wider range of grade levels and music specialties.
Description
2025