A comparison of multicultural music education concepts in American-based international schools and corresponding host country schools: Thailand, China, and Outer Mongolia.

摘要

This qualitative study compares through observations, interviews, journal fieldnotes, and other documentary means the music education practices of three international schools and their corresponding host country schools in Thailand, China and Outer Mongolia.; In spite of the Federal multicultural mandates in effect since the 1970's, preliminary studies by the researcher indicates a low percentage (if any) of curriculum time spent in the teaching of multicultural music per year. Nationally, our countries' population continues to diversify as each year new immigrants arrive and the “so-called” minority birth rates climb. Additionally, our lives are impacted each day by the effects of economic, cultural, and technological globalism.; The researcher, having spent two years living and working in Thailand, chose three Asian countries (Thailand, China and Outer Mongolia) with three international schools (one in each country with an American based curriculum) and at least three corresponding host country schools for a multicultural comparison of music education practices. In total, three international schools in the three Asian countries and six host country schools were observed during fieldwork. Through a literature review, the pioneering work of James Mursell (Teachers College, Columbia University) was discovered which provided a general means of comparison for the observation of approximately fourth grade students (ages nine to twelve) in the general music classrooms of each school. Various documentary techniques were used including the use of fieldnotes, journal entries, and audio taped interviews with professors of music education, school administrators, teachers and students. Much to the surprise of the researcher, it was found that multicultural music education in the host country schools, as defined in this study, generally surpassed that of the international schools.