Research Interests
The Research-Practice Gap
The research-practice gap has been identified in many fields within the social sciences. Music education is no exception. Practitioners sometimes accuse researchers of being “out of touch” with what really happens in the classroom, while researchers sometimes think practitioners “don’t care” about systematically finding and utilizing best practices. Obviously the cause of the gap is way more complex than that, and overcoming it is going to require a multi-pronged approach involving all parties. Michael has borrowed a social systems brokerage structure to categorize previously proposed solutions. Future research into the gap will examine the possibility and effectiveness of each type of broker in music education: coordinator, gatekeeper, representative, and liaison.
Article: The Research-Practice Gap in Music Education: Applying Brokerage Structures to Guide Future Inquiry
Qualitative Research
The last few decades have seen a dramatic increase in the performance and publication of qualitative research in music education, as noted by reviews of prominent journals in the field, including JMTE (Killian et al., 2013; Nichols, 2013), JRME (Sims et al., 2016), and Update (Silvey et al., 2019). As qualitative methodologies grow in popularity, it is critical that researchers keep up with the ever-evolving best practices in study design. At the University of Georgia, Michael took three qualitative research classes and explored data analysis methods for his dissertation (including inductive methods from grounded theory, deductive coding using a predefined codebook, visual analysis using matrices, phenomenological horizontalization, and poetic analysis). He is interested in how qualitative methodologies are taught in the field. Future plans include investigating the most-cited methodological references in the methods sections of qualitative research articles and surveying instructors of graduate level research classes to discover what and how methods are being taught. In this time of increased social justice awareness, it is worth noting how phenomenology, case study, and narrative research are tremendous tools for capturing and sharing the life experiences and meaning-making of marginalized communities. However, it is vital that these studies be carried out ethically and professionally.
Article: Foundations of Qualitative Research in Music Education: An Introduction
Motivation in Music
Motivation in students has been identified as a mediator between teacher practice and student achievement. Students are more likely to develop intrinsic interests in music and have increased well-being when class environments are conducive to fulfilling their basic psychological needs (e.g., autonomy, competence, and relatedness; Ryan & Deci’s self-determination theory). Michael is interested in exploring effective teacher practices for meeting those needs, with the end goal of improving student recruitment and retention in elective music. For his dissertation, Michael used qualitative methods to examine motivation in North American drum and bugle corps. He explored members’ goals and aspirations and whether their psychological needs were met during their drum corps experiences. He hopes to expand this research into other music settings in the future.
Dissertation: Exploring Member Motivation in North American Drum and Bugle Corps
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
Alsop, M. A. (2022). Foundations of qualitative research in music education: An introduction. Qualitative Research in Music Education, 4(1), 3-31. https://vpa.uncg.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/QRME-v4-i1.pdf
Wesolowski, B. C., Alsop, M. A., Athanas, M., & Dean., L. (2022). On the quality of professional development in the United States: Examining music educators’ experiences, sentiments, and emotions. International Journal of Music Education, 40(1), 26-52. https://doi.org/10.1177/02557614211019149
Alsop, M. A. (2020). The research-practice gap in music education: Applying brokerage structures to guide future inquiry. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 30(1), 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1177/1057083720941187
Practitioner Articles
Alsop, M. (2023, Winter/Spring). Vibrant student experiences: Leading the way in Kentucky with arts education. Bluegrass Music News, 74(2), 12-13. Read
Alsop, M. (2020, December). Thinking about learning: Improving students’ practice through metacognition. Florida Music Director, 74(5), 50-53. Read
Alsop, M., & Waterman, B. (2020, August). Developing a musical voice: Four levels for artistic expression. School Band and Orchestra, 23(8), 10-11. Read
Alsop, M. (2020, Winter). The beginning band “retreat”: An alternative take on the beginning band concert. National Band Association Journal, 60(2), 27-28. Read
Alsop, M. (2019, September). Tired of box drills? Try flip flops (not the shoes). School Band and Orchestra, 22(9), 40. Read
Alsop, M. (2019, August). Improvisation in beginning band. The Instrumentalist, 74(1), 12-14. Read
Alsop, M. (2019, February). Back to breathing. The Instrumentalist, 73(7), 18-19. Read
Presentations
Acing edTPA: Lasting Effects of Contextual Understandings and Artistic Expression.