Incentives and Barriers for Potential Music Teacher Education Doctoral Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine positive influences and barriers associated with entering a music teacher education doctoral program. Practicing music educators (N = 63), were asked to rate 48 positive-influence items and 54 barrier items. The highest-ranked positive influence was “Trainingyoung teachers to provide worthwhile educational experiences for their students, ” while the highest-ranked barrier item was “Reduction of income while working on the degree.” Using the top 21 positive-influence items and the top 21 barrier items, two factor-analysis procedures were calculated to determine whether positive-influence and barrier items could be reduced to a smaller number of discrete factors. Four positive-influence factors (“Prestige of and Connection with Faculty/University, ” “Desire to Affect Future Music Teachers, ” “Desire to Learn, ” and “Personal/Professional Future”) and two barrier factors (“Financial Challenges” and “Family/Time Considerations”) were identified.

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