mon in EGM curricula. Participants (n = 203) also answered questions about their preferred specialization and about factors that would influence their choice of job in the future. Most participants remembered having positive personal experiences with general music in elementary school and believe it is important for future musical success. Confidence in content and skills common in teaching EGM increases as they progress through their degree program. Most identify ensemble teaching and middle and high school grades as their future aspirations. Significant predictors of future career choice included undergraduate major and comfort teaching.

27:T48f,

The purpose of this self-study was to explore how a college-level vernacular music course might have played a part in shaping inservice music educators’ teaching practices. Nineteen music teachers who graduated from the same teacher preparation program completed a 23-item researcher-constructed questionnaire that identified how they viewed, incorporated, and negotiated vernacular music practices in their classrooms. Overall, participants indicated that incorporating vernacular approaches in school music programs was important and that the vernacular music course positively impacted how they conceptualized music teaching. Participants reported including a wide variety of informal learning activities that involved technology, aural learning, and student-directed music projects. Conversely, participants identified time limitations, lack of resources, classroom management, and performance tensions as distinct challenges. Future directions include documenting turning points in students’ vernacular learning, monitoring curricular changes in PK–12 music programs, and fortifying preservice music teachers’ preparation in multimusical learning.

28:T4cd,

The purpose of this Self-Study of Teacher Education Practice (S-STEP) was to examine faculty and student perceptions of co-curricular experiences between an undergraduate instrumental conducting and a junior-level music education course. To help students develop their conducting and pedagogical skills simultaneously, music education and conducting faculty co-taught their courses and developed and implemented co-curricular assignments for 14 co-enrolled participants. Data were collected from faculty journals, meeting transcriptions, participant surveys, and interviews. Findings indicate that the collaboration and co-curricular experiences promoted student and faculty growth. Increased podium time and peer teaching opportunities during which students are given feedback greatly improved students’ perceived level of comfort and confidence in front of an ensemble. In addition, the co-teaching and co-curricular assignments between conducting and music education courses promoted substantial growth in students’ conducting and pedagogical skills and their ability to connect the two. Implications for music teacher education, future research, and further revision of these collaborative practices are discussed.

29:T41a,

The purpose of this study was to investigate secondary instrumental music education in rural Mississippi. This descriptive study investigated the experiences, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions that rural instrumental music educators (N = 58) held about their schools, students, and communities. Furthermore, we examined how participants defined success for their programs, what challenges and rewards they experienced in their positions, and what skills they considered most important for rural music educators. Results indicated that while rural music educators find the musical aspects of their positions rewarding, such as fostering a love of music in their students, they believe that non-musical skills related to teaching were more important than their own musical skills. The three greatest challenges named by participants were limited funding, lack of resources, and little support. Conversely, the most frequently reported reward was student personal growth. Implications for