Early Childhood Musicking in Educational Settings

A Comprehensive Mixed-Methods Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Research, 2000-2017

Abstract

This study comprises a comprehensive mixed-methods analysis of peer-reviewed research articles regarding early childhood musicking in educational settings, published in English between 2000 and 2017 (inclusive). I analyzed factors including: participant characteristics, settings, group size, duration and frequency of interaction/observation, research methodology, topics of research, and findings. Over this eighteen-year span, 103 studies met criteria for this review. Researchers always reported the ages of participants but rarely reported other participant characteristics. Studies took place in a variety of settings and encompassed durations and frequencies from one 25-minute interaction to several hours each week for two years. Qualitative methodologies were more common, and researchers increased their focus on informal guidance and free-play models for music teaching and learning. I concluded with a discussion of implications from the review and suggestions for future research.