What is the topic of your action research?

My experiences as a secondary music teacher, at the beginning of my career, and my current position as an elementary music teacher have included informal studies of how students gain music literacy. For years, middle school students in my district consistently scored low in note recognition and retention of elementary music concepts. The topic of my action research will be the development of music literacy, specifically rhythmic literacy and aural skills, in elementary music education. The study focuses on how students learn and retain rhythmic notation skills, as outlined in the PA State Standards for the Arts (Standards 9.1.3.B and 9.1.5.B), which emphasize the ability to read and notate music (Standards Detail - SAS, n.d.). 

 

What is the purpose of your study?

The purpose of this study will be to examine the impact of regular rhythmic dictation exercises on fourth-grade students' ability to read, notate, and understand rhythmic patterns. The goal is to determine whether consistent practice will improve music literacy over the course of a school year.

 

What is your research question?

How does the regular practice of administering rhythmic dictation exercises impact fourth-grade students' music literacy over the course of a school year?

 

What is your research design (Qualitative, Quantitative, or Mixed Methods)?

I will employ a quantitative research design.

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Why did you choose this design?

A quantitative research design will allow for a measurable approach to analyze student progress (Mertler, 2019). This design supports the use of standardized assessments to compare data across multiple cohorts and time periods. Mertler's (2019) discussion of preexperimental and quasiexperimental designs informed my decision to use a pretest-posttest format, which will enable me to track changes in students’ rhythmic literacy over time.

 

What data will you collect?

To evaluate the impact of rhythmic dictation exercises on fourth-grade students' music literacy, both formative and summative assessment data will be collected throughout the school year. Formative data will include numerical assessment results from monthly rhythmic dictation quizzes designed to assess students' ability to accurately notate rhythms they hear. These quizzes will serve as ongoing checks for understanding and will help monitor student progress over time. Additionally, I will keep records of student performance data as they practice rhythms in each music class with an emphasis on engagement and execution. Summative data will be gathered through the initial assessment, administered during the first week of school, and a similar posttest at the end of the year.

 

What types of measurement will you use?

To ensure consistency and objectivity in evaluating student performance, a variety of measurement tools will be employed. Using a digitally designed assessment, students will earn points for accurately notating the values of each beat as they listen. These quizzes will help quantify student responses and allow for meaningful comparisons across different time points. Pretest and posttest scores will be analyzed to determine overall growth in rhythmic literacy, and frequency analysis of student performance will be used to examine how often students demonstrate proficiency in rhythmic notation. The aural assessments administered through the district’s LMS will be standardized to align with music literacy benchmarks. Utilizing this method will ensure that student data is valid and reliable for measuring the intended learning outcomes.

 

What is the focus of your literature review?

The literature review will explore existing research related to rhythmic literacy and aural skills in elementary music education. I will examine articles that document best practices for teaching rhythm and notation, such as Ahlbäck’s (2022) article, highlighting the use of technology in literacy development. I will also seek literature that considers the impact early music literacy instruction has on students' musical development in secondary music classes. The focus of the review will be to establish a strong foundation for my action research within the context of music education.

 

References

Ahlbäck, S. (2022, February 22). “Musical Literacy” and the Relevance of Music Notation – NAFME. NAfME. https://nafme.org/blog/musical-literacy-and-the-relevance-of-music-notation/

Mertler, C. A. (2019). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Standards Detail - SAS. (n.d.). Retrieved August 26, 2025, from https://www.pdesas.org/Standard/Detail?linkStandardId=0&standardId=25999