Those who pursue a masters in music education
understand that music has the power to impart special values to
learners. Whether music is taught in a public school environment, a
private community forum or as private lessons, no student of music
leaves the same as he was when his lessons began. Music students learn
to tap their own spirituality and they are inspired to be positive,
creative individuals. They learn to develop what has been called musical
intelligence.
The idea of having musical intelligence
comes from the idea that people have multiple intelligence, which has
often been thought of as a strict measure of academic ability. Based on
the work of psychologist Howard Gardner, however, the ability to know
oneself, the ability to know others, visual-spatial gifts and musical or
rhythmic talents are each considered a different kind of intelligence.
People with musical intelligence think in sound, rhythm and music. Their
lives are often episodes of patterns.
There is research that connects the
study of music with other academic successes. For example, the College
Entrance Examination Board reports that music and art students perform
better on the SAT and similar tests than other students. In 1995, music
students scored 51 points more on the verbal section of the SAT and 39
points higher in math.
Music has also been shown to improve
test performances of students. Dr. Frances Rauschrer found that after
giving students keyboard lessons for eight months, their spatial IQ
increased by 46 percent. Rauschrer also did another experiment with
three groups of students. One group listened to Mozart for three
10-minute periods before taking an intelligence test. Another group
listened to relaxation tapes. A third group listened to complete
silence. The Mozart group scored eight points higher than the group
listening to relaxation tapes and nine points higher than those who
listened to complete silence.
The online program at the University of
Florida helps master’s candidates capitalize on musical intelligence.
The program recognizes that many people who have careers as music
educators also are creatives who have a need to continuously feed their
musical abilities as performers and master interpreters of music. From
the moment that master’s student enter the program, they are building a
strong network with both their peers and their accomplished instructors.
They use the latest technology, music theory and methodology to learn
how to perform effectively as a teacher in the 21st century.
