Perspectives in Music Education Research Where are we Twenty Years On?—A Review of Australian Music Education Research for the

In 1984, Lett undertook a review of the state of Australian music education research for the period to 1978. The present article considers the developments that have taken place since that time through a review of scholarly opinion to identify the principal themes and issues that have emerged since Lett’s (1984) article. There is also an analysis of approximately 350 research theses completed or in progress to 1997. Conclusions are drawn regarding the level of the higher degree work being undertaken (honours, masters and doctoral degrees), the demographic spread across the various states, the distribution of music education research across the major educational research paradigms, and the focus of research in relation to both content / subject and educational level. The article also identifies general trends and issues in relation to these aspects as well as making recommendations for promoting music education research in the future. music education research in Australia has indisputably ’come of age’. Up to the end of 1997, there have been two hundred masters degrees with a music education research. component and some thirty-six music education doctorates awarded b