A Study to Determine the Degree of Consensus Regarding Outcomes of Band Participation and the Competitive Elements in Band Programs Among Band Directors, Band Members and Members of Parent Booster Groups

355 p.Thesis (Educat.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1986.The purpose of the study was to investigate the opinions high school band directors, band members and members of parent booster groups hold regarding the importance of outcomes of band participation, the value of competitive elements in the band program and the role of parent booster groups and to determine if those opinions were influenced by the degree of contest emphasis of the band program.The investigator randomly selected 30 Illinois high school band directors; 15 from major contest emphasis programs and 15 from minor contest emphasis programs to serve as the Director Sample. Band directors, band members and members of parent booster groups from ten additional Illinois high schools; five programs which had a major contest emphasis and five which had a minor contest emphasis constituted the Program Sample. A three-part questionnaire was designed to elicit opinions from the participants in the study: Part A, outcomes of band participation; Part B, competitive elements in the band program; and Part C, roles of parent booster groups. The investigator administered the questionnaire personally and by mail to participants in the study. Data gathered from 833 participants were transferred onto computer scan sheets and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).Band directors accorded high ratings to those outcomes which enhance the students' ability to contribute positively to the quality of the band's performance. Band members rated highly those outcomes which make the band experience enjoyable and those which enhance their personal skills. Members of parent booster groups accorded high ratings to those outcomes which enhance the students' ability to contribute positively to the performance of the band and those concerning the development of personal characteristics of band members. Participants in the study valued competitive elements in the band program as sources of motivation and group spirit for band members. Both group competition and individual competition received high ratings. The opinions of members of parent booster groups varied regarding their perceived role in the high school band program with emphasis being placed on fund raising and promoting the importance of music in the school.U of I OnlyRestricted to the U of I community idenfinitely during batch ingest of legacy ETD