Content Analysis of an Open Online Forum for Band Directors

Music teacher concerns have been described using case studies, surveys, and mixed methods, but no research exists that compares music teachers' online interactions with professional development offerings or how these online discussions may evolve over the school year. I used a content analysis approach (Neuendorf, 2002) to describe 6,430 topics in an online open discussion forum for band directors and the professional development sessions (N = 215) offered by one state's music educators' association and bandmasters' association in 1 calendar year. Music repertoire, employment, festival rules and procedures, program administration, and work environment were chief conversation topics for this group of directors. Directors of beginning bands had specialized conversations differing from their peers. As directors moved through the calendar year, their top concerns evolved from music repertoire to festival rules, employment, and program administration. Professional development sessions mostly involved ensemble or individual pedagogy and program administration.