Minutes Dec. 2012

Minutes  for the Fifth Annual Meeting of the NYSSMA  Research Committee   

Saturday,  December 1, 2012
12:30 PM
Rochester Radisson Board Room- Rochester, NY   

Committee Members in Attendance:  Janice Smith, Maria Runfola, Beth Etopio, and Michael Albertson.   

Others in Attendance:  Richard Sang (CUNY, Queens College), Ann Deisler (Hartwick College), Dustin  Woodard (Houghton College) and Jami Vanduck (Kent State University)   

The meeting was called to order at 12:35pm by committee chair, Janice Smith.   

Smith purchased a light lunch for all (NYSSMA  does not pay for committee luncheons.)    

The Research Gallery continues to grow and to be well attended. 17 posters were accepted.  Two were unable to attend.  We have  the capacity for about 24 posters at each conference in the present setting.  Smith is pleased that participation continues to grow, albeit somewhat slowly.    

The call for  next years Research Gallery will be send out electronically April 1 with a suggested deadline of  June 15.  Smith will continue to accept posters on  a space available basis after the deadline.   

Six research  sessions were scheduled this year.   Mark Campbell has offered to present his research session for the 2013  NYSSMA Winter Conference, as he was ill and unable to attend this weekend.   

Old Business   

We  need a session on validity and reliability with rubrics next year and Maria Runfola has  agreed to prepare it   

Mini grants that made progress – We were looking for $2000 to provide 4 grants of  $500 each to pairs of teachers and researchers to do action research projects,  then present at the following years’ research galleries. They would also be  expected to write things up for a School  Music News issue and present  at a research round table.  This  would move several committee goals forward:  1) more teacher involvement; 2) more posters;  3) a steady stream of articles for the  SMN  focused on research.   

Runfola suggested that research poster presenters be asked to do a research to practice  connection column for SMN.   

It was suggested  that we do a question then do a short response in each issue of SMN with 3 -5  sources, where possible, of research that addresses a particular issue. It  might be called “Research Supporting Practice.”  The research committee would help assemble the  sources. The first one will be the  research that says minimally increasing seat time does not increase test  scores.  We will add this to  the research website as well.   

New Business   

Articles for School Music News                                       

  • April due Feb. 15   Campbell and Barrett will provide   
  • May, June due March 15th Still needed   
  • September due July 15th  Bernhard   
  • October due  August 15th Still needed   
  • November due Sept. 15th Albertson will find some on   
  • Smith does December (Conference Sessions due Oct. 15) and                                  
  • January (research abstracts due Nov. 15)   

Runfola suggested a state journal in research would be very relevant.  Richard Sang suggests an ejournal would have minimal/no cost to NYSSMA;  Smith and Runfola agree on electronic format.  The format would be a once-a-year, peer reviewed  journal.  Contributors need not be  from NYS. Smith will poll the researchers in the state and  speak with the NYSSMA Board regarding this.  

The meeting was adjourned at 1:10pm.   

Minutes submitted by M. Albertson on December 2nd, 2012.