West African drumming, geography, history, language, multiculturalism and at-risk students in the music classroom.

摘要

Concerns regarding at-risk students led to research focusing on the potential benefits of West African drumming as a teaching tool for increasing general knowledge, sense of community, and engagement in learning. The purpose of the study was to assess specifically whether history, geography, and multi-cultural awareness could be introduced to the music classroom and engage at-risk students in learning. A three-week workshop at an elementary school was taught to test these concepts. Student knowledge of geography, history, and music of West Africa was measured utilizing a survey, while performance assessment measured how much enjoyment, engagement, and skill at drumming was exhibited by students. Students exhibited increased knowledge of geography, history, and multicultural awareness. Performance evaluation suggests that students had fun, felt engaged, and increased ability to play traditional West African percussion. The study presents an education module for duplicating and enhancing this research.