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Diversity and talent: how to identify and recruit classical music students from among underrepresented populations
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Diversity and talent: how to identify and recruit classical music students from among underrepresented populations
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Content
Running head: RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
1
Diversity and talent: How to identify and recruit classical music students
from among underrepresented populations
by
Kathleen Tesar
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
(ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND LEADERSHIP)
May 2018
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
2
DEDICATION
To my sister Michelle, who served as my sounding board and support, always ready to
listen and provide frequent reminders that life would one day return to normal.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication 2
List of Tables 6
List of Figures 8
Abstract 9
Chapter 1: Introduction 10
Introduction to the Problem of Practice 10
Organizational Context and Mission 13
Organizational Performance Status 15
Related Literature 16
Importance of Addressing the Problem 17
Organizational Performance Goal 18
Description of Stakeholder Groups 19
Stakeholder Groups’ Performance Goals
20
Stakeholder Group for the Study
21
Purpose of the Project and Questions 22
Methodological Framework
23
Conceptual Framework
24
Definitions
25
Organization of the Dissertation
26
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature 28
Introduction
28
Explanation of the Clark and Estes Framework
28
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
4
The Problem of Practice
29
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Factors
30
Conclusion
47
Chapter Three: Methodology
48
Purpose of the Project and Questions
48
Theoretical and Methodological Frameworks
48
Assessment of Performance Influences
50
Participating Stakeholders and Sample Selection
59
Instrumentation
61
Data Collection
62
Data Analysis
64
Trustworthiness of Data
66
Role of the Investigator
67
Limitations and Delimitations
68
Chapter Four: Results and Findings
71
Participants, Goals, and Validity in This Study
71
Findings for Knowledge Needs
76
Findings for Motivation Needs
88
Findings for Organizational Needs
98
Quantitative Program Data
120
Summary
123
Chapter Five: Solutions, Implementation, and Evaluation
124
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Needs
124
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
5
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan: The New World
Kirkpatrick Model
159
Limitations and Delimitations
179
Recommendations for Further Inquiry
180
Conclusion
181
References
183
Appendices
193
Appendix A: Peer Programs
193
Appendix B: Recruitment Text
195
Appendix C: Interview Protocol
197
Appendix D: Information Sheet
201
Appendix E: Critical Behaviors and KMO Needs
203
Appendix F: Evaluation Instrument for Levels 1 and 2, Immediately After
Training
208
Appendix G: Delayed Blended Evaluation Instrument
210
Appendix H: Faculty Needs
212
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
6
LIST OF TABLES
Table Title Page
1 Organizational Mission, Global Goal and Stakeholder Performance
Goals
20
2 Summary of Knowledge Needs of Staff and Faculty 35
3 Summary of Motivation Needs of Staff and Faculty 41
4 Summary of Organizational Needs of Staff and Faculty 45
5 Summary of Strategies for Validating/Assessing the Assumed
Knowledge Needs
51
6 Summary of Strategies for Validating/Assessing the Assumed
Motivation Needs
54
7 Summary of Strategies for Validating/Assessing the Assumed
Organizational Needs
57
8 Knowledge Needs and Validations 87
9 Motivation Needs and Validations 97
10 Organizational Needs and Validations 118
11 New Themes and Validations 120
12 Quantitative Data Categories and Items 120
13 Summary of Recommendations for Knowledge Needs That Were Not
Validated
125
14 Summary of Recommendations for Motivation Needs That Were Not
Validated
133
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
7
15 Summary of Recommendations for Organizational Needs That Were
Not Validated
146
16 Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 161
17 Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing 163
18 Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors 165
19 Components of Learning for the Program 169
20 Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 171
E1 Critical Behaviors and Knowledge Needs 203
E2 Critical Behaviors and Motivation Needs 204
E3 Critical Behaviors and Organization Needs 206
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
8
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Title Page
1 United States Census Bureau 2010 Race and Ethnicity Data 11
2 United States Department of Labor 2016 Labor Force Statistics 11
3 League of American Orchestras Data on Musicians’ Race and
Ethnicity
12
4 Sphinx Organization Data, 1998 and 2016 12
5 Conceptual Framework for This Study 25
6 Gap Analysis Process 49
7 Ratio of Participating Staff to Faculty 72
8 Ratio of Male to Female Participants 72
9 Ethnicity and Race Distribution of Study Participants 72
10 Ethnicity of Current Student Body 73
11 Race of Current Student Body 73
12 Ethnicity of Applicant Pools, 2012 Through 2016 74
13 Ethnicity of 2017 Applicant Pool 74
14 Total Number of Applicants to CMTP, 2012 through 2017 75
15 CMTP Selectivity and Yield 122
16 Sample Figure Showing Geographic Distribution of Applicants 174
17 Sample Figure Showing Geographic Distribution of Enrolled Students 174
18 Sample Figure Showing Ethnic and Racial Distribution of Enrolled
Students
175
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
9
ABSTRACT
A number of programs exist that were created to diversify classical music by training
students from underrepresented populations, in particular African-American and Hispanic/Latino
populations. This qualitative study examined the recruiting practices of one such classical music
training program for pre-college-age students from predominantly African-American and
Hispanic/Latino backgrounds. A gap analysis using in-depth interviews of program faculty and
staff, supplemented with historical enrollment data, was conducted to identify the knowledge,
motivation, and organizational factors that influenced stakeholders’ abilities to meet the
program’s recruitment goals. The search for answers to what was posed as a recruiting question
led to practical solutions using the New World Kirkpatrick Model, but also included examination
of asset- versus deficit-based approaches.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
10
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Introduction of the Problem of Practice
A common definition of classical music is “serious music following long-established
principles rather than a folk, jazz, or popular tradition”
(https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/classical_music). The forms of classical music
were brought to the United States from Europe, and they were enjoyed by people from the same
background. This meant that symphony orchestras were collections of white males, playing
music by white males, and the audiences were collections of reasonably well-to-do white males
and females. Of course, there were exceptions: Fannie Mendelssohn (1805-1847), a German
woman, was a composer and performer, and Beethoven originally dedicated his Op. 47 sonata to
George Bridgetower (1780-1860), a violinist of African and Polish descent. But as African-
Americans and Hispanics became more prominent in U.S. society, classical music rarely
reflected this diversity.
In the 20
th
century, efforts were made to address the lack of minority musicians in
classical music. Project STEP (String Training Education Program; http://projectstep.org/) was
started by the Boston Symphony in the 1980s. The Gateways Festival
(http://gatewaysmusicfestival.org/) was founded in 1993 with a mission to increase the visibility
of classical instrumentalists of African descent. The Sphinx Organization
(http://www.sphinxmusic.org/) was founded in 1998 to support Black and Latino classical
musicians. To put these efforts into perspective, Figure 1 shows race and ethnicity from the
2010 United States census, the most recent data available. Together, Blacks and Latinos
comprise 31% of the U.S. population.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
11
Source: https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-02.pdf
Figure 1. United States Census Bureau 2010 Race and Ethnicity Data.
More recent numbers (Figure 2) from the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS) show the distribution of the national labor force according to race and ethnicity.
Source: https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/race-and-ethnicity/2016/pdf/home.pdf
Figure 2. United States Department of Labor 2016 Labor Force Statistics.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
12
These data show that Blacks and Latinos are 29% of the U.S. workforce. Contrast these statistics
from the U.S. Census and the Department of Labor with the following data showing only 2% of
orchestral musicians in the U.S. are Black, and only 3% are Hispanic or Latino:
Source: League of American Orchestras (https://americanorchestras.org/)
Figure 3. League of American Orchestras Data on Musicians’ Race and Ethnicity.
The Sphinx Organization, founded to support the development of Black and Latino
classical musicians, stated that in 1998, 2.7% of musicians in American orchestras were Black or
Latino, and that this number increased to 4.3% in 2016.
Source: http://www.sphinxmusic.org/our-impact/
Figure 4. Sphinx Organization data, 1998 (left) and 2016 (right).
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
13
To summarize, the Census and the BLS statistics show that Blacks are 12-13% of the population
and labor force; Hispanics are 17-18%. Together, the two groups total 29-31% of the population
and labor force; Whites and Asians total 83-84%. Yet in the world of classical music, Blacks
and Hispanics total 4-5%, and Whites and Asians total 96%. These numbers show that
symphony orchestras in the U.S. do not reflect national demographics, despite years of programs
designed to diversify the profession.
It has long been clear to this author that there cannot be African-American and Hispanic
professional classical musicians if young African-Americans and Hispanics do not have access to
the same training as Caucasian and Asian children. This is the issue that programs such as
Project STEP and Sphinx attempt to address. Jorgensen (2007) noted that “injustice constitutes
the practical and theoretical dilemma of being prevented from realizing one’s potential, dreams,
aspirations, and hopes” (p. 171). A potential danger of programs designed to address access is
that they can be created by the majority to remedy a perceived deficit, when what is wanted is
simply the equal opportunity to realize a dream.
This study examined the problems of how to identify underrepresented students who have
not only the ability but the desire to benefit from classical music training, and how best to recruit
them to enroll in a pre-college classical music training program. The argument was not whether
Eurocentric classical music is an appropriate musical language for African-American and
Hispanic students, but rather how to provide access to musical instruction for those students of
any race or ethnicity who desire to learn.
Organizational Context and Mission
The organization of focus for this study is the Classical Music Training Program
(CMTP), a pseudonym. The CMTP is a small weekend program of approximately 70 students,
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
14
ages eight to seventeen. It is connected to a larger weekend program of approximately 300
students, similar in age. For this study, I will call this second program the Large Classical Music
Training Program, or LCMTP. These two programs exist within a post-secondary institution that
specializes in the performing arts. Both the CMTP and the LCMTP provide classical music
training, but the CMTP’s mission is focused on underrepresented students. In support of this
mission, CMTP tuition is heavily subsidized by the parent post-secondary institution.
The CMTP and the LCMTP do essentially the same thing: They provide training to
young musicians. Students do not begin their musical studies in these programs. Each student
performs an audition to demonstrate his or her current level of accomplishment and potential for
growth. The curricula for both programs are similar. In addition to private, one-on-one,
instrumental or vocal instruction, courses in music theory, aural skills, and ensemble playing are
offered or required. The main difference is CMTP’s focus on enrolling underrepresented
students who may not be as developed technically or musically as their counterparts in the
LCMTP. Both programs consider it a good thing if a CMTP student auditions successfully for
the LCMTP. The programs continue to evolve under new leadership. The CMTP is now
identified as the intermediate-level program, and the LCMTP as the advanced-level program in
the same division. However, the CMTP retains its focus on recruiting underrepresented students
from the surrounding geographical area.
Should a student progress through the CMTP and the LCMTP, the next step potentially is
applying to the parent organization, which is an institution of higher education in the performing
arts. Thus the parent organization is nurturing and investing in a future artistic world that will be
more demographically diverse than it is currently. The parent organization and both pre-college
programs are located in a large urban center known for its thriving arts scene and overall
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
15
diversity. All programs take place within one building, and share the space and resources
available.
The CMTP falls under the heading of community engagement within the institution’s
organizational chart. The new supervisor of pre-college education is responsible for both the
CMTP and the LCMTP, but the director of community engagement reports to a member of the
institution’s senior staff, not to the supervisor of pre-college education. The administrative
director of the CMTP reports to the director of community engagement, and supports the CMTP
full-time. There are thus three staff members closely involved in the management and direction
of the CMTP: the supervisor of pre-college education (SPCE), the director of community
engagement (DCE), and the administrative director of the CMTP (ADCMTP); the ADCMTP is
the only staff member devoted full-time to the CMTP. There are approximately thirty faculty
members and fifteen to twenty teaching fellows drawn from the college division of the
institution.
Organizational Performance Status
The Classical Music Training Program completed auditions for Fall 2017 in May 2017.
Application numbers increased 58% over Fall 2016. The program is limited to a total of 70
students, new and continuing. For Fall 2017, 199 students applied (statistic published in the
CMTP 2017-2018 Demographic Report). Out of those, 38 were called back for further
interviews, 21 were offered admission, and all 21 enrolled (statistics provided by the
Administrative Director of the CMTP). African-American applicants comprised 22% of the
2017-18 applicant pool, the same percentage as for 2016-17. Applicants identifying as
Hispanic/Latino comprised 35% of the 2017-18 applicant pool, compared to 13% for 2016-17.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
16
The SPCE began his tenure in the summer of 2016, so auditions for Fall 2016 were
already completed. He attributed the better demographics of the Fall 2017 applicant pool to
increased visibility of the program. This visibility was achieved through his work with the
institution’s marketing division. The SPCE is encouraged by the improvement, and is passionate
about achieving the five-year goal.
Related Literature
Research exists that addresses music education in public schools, including the contrast
between urban and suburban schools (Allsup, 1997; Baker, 2012; Bernard, 2010), the
predominantly white, suburban background of music educators (Bradley, 2007; Emmanuel,
2005; Fitzpatrick, 2012), and the question of whether schools should include world music—non-
Western music—in their curricula (Doyle, 2014; Shaw, 2015; Walcott, 2005). This existing
research highlights the question of inclusiveness, but does not address the individual: the young
student who desires to learn an instrument but who has little to no support for developing his or
her talent.
Other research acknowledges the Eurocentrism of classical music. In 1998, Fink wrote
that “the walls of the canon served not only to keep barbarians and their music out; they also
served, very conveniently, to keep the high art music safely walled in” (p. 151). Walcott (2005)
described the status quo by saying “Europe and Euro-North America makes music, and all the
‘others’ make cultural gestures on the route to making music” (p. 3). There are some
conceptions of the arts, noted Gaztambide-Fernández (2013), that produce unequal access and
outcomes.
For decades there have been efforts to increase diversity in classical music. The League
of American Orchestras published a report in 2016 presenting data on diversity among orchestra
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
17
musicians, conductors, board members, and staff. Between 1980 and 2014, the number of white
musicians decreased, but the diversity that increased was mainly from the addition of Asian
musicians, not from African-American and Hispanic musicians.
Several programs were named above, including Project STEP, the Sphinx Organization,
the Gateways Festival, and the many programs based on El Sistema of Venezuela, that work with
underrepresented students. The CMTP is one such program, founded 25 years ago by one
institution to contribute to the effort to address the lack of diversity in classical music.
After so many years and so many efforts, I am not sure if we—white classical
musicians—really understand why these efforts matter. Allsup and Shieh (2012) articulated one
answer: “the moral imperative to care” (p. 48). They stated that we must identify and name
inequities, and recognize that we need humility and the ability to listen to others whose
experiences are not the same as ours. Even more, they noted that an outreach effort is not an act
of social justice if it is done out of pity.
The questions raised by the literature will be explored deeply in this case study.
Importance of Addressing the Problem
The problem of identifying and recruiting underrepresented students to enroll in a
classical music training program is important to solve for a variety of reasons. First, the program
provides opportunity. Not every student wants to learn to play the piano or the trumpet, but not
every student wants to be a scientist, either. The CMTP’s mission is to identify those students
who do want to continue developing as musicians, and who may have outgrown the programs in
which they started their musical studies.
The program’s focus on populations that are underrepresented in classical music is the
second reason why this problem of practice is important to solve. The CMTP focuses on training
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
18
in the classical tradition, but that same training provides the tools for musicians to expand to
other styles and traditions. Including African-American and Hispanic students in such training
opens possibilities to all who might be interested.
The CMTP was started to address the issue of diversity within the world of classical
music. The lack of diversity is a large issue that won’t be solved by the CMTP alone. However,
classical music becomes more representative of the population as a whole one music student at a
time. CMTP’s parent organization will lack diversity unless programs like CMTP succeed. If
the CMTP does not identify and recruit underrepresented students, it will fail in its mission and
cease to exist. A better scenario is for the CMTP to cease to exist because it is so successful that
it is no longer needed.
Organizational Performance Goal
By September 2022, the CMTP will be recognized as the premier music program within
its city for developing underrepresented students to higher levels of artistry as classical
musicians. In keeping with this focus, at least 50% of the applicant pool will comprise African-
American and Hispanic students by September 2022. Additionally, by September 2022, 50% of
program participants who apply to elite pre-college or college music programs will be offered
admission to those programs.
This goal was established by the SPCE toward the end of his first year overseeing the
program. In conversations with the president of the institution, he has been tasked with creating
new strategies to improve the program’s fulfillment of its mission. Although the size of the
program is limited by money and space to its current cap of 70 students, enlarging the size of the
applicant pool will increase the odds of finding students who are the right fit for the kind of
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
19
training provided by the CMTP. Progress will be tracked against the historic applicant data on
file to gauge whether the organization is making progress toward its goal.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
For purposes of this study, I have identified five stakeholder groups: students, parents,
faculty and teaching fellows, staff, and the upper administration of the parent institution. The
stakeholders with the responsibility to achieve the organizational goal are the staff and the
faculty. Students and parents are the beneficiaries of a strong recruitment program, as that
creates the peer group in which the students learn. The upper administration determines
resources that can be allocated to the CMTP, particularly in the areas of scholarship funding,
salaries, and marketing support.
As noted above, the staff consists of three people: the supervisor of pre-college education
(SPCE), the director of community engagement (DCE), and the administrative director of the
CMTP (ADCMTP). The SPCE oversees several areas, and thus has limited time to recruit for
the CMTP. The DCE and the ADCMTP have the main responsibility for organizing and
tracking recruitment. If the organization is to achieve its goals related to a larger and more
diverse student body, the work of these two staff members is key.
The faculty members are another stakeholder group. Most of the faculty teach one-on-
one private lessons, so the number of students with whom they interact is small. The same is
true for the teaching fellows. The advantage of one-on-one teaching is the close interaction
between instructor and student. A key question of the SPCE is how much actual recruiting can
be done by the teachers and teaching fellows, who may spend only a few hours a week with their
CMTP students, and who have other professional commitments that preclude their actively
participating in recruitment.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
20
The students who enroll in the program come from all around the city. In keeping with
the program’s mission, priority is given to African-American and Hispanic students in the
admissions process. Successful applicants need to have already begun classical music studies,
either in their schools or in other programs offered throughout the city. Their parents will have
shown support by signing them up for lessons and programs, providing transportation, and
paying the bills. As stakeholders, parents can influence other parents to have their children
audition for the CMTP. Students, like parents, may affect recruitment and enrollment by word-
of-mouth, communicating with their peers about their experiences in the program.
Stakeholder Groups’ Performance Goals
Table 1 illustrates the organizational mission and performance goals. Goals are stated for
the combined staff and faculty stakeholder group, for parents of current students, and for the
upper administration of the parent institution. Students are omitted from this table as they are
not assigned a goal in the context of this study.
Table 1
Organizational Mission, Global Goal and Stakeholder Performance Goals
Organizational Mission
To support the development of intermediate-level music students, particularly students from
backgrounds that are underrepresented in classical music, so they may develop to their fullest
artistic potential.
Organizational Performance Goal
By September 2022, the organization will be recognized as the premier music program within the
city and surrounding area for developing underrepresented students to higher levels of artistry as
classical musicians. In keeping with the focus on underrepresented students, at least 50% of the
applicant pool will comprise African-American and Hispanic students by September 2022.
Additionally, by September 2022, 50% of program participants who apply to elite pre-college or
college music programs will be offered admission to those programs.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
21
Staff and Faculty Goal Parents of Current
Students Goal
Upper administration of
larger institution
By September 2019, 100% of
the staff and faculty will
implement 100% of the
specific strategies identified to
increase the applicant pool
100% of the time such that the
applicant pool increases to
400 prospective students.
(Fall 2017 applicant pool was
199.)
By September 2019, 100% of
the parents of current students
will have communicated with
parents of prospective students
to share their experiences and
encourage application.
By September 2019, the
institution will have
committed more resources to
the CMTP in the form of
marketing support and 10%
more funding for scholarships.
Stakeholder Group for the Study
Five stakeholder groups were identified as being important for the success of the
Classical Music Training Program’s organizational goal. The upper administration of the larger
institution created the program, and provides support through salaries, marketing, and
fundraising. Parents of current students provide support to their own enrolled students, and can
provide information to parents of prospective students. Staff manage the program and the
admission process, and faculty teach the students and identify prospective students. Current
students are the reason for the existence of the program, and can share their experiences with
their peers in a way that the other stakeholder groups cannot.
Of the five stakeholder groups noted, I combined the staff and faculty into one group and
used this group as the focus of the study. Staff and faculty are the two stakeholder groups that
can most affect the recruitment and enrollment of underrepresented students. Staff and faculty
meet and interact with students, parents, the administration of the larger institution, and music
teachers at other organizations. As a college admissions officer, the author of this study is aware
of the importance of these connections in identifying and recruiting new students. Without new
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
22
students in programs like the CMTP, there will not be underrepresented classical music students
applying to colleges in future years. Thus, this study will use the combined stakeholder group as
the group of focus.
The stakeholder goal of implementing strategies to increase the applicant pool was
determined by the SPCE of the program. The CMTP has applicant records dating back to the
beginning of its existence, approximately 25 years ago. Online data are available back to the
2012-13 applicant pool; earlier data are on paper records. For the purposes of this study, all
improvements were measured against the last six years of data to determine if progress toward
the goal is being made. If the goal of increasing the number of underrepresented applicants is
not met, then the CMTP will have failed to live up to its mission. And by failing to live up to its
mission, there will be fewer African-American and Hispanic classical musicians in the future.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to conduct a gap analysis of the CMTP. The analysis
began by the researcher generating a list of assumed needs; that is, needs in the categories of
knowledge, motivation, and organization that are necessary for the CMTP to achieve its goal of
identifying and enrolling underrepresented classical music students in a pre-college program.
While a complete gap analysis would focus on all stakeholders, for practical purposes the
stakeholder groups to be focused on in this analysis are the staff and faculty of the CMTP.
The research questions guiding this study were:
1. What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors that influence the
stakeholders’ ability to meet the performance goals?
2. What are the recommended solutions?
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
23
Methodological Framework
The methodological framework used to examine this problem of practice was the KMO
gap analysis developed by Richard E. Clark and Fred Estes (2008). The KMO framework begins
with identifying organizational goals. These goals must be linked to overall organizational
processes, which must be linked to individual job performance. The organization’s current state
is then examined for these connections, and areas are identified that fall short of optimum
performance (Clark & Estes, 2008).
In this specific study, literature related to the problem of practice, and the researcher’s
own experience and knowledge, were used to generate a list of KMO needs that may be
influencing the achievement of the organization’s goals. These needs were then validated
through stakeholder interviews, literature review, and content analysis. The outcome of this
examination was research-based recommendations for closing the identified gaps.
The overall methodological approach of this study was that of a qualitative case study.
The types of questions used in qualitative research are those related to description, meaning, and
process (Creswell, 2014). It is an inductive approach used in the participants’ natural setting,
and allowing for reflexivity, i.e., for the researcher to reflect on his/her own background and
biases. Using a qualitative approach allowed the study to proceed holistically, looking at the
concept of identifying and recruiting classical music students from underrepresented populations
from multiple perspectives. The emergent design of a qualitative study enabled the researcher to
adjust the design as the participants’ meaning-making became clearer (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam
& Tisdell, 2016).
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
24
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework for this study combined Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis
method with three critical behaviors that were identified through the literature review and the
researcher’s own experience. The first critical behavior was the use of recruiting behaviors:
stakeholders need to effectively implement recruitment behaviors appropriate to the target
population. The second critical behavior was the use of data: stakeholders need to create
administrative structures and procedures to track recruitment efforts, and use the data gathered to
further inform recruitment. The third critical behavior was cultural awareness: stakeholders need
to demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity in their interactions with prospective and
current students, and implementation of recruiting strategies.
For successful goal attainment, stakeholders need knowledge of the three critical
behaviors; they need to be motivated to use the three critical behaviors; and the organization
needs to provide support for the three critical behaviors. Figure 5 illustrates the relationship
between these elements. The remainder of this paper examines the elements in detail, using the
methods described in Chapter 3.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
25
Figure 5. Conceptual framework for this study.
Definitions
Classical music: serious music following long-established principles rather than a folk, jazz, or
popular tradition (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/classical_music)
Eurocentrism: “a perceptual set in which European and/or European American values, customs,
traditions, and characteristics are used as the exclusive standards against which people
and events in the world are evaluated and perceived” (Helms, 1989, p. 643)
Organizational support for:
▪ Recruiting behaviors
▪ Use of data
▪ Cultural awareness
Stakeholders motivation for:
▪ Recruiting behaviors
▪ Use of data
▪ Cultural awareness
Stakeholders knowledge of:
▪ Recruiting behaviors
▪ Use of data
▪ Cultural awareness
Outcomes:
▪ Students who best fit the program are identified and enroll
▪ All stakeholders continually strive for excellence and artistry
▪ Students achieve admission to pre-college and college programs
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
26
Pre-college, or pre-college program: in the context of performing arts, an after-school or
weekend school-year program for students under the age of 18, often sponsored by
community-based organizations or institutions of higher education
Private lessons: one-on-one instrumental or vocal instruction
Selectivity: in admissions, the proportion of applicants offered admission compared to the total
number of applicants
Underrepresented/minority population: terms used “interchangeably to refer to racial and ethnic
groups that are experiencing the greatest achievement gaps as measured by traditional
educational indicators such as attainment of the bachelor’s degree: Puerto Ricans,
Mexican Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and
others” (Bensimon, 2005, p. 99)
Yield: in admissions, the number of those applicants offered admission who actually enroll
Organization of the Dissertation
Five chapters are used to organize this dissertation. This chapter provided the reader with
the key concepts and terminology commonly found in a discussion about recruiting
underrepresented students for a pre-college classical music training program. The organization’s
mission, goals, and stakeholders as well as the initial concepts of gap analysis were introduced.
Chapter Two provides a review of current literature surrounding the scope of the study. Possible
knowledge, motivation, and organizational needs were researched and addressed. Chapter Three
details gaps in the assumed knowledge, motivation and organizational needs, as well as
methodology related to the choice of participants, data collection and analysis. Chapter Four
presents the findings and results of the data presented in Chapter Three. Lastly, Chapter Five
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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provides solutions, along with an implementation and evaluation plan, the limitations of this
study, and suggestions for future studies.
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CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Introduction
This literature review will examine the topic of identifying and recruiting
underrepresented students for a classical music training program. The review begins with an
explanation of the Clark and Estes gap analysis framework, and how that framework will be
applied to the Classical Music Training Program (CMTP) to identify CMTP’s gaps in
knowledge, motivation, and organization related to its goal of identifying and recruiting
underrepresented students. This section is followed by three sections that examine the literature
to identify potential assumed influences, according to the three parts of the gap analysis
framework.
The Knowledge and Skills section reviews the literature related to effective student
recruiting strategies, discussing the declarative, procedural, conceptual, and metacognitive
knowledge and skills that are required for success. The Motivation section reviews the literature
regarding theories of value, mood, expectancy-value, self-efficacy, and attribution theories, and
how these can affect the achievement of the organizational goal. The Organization section
reviews literature related to cultural models and settings, and also examines resources and
policies, processes, and procedures.
Explanation of the Clark and Estes Framework
The theoretical framework used to examine the problem of identifying and recruiting
underrepresented students is the KMO gap analysis developed by Richard E. Clark and Fred
Estes (2008). Although sometimes used interchangeably with the term methodological
framework, a theoretical framework provides a foundation for a study and a structure for
interpreting findings (Rocco & Plakhotnik, 2009). The KMO framework in particular allows for
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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an examination of the organization’s current state and the identification of areas that fall short of
optimum performance, leading to solutions based on deep understanding of the gaps between the
two states. Clark and Estes (2008) developed the KMO process model based on research
conducted on human performance.
The “KMO” acronym stands for the three factors or areas to be examined. “K” stands for
knowledge and skills: Do the people in the organization have sufficient knowledge and skills to
accomplish organizational goals? “M” stands for motivation: Do the people in the organization
exercise choice, persistence, and mental effort in striving toward the organization’s goals? The
“O” stands for organizational barriers: Do the processes of the organization align with its goals,
or do they form barriers to goal achievement? It should be pointed out that each of these factors
assumes that the organization has set goals. Per Clark and Estes (2008), the most effective goals
are those that are concrete, challenging, and current. The process model presented by them
combines the goals with the KMO factors, resulting in six steps: identifying organizational goals;
identifying individual performance goals; determining performance gaps; analyzing the gaps;
identifying the KMO influences and solutions; evaluating the results and then circling back
through the process using revised goals to move forward. This process model has been applied
to the stated problem of practice, using a pre-college classical music training program as the
focus of the study.
The Problem of Practice
The world of classical music—the world that includes symphonies and sonatas, operas
and oratorios—has its origins in Europe. The repertoire is grounded in works created in the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The League of American Orchestras, among other
organizations, acknowledges that African-American and Latino musicians are underrepresented
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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among the ranks of classical musicians (Doeser, 2016). Programs exist that focus on recruiting
and training these underrepresented populations, and they all face the question of how to identify
and recruit students (see Appendix A for a sampling of programs similar to the CMTP). This
study examined practices within one such program, using a KMO lens to understand what is
needed for the program to successfully fulfill its mission.
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Factors
The stakeholder group of focus for this study comprised the staff and faculty of the
CMTP. In order to be successful at identifying and recruiting students for this program, there are
three critical behaviors in which they must engage. The first behavior is that they must
effectively implement recruitment strategies that are appropriate to the target population. The
second behavior is that they must create administrative structures and procedures to track
recruitment efforts, in order to use the data gathered to further inform recruitment efforts. The
third behavior is that they must demonstrate cultural sensitivity and awareness in their
interactions with prospective and current students, and when implementing recruitment
strategies. In the sections that follow, literature related to these three behaviors will be examined
with a KMO lens to identify influences that would support the achievement of the organization’s
goals.
Knowledge and Skills
General theory and assumed influences. Krathwohl’s (2002) revision of Bloom’s
taxonomy defined four types of knowledge: Factual knowledge is knowledge of the basic
elements; conceptual knowledge is about the relationships between the elements; procedural
knowledge is about how to do something; finally, metacognitive knowledge is knowledge of
one’s own cognition. The faculty and staff of the Classical Music Training Program (CMTP) are
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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responsible for identifying, recruiting, and enrolling students in the program; therefore, it is
critical that they know what to do and how to do it in order to reach the organizational goal.
Table 2 below shows the four types of knowledge, and the specific pieces of knowledge that the
stakeholder group for this study must possess in order to achieve the goals.
Stakeholders know effective recruiting behaviors, what data should be tracked, what
administrative structures and procedures currently exist to track data, what structures and
procedures need to be added so that data can be tracked and used for effective recruiting, and
the demographics of the population targeted for recruitment (factual/declarative knowledge).
Having data is not the same as having access to that data, and having access to data is not
sufficient in itself (Marsh & Farrell, 2015). Accessing an organization’s data does not guarantee
good decision making (Marsh, Pane, & Hamilton, 2006). But if data are gathered, they can be
organized and turned into actionable knowledge (Marsh & Farrell, 2015). Rosenberg (2013)
made the point that data need not always be summative; rather they can be used for continuous
improvement. She listed five foundational elements that support a culture of continuous
assessment, including a culture of inquiry and having mechanisms for organizing data.
Rosenberg (2013) also commented on the need for staff engagement with data, so that
they can understand the program’s progress. Malloy (2011) made a case for “practitioner-led
inquiry” (p. 2) as a way of making better decisions about policies and programs. The field of
strategic enrollment management (SEM) has evolved as a way of managing recruitment,
enrollment, and persistence in higher education. Langston and Loreto (2017) characterized SEM
as quantitative and empirical, including the use of predictive modeling and customer relationship
management (CRM). SEM practices can provide the CMTP with models for the use of data to
identify, recruit, and enroll students.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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Stakeholders know how to use structures and procedures to gather data; know how to
implement recruiting behaviors based on the data; know how to approach different
constituents appropriately based on knowledge of their cultures; and know how to adapt
recruiting strategies to the needs of the individual students (procedural knowledge).
Converting data into action moves the stakeholders from the realm of factual knowledge to that
of procedural knowledge. Articles such as those by Luethi (2015) and Underwood (2015)
provide tips for recruiting students, but they do not cite research and do not address the need to
have knowledge of the students’ cultures. In contrast, Albert (2006) used qualitative methods to
assess strategies for the recruitment and retention of middle-school band students. His results for
recruitment included exposing prospective students to the program and assessing students’
perceptions of the program. Allsup (1997) wrote a subjective account of his own experiences as
a new band director at an urban high school, describing how he learned to determine the
motivation of each student and keep his teaching centered on the student. Among his
recommendations were to expect commitment from the students and establish links within the
community.
A study on the recruitment and retention of Native American students in higher education
(Mosholder, Waite, Larsen, & Goslin, 2016) used an asset lens based on theories of funds of
knowledge and cultural wealth. Rather than approach an underrepresented population from a
deficit perspective, the two theories supplied the investigators with a basis for understanding
Native American students’ success “in a very Eurocentric environment” (p. 27). The funds of
knowledge theory posits that individuals are knowledgeable, and that their own experiences can
form the basis of future learning. The theory emphasizes the need for teachers to understand
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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students’ communities, and to create community within their own classrooms (Mosholder,
Waite, Larsen, & Goslin, 2016).
The theory of cultural wealth identifies types of capital possessed by individuals. These
types are aspirational, navigational, social, familial, and resistant capital. Viewing students and
their families from a perspective of capital can aid faculty and staff in valuing what students
from diverse backgrounds can bring to the program (Mosholder, Waite, Larsen, & Goslin, 2016).
In a similar fashion, Hoffman (2013) rejected using a deficit model, and instead proposed
the idea that schools and programs are social structures that students and families must navigate.
Connecting this to the types of capital identified in the theory of cultural wealth can result in
better approaches to the recruitment of underrepresented students.
Stakeholders have a conceptual understanding of using data to support recruitment
decisions; understand the importance of recruiting underrepresented students using a mastery
orientation approach; and understand recruiting ethics (conceptual knowledge). Malloy
(2011) noted three key ingredients for effective data-driven decision making: the right people,
the right data, and the right interpretation. She also noted that time is required to engage in
inquiry and to reflect on the strengths, weaknesses, and results of the process. Dowd (2005)
discussed the elements of a culture of inquiry, which include stakeholders who have the capacity
to look at data and come to actionable conclusions. Furthermore, Dowd (2005) emphasized that
in a culture of inquiry, the personal perspectives of those involved are part of the craft of using
data.
Yough and Anderman (2006), in their explanation of goal-orientation theory, defined a
mastery orientation as one that focuses on understanding and self-improvement. Mastery relates
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to self-efficacy, described below. Developing a conceptual understanding of the uses of data in
recruiting students can lead to a mastery orientation.
One other part of conceptual knowledge is understanding the ethics of student recruiting.
Although the following two organizations are focused on higher education, they have codes of
ethics that can provide guidance to the recruiting process for other programs.
The first organization is the National Association for College Admission Counseling
(NACAC, https://www.nacacnet.org/). NACAC’s Statement of Principles of Good Practice
(SPGP) lists members’ core values as professionalism, collaboration, trust, education, fairness
and equity, and social responsibility. The list of members’ conventions includes protecting
students’ best interests, providing accurate information, and acting respectfully and ethically.
The American Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
(AACRAO, http://www.aacrao.org) Ethics Statement includes respecting human and civil rights,
appreciating the interpersonal dynamics between students, parents, programs, and other
constituencies, and using management systems that protect confidentiality while allowing for
accurate interpretation of data.
Stakeholders reflect on how data can be used to improve recruitment results.
Stakeholders reflect on their own cultural sensitivity and awareness, and understand how their
behavior impacts students’ perceptions of the organization and its values (metacognitive
knowledge). Using data to drive decisions puts stakeholders at the center of change efforts
(Dowd, 2005). Kezar and Eckel (2002) studied several schools in the context of Bergquist’s and
Tierney’s frameworks for change and noted one school’s use of data not only to assess goal
progress, but also to assess school identity. They characterized this institution as “strongly
introspective” (p. 445) and noted that it was rather unusual in its orientation because of its strong
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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sense of responsibility toward the students and people’s needs to understand themselves and each
other. The institution’s orientation toward reflection deepened its ability to help students.
Self-reflection can be extended beyond thinking about the use of data to the question of
cultural sensitivity and awareness. Bensimon (2005) defined cognitive frame as “the way in
which an individual understands a situation” (p. 101). One of the frames that she defined is the
deficit frame. From this point of view, an individual may support the idea of diversity but
assume that unequal outcomes are the natural result of individuals’ backgrounds. The deficit
frame also extends to claims of colorblindness and meritocracy, which allow the privileged to
maintain their privilege while essentially blaming the victim (Pollack, 2012). With self-
reflection, possible antidotes to the deficit frame are the theories of cultural wealth and funds of
knowledge (Mosholder, Waite, Larsen, & Goslin, 2016) noted above. Without self-reflection,
stakeholders’ focus can remain on external causes, such as inadequate socialization or lack of
initiative (Bensimon, 2005). This focus on external causes results in single-loop learning, where
technical problems have technical solutions (Dowd & Bensimon, 2015). Self-reflection, on the
other hand, leads individuals to the level of values and purpose (Dowd & Bensimon, 2015),
where double-loop learning occurs and results in deep changes to individuals’ attitudes and
beliefs (Bensimon, 2005).
Table 2
Summary of Knowledge Needs of Staff and Faculty
Assumed Knowledge Needs General Literature
Knowledge
Declarative Stakeholders know…
• Effective recruiting behaviors
• What data should be tracked, what
administrative structures and
procedures currently exist to track
data, and what structures and
Langston & Loreto, 2017;
Malloy, 2011; Marsh & Farrell,
2015; Marsh, Pane, & Hamilton,
2006; Rosenberg, 2013
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
36
procedures need to be added so that
data can be tracked and used for
effective recruiting
• The demographics of the population
targeted for recruitment
Procedural Stakeholders know how to…
• Implement recruiting behaviors
• Adapt recruiting strategies to the
needs of the individual students
• Use structures and procedures to
gather data
• Approach different constituents
appropriately, based on knowledge
of their cultures
Albert, 2006; Allsup, 1997;
Hoffman, 2013; Luethi, 2015;
Mosholder, Waite, Larsen, &
Goslin, 2016; Underwood, 2015
Conceptual Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of …
• Recruiting ethics
• Using data to support recruitment
decisions
• The goal of recruiting
underrepresented students using a
mastery orientation approach
AACRAO; Dowd, 2005;
Malloy, 2011; NACAC; Yough
& Anderman, 2006
Metacognitive Stakeholders understand how their
behavior impacts….
• Students’ perception of the
organization and its values
Stakeholders reflect on …
• How to use data to improve
recruitment results
• Their own cultural sensitivity and
awareness, achieving equipoise in
their interactions with people of
different backgrounds
Bensimon, 2005; Dowd, 2005;
Kezar & Eckel, 2002; Pollack,
2012
Motivation
General theory and assumed influences. Clark and Estes (2008) stated that motivation
is one of the three critical factors, along with knowledge and organizational processes and
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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resources, that must be aligned in order to achieve goals. Motivation is what sustains goal-
directed actions (Mayer, 2011). Motivation is distinct from knowledge, but they are intertwined
psychological systems (Clark & Estes, 2008): one can have knowledge, but not be motivated to
achieve goals, and one can be motivated to achieve goals but not have the requisite knowledge.
Both of these situations prevent goal attainment.
Motivated performance includes three processes (Clark & Estes, 2008), also called
indicators (Rueda, 2011): active choice, persistence, and mental effort. These three processes are
influenced by four factors: personal and team confidence, beliefs about barriers to achieving
goals, the emotional climate of the workplace, and values (Clark & Estes, 2008). Mayer (2011)
referred to motivation as the why, and presented five conceptions of how motivation works:
interest, beliefs, attributions, goal orientation, and social partnership. These conceptions were
based on research into cognition (Mayer, 2011). The indicators, influencing factors, and
conceptions of how motivation works all provide lenses one can use to diagnose motivation gaps
that are preventing the achievement of organizational and stakeholder goals. The assumed
motivational influences for this study are discussed below and summarized in Table 3.
Stakeholders value diversity, and the goal of diversity within the student population.
They also value talent, and the goal of enrolling underrepresented students who have talent
but have lacked the opportunity to join such a program as theirs. Stakeholders value the
administrative structures that support their efforts to recruit a diverse population (values).
Schein (2010) pointed out that learning a profession includes learning the values of that
profession. Different values in different professions and organizations, he noted, can be
explained by the concept of culture. Among the categories that contribute to culture are
espoused values and shared meanings. Schein cautioned that espoused values should be
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
38
examined to distinguish which are aspirational, which belong to the organization’s philosophy,
and which correlate with assumptions of effective performance (Schein, 2010).
Erez and Gati (2004) described values as being in the middle of the continuum between
visible and invisible elements of culture. The invisible end of the continuum aligns with
Schein’s aspirational values, and the visible end aligns with his assumptions of effective
performance. The proposal that culture is dynamic (Erez and Gati, 2004) means that values need
to be reexamined periodically to determine if changes in the context of an organization require
changes in its values. A strong culture, they pointed out, is one in which there is uniformity or
agreement on beliefs and values.
Stakeholders value the goal of enrolling underrepresented students, and expect success
in enrolling students. The expectation of success is supported by the use of data to increase
enrollment. They also value greater cultural awareness, and expect their involvement in the
program to lead to increased awareness (expectancy-value theory). Expectancy-value theory
has two sets of beliefs (Eccles, 2009). As the name implies, the first set of beliefs is about the
individual’s expectations, and the second set of beliefs is about the individual’s assignment of
value to his or her options. An individual who expects to accomplish a task, and who values the
task, is more likely to complete the task (Eccles, 2009). Similarly, Denler, Wolters, and Benzon
(2006) pointed out that when expected outcomes are valued, the individual is more likely to
increase that behavior.
The American Psychological Association published 20 principles for teaching and
learning (2015). Principle 11 stated that “teachers’ expectations about their students affects
students’ opportunities to learn, their motivation, and their learning outcomes” (p. 19). This
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
39
same principle can be applied to the teachers’ own expectations of themselves, and to an
organization’s expectations of their faculty and staff.
Stakeholders feel positive about the program and their efforts to recruit
underrepresented students, and feel positive about their own cultural sensitivity and
awareness. They also feel positive about the structures and procedures used to recruit
students (mood, emotion). Pekrun (2011) listed motivation as an element of emotion, and mood
as lower in intensity than emotion. Although moods may be more general in nature than
emotions and lack a referent, they can still affect motivation and performance. For example,
moods impact problem solving (Pekrun, 2011). Importantly, Pajares (2006) pointed out that the
individual’s interpretation of the mood has more impact than the mood itself. Moods can also
provide information about and influence efficacy beliefs; specifically, a positive mood enhances
self-efficacy, while a negative mood does the opposite (Pajares, 2006).
Stakeholders are confident in their ability to approach prospective students from
backgrounds different from their own. They are confident in their ability to be culturally
aware and sensitive, and of their ability to use data to enhance recruitment efforts (self-
efficacy theory). Self-efficacy theory developed from social cognitive theory and the work of
Bandura (Pajares, 2006). Bandura’s (2005) definition of self-efficacy included agency, or the
idea that people are actors in their own lives: an individual who is self-efficacious judges him- or
herself as being capable. Denler, Wolters, and Benzon (2006) explained that in social cognitive
theory, learning occurs within a social context, and personal, environmental, and behavioral
factors mutually influence each other. Because an individual has agency, he or she has the
ability to affect their context, environment, and behavior (Denler, et al., 2006). Within
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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organizations, the desire for self-efficacy affects group efficacy (Borgogni, Dello Russo, &
Latham, 2011).
Belief in one’s self-efficacy is considered essential for acquiring new knowledge and
skills (Grossman & Salas, 2011); these beliefs also influence outcomes, and are the foundation of
motivation (Pajares, 2006). In fact, Clark and Estes (2008) strongly stated that “the root motive
influencing all human behavior is a desire to be effective in our lives” (p. 83, emphasis in
original).
Stakeholders believe they are capable of identifying and recruiting students from
underrepresented populations through their own efforts, using data to enhance recruitment
efforts (attribution theory). Attribution theory focuses on how individuals attribute the causes of
events (Anderman & Anderman, 2006). Built on the work of Heider and then Weiner,
attribution theory states that causes can be ascribed to personal or environmental factors (op.
cit.).
Weiner’s theory has three causal dimensions: locus, stability, and control (Anderman &
Anderman, 2006). These can be defined as follows: Locus of control may be internal or
external; stability points to whether the cause changes across time and events; and control refers
to whether the cause is perceived to be under the individual’s control or not (Anderman &
Anderman, 2006). These causal dimensions are more important than any actual attribution (op.
cit.).
As an illustration, Pekrun (2011) pointed to the importance of perceived control as one of
the determinants of emotions following a success or failure. Pintrich (2003) underlined that an
internal locus of control has been shown to result in higher achievement.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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Table 3
Summary of Motivation Needs of Staff and Faculty
Assumed Motivation Needs General Literature
Motivation
Value Stakeholders value …
• diversity, and the goal of diversity
within the student population
• the administrative structures that
support their efforts to recruit a
diverse population
• talent, and the goal of enrolling
underrepresented students who have
the talent but have lacked the
opportunity to join such a program
as theirs
Erez & Gati, 2004; Schein,
2010
Expectancy-
Value
Stakeholders value …
• the goal of enrolling
underrepresented students, and
expect success in enrolling students
• using data to increase enrollment
• becoming more culturally aware
Stakeholders expect success in …
• using structures, procedures, and
data to recruit and enroll students
• their efforts to deepen their
understanding of cultural sensitivity
and awareness
APA, 2015; Denler, Wolters,
& Benzon, 2006; Eccles,
2009
Mood Stakeholders feel positive about …
• the program and their efforts to
recruit underrepresented students
• the structures and procedures used
to recruit students
• their cultural sensitivity and
awareness
Pajares, 2009; Pekrun, 2011
Self-efficacy Stakeholders are confident in …
• their ability to approach prospective
students from backgrounds different
from their own
Bandura, 2005; Borgogni,
Dello Russo, & Latham,
2011; Clark & Estes, 2008;
Denler, Wolters, & Benzon,
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
42
• their abilities to use data to enhance
recruitment efforts
• their ability to be culturally aware
and sensitive
2006; Grossman & Salas,
2011; Pajares, 2006
Attribution Stakeholders believe they are capable of …
• identifying and recruiting students
from underrepresented populations
through their own efforts
• using data to enhance recruitment
efforts
Anderman & Anderman,
2009; Pekrun, 2011; Pintrich,
2003
Organization
General theory and assumed influences. This section examines organizational
influences, continuing with the KMO conceptual framework developed by Clark and Estes
(2008). While knowledge and motivation can help achieve organizational goals, there may be
barriers within the organization’s processes that hinder goal achievement. Clark and Estes
(2008) included an organization’s culture under the heading of processes because whether the
culture is conscious or unconscious, or whether culture refers to the environment, groups, or
individuals, an organization’s culture drives how things get done.
Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) separated culture into models and settings, and stated
that both must be understood in order to successfully promote change. They defined cultural
models as shared understandings and ways of thinking that are often invisible to those who hold
them. Cultural settings, in contrast, are the specific and concrete contexts in which cultural
models exist. The interconnectedness of cultural models and settings must be understood in
order to best effect change (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001).
In addition to understanding cultural models and settings, Clark and Estes (2008) pointed
out that material supplies and equipment, as well as organizational policies and processes, can be
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
43
causes of performance gaps. The assumed organizational influences for this study are discussed
below and summarized in Table 4.
The organization first ensures that stakeholders know what the goal is. The
organization then ensures that stakeholders have the time to learn and implement appropriate,
culturally-aware, recruitment behaviors, interacting with prospective and current students.
The organization provides the time and money to create administrative structures and
procedures that support the gathering of data for recruitment purposes, and to compensate
stakeholders for their time in learning and implementing strategies to reach their goals
(resources). The question of resources arises in many discussions of organizational change
processes. Resources are defined by Lewis (2011) as material possessions and ways of doing
things within an organization. Clark and Estes (2008) delineated six types of support that are
needed for most organizational change processes. Among those, the first type of support is to
have a clear vision, goals, and measures. The second type of support is to ensure that
organizational structures and processes, i.e., resources, are aligned with the goals; any change in
goals would require a review of processes and structures (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Ultimately, the setting of goals must come from the top of an organization, and must be
communicated clearly to members of the organization (Clark & Estes, 2008). Goals turn an
organization’s mission into reality (Schein, 2010). Therefore, a common understanding of the
goals will shape the actions of the group, help determine the use of resources, and ultimately
affect the group’s sense of collective efficacy based in part on how well resources are used
(Bandura, 2000).
The organization supports the creation of policies, processes, and procedures
consistent with the organization’s existing policies, processes, and procedures so that
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
44
stakeholders may implement effective recruiting behaviors, and has an effective process by
which to communicate necessary information about policies, processes, and procedures
related to the recruitment of underrepresented students and cultural awareness to stakeholders
(policies, processes, and procedures). Policies, processes, and procedures are defined as ways
of doing (Lewis, 2011). As pointed out above, these resources must be aligned with the
organization’s goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). Lewis (2011) defined processes as actions directed
toward a desired outcome. She noted that communication mediates other elements of change,
but is not always the key issue. Likewise, the structures of organizations are different, and there
is no ideal structure (Bolman & Deal, 2013). Thus policies, processes, and procedures must be
aligned with the desired outcomes, and examined in light of the specific organization.
The organization’s culture ensures that appropriate recruitment behaviors are
understood and implemented, and supports data-driven recruitment to achieve this goal.
Additionally, the organization supports culturally aware interactions with prospective and
current students (cultural setting). Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) separated culture into
models and settings, and stated that both must be understood in order to successfully promote
change. They defined cultural settings as the specific and concrete contexts in which cultural
models exist, where change elements come together and action happens (Gallimore &
Goldenberg, 2001). Clark and Estes (2008) referred to policies as “the visible tip of the cultural
iceberg” (p. 114). They emphasized the need to focus on giving people within the organization
what they need to succeed.
Stakeholders consciously understand how their mental models affect their success in
implementing appropriate recruitment behaviors, thus affecting the unspoken cultural model.
Stakeholders create a shared model that is culturally aware, so that interactions with
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
45
prospective and current students are positive and result in successful implementation of
recruiting strategies. Lastly, stakeholders have a shared understanding of the purpose of
gathering data to meet stakeholder goals, and they are held responsible by the organization for
the results (cultural models). While cultural settings may be “the visible tip of the iceberg”
(Clark & Estes, 2008, p. 114), cultural models are the below-the-surface hidden parts of an
organization (op. cit.). Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) defined cultural models as shared
understandings and ways of thinking that are often invisible to those who hold them. Because of
this invisibility, it is possible that communication can break down at the outset, if individuals are
using different assumptions about meaning (Schein, 2010). In order for consensus to be reached,
a common language and concepts must be consciously established (Schein, 2010).
Table 4
Summary of Organizational Needs of Staff and Faculty
Assumed Organizational Needs General Literature
Organizational
Resources • The organization ensures that
stakeholders know what the goal is
• The stakeholders have the time to
learn and implement appropriate
recruitment behaviors
• The stakeholders have the time and
money to create administrative
structures and procedures that
support the gathering of data for
recruitment purposes
• The stakeholders have the time to
implement culturally-aware
recruitment strategies by interacting
with prospective and current
students
• The organization has the resources
to compensate the stakeholders for
their time in learning and
implementing strategies to reach
their goals
Bandura, 2000; Clark & Estes,
2008; Lewis, 2011; Schein, 2010
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
46
Policies,
Processes,
Procedures
• The organization supports the
creation of policies, processes, and
procedures consistent with the
organization’s existing ones so that
stakeholders may implement
effective recruiting behaviors
• The organization has an effective
process by which to communicate
necessary information about
policies, processes, and procedures
related to the recruitment of
underrepresented students to
stakeholders
• The organization has an effective
process by which to communicate
necessary information about
policies, processes, and procedures
related to cultural awareness to
stakeholders
Bolman & Deal, 2013; Clark &
Estes, 2008; Lewis, 2011
Cultural
Setting
• The organization’s culture ensures
that appropriate recruitment
behaviors are understood and
implemented
• The organization’s culture supports
the creation of data-driven
recruiting
• The organization’s culture supports
culturally aware interactions with
prospective and current students
Clark & Estes, 2008; Gallimore
& Goldenberg, 2001
Cultural
Models
• Stakeholders consciously
understand how their mental models
affect their success in implementing
appropriate recruitment behavior,
thus affecting the unspoken cultural
model
• Stakeholders have a shared
understanding of the purpose of
gathering data to meet stakeholder
goals, and the organization holds
them responsible for results
• The stakeholders and the
organization together create a
Clark & Estes, 2008; Gallimore
& Goldenberg, 2001; Schein,
2010
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
47
shared model that is culturally
aware, so that interactions with
prospective and current students are
positive and result in successful
implementation of recruiting
strategies and curriculum
Conclusion
Gap analysis (Clark & Estes, 2008) is a tool for evaluating the knowledge and skills (K),
motivation (M), and organizational (O) factors that may prevent an organization from achieving
its goals. This KMO approach also provides a structure for reviewing the literature related to
this study’s problem of practice. The next step will be to design assessment and evaluation
methods to determine empirically where the gaps are in this particular organization. That
methodology will be the subject of Chapter 3.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
48
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project was to identify the knowledge and motivation needed by the
stakeholders to create and implement a successful plan to recruit underrepresented classical
music students to a pre-college training program. The project also sought to identify the
organizational barriers to achieving the goal of identifying and enrolling these students. The
research questions that guided this gap analysis were:
1. What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors that influence the
stakeholders’ ability to meet the performance goals?
2. What are the recommended solutions?
Theoretical and Methodological Frameworks
The theoretical framework used to examine this problem of practice was the KMO gap
analysis developed by Richard E. Clark and Fred Estes (2008). As noted in Chapter 2, a
theoretical framework provides a foundation for a study (Rocco & Plakhotnik, 2009). The gap
analysis framework starts with identifying organizational goals and assessing current progress
toward those goals. When gaps are found, potential causes of the gaps are examined in the areas
of knowledge and skills, motivation, and organization (Clark & Estes, 2008). Data are collected
to validate the causes of the gaps, and then to design solutions for closing the gaps. Figure 6
illustrates this process.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
49
Figure 6. Gap analysis process (adapted from Clark & Estes, 2008).
I used the gap analysis framework for an improvement model study. This model is a way
to approach a dissertation in practice when a goal has already been stated, a performance history
exists, and the organization seeks to improve its progress toward achieving its goal. In the case
of this particular study, the program from the beginning had the stated goal of recruiting and
enrolling classical music students from underrepresented populations. The KMO gap analysis
framework provided the structure to identify what is currently being done, and what knowledge,
motivation, and organizational needs are being met, or whose lack impedes further progress.
The result of using gap analysis is recommendations for practice that support the organization’s
efforts toward achieving its goal.
The overall methodological approach of this study was qualitative. Creswell (2014)
defined qualitative research as a way to explore meaning, and contrasted it with quantitative
research that tests theories. The choice of a qualitative approach was driven by the researcher’s
desire to understand a situation by collecting data from individual participants in order to build
theory related to the research questions (op. cit.)
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
50
Assessment of Performance Influences
In Chapter 2, Tables 2, 3, and 4 identified possible knowledge, motivation, and
organizational performance needs. The KMO structure was used to create assessment tools. The
use of the assessment tools to gather data led ultimately to finding answers to the research
questions for this study. The primary assessment tool was in-depth interviews; the analysis of
documents added to the resulting data. Use of these methods resulted in a rich description
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) of the knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors that
influenced the achievement of the stakeholders’ goals.
Knowledge Assessment
The first of the three parts of a KMO gap analysis is assessing knowledge. The four
types of knowledge examined in this study were declarative, procedural, conceptual, and
metacognitive (Krathwohl, 2002). Of the thirteen knowledge needs revealed by the literature
related to this study, three were declarative knowledge types; four were procedural; three were
conceptual; and three were metacognitive. Table 5 shows the assumed knowledge needs and
validation strategies.
The primary method of assessment for this study in the area of knowledge was qualitative
interviewing. Participants were asked to describe aspects of recruiting related to declarative
factual knowledge: Do they know their target population? Are they able to describe successful
recruiting behaviors? Are there data they can use in their recruiting efforts and if so, what is the
best way for them to access that data? A second method of assessment was an examination of
organizational records to see what data exist and what additional data would help recruiting
efforts.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
51
Procedural knowledge was likewise assessed through interviews. Whereas the interview
items assessing declarative knowledge asked participants to describe what they know, the
interview items for procedural knowledge asked participants to describe the processes they use in
recruiting.
Conceptual knowledge was defined by Krathwohl as “the interrelationships among the
basic elements within a larger structure that enable them to function together” (2002, p. 213).
For this study, one of the concepts was that of recruiting ethics. Interviews were used to assess
participants’ knowledge of these ethics. Conceptual knowledge also refers to the approach used
by stakeholders in recruiting students. A focus on understanding the concept of ethical recruiting
and of improving one’s skills in recruiting can lead to a mastery approach (Yough and
Anderman, 2006). Qualitative interviews were used to assess participants’ conceptual
knowledge.
Baker (2006) identified three areas of metacognitive knowledge: these were an
understanding of how one learns, of the task itself, and of strategies to accomplish the task
effectively. To achieve these understandings, as Baker (2006) noted, one must think about
thinking. Qualitative interviews asked participants to describe their thoughts on how their
backgrounds and actions influence their use of data in recruiting, and also others’ perceptions of
the program and its values.
Table 5
Summary of Strategies for Validating/Assessing the Assumed Knowledge Needs
Assumed Knowledge Needs Validation Strategies
Knowledge
Declarative Stakeholders know…
• Effective recruiting behaviors
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
52
• What data should be tracked, what
administrative structures and
procedures currently exist to track
data, and what structures and
procedures need to be added so that
data can be tracked and used for
effective recruiting
• The demographics of the population
targeted for recruitment
• to describe successful
recruiting behaviors
• what data they use or could
use to recruit students
• the best way for them to
access that data
• to describe target populations
Documents:
• Recruitment data going back
six years
Procedural Stakeholders know how to…
• Implement recruiting behaviors
• Adapt recruiting strategies to the
needs of the individual students
• Use structures and procedures to
gather data
• Approach different constituents
appropriately, based on knowledge
of their cultures
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• if they use existing data and
if so, how they use this data
• to describe interactions with
prospective students
• how they gather new data, if
at all, and what they do with
that data
Conceptual Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of …
• Recruiting ethics
• Using data to support recruitment
decisions
• The goal of recruiting
underrepresented students using a
mastery orientation approach
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders
• if they have ever had a
discussion about recruiting
ethics
• to explain their
understanding of recruiting
ethics
• to describe their
understanding of how the use
of data can lead to greater
mastery of the recruitment
process
Metacognitive Stakeholders understand how their
behavior impacts….
• Students’ perception of the
organization and its values
Stakeholders reflect on …
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• to describe what they believe
are students’ perceptions of
the organization and its
values
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
53
• How to use data to improve
recruitment results
• Their own cultural sensitivity and
awareness, achieving equipoise in
their interactions with people of
different backgrounds
• how their own actions might
influence students’
perceptions
• to describe their own
backgrounds and how their
background might affect
their interactions with others
while recruiting
• to describe how they use
data, if at all, in their own
recruiting efforts
Motivation Assessment
Motivation in this study was assessed using interviews. The literature review identified
five theories of motivation: values, expectancy-value, mood, self-efficacy, and attribution. To
assess the area of values, interview items were included that asked participants about the
organization’s values, their own values, how their values relate to the program and its goals, and
what structures the organization has in place to support its values. Table 6 shows the assumed
motivation needs and validation strategies.
Expectancy-value is a two-part theory, consisting of an individual’s expectation for
success, and the value that an individual attaches to a task (Eccles, 2009). Interview items asked
participants about their expectations: whether they expected to be successful using structures,
procedures, and data to recruit and enroll students; whether they expected their own efforts to be
successful; and how these efforts compared to others’ efforts. Other interview items asked
participants what they valued about the program, about cultural diversity, and about the use of
data in recruiting students for the program. Also, participants were asked about the value they
placed on various tasks related to recruiting for the program.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
54
Open-ended interview questions were asked in order to assess participants’ mood. Clark
and Estes (2008) noted that positive emotional environments support motivation. Thus, the
answers to the research questions of this study took into account how participants felt about the
program, about recruiting, about the support that the institution provides them to recruit, and
even how they felt about their own cultural awareness and sensitivity.
In discussing motivation, one area to understand is that of self-efficacy. Pajares (2006)
described self-efficacy as an individual’s perceptions of his or her capabilities. Interviews were
used to assess participants’ views of their own self-efficacy; in particular, to determine how
effective participants felt about recruiting underrepresented populations. The use of data, the
amount of time spent recruiting, their persistence in recruiting, and their cultural awareness were
all areas in which self-efficacy may play a role.
The final area under motivation that was assessed was attribution. Because attribution is
about beliefs (Anderman & Anderman, 2006), interviews were used to assess participants’
beliefs about the reasons for their own successes and failures in recruiting students.
Table 6
Summary of Strategies for Validating/Assessing the Assumed Motivation Needs
Assumed Motivation Needs Validation Strategies
Motivation
Value Stakeholders value …
• diversity, and the goal of diversity
within the student population
• the administrative structures that
support their efforts to recruit a
diverse population
• talent, and the goal of enrolling
underrepresented students who have
the talent but have lacked the
opportunity to join such a program
as theirs
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• to identify the organization’s
values
• what structures the
organization has in place to
support those values
• to describe their own values
in relation to the program
and its goals
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
55
Expectancy-
Value
Stakeholders value …
• the goal of enrolling
underrepresented students
• using data to increase enrollment
• becoming more culturally aware
Stakeholders expect success in …
• success in enrolling
underrepresented students
• using structures, procedures, and
data to recruit and enroll students
• their efforts to deepen their
understanding of cultural sensitivity
and awareness
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• to describe what they value
about the program
• to describe their perceptions
of the cultural diversity of
the program, and what
impact their perceptions
have, if any, on the program
itself
• how important they feel it is
to use data to recruit a
diverse student body
Ask stakeholders…
• what their expectations are
for successfully using
structures, procedures, and
data to recruit and enroll
students
• whether their own
participation in the program
has changed their
understanding of the students
• if they expect their efforts
will contribute to the success
of the program
• how they feel their efforts
compare with the efforts of
others
• which of these tasks are the
most valuable to them:
visiting schools, talking with
parents, discussing
recruitment results with other
stakeholders
Mood Stakeholders feel positive about …
• the program and their efforts to
recruit underrepresented students
• the structures and procedures used
to recruit students
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• how they feel about the
program
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
56
• their cultural sensitivity and
awareness
• how they feel about
recruiting students to the
program
• how they feel about the
structures that are in place
and the procedures they use
to recruit students
• how they rate their own
cultural sensitivity and
awareness
Self-efficacy Stakeholders are confident in …
• their ability to approach prospective
students from backgrounds different
from their own
• their abilities to use data to enhance
recruitment efforts
• their ability to be culturally aware
and sensitive
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• to what degree they feel
confident in their ability to
approach prospective
students from backgrounds
that are different from their
own
• to what degree they feel able
to use data to enhance
recruitment efforts
• to what degree they feel
culturally aware and able to
be sensitive to prospective
students from different
backgrounds
• how much time they spend
per week on recruiting
activities
• why they persist in recruiting
students to this program
Attribution Stakeholders believe they are capable of …
• identifying and recruiting students
from underrepresented populations
through their own efforts
• using data to enhance recruitment
efforts
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• what they believe are the
reasons for recruiting results
• to list reasons for their own
success or failure at the task
of recruiting students
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
57
Organization/Culture/Context Assessment
The literature revealed four possible organization needs categories: resources; policies,
procedures, and processes; cultural setting; and cultural models. These needs were assessed
through interviews. In the category of resources, participants were asked to identify what the
organization does and doesn’t do to help them achieve the goal of recruiting underrepresented
students for the program. Related to resources, participants were asked about the organization’s
policies, procedures, and processes. Table 7 shows the assumed organization influencers and
validation strategies.
Participants’ understanding of the cultural setting of the organization was explored by
asking them to describe their perceptions of the setting. On a deeper level, interview items asked
participants about the organization’s cultural model and about their own cultural models, and
how these impact the organizational goal.
Table 7 summarizes the strategies for assessing the assumed needs. Qualitative
interviews were the main assessment tool. Program documents provided additional data.
Table 7
Summary of Strategies for Validating/Assessing the Assumed Organizational Needs
Assumed Organizational Needs Validation Strategies
Organizational
Resources • The organization ensures that
stakeholders know what the goal is
• The stakeholders have the time to
learn and implement appropriate
recruitment behaviors
• The stakeholders have the time and
money to create administrative
structures and procedures that
support the gathering of data for
recruitment purposes
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• to define the organizational
goal
• to identify impediments to
achieving that goal
• to identify what the
organization does to help
them achieve the goal
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
58
• The stakeholders have the time to
implement culturally-aware
recruitment strategies by interacting
with prospective and current
students
• The organization has the resources
to compensate the stakeholders for
their time in learning and
implementing strategies to reach
their goals
• if they have the time to
create structures and
procedures, and to learn
appropriate behaviors
• if they are given instruction
in appropriate behaviors for
recruiting underrepresented
students
• if they have time to interact
with prospective and current
students
• if they receive compensation
for their time spent learning
and implementing
recruitment strategies, and if
so, is that compensation
deemed adequate
• to state overall the most
important thing that the
organization does to support
the stakeholder
Policies,
Processes,
Procedures
• The organization supports the
creation of policies, processes, and
procedures consistent with the
organization’s existing ones so that
stakeholders may implement
effective recruiting behaviors
• The organization has an effective
process by which to communicate
necessary information about
policies, processes, and procedures
related to the recruitment of
underrepresented students to
stakeholders
• The organization has an effective
process by which to communicate
necessary information about
policies, processes, and procedures
related to cultural awareness to
stakeholders
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• if they believe the
organization is supporting
the creation of policies,
processes, and procedures
that are consistent with
current policies, processes,
and procedures
• if they believe the
organization has
communicated policies,
processes, and procedures for
recruiting underrepresented
students well and
appropriately
Cultural
Setting
• The organization’s culture ensures
that appropriate recruitment
behaviors are understood and
implemented
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
59
• The organization’s culture supports
the creation of data-driven
recruiting
• The organization’s culture supports
culturally aware interactions with
prospective and current students
• to describe their
understanding and feelings
about the organization’s
culture in relation to
recruitment behaviors,
culturally aware interactions,
and data-driven recruiting
Cultural
Models
• Stakeholders consciously
understand how their mental models
affect their success in implementing
appropriate recruitment behavior,
thus affecting the unspoken cultural
model
• Stakeholders have a shared
understanding of the purpose of
gathering data to meet stakeholder
goals, and the organization holds
them responsible for results
• The stakeholders and the
organization together create a
shared model that is culturally
aware, so that interactions with
prospective and current students are
positive and result in successful
implementation of recruiting
strategies
Interviews:
Ask stakeholders…
• in what ways this program is
unique
• to what extent they feel the
organization holds them
responsible for the results of
their recruiting efforts,
through the use of data, their
recruitment behaviors, and
their cultural awareness
• to what extent they feel the
institution is culturally
aware, and to what extent
that awareness is shared by
stakeholders
Participating Stakeholders and Sample Selection
The stakeholder group of focus for this study comprised the staff and faculty of the
CMTP, including the head of the division. McEwan and McEwan (2003) described qualitative
research as research that is focused on explaining and interpreting. In order to gather data that
will help explain and interpret, purposeful sampling is needed (Merriam and Tisdell, 2016). The
research questions for this study aimed to understand the knowledge, motivation, and
organizational factors that influence the stakeholders. Thus, the stakeholder group was the
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
60
population sample because it was from this group that the most information could be gathered.
The unit in this sample was each member of the staff and faculty of the CMTP.
Sampling
The criterion used in the sampling for this study was membership in the stakeholder
group. The staff and faculty have first-hand experience with the students and parents already
enrolled in the program. To varying degrees, the staff and faculty also have experience with
finding students to enroll in the program, including having knowledge of school and community
programs that give students early musical training. This purposeful sampling allowed the
researcher to select participants who could provide data that would help answer the research
questions (Johnson & Christensen, 2014). The sample also was comprehensive, meaning
everyone in the staff and faculty stakeholder group was part of the sample. Such a sample
supported the comprehensiveness of the data collection (Johnson & Christensen, 2014).
Recruitment
The stakeholder group for this study was chosen for its ability to explain and interpret
(McEwan and McEwan, 2003) how the CMTP can or does work toward its goal. The supervisor
of pre-college education (SPCE) of the division that includes the CMTP agreed to the study and
to the recruitment of faculty and staff to participate in data collection. The first step in
recruitment, following IRB approval, was to obtain a full list of staff and faculty from the SPCE.
The second step was to contact these people and explain to them the purpose of the study and to
describe their possible involvement.
The stakeholder group was contacted by email, with the permission of the program
supervisor and the VP; see Appendix B for the text. The email explained the research questions,
the data collection protocol, and the ways in which the data would be kept confidential. Details
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
61
of the interview process such as location and duration were shared. I also explained how
recommendations would be drawn from the data and shared with the organization for the purpose
of improving the identification and recruitment of underrepresented students in classical music.
Instrumentation
Interviews were the key instrument for collecting data to answer the research questions
for this study. I chose to use interviews because they allow participants to express their own
understanding of a situation (Patton, 2002). The interviews were semi-structured to provide
some consistency among the different interviews, but also to allow individuals to speak from
their own personal experiences (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007). The CMTP also provided six years of
demographic data in the form of published annual reports. These data provided further support
for the recommendations in Chapter 5.
Interview Protocol Design
The KMO gap analysis used for this study also served as the foundation for the design of
the interviews. I reviewed the literature to identify knowledge and skills, motivation, and
organizational factors that may be influencing goal attainment. As shown in Tables 5, 6, and 7
above, these factors were linked with validation strategies. The validation strategies formed the
basis of the interview protocol.
The interviews were semi-structured to provide some consistency among the different
interviews, but also to allow individuals to speak from their own personal experiences (Bogdan
& Biklen, 2007). The majority of the interviews were conducted at the program site, unless
participants requested a different location for their convenience. The interview protocol can be
seen in Appendix C.
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62
Document Analysis Design
Although this was a qualitative study, the goal is increased enrollment in the program—a
quantitative goal. Therefore, quantitative data was collected from organizational documents that
track enrollment numbers and details going back six years. I used Excel spreadsheets to
investigate overall enrollment number trends and the demographics of prospects, applicants, and
enrolled students. The resulting data, which exist naturally in the research environment
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), were combined with data from the interviews to inform the results of
this study.
Data Collection
The study that I conducted required obtaining data from human subjects in order to
answer my research questions. The data were gathered from the subjects through qualitative
methods. It was therefore critical that I protected the participants by using ethical principles of
data collection to minimize risk. These principles include doing no harm to the participants,
showing them respect, refraining from pressuring them, and honoring any promises made to
them (Rubin & Rubin, 2012). According to the University of Southern California Human
Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) Policies and Procedures (https://oprs.usc.edu/policies-and-
procedures/, 2016), USC follows the ethical principles of the Belmont Report (1978) as well as
federal and institutional policies. The steps I took to ensure practice of the Belmont Report’s
core principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice, are enumerated in the following
paragraph.
This study was categorized as an exempt study in terms of IRB review at USC; thus, an
information sheet (see Appendix D) was provided to all participants using the IRB template. In
addition, I asked for separate consent from each participant to record their interviews. As this
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
63
study was an improvement model, the benefit for participants was that they were helping to
create a blueprint for identifying and recruiting new students into the CMTP; a material incentive
was therefore not required. However, all participants received a thank-you note for contributing
their time and expertise to the study.
Memos can be used at any point in data collection and analysis, as they are aids to
reflection and can stimulate understanding and insights into the data (Maxwell, 2013). They are,
if you will, an expansion of the researcher’s thoughts. As a study progresses, memos can be used
to begin tying together various data as the analytical process moves forward. I used memos
during the data collection and analysis processes in order to ground my thinking about my
findings.
Interviews
The interviews were semi-structured to provide some consistency among the different
interviews, but also to allow individuals to speak from their own personal experiences (Bogdan
& Biklen, 2007). The interviews were conducted by the researcher at the CMTP site, on days
when the program was in session. However, if the location and timing were not convenient for
participants, alternate days, times, and locations were agreed upon. The interviews were face-to-
face whenever possible, as one goal of interviewing is to establish rapport with the participants
(Johnson & Christensen, 2014). When necessary for the convenience of the participant,
interviews took place over the phone. Interviews were recorded, with permission from each
participant. Because of the number of questions in the interview protocol, participants were told
to expect a ninety-minute interview; most interviews lasted under one hour. The recordings were
transcribed by the service rev.com, and were then deleted. The resulting transcripts were saved
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
64
on a password-protected personal computer located in a private residence. Hard copies were
made as an additional backup, and were stored in a locked room.
Documents
The program that is the focus of this study has existed for nearly twenty-five years.
Given that the organizational goal is to increase enrollment, the program’s historical recruitment
and enrollment records were important documents for this study. Although they are not
themselves produced for research, enrollment records are factual evidence of trends over time
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), and added another layer of data to this study. These documents were
provided by the program staff, with the permission of the SPCE and the SPCE’s supervisor.
Data Analysis
This study used two methods of data collection: qualitative interviews and quantitative
historical data. Analysis of data from these collection methods was a critical part of arriving at
solutions to the research questions at the heart of this study.
Bogdan and Biklen (2007) noted two approaches to qualitative data analysis. The first
approach is concurrent analysis, or analysis that occurs simultaneously with data collection. The
second approach is to collect all the data and then analyze it. They provided ten suggestions for
including at least some level of data analysis in the field, while noting that new researchers
should save in-depth analysis until after data collection is complete. As a new researcher, I
followed their recommendation and used a blended approach for this study. I chose to focus my
topic on a very narrow area using one particular program for the study. Other suggestions from
Bogdan and Biklen (2007) that I followed included writing observer’s comments and memos as
data were gathered, and using some participants as informers, which aided my developing
interpretation while I was collecting data.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
65
Interviews
Interviews were recorded and transcribed by the transcription service rev.com. The
transcripts were analyzed by the process of coding. Corbin and Strauss (2008) defined coding as
“deriving and developing concepts from data” (p. 65). Maxwell (2013) described coding as a
“categorizing strategy” (p. 106). He contrasted this with “connecting strategies” (p. 106), which
are focused on relationships between the data, and which help to build theory. Coding takes an
interview and breaks it down into pieces of data: this is the process of first cycle open coding
(Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014). Then the pieces of open code are connected into patterns
across interviews using inductive and deductive reasoning: this is the process of second cycle
analytic coding (Miles, Huberman, & Saldaña, 2014). The KMO needs described and
summarized in Chapter 2 provided the material for the interview protocol, and also the a priori
codes for analysis. A codebook was used to organize the first and second cycle coding, to aid in
pattern coding and developing themes. Throughout the process of analysis, Corbin and Strauss’
(2008) analytic tools were employed to help make meaning of the data. Once qualitative data
were analyzed, they were compared with the items in Tables 2, 3, and 4. Further analysis then
took place to determine if the assumed needs were validated by the data.
Documents
The documents used for this study were provided by the CMTP itself, from the office
files. The data contained in the documents were quantitative data, therefore the methods of
analysis were quantitative. For each year of data, summaries were obtained of the number of
prospective students, applicants, and enrolled students. From this data, selectivity and yield were
calculated. Selectivity quantified the number of applicants offered admission, and yield
quantified the number of those admitted applicants who actually enrolled. Because the
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program’s mission specifies a focus on underrepresented students, ethnic and racial data also
were quantified. In addition to annual summaries, data were compared across years in order to
identify trends.
Trustworthiness of Data
Having described the way in which qualitative data collected through interviews were
analyzed, it must be said that the methods themselves do not guarantee that any conclusions at
which I arrived are valid (Maxwell, 2013). Merriam and Tisdell (2016) noted that trustworthy
results come from rigor in the execution of the study. Like Maxwell (2013), Merriam and
Tisdell (2016) linked credibility to the design of a study. The problem of practice that I
investigated lent itself best to a qualitative design because I was seeking to understand
individuals’ perspectives in a specific setting. To establish and maintain the credibility and
trustworthiness of the study, I used the following strategies, based on recommendations in
Merriam and Tisdell (2016).
First, I have clearly described my sample, which was a purposeful one, and the logic used
in choosing the participants. Second, I explained the use of a semistructured interview process,
and included the interview guide in this report (Appendix C). Next, I circled back to some of the
interviewees to check my conclusions with them. This process of member checking not only
gathers feedback, but also illuminated my own biases (Maxwell, 2013). Related to that, I have
included in this report my own reflections on my assumptions and biases, and how they may
have affected the study. An audit trail kept as I conducted the study helped to inform the
methodology section of the study by showing how my thinking evolved.
Triangulation of data is another strategy for establishing credibility. Maxwell (2013)
strongly cautioned that all methods of data collection can be flawed, and recommended that
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triangulation be done from the viewpoint of validity threats, rather than merely collecting data
with the same conscious or unconscious biases. In this study, I chose to triangulate using
interviews with multiple stakeholders (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The stakeholders were sources
of data. Having multiple sources of data, including possible disconfirming data, helps counter
the threat bias (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Role of the Investigator
The problem of practice that I, as the investigator in this study, was examining was a
problem within my own organization. My role was to conduct a problem-solving investigation
to improve the organization’s performance in a particular area. This area is not one with which I
interact in a normal workday; the result of any improvements in this area ultimately may impact
my work, but not in any direct way.
My organization has three divisions that provide instruction. The division in which I
work is an accredited post-secondary program, offering bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees.
The organization also has a division offering instruction to adults, and a division offering
instruction to pre-college-age children. I oversee the offices of admissions and financial aid for
the college-level division. There are students in the pre-college division who apply to the college
division, and it is my signature on the letters that makes their offers or denials of admission
official. However, I do not interact with these students, other than possibly a once-a-year
presentation to them and their parents about applying to college.
Given my Monday-through-Friday job and the fact that the CMTP meets on Saturdays,
my path does not cross with the parents and students of that program. It is unlikely any of them
would recognize my name, let alone my face. In this sense, therefore, I feel as if there was
sufficient distance between my role at the institution and the program on which my study is
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focused. Furthermore, most of the colleagues with whom I do interact daily were not aware of
the topic of my dissertation, if they were even aware that I am in a doctoral program.
I had discussions with the head of the division and with my own supervisor about my
research, to ensure that they were supportive and aware of my progress. They understood that I
was conducting a problem-solving investigation in order to improve the program’s performance;
their support extended to guidance on how to approach the stakeholders, and feedback on that
process. They also understood that one of the long-term results of CMTP’s success is potentially
greater diversity in the college division.
Other ways in which I ensured that stakeholders did not feel pressured to participate
included confirmation that participants would remain anonymous and that confidentiality of
information and identity would be maintained. Participants were assured that participation was
voluntary, and that if they chose to participate and then wished to withdraw, that was their right.
This information was communicated via the information sheet, and also verbally.
Because this study was examining a problem of practice within a specific organization,
one anticipated outcome was recommendations for practical improvements to the CMTP’s
identification and recruiting of students. Discussions with the SPCE and the Vice-President of
the organization included the form in which final recommendations would be delivered to them,
and an explanation of the role of confidentiality in protecting the identities of the participants in
that final report.
Limitations and Delimitations
This study set out to address a specific problem of practice, that of identifying and
recruiting underrepresented students to a classical music training program. The study focused on
one program, the CMTP; therefore, the generalizability of the study is limited. Readers of this
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study who are stakeholders in similar programs will have to use their judgment in deciding if the
findings of this study apply to their own situations.
Another limitation of this study was the small sample size. Participation in the study was
limited to only some of the CMTP stakeholders, resulting in a very purposeful sample. This type
of sample was important for providing rich information about the topic in question (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016), but it also limits the generalizability of the study.
Yet another limitation was that this topic was about underrepresented students in classical
music training programs. Underrepresented refers to the relative lack of African-American and
Hispanic musicians in the world of classical music. My position as a white woman and non-
practicing classical musician comes with its own history, which needed to be consciously
considered as I conducted this study.
Maxwell (2013) offered a checklist of strategies that can support the validity of a study.
One of these strategies is rich data. Although the sample size was small, the interviews were
deep. Verbatim transcripts of the interviews were the source of the data. The length and
intensity of the interviews allowed for the uncovering of discrepant data, another of Maxwell’s
strategies.
The smallness of the sample size and the depth of the interviews made possible the
strategy of member checking. Maxwell (2013) defined this as a way to get feedback on the data.
By asking the participant if my data and conclusions aligned with his or her meaning, I was able
to decrease misinterpretations, as well as increase my awareness of my own assumptions and
biases. Likewise, triangulation by data source means that as I interviewed participants I could
connect data between the different sources to provide further validation.
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My own identity as a trained classical musician who no longer makes her living as a
performer, and as a white woman, was relevant to my choice of topic. It was my own
experiences that made me question how we go about diversifying classical music. Through
reflection, memos, and jottings, I confronted my biases and maintained the integrity of the study.
This study was delimited by my choice to focus on only one group of stakeholders at
CMTP. This was done because the problem of practice was identifying and recruiting
underrepresented students. The stakeholder group of faculty and staff was the group that has the
most power and opportunity to identify and recruit students. Future research focusing on the
parents of current and prospective students, and on current and prospective students themselves,
would round out the picture that I have begun to sketch here.
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CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND FINDINGS
In the previous chapters of this paper, a problem of practice was identified, along with an
organization and a stakeholder group of focus. A review of the literature related to this problem
was conducted. The KMO framework developed by Clark and Estes (2008), together with the
literature review and the author’s own experience, were used to identify possible performance
gaps. In Chapter 3, the assumed causes of performance gaps were laid out, organized into Clark
and Estes’ categories of knowledge and skills (K), motivation (M), and organizational (O)
challenges. The main data collection instrument was interviews with the CMTP faculty and
staff, the stakeholder group of focus. This qualitative method of data collection was chosen
because the individual experience of each stakeholder was posited as the best way to obtain rich,
descriptive data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Additionally, the program provided historical
applicant data, which was used to give quantitative evidence of goal attainment.
More than providing a way to examine performance gaps, the KMO framework provides
a structure for organizing the findings and results. In this chapter, first knowledge, then
motivation, and lastly organizational influences will be discussed. Qualitative findings are
presented first, as they were the main source of data. Document analysis for enrollment trends
followed the interviews; therefore, the quantitative results will be presented after the qualitative
findings.
Participants, Goals, and Validity in This Study
Clark and Estes (2008) pointed out that “the gap between desired and actual performance
must be assessed and closed if organizational goals are to be achieved” (p. 23). The participants
in this study provided data on progress toward the achievement of goals. That data were used to
validate the assumed needs that were laid out according to KMO assumptions. Thus examining
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the alignment between participants, goals, and validity was the key to identifying performance
gaps.
Participants
The faculty of the CMTP number 35, including the artistic advisor; eighteen of the 35
faculty members were interviewed for this study. Although there is only one full-time
administrator and one half-time administrator for the program, six administrators from the
overall organization were interviewed. The total number of participants (N) was 24.
Employment tenure ranged from two months to 26 years. Throughout the analysis that follows,
participants are referred to by number, according to the order in which they were interviewed.
Characteristics of the participants are shown in Figures 7 through 9, contrasted with race and
ethnicity data of the current student body in Figures 10 and 11. These characteristics are
reported in the aggregate to protect the identity of the participants.
Figure 7. Ratio of participating Figure 8. Ratio of male to female
staff to faculty. participants.
Figure 9. Ethnicity and race distribution of study participants.
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Source: CMTP 2017-2018 Demographic Report.
Figure 10. Ethnicity of current student Figure 11. Race of current student body (N = 70).
body (N = 70).
Goals
The organizational performance goal identified for this study was:
By September 2022, the organization will be recognized as the premier music program
within the city and surrounding area for developing underrepresented students to higher
levels of artistry as classical musicians. In keeping with the focus on underrepresented
students, at least 50% of the applicant pool will comprise African-American and Hispanic
students by September 2022. Additionally, by September 2022, 50% of program
participants who apply to elite pre-college or college music programs will be offered
admission to those programs.
Figure 12 illustrates progress toward the organizational goal of a more diverse applicant pool.
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Figure 12. Ethnicity of applicant pools, 2012 through 2016.
Applicant data from 2017 data are omitted from Figure 12 because the CMTP changed how
ethnicity numbers were aggregated. In the 2017 applicant pool, 35% of the applicants identified
as Hispanic. Applicants in the categories of Asian/Pacific Islander, Black or African American,
White, or Other, equaled 25%, 35%, 41%, and 7% respectively. These percentages add up to
over 100% due to some applicants identifying in more than one category. Figure 13 shows 2017
data.
Figure 13. Ethnicity of 2017 applicant pool.
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Since 2010 (across the last 7 years), 51 CMTP students were accepted into pre-college
programs. No data were available on how many applied to such programs, or how many actually
enrolled once they were admitted.
Goals also were identified for three stakeholder groups. Because this study was
conducted within a limited timeframe, only one stakeholder group was used as the focus. As
noted above, the group comprised faculty and staff of the CMTP, and their goal was:
By September 2019, 100% of the staff and faculty will implement 100% of the specific
strategies identified to increase the applicant pool 100% of the time such that the
applicant pool increases to 400 prospective students.
For perspective, applicant pool numbers for the last six years were:
Figure 14. Total number of applicants to CMTP, 2012 through 2017.
The average size of the applicant pool over the last six years was 149. The goal was to increase
the size of the applicant pool to 400 by September 2019. Two research questions guided this
study:
1. What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors that influence the
stakeholders’ ability to meet the performance goals?
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2. What are the recommended solutions?
This chapter looks at the KMO needs in relation to the goals. Chapter 5 will look at the
recommended solutions.
Validity
The sections that follow present data related to the goals and the research questions of
this study. As noted earlier, these data are organized using the KMO framework (Clark and
Estes, 2008). Originally developed for business settings, the framework uses research-based
evidence to support successful performance improvement. A basic part of this approach is
analyzing the gaps that exist between an organization’s goals and its performance. Because it is
gaps, or lacks, that are identified, the results in KMO reporting are worded in the negative.
In this study, needs related to goal attainment were identified through a literature review
and the author’s own experience. The terms needs, causes, and influences have all been used
interchangeably when discussing gaps; this study, however, examined needs from a positive
perspective. Rather than asking, What knowledge is lacking? this study asked, What knowledge
is needed? What knowledge would eliminate a gap? What knowledge would influence the
achievement of goals? For example, instead of writing “stakeholders need to know effective
recruiting behaviors,” the statement was written as “stakeholders know effective recruiting
behaviors.” Thus when a need is affirmed, there is no lack. To validate a finding, in this study,
means no gap exists. When a need is not validated in this study, it means that a gap exists that
must be addressed in order to successfully achieve the goals.
Findings for Knowledge Needs
Table 2 provided a summary of assumed causes of knowledge gaps. These were
organized by Krathwohl’s (2002) revision of Bloom’s taxonomy, which listed four types of
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knowledge: declarative, procedural, conceptual, and metacognitive. The results of the interviews
are reported in that same order in the sections below.
Declarative Knowledge Findings
Assumed declarative knowledge need #1. Stakeholders know effective recruiting
behaviors. Three assumed needs in the category of declarative, or factual, knowledge were set
forth in Table 2. The first type of declarative knowledge needed was to know effective
recruiting behaviors. During the interviews, twenty of the twenty-four participants identified
behaviors related to recruiting students for the CMTP. These behaviors were grouped under the
headings of outreach, inreach, and other. Examples of outreach were having CMTP faculty,
staff, or students visit schools to talk about the program and perform; greater use of email and
social media; connecting with cultural centers and music ministries in students’ neighborhoods;
and opening satellite campuses. Examples of inreach were inviting people to attend CMTP
concerts; holding a conference for local school music teachers; having an open-door policy of
inviting teachers and prospective students and their parents to observe classes and rehearsals.
Although the examples above demonstrated an understanding of recruiting behavior, a
few participants noted that they were not very knowledgeable about recruiting, that they did not
talk with other faculty about recruiting, and that the administrators “don’t necessarily tell the
faculty what criteria is [sic] to be met” (Participant 10). Participant 7 noted that the program is
only 70 students, and some years there are areas with no openings for which to recruit. Thus
while there was no declarative knowledge gap related to recruiting behaviors identified, other
points were raised that need to be discussed by the organization.
Assumed declarative knowledge need #2. Stakeholders know what data should be
tracked, what administrative structures and procedures currently exist to track data, and
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what structures and procedures need to be added so that data can be tracked and used for
effective recruiting. In performing arts college admissions, data play a large role. Like most
admissions offices, performing arts admissions offices track statistics such as the number of
inquiries from prospective students, the number of applicants, and the number of admitted
applicants who enroll. In performing arts schools, the various arts disciplines have specific
enrollment goals. A dance school, for example, may need an equal number of male and female
dancers. A music school will look at ensemble needs, to ensure that the number of tubas isn’t
more than the number of violins, for example.
When interviewing stakeholders for this study, Participant 5 was the only participant who
specified a type of data that would be useful, stating that “the data is [sic] that students don’t
really leave the program…. People want to stay in the program beyond the time that we really
give them.” Two participants (1 and 4) noted that “any data will help us recruit for any
program” but “we don’t actually rely on it too heavily, we’re mostly concerned with casting as
wide a net as possible.” Participant 4 also noted that data are collected on where enrolled
students come from; that is, CMTP keeps track of which schools, community programs, and
teachers are sources of students. However, there was no evidence that this information is
distributed to stakeholders, or that this information was used to create an overall recruitment plan
for the program.
The stated need here was to know what data should be tracked for recruiting. Interview
data showed that the majority of participants did not refer to using data for recruiting, or seem to
be aware of any structures or procedures to gather data. Thus the need to know what data should
be used for effective recruiting was not validated and a gap exists.
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Assumed declarative knowledge need #3. Stakeholders know the demographics of
the population targeted for recruitment. The majority of the participants—18 out of 24—
articulated a specific definition of the students targeted by the program which was in line with
the program’s own definition. They characterized the students as being from all different
backgrounds, economically diverse, lacking resources, with no exposure or access to music
instruction. Musically, students were described as at an intermediate level, younger in age than
the LCMTP at the same institution. This knowledge need was validated—no gap existed.
Procedural Knowledge Findings
Assumed procedural knowledge need #1. Stakeholders know how to implement
recruiting behaviors. Four needs were identified in Table 2 under the heading of procedural
knowledge. The first of these needs was that stakeholders should know how to implement
recruiting behaviors. One-third of the participants—eight out of twenty-four—articulated
specific behaviors to be implemented. Some of these were behaviors that the participant could
enact, such as meeting other musicians and telling them about the CMTP, and physically going
out to “seek a broader pool” in “underserved locations because they can’t come to us.” Other
suggestions were directed at the administration, such as publicizing CMTP concerts; having
someone specifically charged with recruiting for the program; holding open houses at a variety of
times to accommodate the schedules of parents and teachers; and highlighting the fact that the
program offers more than just music lessons. Of note were several comments about the
participant’s own efforts: “I know they want faculty to have an active role in it [recruiting], but
… I don’t have time to do that, unfortunately. I really wish that I could. I just don’t” (Participant
11). “I haven’t done enough in that area, to be quite honest” (Participant 21). And “I don’t think
it’s just up to us at all…. They give us some of the flyers, like to pass them around” (Participant
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16). The need here is to have the procedural knowledge of how to implement recruiting
behaviors. As only a small number of participants described how to implement recruiting
behaviors, this need was not validated and a gap exists.
Assumed procedural knowledge need #2. Stakeholders know how to adapt
recruiting strategies to the needs of the individual students. As found above, participants did
not seem to be directly involved in recruiting. Participant 2 said, “officially my only
responsibility is to listen to students when they come to audition.” Only one participant, Number
11, commented on adapting strategies to individual students. This participant stated that
“you never know what’s going to resonate profoundly with someone. And so the goal
would be interaction with something that’s culturally different. And if it’s done well, I
feel like there’s an interactive element that makes the thing that’s happening seem more
attainable. And if you inspire in such a way that it doesn’t let go of the people who are
experiencing it, then you’ve kind of achieved your goal because they’ll pursue it later.”
As documented in this chapter, participants were very aware of the program’s mission
and the demographics of the student body, but actively recruiting students did not seem to be a
part of their roles. Therefore the assumed need to adapt recruiting strategies to individual
students was not validated.
Assumed procedural knowledge need #3. Stakeholders know how to use structures
and procedures to gather data. Participants were asked how they recruited for the CMTP.
Participant 16 responded by saying, “We just basically, with the recruitment, just try to get
anyone to know about the program to come in.” Participant 8 said, “[the program administrator]
makes a point to ask in our group meetings, ‘Please go out, and if you have any ideas on where to
find students, we welcome the broadest pool we can get.’” And Participant 7 noted
When I came to [CMTP], they were like, ‘Here's your job and here are students.’ I had
nothing to do with the selection, I had nothing to do with the recruitment. ...I
recommended some people apply, people I knew.… And none of the people I
recommended got in and that is okay.”
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These responses highlighted the fact that data are not used by participants for recruiting.
Therefore, this need was not validated, and a gap exists.
Assumed procedural knowledge need #4. Stakeholders know how to approach
different constituents appropriately, based on knowledge of their cultures. This knowledge
need was addressed by one participant. The example given by Participant 19 was of CMTP
students performing in their own communities, and in particular being able to speak to the
parents of prospective students in their own language. The participant emphasized that it was
more important for parents to hear about the program than students, because students would not
necessarily bring information about the CMTP back to their parents. Similar to Procedural
Knowledge Need #2, there was not enough data to validate this need.
Conceptual Knowledge Findings
Assumed conceptual knowledge need #1. Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of recruiting ethics. In Chapter 2, two national organizations were cited as
providing ethical guidance to those who worked in college admissions. These two organizations
were the American Association for Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). The three ethical
principles stated by AACRAO in its Statement of Ethics and Practices (2016) are related to
professional conduct; the avoidance of conflicts of interest; and the dissemination of accurate
and truthful information. The ethical core articulated by NACAC in its Statement of Principles
of Good Practice (2017) comprises truthfulness and transparency; professional conduct; and
respect for confidentiality.
Participants often voiced their enthusiastic support for the promise shown by CMTP
students. Participant 8, for example, commented on “being so happy to be participating in the
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musical development of someone I really believe in and who can mean something to the field.”
Participant 22 said,
It’s all very serious and very vigorous, and I think that because it’s so demanding on
them, they will respond by giving it their all. Because they can see that we take it
seriously, and then they take it seriously in return.
Similarly, Participant 12 stated,
For my students, they care. I care, and I go in there with the expectation that we're going
to advance. And we're going to improve and we're all going to put in the work. The
families are going to put in the work, and that's why we're here…. In general, any
teacher, teaching anything, needs to have high expectations for their students. And the
students need to know that you have that, so they can rise to the occasion. They can
challenge themselves and remain challenged.
But this enthusiasm and seriousness of approach did not mean that there was a conceptual
understanding of recruiting ethics among the participants. These stakeholders were professional
musicians and teachers but not recruiters familiar with the ethics of the profession, and therefore
this need was not validated.
Assumed conceptual knowledge need #2. Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of using data to support recruitment decisions. As with declarative and
procedural knowledge, participants did not provide evidence that the use of data to support
recruitment decisions was understood conceptually. Not only was there no discussion of data to
support recruitment decisions, there also was little evidence that any recruitment decisions were
made. In other words, being told to find students, distribute flyers, and network are not data-
driven recruitment decisions; they are simply recruitment actions. Although participants did
indicate that they sometimes identified prospective students, and that they networked and
distributed flyers, there appeared to be a lack of conceptual understanding, and therefore this
need was not validated.
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Assumed conceptual knowledge need #3. Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of the goal of recruiting underrepresented students using a mastery
orientation approach. With a conceptual understanding of recruitment, it is possible to arrive at
a mastery orientation toward recruitment goals. Yough and Anderman (2006) defined a mastery
orientation as one that focuses on understanding and self-improvement. If one does not have a
conscious understanding of recruitment, conscious improvement is not possible. As professional
musicians, the stakeholders have a conceptual understanding of mastering their instruments.
However, there was no evidence that student recruitment was approached with a mastery
orientation, as can be seen in the data quoted above. Thus this need was not validated.
Metacognitive Knowledge Findings
Assumed metacognitive knowledge need #1. Stakeholders understand how their
behavior impacts students’ perception of the organization and its values. Metacognitive
knowledge is often defined as thinking about thinking. In the area of metacognitive knowledge,
the first need identified was for stakeholders to understand how their behavior impacts students’
perceptions of the organization and its values. Participant 21 reflected on the fact that students
who audition and are not admitted to the CMTP are simply turned away: “I don’t know what the
answer is to the kids that we send home.” That comment aside, there were no comments related
to stakeholders’ behavior and its impact on students. Thus, the need for metacognitive
knowledge in this area was not validated.
Assumed metacognitive knowledge need #2. Stakeholders reflect on how to use data
to improve recruitment results. The use of data to improve recruiting results did not arise in
any of the interviews. Therefore, the second need under metacognitive knowledge also was not
validated.
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Assumed metacognitive knowledge need #3. Stakeholders reflect on their own
cultural sensitivity and awareness, achieving equipoise in their interactions with people of
different backgrounds. Earlier in this study, metacognitive knowledge was connected to the
idea of asset and deficit approaches or frameworks. Although self-reflection did not explicitly
come up in interviews, data clearly emphasized the stakeholders’ asset-based approach to the
students in the CMTP. Stakeholders focused on teaching music regardless of students’
backgrounds. Participant 10 said, “I don’t think like, the student is underrepresented and so I
want to work with this family, because I wouldn’t hold them to any different standard. When
I’m teaching about that, that’s not anything that’s even crossing my mind.” Participant 24
commented that “it doesn’t matter if [the CMTP] is the program for the black kids…. What
matters is that we are doing the work to try to fix the problem of diversity in the arts.” And
Participant 13 said,
I don't think that a teacher could really be successful if they approach the students with
that mindset [a deficit approach]. They [CMTP faculty] have to believe that the student
brings skills and energy and intelligence to the table. They have to believe that the child
can learn.
While comments from some participants indicated use of an asset-based approach to the
students, there did not appear to be conscious reflection on participants’ own cultural sensitivity
and awareness in their interactions with people of different backgrounds. This need was thus not
validated, and a gap exists.
Synthesis of Findings for Knowledge Needs
Table 8 below summarizes the knowledge needs of this study and whether or not they
were validated. As explained at the beginning of this chapter, the needs are stated positively. If
a need is validated, that means the stakeholders have the necessary knowledge. If a need is not
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validated, the knowledge is lacking. A plan for addressing these gaps in knowledge will be the
subject of Chapter 5.
Of the 13 needs posited under Knowledge, two were validated. The data showed that
stakeholders know what are effective recruiting behaviors and they have factual knowledge of
the demographics of the target population; both of these are declarative knowledge.
Of the other 11 knowledge needs, one was in the category of declarative knowledge, four
were in the procedural knowledge category, three were in the conceptual knowledge category,
and three were in the category of metacognitive knowledge. Across all four knowledge
categories, the use of data was not validated. Stakeholders did not demonstrate the declarative
knowledge of what data to track, nor the procedural knowledge of how to track it. Stakeholders
lacked the conceptual knowledge of using data to support recruiting decisions, and lacked the
metacognitive knowledge of using data to improve recruitment results. Since one of the three
critical behaviors for stakeholders was to create administrative structures and procedures to track
recruitment efforts, and to use the data gathered to further inform recruitment, the lack of
validation of such knowledge will be one of the key points addressed in Chapter 5.
Another of the three critical behaviors was for stakeholders to effectively implement
recruitment behaviors appropriate to the target population. Of the needs that were not validated,
three fell under this critical behavior. There were insufficient data to validate that stakeholders
know how to adapt recruiting strategies to the needs of the individual students—an element of
procedural knowledge. There were no data gathered related to the conceptual knowledge of
recruiting ethics. Finally, there were no data related to stakeholders having a metacognitive
understanding of how their behavior impacts students’ perceptions of the organization and its
values.
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Faculty appeared to understand that there is an expectation for them to participate in
recruiting students, yet some participants stated that program faculty are not given guidance or
criteria for recruiting. At the same time, with a few exceptions such as Participants 14 and 20,
there was little evidence that faculty were directly responsible for having students enroll. Given
these factors, the researcher was unable to determine if the participants actually lacked the
knowledge needed, or if they had the knowledge but were not called upon to use it. Based on the
data collected, faculty are not the primary recruiters for the program, and staff are focused on
“casting as wide a net as possible” (Participant 4). Addressing the lack of knowledge of
recruiting behaviors will be part of Chapter 5.
The third of the three critical behaviors was for stakeholders to demonstrate cultural
sensitivity and awareness in their interactions with prospective and current students, and in the
implementation of recruiting strategies. Across the different types of knowledge, gaps were
found in procedural, conceptual, and metacognitive categories. There were insufficient data on
stakeholders having the procedural knowledge of how to approach different constituents
appropriately, based on knowledge of their cultures. There were no data on stakeholders having
a conceptual understanding of the goal of recruiting underrepresented students using a mastery
orientation approach. And, lastly, there were no data on stakeholders reflecting on their own
cultural sensitivity and awareness to achieve equipoise in their interactions with people of
different backgrounds.
All this is not to say that there was no cultural awareness among stakeholders. As
reported above, stakeholders knew the program’s mission statement and the demographics of the
population to be recruited. What appeared to be lacking in the area of knowledge, based on these
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data, was a clear plan for recruiting students to the CMTP. The plan needs to be grounded in
cultural awareness, and clear as to assigned responsibilities. Chapter 5 will address this lack.
Table 8
Knowledge needs and validations
Need Validation
Declarative Knowledge Need #1. Stakeholders know effective
recruiting behaviors.
Validated.
Declarative Knowledge Need #2. Stakeholders know what data
should be tracked, what administrative structures and procedures
currently exist to track data, and what structures and procedures
need to be added so that data can be tracked and used for
effective recruiting.
Not validated.
Declarative Knowledge Need #3. Stakeholders know the
demographics of the population targeted for recruitment.
Validated.
Procedural Knowledge Need #1. Stakeholders know how to
implement recruiting behaviors.
Not validated.
Procedural Knowledge Need #2. Stakeholders know how to adapt
recruiting strategies to the needs of the individual students.
Not validated.
Procedural Knowledge Need #3. Stakeholders know how to use
structures and procedures to gather data.
Not validated.
Procedural Knowledge Need #4. Stakeholders know how to
approach different constituents appropriately, based on
knowledge of their cultures.
Not validated.
Conceptual Knowledge Need #1. Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of recruiting ethics.
Not validated.
Conceptual Knowledge Need #2. Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of using data to support recruitment decisions.
Not validated.
Conceptual Knowledge Need #3. Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of the goal of recruiting underrepresented students
using a mastery orientation approach.
Not validated.
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Metacognitive Knowledge Need #1. Stakeholders understand how
their behavior impacts students’ perception of the organization
and its values.
Not validated.
Metacognitive Knowledge Need #2. Stakeholders reflect on how
to use data to improve recruitment results.
Not validated.
Metacognitive Knowledge Need #3. Stakeholders reflect on their
own cultural sensitivity and awareness, achieving equipoise in
their interactions with people of different backgrounds.
Not validated.
Findings for Motivation Needs
In gap analysis, the “M” of “KMO” refers to motivation. In Table 3, motivation needs
were organized according to five categories. These categories were the psychological factors
and theories of value, expectancy-value, mood, self-efficacy, and attribution, discussed below in
that order. As with the analysis of K, or knowledge, data, what motivation needs stakeholders
have to have to reach their goals is stated in positive language. Validating a motivation need
means there is no gap. Motivation needs that are not validated are gaps that will be addressed in
Chapter 5.
Value Findings
Assumed value need #1. Stakeholders value diversity, and the goal of diversity
within the student population. In the category of value, three possible needs were posited. The
value of diversity, the first need, was discussed by 14 of the 24 participants. Comments included
“this program can help change lives” (Participant 1), and
perhaps it [the CMTP] doesn't have as high an impact or as large a volume of an impact
but I think it still has an impact that's worth it. It's still doing something and it's still
benefiting those few individuals who otherwise would not get there. And I think that's
worth those resources (Participant 4).
Participant 18 said,
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I think that another aspect of [CMTP] is for the larger community, which is to just help
get these minorities that are underrepresented in classical music, and get them better
represented, because some of the students in [CMTP] will go on to become professional
musicians, possibly. Some of them are capable of becoming professional musicians, if
they want, and even if they don't, I think just that appreciation of music, even on an
amateur level, is really important, and something that we're hopefully instilling in them.
Participants mentioned providing a high-quality musical education to students
underrepresented in classical music. Participant 4 stated, “if we’re giving a high-quality
education to these students, no matter where they end up [as professional musicians or not],
they’re better off than they were before.” Similarly, Participant 15 stated that “I have no interest
whatsoever with what profession they take up, as long as they possess the values that come with
this experience.”
While support for the diversity mission of the CMTP was voiced, one faculty member
(Participant 12) did note that “I think [the administration of the CMTP] needs to take a look at
some of their faculty who are not so committed to this mission statement.” Another participant
(13) suggested that the existence of the CMTP allows the parent institution to say it is addressing
diversity in the arts, “but it’s not enough.” Most tellingly, Participant 24 said,
the reason we have not seen progress, overwhelmingly with African Americans in
classical music, is because when I try to have a discussion about it, it always comes back
to this idea of level. Well, we don't want the level to go down…. It's not about level. It's
not about this and that because if you really want it then they will be there…. the only
way to really actually in the end create more diversity in classical music is that it has to
be the norm that there are black musicians that are excellent. And so when I teach my
black kids, I'm not thinking about them being black. I think about acknowledging the fact
that there are going to be different barriers but I'm thinking about making sure they have
the best training so that when they get up there and they play in such a way, the person
thinks, oh yeah, okay.
The data validated that stakeholders value diversity and diversity within the program;
there is no gap. However, related issues such as commitment to the mission by all faculty and
the stance of the parent institution may need to be discussed.
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Assumed value need #2. Stakeholders value the administrative structures that
support their efforts to recruit a diverse population. Because faculty are not specifically
required to recruit for the program, they do not use administrative structures to recruit, and
therefore this need is not validated.
Assumed value need #3. Stakeholders value talent, and the goal of enrolling
underrepresented students who have the talent but have lacked the opportunity to join
such a program as theirs. Sixteen of the twenty-four participants affirmed that they valued
talent, and students who had talent but lacked opportunity. Participant 22 said, “while [CMTP]
students come from where they come from, we don’t let that direct how we teach them. We treat
them like we would any student.” Participant 12 said,
I go in there with the expectation that we're going to advance. And we're going to
improve and we're all going to put in the work. The families are going to put in the work,
and that's why we're here.
Participant 21 underlined the commitment to developing talent by stating that
the primary thing is the skill of the students. If you see a student with exceptional ability
or the ability to show promise of real improvement to a higher level, someone who's
really teachable and able to progress, well, then, that's good. That's their primary thing.
Then, as I understand it, that the minority thing shouldn't supersede a student's skill level
or their ability to show promise.
Thus, the need to value talent and the goal of enrolling underrepresented students with talent was
validated.
Expectancy-Value Findings
Assumed expectancy-value need #1. Stakeholders value the goal of enrolling
underrepresented students, and expect success in enrolling students. The theory of
expectancy-value links the values of the stakeholders with their expectations for success. The
first of the needs in this category is that the goal of enrolling underrepresented students is valued,
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and the stakeholders expect success in achieving that goal. While participants spoke frequently
of the value of diversity, the specific value of enrolling underrepresented students was mentioned
only slightly. One faculty member, for example, said “I’m here to teach; I don’t think of myself
as a recruiter” (Participant 8). Expectations for success in enrolling students was not mentioned
in any of the interviews. Therefore, this need was not validated.
Assumed expectancy-value need #2. Stakeholders value using data to increase
enrollment and expect success in using structures, procedures, and data to recruit and
enroll students. Recruitment is not based on data, as noted in Declarative Knowledge Need #1
above. The use of data in recruitment was not validated, and expectations for success based on
data were not present. This need was not validated.
Assumed expectancy-value need #3. Stakeholders value becoming more culturally
aware and expect success in their efforts to deepen their understanding of cultural
sensitivity and awareness. Of all the participant, Participant 9 stated this need most clearly:
What I have come to learn is that the most important thing that people with privilege,
white, cis male, or white, cis, hetero, male, such as myself, can do, is listen to the
opinions, and just voices in general, of people who are not white, cis, hetero, male. So
whatever I can do to facilitate the empowerment of nonwhite, cis, hetero, male in any
field, whatever I can do in that respect, is something I'd like to be a part of.
(Note: “Cis” is an abbreviation for “cis-gendered,” meaning the speaker identifies himself
with the sex with which he was born [Urban Dictionary, 2015].)
Other participants were more focused on the students’ talent or the students’ need, rather than
their own cultural awareness. Participant 13 noted, “it's about faculty who are willing to teach
and have the capability and training and the commitment to teach students who are at this level,
you know?” Participant 24 articulated their focus this way:
when I teach my black kids, I'm not thinking about them being black. I think about
acknowledging that the fact that there are going to be different barriers but I'm thinking
about making sure they have the best training so that when they get up there and they
play in such a way, the person thinks, oh yeah, okay.
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Therefore, although there is awareness of different cultures, the need of deepening one’s own
individual cultural awareness, and the expectation of success in that effort, was not validated.
Mood Findings
Assumed mood need #1. Stakeholders feel positive about the program and their
efforts to recruit underrepresented students. Seventeen of the 24 participants addressed their
feelings about the CMTP. Most of their comments were positive, such as, “I’m proud to be part
of it” (Participant 7); “I’m clearly very happy with the program. I like it a lot” (Participant 16); “I
feel that the program is very strong, very steady” (Participant 20); and “We are making a
difference” (Participant 21). However, other participants were less positive: “There’s no
discipline, there’s just no focus,” stated Participant 3. Participant 4 felt “demotivated by the very
slow pace of progress” in fundraising for the program. And still another said that “I don’t think
[the CMTP] is perfect…. I think overall, they’re doing a good job at serving this
population…still room for improvement” (Participant 12). Positive feelings about the program
were validated, but no data were collected on positive feelings about stakeholders’ efforts to
recruit students to the program. This relates back to knowledge needs, and data that showed
faculty stakeholders are not primary recruiters for the CMTP. In addition, data revealed two
areas that may need addressing: possible lack of focus to the program, and the slow pace of
fundraising. Therefore, this need was not validated.
Assumed mood need #2. Stakeholders feel positive about the structures and
procedures used to recruit students. To recruit students, the program administration sends out
a mass mailing, has email campaigns, and purchases Facebook ads (Participant 4). Stakeholders
are asked to distribute flyers and to network with colleagues. But overall, stakeholders are not
using structures and procedures to recruit students, and therefore this need is not validated.
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Assumed mood need #3. Stakeholders feel positive about their cultural sensitivity
and awareness. As with Expectancy-Value Need #3, stakeholders are aware of different
cultures, but are not focused on their own cultural sensitivity and awareness. Therefore, they did
not demonstrate positive feelings, and thus this need also was not validated.
Self-Efficacy Findings
Assumed self-efficacy need #1. Stakeholders are confident in their ability to
approach prospective students from backgrounds different from their own. Needs in the
area of self-efficacy were related to the amount of confidence that stakeholders have in relation
to the goals. Regarding the goal of approaching prospective students from different
backgrounds, Participant 7 said
I've seen a lot of families over the years and I know what it is like to respectfully
approach a family, which is you take them seriously, you take their child seriously, but
you also don't bend to their caprices…. It's always one of those things that as soon as you
think you're post-racial, you realize you're not. There will always be an underserved
community, unfortunately.
Participant 23 noted that “The few experiences I had were always that open-mindedness towards
coming out of the neighborhood.”
While some participants have an awareness of approaching prospective students from
different backgrounds, there is no evidence of specific discussions of what that means.
Therefore, this need was not validated.
Assumed self-efficacy need #2. Stakeholders are confident in their abilities to use
data to enhance recruitment efforts. As noted above, stakeholders are not using data to
recruit. Stakeholders “have sent out some flyers to some of the programs I know of, districts that
I know” (Participant 21), and “they ask the faculty to have an active role in it [recruiting], but I
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think ... I don't have time to do that, unfortunately. I really wish that I could. I just don't”
(Participant 11). And in some cases,
as far as finding students, it's actually a weird thing because, since I've been there, there's
only been one opening…. So we recruit people and we find people but there's not space
for more than four just schedule-wise and budget-wise. We actually aren't finding
students because it seems like growing the program is sort of a distant thing we would
like to do (Participant 7).
These data show that stakeholders are not using data to recruit, so the question of having
confidence in using data to recruit was moot; thus this need was not validated.
Assumed self-efficacy need #3. Stakeholders are confident in their ability to be
culturally aware and sensitive. Confidence in their ability to be culturally aware and sensitive
was discussed by one-fourth of the participants. Participant 7 stated that “I know what it is like
to respectfully approach a family.” Participant 11 said, “you never know what's going to
resonate profoundly with someone. And so the goal would be interaction with something that's
culturally different.” Even further, Participant 13 stated that CMTP teachers “have to believe
that the student brings skills and energy and intelligence to the table. They have to believe that
the child can learn.” But because confidence in their ability to be culturally aware was addressed
by only a small number of participants, this need was not validated.
Attribution Findings
Assumed attribution need #1. Stakeholders believe they are capable of identifying
and recruiting students from underrepresented populations through their own efforts.
Attribution theory was the lens used to assess participants’ beliefs about the reasons for their
own successes and failures in recruiting students. Some participants lacked the time to recruit.
Other participants did not have openings in their areas for which to recruit. But because
stakeholders are not held directly responsible for recruiting students, even though they are
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encouraged to find students (Participant 4), recruitment success or failure is not dependent on
their efforts. This need is therefore not validated.
Assumed attribution need #2. Stakeholders believe they are capable of using data to
enhance recruitment efforts. In the interviews, participants spoke of recruiting in terms of
flyers and personal connections. They also offered suggestions for inreach and outreach
activities, based on their own experiences (for example, Participants 2, 3, 5, 11, 16, 19, 21, etc.).
However, the use of data to enhance recruitment efforts was absent from the discussion.
Therefore, this need is not validated.
Synthesis of Findings for Motivation Needs
Under the heading of motivation, five theories and psychological factors were used as
categories, with a total of 14 needs across the categories, as presented in Table 9. Two of the 14
needs were validated, both in the area of values: Data validated that stakeholders value diversity
and talent (Value Need #1). Data also validated that stakeholders value talent, and the goal of
enrolling underrepresented students who have the talent but have lacked the opportunity to join a
program such as the CMTP (Value Need #3).
The needs under expectancy-value were around enrolling underrepresented students,
using data to recruit and enroll students, and becoming more culturally sensitive and aware.
Because expectancy-value is a two-part theory, the needs in this category had a value side and an
expectation side. Enrolling underrepresented students was a goal to be valued, and also an area
in which stakeholders could expect success. Likewise, using data to increase enrollment was
something to be valued, and the use of data and data-related structures and procedures was an
area in which stakeholders could expect success. Lastly, becoming more culturally aware was a
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need to be valued, and efforts to deepen understanding was an area in which stakeholders could
expect success.
Two of the three expectancy-value needs were related to recruiting and enrolling
students; the third need was stated more generally as deepening cultural awareness. None of
these needs were validated. As shown by evidence in the knowledge section, faculty did not
perceive themselves as recruiters, and did not use data in any way to enroll students. Cultural
awareness, the third need, was not discussed in the sense of individuals becoming more aware
and deepening their understanding of different cultures. Statements made by stakeholders about
teaching the students and not focusing on the students’ origins (see Value Need #3 above) could
be interpreted positively as stakeholders continuing a teaching tradition that goes back several
hundred years, regardless of students’ origins, but it also could be interpreted as a blind spot that
indicates a lack of awareness of the needs of underrepresented students in a Eurocentric
environment.
In the category of attribution, the needs related to stakeholders’ beliefs in the ability to
identify and recruit students through their own efforts, or use data to enhance recruitment efforts
were not validated. Once again, the lack of validation can be tied back to data showing that
stakeholders did not describe themselves as being responsible for recruiting.
Of the remaining non-validated needs, three were related to the use of data: the need for
stakeholders to value administrative structures that would support their efforts to recruit a diverse
population; the need for stakeholders to feel positive about the structures and procedures used to
recruit students; and lastly, in the area of self-efficacy, the need for stakeholders to have
confidence in their abilities to use data to enhance recruitment efforts. As in the area of
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knowledge, using data and having structures and procedures based on data in place to aid
recruiting efforts were not discussed as part of motivation.
Two other needs were not validated, indicating potential gaps. One need in the area of
mood was that stakeholders feel positive about their cultural sensitivity and awareness. This
need was not validated. In the area of self-efficacy, no data were collected related to
stakeholders’ confidence in their ability to approach prospective students from backgrounds
different from their own.
Table 9
Motivation needs and validations
Need
Validation
Value Need #1. Stakeholders value diversity, and the goal of
diversity within the student population.
Validated.
Value Need #2. Stakeholders value the administrative structures that
support their efforts to recruit a diverse population.
Not validated.
Value Need #3. Stakeholders value talent, and the goal of enrolling
underrepresented students who have the talent but have lacked the
opportunity to join such a program as theirs.
Validated.
Expectancy-Value Need #1. Stakeholders value the goal of enrolling
underrepresented students, and expect success in enrolling students.
Not validated.
Expectancy-Value Need #2. Stakeholders value using data to
increase enrollment and expect success in using structures,
procedures, and data to recruit and enroll students.
Not validated.
Expectancy-Value Need #3. Stakeholders value becoming more
culturally aware and expect success in their efforts to deepen their
understanding of cultural sensitivity and awareness.
Not validated.
Mood Need #1. Stakeholders feel positive about the program and
their efforts to recruit underrepresented students.
Not validated.
Mood Need #2. Stakeholders feel positive about the structures and
procedures used to recruit students.
Not validated.
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Mood Need #3. Stakeholders feel positive about their cultural
sensitivity and awareness.
Not validated.
Self-Efficacy Need #1. Stakeholders are confident in their ability to
approach prospective students from backgrounds different from their
own.
Not validated.
Self-Efficacy Need #2. Stakeholders are confident in their abilities
to use data to enhance recruitment efforts.
Not validated.
Self-Efficacy Need #3. Stakeholders are confident in their ability to
be culturally aware and sensitive.
Not validated.
Attribution Need #1. Stakeholders believe they are capable of
identifying and recruiting students from underrepresented
populations through their own efforts.
Not validated.
Attribution Need #2. Stakeholders believe they are capable of using
data to enhance recruitment efforts.
Not validated.
Findings for Organizational Needs
The third part of the KMO framework is organizational needs. The four areas that were
examined for this study were resources; policies, processes, and procedures; cultural settings;
and cultural models. Stakeholders can have the knowledge needed to reach their goals, and the
motivation to persist in striving toward goals, but if support is lacking organizationally, the goals
will not be achieved. This section analyzes data related to the organization, in the order just
listed. Needs that are not validated will be addressed in Chapter 5.
Resources Findings
Assumed resource need #1. The organization ensures that stakeholders know what
the goal is. The first category under organizational needs is that of resources, and the first need
is for the organization to ensure that stakeholders know what the goal is. Three-fourths of the
participants addressed the mission of the organization and the goal of enrolling students who are
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underrepresented in the classical music profession in the interviews. For example, Participant 14
stated that
“we’re trying to serve a population that in their own schools are underserved in terms of
arts education, and that specifically we’re looking to work with as many minority
children as possible because they’re so underrepresented within the arts and within music
conservatories.”
Participant 12 commented that “of the programs out there with similar missions, I feel like this is
the one I’ve seen where the mission is most reflected in its students.”
Although the mission was understood as being related to underrepresented students,
contrasting views were voiced that related to students’ outcomes: “I wouldn’t necessarily say
that they expect any of these kids to go actually into being serious musicians” (Participant 10),
contrasted with “the end goal now is ideally to have students ready to go to some sort of pre-
college program” (Participant 16). And “there’s not an expectation that [CMTP] students will
then go to pre-college” (Participant 18) contrasted with “the idea of [the CMTP] is to be ready
for pre-college” (Participant 23). The need to know the overall goal of the program was
validated, as participants confirmed their awareness of the mission and purpose of the CMTP.
However, participants did not indicate any awareness of specific quantitative recruitment or
enrollment goals. Additionally, outcomes regarding expectations of students moving into a pre-
college program as a result of their training in the CMTP were articulated in two opposing ways,
indicating a need for clarification in this area.
Assumed resource need #2. The stakeholders have the time to learn and implement
appropriate recruitment behaviors. Participant 3 observed that “really for many, many years
there was no recruitment whatsoever and still there’s very little recruitment.” Participant 21 said
that they were not familiar with how many people were recruiting for the program: “I’m not sure
how much more they do as far as outreach to try to identify students.” And Participant 14 said
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“It seems like the hardest thing for [the CMTP] is finding these kids.” The implication from the
data is that stakeholders rely on the CMTP administration to recruit for the program.
Furthermore, the program administration does not appear to be providing any opportunities for
stakeholders to learn and implement recruitment behaviors. This need therefore was not
validated.
Assumed resource need #3. The stakeholders have the time and money to create
administrative structures and procedures that support the gathering of data for
recruitment purposes. Earlier in this paper, Participant 4 was quoted as saying “we don’t
actually rely on it [data] too heavily.” As noted in Resource Need #2, stakeholders seem to rely
on the program’s administration for recruiting, and the administration does not rely on data.
Therefore, this need was not validated.
Assumed resource need #4. The stakeholders have the time to implement culturally-
aware recruitment strategies by interacting with prospective and current students. The
fourth need under resources assumed that stakeholders would interact with prospective and
current students as part of their responsibilities to identify and recruit new students to the
program. Participant 5 noted that “faculty is very important as far as word of mouth and actually
connecting to students.” Yet Participant 7 said, “I don't know the process by which they court
people. And, honestly, I'm in a weird situation because we don't have a lot of need to court at this
point…. we're going to get one spot next year because somebody will graduate.” And
Participant 21 said, “I'm not sure how much more they do as far as outreach to try to identify
students.” The use of “they” signifies a view of recruiting apart from the individual
stakeholders. Having time to implement recruitment strategies is therefore a need that is not
validated.
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Assumed resource need #5. The organization has the resources to compensate the
stakeholders for their time in learning and implementing strategies to reach their goals. As
demonstrated in the other resource needs above, learning and implementing strategies to achieve
the goal of identifying and enrolling underrepresented students is not something that stakeholders
do; therefore, this need was not validated.
Missing resources. During the interviews with participants, several resources were cited
as lacking that were not included in the original interview protocol. One missing resource that
was pointed out was the lack of an endowment to fund the CMTP. “The program's been around
for 27 years and we're still not officially endowed, which is ridiculous to me” (Participant 4).
Participant 1 asked, “Why isn't [the parent institution] going after these foundation grants or
these individuals who have a history of giving to this kind of cause?”
Another resource that was cited as lacking was marketing. Participant 5 commented that
the parent institution’s marketing department was fine letting the CMTP handle its own
marketing, but “We’re designing fliers in there, it’s like illegal operations happening!”
Participant 13 noted that the marketing department “is struggling with wanting to market the two
programs [CMTP and LCMTP] under this preparatory umbrella, but not wanting to say that one
is for this population and the other is for this population... [W]hy do you want to market it under
one thing?... if the mission is different, why is it not okay to say that the mission's different?”
Similarly, Participant 4 said “That we have to use the term underrepresented instead of just
saying outright black, Latino, etc. ...it creates confusion or ambiguity.” Related to that,
Participant 5 stated that, “at some point, we're going to then be able to say we have a vision that's
clear and then hopefully the institution itself can buy into that vision and then the message can be
clarified by communications.” Thus, not only is there need for support from the parent
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institution’s marketing and communications office, but there also is need for the CMTP to clarify
the message to be marketed.
Similar to marketing, it was noted that the institution’s alumni office needs to include
CMTP alumni in their purview. Participant 4 noted that “A very practical example of how the
institution claims the students in [other divisions] but not [CMTP] is the alumni relations office
oversees alumni relations for [the other divisions] but not for [CMTP].” Thus, using the
resources of the larger institution to support the CMTP was cited by several participants as a
need.
Another missing resource that was identified was related to CMTP student performances.
The program teaches young musicians, but “only in the past four years have we been performing
on the stage here. That was a huge barrier to break down, the fact that the students are playing
well enough to play on the stage” (Participant 5). Participant 13 pointed out that “[LCMPT]
performances are on the events calendar, but [CMTP] performances are not.” While CMTP
performances on the parent institution’s main stage are now happening, the performances are still
not put on the institution’s performance calendar.
In summary, resources were seen as lacking in the areas of endowment, alumni tracking,
and marketing, with the latter area including both promotion of the program itself, and promotion
of the CMTP’s performances.
Policies, Processes, and Procedures Findings
Assumed policies, processes, and procedures need #1. The organization supports the
creation of policies, processes, and procedures consistent with the organization’s existing
ones so that stakeholders may implement effective recruiting behaviors. Participant 1
commented that the CMTP staff “have set up some good policies or practical ways that teachers
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can recruit.” However, as was noted several times above, stakeholders were not clear on the
expectations for recruitment, or they assumed that the program recruited but they—the
stakeholders—did not. Additionally, there were instances of policies, processes, and procedures
that were criticized by stakeholders.
One such policy was the four-year limit—or more accurately, the four-level limit—for
CMTP students. After reaching Level 4, the program is completed and students have to move
on. Participant 19 described the problem thus:
“We've had issues with levels, the whole level system. First of all, parents don't
necessarily like it, and some of the students don't like it. They sometimes get upset like,
‘Oh, why are they a Level Two and I'm a Level One?’ And although we don't tell other
students that, the kids talk amongst themselves and they find out, or parents talk amongst
themselves…. [the issue’s] been brought up, whether the different [levels have different
fees]... I've had students, and I know other people have, that have asked like, ‘Can I stay
in the same level, because my parents said it was going to get more expensive if I go
up.’”
The issue above was about placing students at different levels, having different fee scales
depending on the level, and requiring students to leave the program after completing Level Four.
A related issue raised by several participants was on the front end of the program, with students
who are not admitted. Participant 21 said, “what do we do with the beginning students who don't
have the skill level? That's an important issue to look at.” Participant 18 stated that “there have
been more students good enough to be in [CMTP] than we have room to accept. And I think
encouraging them, letting them know that we think that they did a really good job, that they
deserve to get into [the CMTP].” Participant 14 went even further, saying
there's this group of whatever, 10 or 12 kids that showed up for the audition…and that’s
huge. We've got to figure out some way to nurture them, and maybe they’ll show up
again or maybe we can help them. Even better, let them into the program, grow it so that
we can have a wider reach. I don’t understand why [the CMTP] has to be so small.
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Lastly, some comments were made about the audition process itself. Participant 10
noted, “in the time that we have with the student there isn't time for us to investigate with them
sort of whatever criteria [CMTP] needs. ...So I think it's definitely upon the administration to
screen applicants more thoroughly if they're going to decline them not based on their playing
after they've been to the audition.” Participant 4 explained that “when we audition students and
the faculty rank them and the administration asks the faculty to rank them regardless of
background, just based on their artistic skills, it's often not an underrepresented student at the top
of the list.” In terms of policies, processes, and procedures, then, the length of auditions and the
criteria for admission may need to be reexamined and communicated to the stakeholders.
In terms of the need for policies, processes, and procedures that support effective
recruiting behaviors, the data showed several issues that need to be examined. This need,
therefore, is not validated.
Assumed policies, processes, and procedures need #2. The organization has an
effective process by which to communicate necessary information about policies, processes,
and procedures related to the recruitment of underrepresented students to stakeholders.
The most frequently mentioned communication process was faculty meetings. Participant 16
described “definitely we're touching base at orientation to try and get an idea for the year. And of
course we touch base, once or twice in the middle of faculty meetings, and then at the end we're
at juries. We work very closely together there. But we don't really work together and co-opt....I
think with us having a little more regular contact might be good.” One participant did comment
that “I wouldn’t say we have weekly communication with each other” (Participant 18).
Meetings with other stakeholders were described by Participant 14:
“I do feel as a teacher, in terms of just the pedagogical aspect, that we're starting to have
more of these communal opportunities. We seem to have one a semester, I think, where
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we get together as a whole faculty and just sit across the table and discuss and say, ‘So,
what's working for you? What are you doing in your studio class? Is there anything
across the board that we can share that would make things more ... have a sense of the
program kind of moving the same direction studio-to-studio?’ We just started that a little
bit. It seems like it's a good direction, just a little bit of cross-pollination between the
programs.”
It should be noted, however, that while the participants described an effective process of
communication, the meetings they mentioned were not specifically about recruitment; rather,
participants described communication about current students and curriculum. As will be seen in
Chapter 5, this existing structure can be used to address the needs that were not validated in this
study, including communication of policies, processes, and procedures for recruiting.
Assumed policies, processes, and procedures need #3. The organization has an
effective process by which to communicate necessary information about policies, processes,
and procedures related to cultural awareness to stakeholders. Only one participant
addressed this need, saying, “since I joined the faculty officially, there hasn’t been too much
discussion about that [diversity] honestly. It seems like they’re trying to mold it more like a pre-
college rather than discuss the fact that students are underrepresented” (Participant 10). Thus
this need is not validated.
Cultural Setting Findings
Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001) defined cultural setting as “where people come
together to carry out joint activity that accomplishes something they value” (p. 48). Three needs
in the category of cultural setting are discussed below.
Assumed cultural setting need #1. The organization’s culture ensures that
appropriate recruitment behaviors are understood and implemented. Similar to what was
noted under resources, participants described a culture in which “they” are responsible for
recruiting students to the program: “I’m not sure how much more they do as far as outreach to try
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to identify students” (Participant 21); “I don't know the process by which they court people”
(Participant 7); even “It seems like they’re trying to mold it more like a pre-college rather than
discuss the fact that students are underrepresented” (Participant 10) (italics mine). These
statements indicated a culture that does not discuss and implement appropriate recruitment
behaviors. This need therefore was not validated.
Assumed cultural setting need #2. The organization’s culture supports the creation
of data-driven recruiting. The use of data is not part of the organization’s culture. As
Participant 4 noted, “we're mostly concerned with casting as wide a net as possible.” Although
demographic data are reported each year, there was no evidence that the cultural setting supports
the creation of data-driven recruiting. This need was not validated.
Assumed cultural setting need #3. The organization’s culture supports culturally
aware interactions with prospective and current students. This item is the third of the three
cultural setting needs proposed for this study. The context of these needs is the identification
and recruitment of underrepresented students to the CMTP. The motivation need for
stakeholders to be confident in their ability to be culturally aware was validated. However, as
has been established above, stakeholders participating in the interviews did not see themselves as
being responsible for recruiting, nor was training provided in recruitment behaviors or the use of
data. Although cultural awareness was validated, the cultural setting was not validated as
supporting culturally aware interactions with students.
There were some comments about using the CMTP “as a gateway or an entry point to
start in the discussion about how the school looks at diversity and access” (Participant 1). And
Participant 4 stated that “without this program, they’d be doing hardly anything to increase the
diversity at the school.” These two comments referred to the parent institution. The comments
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are related to the organizational culture, but not specifically to interactions with prospective and
current students. Thus overall, this need was not validated.
Cultural Models Findings
The last group of organizational influences is cultural models. Cultural models are
“shared schema” that “are so familiar they are often invisible and unnoticed by those who hold
them” (Gallimore and Goldenberg, 2001, p. 47). The three needs posited here suggest that
conscious awareness of cultural models can help the organization achieve its goals.
Assumed cultural model need #1. Stakeholders consciously understand how their
mental models affect their success in implementing appropriate recruitment behavior, thus
affecting the unspoken cultural model. As with cultural settings, data were collected that
demonstrated stakeholders’ mental models, but were not directly related to recruitment behavior.
For example, Participant 12 said that students “need to know that we all have high expectations
of them. And that we know they can do it. This isn't a place for slacking off and just ... Yes,
having fun, but you're here to learn, to put in the work, and to also have fun. And to grow as a
person and a musician.” Participant 5 said, “we do want the faculty and the staff to understand
we're developing a whole person and a level of confidence for whatever they want to do.”
However, as data did not relate specifically to recruiting, this need is not validated.
Assumed cultural model need #2. Stakeholders have a shared understanding of the
purpose of gathering data to meet stakeholder goals, and the organization holds them
responsible for results. Data from this study’s interviews consistently showed that the CMTP
does not use data in recruiting. While demographic data are gathered and reported, stakeholders
do not have a shared understanding of the purpose of gathering data to meet goals. Statements
such as “They don't necessarily tell the faculty what criteria is [sic] to be met” (Participant 10)
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and “I'm sure that the teachers who are teaching in the program interact with students in the field,
so they would be encouraging students to apply. I don't think that they go out and recruit in a
traditional sense of an admissions office, and I wish that they had the staffing to do more of that
work” (Participant 13) indicated that the organization does not hold stakeholders responsible for
recruiting results. This need is therefore not validated.
Assumed cultural model need #3. The stakeholders and the organization together
create a shared model that is culturally aware, so that interactions with prospective and
current students are positive and result in successful implementation of recruiting
strategies and curriculum. When asked about stakeholders’ cultural awareness, Participant 1
said, “I think some [faculty and staff] do [have cultural awareness], I think when the faculty are
hired, that's one of the things that are looked for, it's not just that they are a fantastic teacher.”
Participant 22 said,
the thing that I was so impressed by, day one at the orientation, was how seriously
everyone takes this. Because oftentimes in programs that are teaching-based and targeted
towards, especially underserved populations, a lot of times it feels like such a service,
that … there's an attitude of, ‘Well, they'll do their best.’
But in spite of awareness of the program’s mission toward a demographic of students who are
underrepresented in classical music, the cultural model is not conscious. The data do not show a
connection between cultural awareness and successful implementation of recruiting strategies
and curriculum. Therefore, this need is not validated.
New Themes Findings
As interviews with the participants progressed, several new themes surfaced. The first
two of these themes were the CMTP’s relationship with the parent institution and with the other
pre-college program in the institution. The third theme was about the role of CMTP’s artistic
advisor. These themes are discussed below.
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Assumed new theme need #1. The CMTP is a fully embraced part of the parent
institution. This theme appeared in three of the four categories of organizational needs. In the
category of resources, Participant 13 said, “we get the leftover rooms, we get the leftover this,
you know we don’t have the resources, we don’t have the staffing…and your kids are black,
really which is a whole ‘nother layer.” Participant 1 stated outright that “the school sort of
ignores the program, it doesn’t support it.”
In the category of cultural settings, Participant 4 talked about the parent institution’s view
of success:
[E]ven if their child does not continue on into [other divisions of the school], they still
left [the parent institution] as better musicians and advocates for the arts than if they
weren't here in the first place. So, does that benefit [the parent institution] in the long
run? Not in their college admissions or college graduation statistics, but out in the world,
yes. There was still a student who came through [the parent institution] who is going to
be successful, they just didn't do it at the college level. I think it means [the parent
institution], perhaps, altering or looking at their own mission as a whole institution in a
slightly different way. Not looking at only the outcome of the students from the college
division to determine success but looking at the types of students, musicians, artists,
citizens that they're putting out into the world, no matter how they were involved or at
what level they were involved.
Program visibility was addressed by Participant 5, who said,
I think there is more of an awareness [of the CMTP] now but I can only speak for the past
six years. I was shocked at the lack of awareness of what [CMTP] was. It seemed like
sometimes we needed to do things to say we're here, especially when we weren't
performing really on the main stage.
Related to that comment, Participant 1 said, “the more we get to talk about what [the CMTP] is
doing… the more it will be talked about and the more part of the community it will become.”
Under the heading of cultural models, Participant 12 stated,
I do know people who teach in the college division and don't even know what [CMTP] is.
I think that says something. ...I'm not really sure that [CMTP] is even recognized by some
of the, at least the college population.
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Participant 14 said, “To me, the college needs [CMTP] in order to feel like they're kind of
fulfilling some obligation.” And Participant 5 noted that
the administration hadn't been to any kind of [CMTP] event in 25 years, so even to this
day, I think [two administrators] are the only ones that have come to a [CMTP] concert.
So that creates a disconnect because if they only saw [CMTP] 25 years ago, they just
heard a wall of sound, very beginner level musicians. So that's a huge communication
issue that we have because they don't know that the level changed significantly in the past
five years.
In contrast, Participant 7 had a different assumption:
I'm assuming that because we're at the same place, in the same rooms, in the same
building, with the same logo as everybody else that nobody views us as, they're doing
serious music and we're learning how to play Twister, because we're not. That's not
what's going on.... So, if I had to guess, I would say they [the college division] take us as
seriously as they take the pre-college [division].
And Participant 8 said, “I don't think [the parent institution] is dragged back by [CMTP] or any
perceptions of it. I think [CMTP], it is cocooned and it is good and it's not a weight.”
The need to be fully embraced by the parent institution is a question for this study’s
participants. Is the CMTP an equal part of the institution, or does it exist simply to say that an
obligation has been fulfilled? This question leads to the next theme that arose.
Assumed new theme need #2. The relationship between the CMTP and the LCMTP
is clearly defined. The focus of this study was the CMTP, but a second theme that arose in the
interviews was the relationship between the CMTP and the LCMTP. As noted earlier, both
programs meet on the same day of the week, and share the same spaces. The faculty and
students are different, but the curricula are similar. Participant 18 described the relationship
thus:
I think that our approach is different from a pre-college, in that we're not training them
necessarily to become professional musicians or as close to professional as they can
get…. it's important to remember that [CMTP] is under the ‘educational outreach’ office,
or department, or whatever that is. And in a sense, it's next to [LCMTP]—in a sense.
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Participant 5 addressed the fact that the CMTP is under the educational outreach office by
saying, “The reason it stays seated within [educational outreach] is because of its nature as an
initiative to fill the gaps.”
The CMTP and the LCMTP are separate programs, but the parent institution recently
created an umbrella under which both programs exist. Different thoughts were stated about the
relationship between the two programs, including how cooperation between them is evolving.
For example, Participant 3 said,
Over the years, especially the last couple of years, we've been trying to be more
connected [CMTP and LCMTP] and be more directed in just various administrative
things, but that was never set up that way originally…. now it's sort of purposeful, let's do
more together, let's try and see how we can get better organized.
Participant 5 noted that “We're now exploring things related to the access to [LCMTP] resources
because we [CMTP] only have one full-time staff person that's there on Saturday and a part [-
time person].” Participant 4 elaborated further:
[O]nly recently has there been, only in the past like three years, has an actually
productive relationship existed between [CMTP] and [LCMTP]. On the really,
practically, nitty gritty level of that is the fact that we share this building on Saturdays,
[CMTP] and [LCMTP]. And only this year have our divisions trusted one another enough
to be entirely transparent about what the rooms are that each program uses and how we
can therefore make the most efficient use of the space…. So we've been slowly working
towards true collaboration, which I think we've finally gotten there. The wheels are still
turning slowly but they're turning.
This idea of collaboration was confirmed by Participant 7, who said “It's not like [LCMTP] gets
a say and [CMTP] gets whatever's left over. Maybe that's how it works, but that's certainly not
how it feels.” And Participant 1 noted that
[CMTP] and [LCMTP] are working better together than they have ever…. I think now
we can actually sort of say things that will make people more aware that [CMTP] and
[LCMTP] exist on Saturday, both are equally important programs, different missions, but
ultimately the training at both are exceptionally high levels and in support of the
institution's greater mission.
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With the placement of both the CMTP and the LCMTP under the same umbrella, the
possibility of making the CMTP part of the LCMTP—that is, of it no longer being a separate
program—was discussed by participants, with mixed opinions. Participant 17 noted,
I think [CMTP] is truly different from [LCMTP]. I mean, in how they set up, also the
mission…. I think these two programs are not necessarily the same and I don't think
[CMTP] should be taken under wing as part of [the LCMTP], but on the other hand, I do
feel we should have more communication and, how should I say, more connecting point,
where our students graduate might have certain benefit to get into the [LCMTP]. That
could be helpful. It doesn't mean the [LCMTP] take control of the [CMTP] and send their
faculty over to take totally [CMTP] become [an LCMTP], which I don't think would be
helpful.
Participant 8 felt that “[The CMTP] is more familial, and I worry that being strictly and kind of
structurally a pipeline to [LCMTP] would bring in some of that pre-pre-pre-professional kind of
expectation.”
Participant 12 spoke about differences in the type of student enrolled in the two
programs:
the [LCMTP] student is a different student than the student at [CMTP], for the most part.
A lot of them [students in the LCMTP] have been doing this since they were babies, like
three or four years old. A lot of them have a lot more resources. They just have a lot more
experience. ...Whereas the typical [CMTP] student is coming in, and this is all very new
to them. Now, for that reason, I understand why there's not a lot of cross pollination, and
why there's a wall, so to speak. Their traffic is slightly different. But, at the same time, I
wish there was a little bit more.
Participant 3 defined the two programs by level:
Of course, the level of [CMTP] is not the same as the level of [LCMTP]. I think we're
also talking that it should be separated by level rather than obviously color or race or
anything like that. I think it's going the right direction. The idea is right that the program
is geared to was recruiting a lot of minorities, it doesn't mean you have to be a minority to
be in the program. Still, it's a mid-level program that is geared towards recruiting
minorities.
The same participant’s opinion of the CMTP slewed toward the negative:
[LCMTP] is a lot more demanding than [CMTP]…. The demands increase dramatically
and not all of the kids are ready for it. ... I think we should [reflect on this]. This wishy-
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washy, just because you're intermediate, mid-level program doesn't mean that you should
not strive for excellence, right? Okay, so your excellence is going to be on this level, but
it's going to be excellence still, right?
Participant 4 agreed with Participant 3 about the transition being problematical for some
students:
The [LCMTP] can sometimes be a tricky transition for the [CMTP] students. ...we are
continually working on ways to make that transition [to the LCMTP] smoother and have
started a much better collaboration between the two prep programs here in the last couple
of years, especially the last year. And I'm optimistic that we're moving in the right
direction there but the progress is a little bit slow.
Participant 4 spoke at length about a possible relationship between the programs:
I can see [CMTP] becoming an initiative of what maybe we would call the preparatory
division instead of the [LCMTP] division. Or perhaps a scholarship program under or
within the [LCMTP] program. There's pros and cons to that because I think one of the big
advantages to [CMTP] is the strong sense of community that the students develop with
one another and the fact that they are, as underrepresented students, surrounded by
underrepresented students. They're not going to get that if they were enveloped into
[LCMTP] as much because it would be a much larger program and it would be students
from all over the world. And taking students from underrepresented backgrounds is
simply not an expressed part of [LCMTP’s] mission. Or it's not the number one thing at
the list of their objectives….
[F]rom a personal standpoint, kind of like deep inside, I know I want to say integrate,
everyone all together, everyone equal. But from a practical outside standpoint, I think
programs like [CMTP] do need to exist because these underrepresented students a lot of
time are not offered the same opportunity. So, while in theory it would be great for them
to just all be in one big program [CMTP and LCMTP], I'm worried that they wouldn't
actually ever get there.
Participant 5 offered this possibility:
either the ultimate goal would be, instead of [LCMTP] just sort of adding diversity
language in the sentence, would be to actually make the commitment and then [the
CMTP] could be that initiative within [LCMTP], and then the funding would go towards
those specific students to maintain their levels or give them the help that they need to
advance their level. I think that that makes sense in the future.
And Participant 3 offered this model:
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we can have one program that has two tiers. Or we can have just [the LCMTP] and just
not have [the CMTP], and have minority outreach elsewhere and in other ways. Which
I'm not advocating for, I'm just saying it depends on what the school really wants.
Other participants, however, envisioned keeping the CMTP and the LCMTP separate, but
with more interaction between them. Currently, Participant 12 saw the programs as being too
separate:
They [the CMTP students] really have no idea what's going on in [LCMTP]. It's kind of
fascinating to me. We're literally in the same space, all day long. They have no idea, and
vice versa, what the other program is doing. It's a little strange. I'm not sure that that's in
the best interest of everybody to keep things so separate.
Participant 13 noted that
[The LCMTP] was always concerned about the [CMTP] program growing, and getting
too big within the building, because that would impact the [LCMTP] program. But how
can we get some of their faculty to work with our kids who want to pursue this as a
career, who want to get into a pre-college type program? You know, will they give them
lessons, will they come and do master classes? What can we do to interact more? Can
they at least go see a concert? ...if they're at the same level of ear training, why can't they
be in the same class?... I just don't see they need to be as segregated as they are.
The summary of this exposition is that the parent institution has two programs that look
very similar but have different missions, that are now under the same umbrella but have different
reporting lines and minimal interaction, and that may or may not become blended in the future.
The data gathered here may assist the parent institution in determining the future of both
programs.
Assumed new theme need #3. The role of the CMTP’s Artistic Advisor (AA) is
clearly defined. The role of the artistic advisor was raised by a number of participants. This
person is a professional classical musician of color, whose early training took place in a program
similar to the CMTP. Participant 14 described the AA this way:
I think [the AA] came from a program kind of like this in [another city], and so he feels
like this was a game-changer for him, and he wants to… His mission is to try to find
more kids like himself to be bringing to this enrichment program. I think he's frustrated
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by the level…. I think his role is to improve the program and to try to, hopefully, figure
out how to tap more kids that would be better suited for this. It seems to me that he might
have in his mind a little more of the pipeline image than I do, but I'm not sure if that’s
true.
Participant 15 echoed that description:
he's an extraordinary artist, who is African American. He's a spectacular role model. He's
very committed to this type of education. Went through it himself in [another city], and
therefore, he's a great philosophical leader for the program. Every time he's present on a
Saturday, I think it's a boost for the program.
Participant 1 agreed that the AA is a boost for the program:
Having [the AA] involved, having him in whatever role he is, just his presence here, his
observation, being able to talk to faculty and to talk to parents and to give his opinion of
what needs to happen. We made some of those changes. The program is now better for it.
Yet this same participant also voiced some concerns about the AA’s role:
I think we need to think about [the AA] or his position, maybe not him specifically, but
the position of an artistic advisor or artistic director as an advocate, as a major marketing
tool, as a fundraiser, beyond just what that person is able to do on a Saturday, to observe
and to galvanize the faculty and to be a central visionary point for students and parents,
which is what I think he's becoming very quickly…. Even his position isn't funded past
this year. That's something else we need to think about. If the school wants this, then the
school needs to be able to fund it somehow.
Not all participants were clear on the AA’s role. Participant 12 said:
[The AA’s] role is not very clear to me. I know it's supposed to be some kind of artistic
advisor, something. I don't know. ... I'm not even sure that he, maybe now it's more clear.
When he first came here he was very much like not sure what exactly his role was
either…. I never see him, so I don't know. I don't know if he really is here. Is he here? I
don't know.
Participant 3 sounded positive, but then said, “I think that what [the program director] is doing
with [the AA], with just the stuff that's happening, I feel is going in the right direction. I don't
know actually what is happening there.” Likewise, Participant 18 was not clear as to the AA’s
role:
I don't see the results of what [the AA] does; I assume that he's communicating with the
administration, he's observing what goes on. I think he might have a student, he might
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have a class or something, and if he does, that would give him an insight into what
[CMTP] is like, from the faculty perspective. And I would assume that he's talking to
them, and maybe some of the changes that have taken place over the past year have been
not just from the faculty. But if he says it as well, maybe that carries more weight.
Speculation.
Participant 13 commented that
[The AA] hasn’t had the time, and you know you still have all this mishmash with not
just the mission of the program, but the leadership, the structure, the who has the say over
what kind of stuff…. he'll give his opinion about whatever, and not much is going to
change because anytime you want changes they cost money. So just paying him with
something that there was no money for really.
Overall, participants were aware of the existence of an artistic director, but were not all
clear as to the purpose of that role. If the AA role has a positive effect, but that role is not funded
and goes away, then the positive effect is lost. If the AA himself is unclear as to his role, that
also detracts from any positive effect. Finally, if the place of the CMTP within the overall
organization is not agreed upon by all stakeholders, not just the participants of this study, then
the AA, the faculty, and the students all lose out.
Synthesis of Findings for Organization Needs
Organization needs were studied in four categories: resources; policies, procedures, and
processes; cultural settings; and cultural models. Within those four categories, 14 needs were
posited. Of those 14 needs, only one was validated, and one was partially validated. The need to
have an effective communication process was validated. Participants confirmed regular
meetings across the academic year. The need that was partially validated was knowing what the
organizational goal is. While participants could articulate a goal, they were not necessarily
articulating the same goal.
Twelve organizational needs were not validated, plus one need that was only partially
validated. In terms of the three critical behaviors, six of the needs that were not validated fell
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under the critical behavior of recruiting; three fell under the critical behavior of using data; and
four fell under the critical behavior of cultural awareness.
The first critical behavior was for stakeholders to effectively implement recruitment
behaviors appropriate to the target population. Participants were able to state a goal, but differed
in their opinions of the overall purpose of the program. In addition, participants were not aware
of any specific quantitative recruitment goals. Time was not given to learn and implement
recruitment behaviors, and there were no data indicating that policies, processes, and procedures
were created to support the implementation of effective recruiting behaviors.
The last three needs that fell under the critical behavior of recruiting that were not
validated were having resources to compensate stakeholders for their time in learning and
implementing strategies; having a cultural setting that ensures the understanding and
implementation of appropriate recruitment behaviors; and having a cultural model whereby
stakeholders consciously understand how their mental models affect their success in
implementing appropriate recruitment behavior.
The second of the three critical behaviors needed for goal attainment was that
stakeholders create administrative structures and procedures to track recruitment efforts, and use
the data gathered to further inform recruitment. None of the three organizational needs related to
data were validated. These needs included having the time and money to create administrative
structures and procedures that support the gathering of data for recruitment purposes; having a
cultural setting that supports data-driven recruiting; and having a shared understanding of the
purpose of gathering data for recruitment.
The third critical behavior was for stakeholders to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and
awareness in interactions with prospective and current students, and implementation of recruiting
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strategies. There were four needs under this critical behavior that were not validated. These
needs were that stakeholders have the time to implement culturally-aware recruitment strategies
by interacting with prospective and current students; having a process by which the organization
can communicate with stakeholders about policies, processes, and procedures specifically related
to cultural awareness; having a cultural setting that supports culturally aware interactions with
students; and creating a shared model that is culturally aware.
These organizational needs that were not validated are here grouped together according to
critical behaviors as a way of finding gaps. Stakeholders are not implementing recruiting
behaviors because they do not see themselves as primary recruiters for the CMTP. Data are not
used to inform recruiting behaviors and strategies because not only are participants not
recruiting, but the main thrust appeared to be broad visibility of the program rather than targeted
recruitment of students. Third, cultural sensitivity and awareness are not absent from the
participants, but are not connected specifically to recruiting. Closing these gaps will be the
subject of Chapter 5.
Table 10
Organizational needs and validations
Need
Validation
Resource Need #1. The organization ensures that stakeholders
know what the goal is.
Partially validated. Some
differences of opinion as to
what the overall purpose of
the program, and no
knowledge of specific
quantitative recruitment
goals.
Resource Need #2. The stakeholders have the time to learn and
implement appropriate recruitment behaviors.
Not validated.
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Resource Need #3. The stakeholders have the time and money
to create administrative structures and procedures that support
the gathering of data for recruitment purposes.
Not validated.
Resource Need #4. The stakeholders have the time to
implement culturally-aware recruitment strategies by
interacting with prospective and current students.
Not validated.
Resource Need #5. The organization has the resources to
compensate the stakeholders for their time in learning and
implementing strategies to reach their goals.
Not validated.
Policies, Processes, and Procedures Need #1. The organization
supports the creation of policies, processes, and procedures
consistent with the organization’s existing ones so that
stakeholders may implement effective recruiting behaviors.
Not validated.
Policies, Processes, and Procedures Need #2. The organization
has an effective process by which to communicate necessary
information about policies, processes, and procedures related to
the recruitment of underrepresented students to stakeholders.
Validated.
Policies, Processes, and Procedures Need #3. The organization
has an effective process by which to communicate necessary
information about policies, processes, and procedures related to
cultural awareness to stakeholders.
Not validated.
Cultural Setting Need #1. The organization’s culture ensures
that appropriate recruitment behaviors are understood and
implemented.
Not validated.
Cultural Setting Need #2. The organization’s culture supports
the creation of data-driven recruiting.
Not validated.
Cultural Setting Need #3. The organization’s culture supports
culturally aware interactions with prospective and current
students.
Not validated.
Cultural Model Need #1. Stakeholders consciously understand
how their mental models affect their success in implementing
appropriate recruitment behavior, thus affecting the unspoken
cultural model.
Not validated.
Cultural Model Need #2. Stakeholders have a shared
understanding of the purpose of gathering data to meet
Not validated.
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stakeholder goals, and the organization holds them responsible
for results.
Cultural Model Need #3. The stakeholders and the organization
together create a shared model that is culturally aware, so that
interactions with prospective and current students are positive
and result in successful implementation of recruiting strategies
and curriculum.
Not validated.
Table 11
New themes and validations
New theme
Validation
New Theme Need #1. The CMTP is a fully embraced part of
the parent institution.
Not validated.
New Theme Need #2. The relationship between the CMTP and
the LCMTP is clearly defined.
Not validated.
New Theme Need #3. The role of the CMTP’s Artistic Advisor
is clearly defined
Not validated.
Quantitative Program Data
For the past six years, the CMTP has produced an annual demographic report
summarizing the current enrollment, the applicants for that year, and outcomes of students and
alumni. The categories presented in these reports are:
Table 12
Quantitative data categories and items
Data categories Items
Current enrollment By department
By concentration (i.e., musical area)
By grade
By legal sex
By program level
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By state
By county
By ethnicity
By race
By program financial aid
Applicants By department
By concentration (i.e., musical area)
By grade
By legal sex
By program level
By state
By county
By ethnicity
By race
By program financial aid
Returning students Graduated or withdrawn
Yield of those returning by concentration
Yield of those returning by program level
Program information Performing ensembles
Academic curriculum
Other initiatives
Program engagement with other
divisions of the parent organization
Shared faculty
Teaching fellows
Master classes
Outcomes of students and alumni Summer music camp participation
Admission to specialized middle and high schools
(e.g., magnet arts schools)
Admission to pre-college and college programs
In addition to these data that are published annually, Participant 4 added that the CMTP
tracks schools and programs that are sources for admitted students each year. Those data do not
appear in the annual report, nor does it appear as if those data are shared in any strategic way
with stakeholders.
College programs report on two key statistics: selectivity and yield. Selectivity is defined
as the percentage of students offered admission out of the total number of applicants. The lower
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
122
this number, the better. Yield is the number of students who were offered admission who
actually enroll. The higher this number is, the better for a school’s reputation. The CMTP does
not publish these two statistics, which are as follows:
Figure 15. CMTP selectivity and yield.
The six-year average for selectivity is 20.3%. The six-year average for yield is 94.5%. For
perspective, the most selective performing arts schools have an undergraduate selectivity rate
consistently below 10%, while most of their peer schools are closer to 35-45% selectivity.
CMTP’s selectivity ranks below the majority of selective performing arts schools. These same
highly selective schools have a yield rate of 70-85%, while their peer schools’ yield averages
closer to 25-40%. CMTP’s yield would be the envy of any college program, performing arts or
otherwise. Participant 18 felt that it was a good thing not to publish the CMTP’s statistics
because “I think the message that sends is, ‘Don't bother applying’”—and the whole point is to
recruit students who fit the program, and get them to apply and enroll.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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Summary
Using the KMO gap analysis framework, a total of 41 needs were posited for this study.
Of those needs, only five were validated. The three critical behaviors—whose names I have
shortened to recruiting behaviors, use of data, and cultural awareness for the sake of
convenience—are another way of sorting the findings of this study. In this chapter, the needs
were organized according to K, M, or O; Appendix E organizes the needs according to critical
behaviors, providing another perspective on the data.
In Chapter 5, practical approaches are offered for closing the gaps that have been
identified. Closing the gaps will support the organization and the stakeholders in attaining the
stated goals.
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CHAPTER FIVE: SOLUTIONS, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Needs
This study was organized around Clark and Estes’ (2008) gap analysis framework. As
described earlier in this paper, “KMO” stands for knowledge, motivation, and organization.
KMO provided a way of looking at what would be needed to reach the organizational and
stakeholder goals set out for the Classical Music Training Program (CMTP). In this study, needs
were described in positive terms. Interviews provided data on whether or not the needs were
being met. For example, stakeholders needed to know their recruiting goal. If data showed that
they did, then the need was met and no gap existed. If stakeholders did not know that goal, then
the need was not met and that lack must be addressed.
The purpose of this chapter is to present recommendations to close existing gaps. The
recommendations are based on the literature reviewed as part of this study, and on the author’s
own experience as a post-secondary admissions officer. The three critical behaviors outlined
earlier in this study also inform the recommendations. An implementation and evaluation plan
using the New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) is presented,
followed by context-specific recommendations. This chapter concludes by noting the limitations
of this study and giving recommendations for further inquiry.
Knowledge Recommendations
Introduction. Thirteen needs were identified in the gap analysis area of knowledge for
this study. Qualitative interviews were used to collect data to determine if these needs were
being met or not. Of the 13 needs, only two were validated; that is to say, data confirmed that
only two knowledge needs were being met. Using Krathwohl’s taxonomy (2002), Table 13 lists
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the knowledge needs that were not validated, organized into four groups: declarative or factual
knowledge, procedural knowledge, conceptual knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge.
Clark and Estes (2008), whose KMO model provided a framework for this study, noted
that when knowledge and skills are lacking, what is needed is information, job aids, or training.
When people need to be equipped to face future challenges, education is needed. The third
column in Table 13 provides context-specific recommendations based on the theoretical
principles cited in the second column, and using information, job aids, training, or education, as
appropriate, to close the gaps. The needs, principles, and recommendations are discussed
following the table.
Table 13
Summary of Recommendations for Knowledge Needs That Were Not Validated
Assumed Knowledge Need
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Stakeholders know what data should
be tracked, what administrative
structures and procedures currently
exist to track data, and what
structures and procedures need to be
added so that data can be tracked and
used for effective recruiting.
(Declarative Knowledge Need #2)
How individuals organize
knowledge influences how
they learn and apply what
they know (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).
Provide stakeholders
with information
about current
administrative
structures and
procedures to track
data.
Provide stakeholders
with job aids that
organize data.
Stakeholders know how to implement
recruiting behaviors. (Procedural
Knowledge Need #1)
To develop mastery,
individuals must acquire
component skills, practice
integrating them, and know
when to apply what they
have learned (APA, 2015;
Clark & Estes, 2008;
Schraw & McCrudden,
2006).
Provide stakeholders
with job aids that
specify recruiting
behaviors so that
stakeholders can
achieve performance
goals with mastery.
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Stakeholders know how to adapt
recruiting strategies to the needs of
the individual students. (Procedural
Knowledge Need #2)
To develop mastery,
individuals must acquire
component skills, practice
integrating them, and know
when to apply what they
have learned (APA, 2015;
Schraw & McCrudden,
2006).
Provide stakeholders
with worked examples
of how to adapt
recruiting strategies to
the needs of the
individual student.
Stakeholders know how to use
structures and procedures to gather
data. (Procedural Knowledge Need
#3)
How individuals organize
knowledge influences how
they learn and apply what
they know (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).
Provide stakeholders
with job aids that
organize data-
gathering structures
and procedures.
Stakeholders know how to approach
different constituents appropriately,
based on knowledge of their cultures.
(Procedural Knowledge Need #4).
The use of metacognitive
strategies facilitates
learning (Baker, 2006;
Clark & Estes, 2008).
Provide stakeholders
with education in
which stakeholders are
taught about why
things happen and
what causes them to
happen, so that they
can handle unexpected
and novel situations.
Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of recruiting ethics.
(Conceptual Knowledge Need #1)
To develop mastery,
individuals must acquire
component skills, practice
integrating them, and know
when to apply what they
have learned (Kirshner,
Kirshner, & Paas, 2006;
Schraw & McCrudden,
2006).
Provide stakeholders
with training in
recruiting ethics,
including worked
examples that show
how and when various
ethical considerations
come into play.
Provide stakeholders
with information on
ethics, including
AACRAO and
NACAC resources.
Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of using data to
support recruitment decisions.
(Conceptual Knowledge Need #2)
How individuals organize
knowledge influences how
they learn and apply what
they know (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).
Provide stakeholders
with job aids that
illustrate the use of
data to support
recruitment decisions.
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Stakeholders have a conceptual
understanding of the goal of
recruiting underrepresented students
using a mastery orientation approach.
(Conceptual Knowledge Need #3)
To develop mastery,
individuals must acquire
component skills, practice
integrating them, and know
when to apply what they
have learned (APA, 2015;
Schraw & McCrudden,
2006).
Provide stakeholders
with training on
recruiting
underrepresented
students that includes
information, guided
practice, and
corrective feedback.
Provide stakeholders
with training in
metacognitive skills to
increase self-
regulation.
Stakeholders understand how their
behavior impacts students’ perception
of the organization and its values.
(Metacognitive Knowledge Need #1)
The use of metacognitive
strategies facilitates
learning (Baker, 2006).
Provide stakeholders
with training that
includes opportunities
to engage in guided
self-monitoring and
self-assessment.
Stakeholders reflect on how to use
data to improve recruitment results.
(Metacognitive Knowledge Need #2)
The use of metacognitive
strategies facilitates
learning (Baker, 2006).
Provide stakeholders
with training that
includes peer
collaboration and
discussion on using
data to improve
recruitment results.
Stakeholders reflect on their own
cultural sensitivity and awareness,
achieving equipoise in their
interactions with people of different
backgrounds. (Metacognitive
Knowledge Need #3)
The use of metacognitive
strategies facilitates
learning (Baker, 2006).
Equipoise is the ability to
serenely monitor the
movements of one’s own
mind and correct for biases
and shortcomings (Brooks,
2011).
Provide stakeholders
with training that
focuses on cultural
sensitivity, and which
includes opportunities
to debrief the thinking
process to heighten
awareness of their
own assumptions and
biases.
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Declarative knowledge solutions. Table 13 included one declarative knowledge need
that was not met. In terms of the three critical behaviors identified for the study, this need falls
under the critical behavior of data—knowing what data to track, and what structures and
procedures will help track data and use it for recruiting. The stakeholder group of focus
consisted of the staff and faculty of the CMTP. While the staff and faculty may recall their own
experiences of being recruited for various musical activities, they may not be aware of recruiting
data, or the structures and procedures associated with using that data. The recommendation is to
provide stakeholders with information about current administrative structures and procedures to
track data, and with job aids to organize data, so that they can organize the information to learn
and apply what they know (Schraw & McCrudden, 2006).
Marsh and Farrell (2015) wrote about data-driven decision making, with a focus on
teachers who may not have experience with the use of data. The authors noted that data have to
be collected, organized, and analyzed, and then combined with stakeholders’ expertise. In this
study, before data can be combined with expertise, the organization must provide factual
information about existing structures and procedures to track data. Additionally, job aids should
be provided to help organize recruiting data. Based on the researcher’s experience, spreadsheets
are an effective tool for this task.
Job aids are a step up from information, in that they provide more “self-help…recipes”
(Clark & Estes, 2008, p. 58) for stakeholders. Job aids that help to close declarative knowledge
gaps for this study’s stakeholders are those that organize data and illustrate the use of data to
support recruitment decisions. Per Clark and Estes, job aids are most suitable when stakeholders
have expertise that is somewhat related, but not strictly relevant. The faculty and staff at CMTP
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know how to organize themselves and make decisions, but they may not know how to organize
and use data. Thus job aids are the most appropriate solution for some knowledge gaps.
Procedural knowledge solutions. Procedural knowledge is how-to knowledge
(Krathwohl, 2002). Closing procedural knowledge gaps is primarily a matter of using job aids,
which do not require guided practice (Clark & Estes, 2008). All four of the procedural
knowledge needs proposed for this study were not validated. The recommended solution for
Procedural Knowledge Needs #1 and #3 in Table 13 is job aids related to developing mastery by
acquiring component skills, integrating them, and understanding when to apply them (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006). Stakeholders need to know how to implement recruiting behaviors and how
to gather data. The recommended job aids will specify recruiting behaviors and provide data-
gathering structures and procedures. Adapting strategies to the needs of individual students
(Procedural Knowledge Need #2) will be addressed with worked examples. Lastly, stakeholders
will be taught why things happen and what causes them to happen (Clark & Estes, 2008), so that
they can approach different constituencies appropriately (Procedural Knowledge Need #4).
Simple examples of recruiting strategies can be found in articles such as those by Luethi
(2015) and Underwood (2015). What is more challenging in the context of recruiting classical
music students from underrepresented populations is the question of whether the stakeholders
approach the problem from a deficit or asset perspective. Castro (2014) described the difference
as putting the blame on the student versus identifying other factors such as the student’s
environment or socio-economic status. In adapting recruiting strategies to the needs of the
individual student, stakeholders need to understand the structural sources of underrepresentation,
so that they can question their assumptions about how to approach students. Stakeholders will
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thus be able to choose an asset approach that honors the capital such students bring to the
program (Mosholder, Waite, Larsen, & Goslin, 2016).
Conceptual knowledge solutions. Three needs were posited for conceptual knowledge;
these needs were conceptual understandings of recruiting ethics, of using data to support
recruitment decisions, and of understanding the goal of recruiting underrepresented students
using a mastery orientation approach. None of these needs were validated, which means there is
a gap in stakeholders’ conceptual knowledge related to the topic of this study. Krathwohl (2002)
described conceptual knowledge as being about interrelationships, and underlying principles and
structures. To develop mastery, stakeholders must acquire component skills, integrate them,
practice them, and apply them. Conceptual knowledge of recruitment ethics and of using data,
and a mastery orientation toward recruiting underrepresented students, will help stakeholders
achieve their goals. To this end, the recommendation is to provide job aids to illustrate the use of
data, to provide information about recruiting ethics, and to provide training in applying ethical
practices. Worked examples, guided practice, and corrective feedback will be part of the
training.
As cited earlier, the National Association for College Admission Counseling
(https://www.nacacnet.org/) and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and
Admissions Officers (http://www.aacrao.org) have statements of ethical principles on their
websites. These statements not only provide guidance, but also bring the concept of ethical
behaviors to college recruiting. Although the CMTP is not a college program, awareness of
these principles will inform how stakeholders approach prospective students. Yough and
Anderman (2006) described people with a mastery orientation as being focused on self-
improvement. In learning to play their instruments, stakeholders may have taken a mastery
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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approach by comparing their improvement against their previous skill levels, rather than
comparing their improvement to others’ skill levels. Training stakeholders to use the same type
of mastery approach to the skill of recruiting, and combining that with a conceptual
understanding of ethical behaviors, will support stakeholders’ efforts toward goal achievement.
Finally, Marsh and Farrell (2015) suggest the use of coaches and data teams as ways to build
stakeholders’ capacity to interpret and use data.
Metacognitive knowledge solutions. Metacognitive knowledge has been described as
“thinking about thinking” (Baker, 2009, p. 1), and includes both knowledge and control of one’s
thinking. Metacognitive knowledge is a higher order of thinking because it includes assessing,
planning, and adjusting one’s skills and knowledge to accomplish a task (Filback, n.d.). The
three metacognitive knowledge needs posited in this study were not validated. Solutions to gaps
in metacognitive knowledge require more than information or job aids; they require training.
Clark and Estes (2008) described training as information and job aids plus guided practice and
corrective feedback. The recommendation is to train stakeholders in the use of self-monitoring
and self-assessment to understand their own behavior; to use peer collaboration and discussion
on using data to improve recruitment results; and to provide opportunities to debrief thinking
processes to heighten stakeholders’ awareness of their own assumptions and biases (Baker,
2006).
The need for stakeholders to understand how their behavior impacts students’ perceptions
of the organization and its values is related to Ladson-Billings’ (2014) call for a culturally
relevant pedagogy. Her statement that “we also want those in the mainstream to develop the
kind of skills that will allow them to critique the very basis of their privilege and advantage” (p.
83) underlines the need for stakeholders to develop a metacognitive understanding of their own
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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behavior and how it impacts students. Marsh and Farrell (2015) stated that “learning is
inherently a social phenomenon” (p. 273). Stakeholders will be trained in the use of data to
improve recruitment results through peer collaboration and discussion. This social approach will
create a culture of practice that capitalizes on the interaction between stakeholders as a way to
strengthen their knowledge and skill in the use of data (Marsh & Farrell, 2015). Related to the
third metacognitive knowledge need, Bensimon (2005) noted that unequal outcomes are the
result of individuals’ cognitive frames, and the reduction of inequalities also is the result of
individuals’ cognitive frames. Castro (2014) pointed out that the assumptions of those
responsible for recruiting students reflect the assumptions of the institutions. Training in cultural
sensitivity, accompanied by self-examination of stakeholders’ thinking processes, will bring to
light stakeholders’ assumptions and biases, and help them to change their cognitive frames from
deficit-based to asset-based.
Motivation Recommendations
Introduction. Clark and Estes (2008) referred to motivation as effectiveness, and cited
research that identified motivation as a primary human drive. Contrary to claims that motivation
is all internal, they defined motivation in the workplace as an interaction between the person and
the external work environment. Furthermore, Clark and Estes (ibid.) noted four factors that
influence the three types of motivational processes of goal choice, persistence, and mental effort.
These four factors are confidence, beliefs, emotional climate, and values. Table 14 below lists
the 12 out of 14 motivation needs that were not validated and their recommended solutions, with
discussion following.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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Table 14
Summary of Recommendations for Motivation Needs That Were Not Validated
Assumed Motivation Need
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Stakeholders value the
administrative structures that
support their efforts to recruit a
diverse population. (Value Need
#2)
Higher levels of value
motivate people (Pintrich,
2003).
Discuss with
stakeholders the
importance and
utility, or extrinsic
value, of the task.
Stakeholders value the goal of
enrolling underrepresented
students, and expect success in
enrolling students. (Expectancy-
Value Need #1)
Higher levels of value
motivate people (Pintrich,
2003).
Feedback as well as actual
success positively influences
people’s perceptions of
competence (Borgogni et al.,
2011).
Ask stakeholders
about their
expectations of and
beliefs about
outcomes.
Stakeholders value using data to
increase enrollment, and expect
success in using structures,
procedures, and data to recruit and
enroll students. (Expectancy-Value
Need #2)
Rationales that include a
discussion of the importance
and utility value of the work or
learning can help learners
develop positive values
(Eccles, 2006; Pintrich, 2003).
Discuss with
stakeholders the
importance of using
data to recruit and
enroll students.
Stakeholders value becoming more
culturally aware, and expect
success in their efforts to deepen
their understanding of cultural
sensitivity and awareness.
(Expectancy-Value Need #3)
Rationales that include a
discussion of the importance
and utility value of the work or
learning can help learners
develop positive values
(Eccles, 2006; Pintrich, 2003).
Discuss with
stakeholders the
importance of
recruiting classical
music students from
underrepresented
populations so that
students have equal
opportunity and so
that the profession
benefits from all
talented musicians,
and provide
rationales about the
importance and value
(intrinsic, extrinsic,
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utility, and cost
values) of the task.
Stakeholders feel positive about
the program and their efforts to
recruit underrepresented students.
(Mood Need #1)
Positive emotional
environments support
motivation (Clark & Estes,
2008).
Increase individual
outcome expectancies
and sense of control
by avoiding
competitive structure.
Stakeholders feel positive about
the structures and procedures used
to recruit students (Mood Need #2)
Positive emotional
environments support
motivation (Clark & Estes,
2008).
Teach stakeholders
evidence-based
strategies for using
recruiting structures
and procedures,
thereby enabling
learner success and
alleviating anxiety.
Stakeholders feel positive about
their cultural sensitivity and
awareness. (Mood Need #3)
Positive emotional
environments support
motivation (Clark & Estes,
2008).
Modeling to-be-learned
strategies or behaviors
improves self-efficacy,
learning, and performance
(Denler, Wolters, & Benzon,
2009).
Help stakeholders
acquire new
behaviors through
demonstration and
modeling, supporting
positive feelings as a
result.
Stakeholders are confident in their
ability to approach prospective
students from backgrounds
different from their own (Self-
Efficacy Need #1)
Feedback and modeling
increase self-efficacy (Pajares,
2006).
Provide stakeholders
with opportunities to
observe a credible,
similar model
approaching
prospective students
from backgrounds
different from their
own.
Set close, concrete,
and challenging goals
that allow
stakeholders to
experience success at
the task.
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135
Provide feedback that
balances comments
about strengths with
comments about
challenges.
Stakeholders are confident in their
abilities to use data to enhance
recruitment efforts. (Self-Efficacy
Need #2)
High self-efficacy can
positively influence motivation
(Pajares, 2006).
Discuss how learning
and training will be
useful in people’s
lives.
Stakeholders are confident in their
ability to be culturally aware and
sensitive. (Self-Efficacy Need #3)
Higher expectations for
success and perceptions of
confidence can positively
influence learning and
motivation (Eccles, 2006)
Model self-reflection
as a way of
deepening
stakeholders’ cultural
sensitivity and
awareness.
Stakeholders believe they are
capable of identifying and
recruiting students from
underrepresented populations
through their own efforts.
(Attribution Need #1)
Learning and motivation are
enhanced when individuals
attribute successes or failures
to effort rather than ability.
(Anderman & Anderman,
2009).
Provide stakeholders
with accurate
feedback that
identifies the skills or
knowledge that they
lack, state that the
skills and knowledge
can be learned, and
teach stakeholders
the skills and
knowledge. Build a
supportive and caring
community of
stakeholders through
this learning process.
Stakeholders believe they are
capable of using data to enhance
recruitment efforts. (Attribution
Need #2)
Provide feedback that stresses
the process of learning,
including the importance of
effort, strategies, and potential
self-control of learning
(Anderman & Anderman,
2005).
Provide accurate
feedback that
identifies the skills or
knowledge the
individual lacks,
along with
communication that
skills and knowledge
can be learned,
followed with the
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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teaching of those
skills and knowledge.
Value solutions. Values are a key factor in motivation, helping people to persist in
achieving goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). A generalization voiced by Pintrich (2003) was that
higher levels of value motivate people. Four specific dimensions of task value were listed by
Rueda (2011): intrinsic value, utility value, attainment value, and cost value. Utility value refers
to the benefits that come from completing a task. The recommendation here is to discuss with
stakeholders the utility value of the administrative structures that support recruitment efforts. By
realistically describing how such structures help to achieve the goal of recruiting a diverse
population, stakeholders will persist in their efforts.
Valuing administrative structures was included as a need because the structures organize
data that can be used to make recruiting decisions, and as such they are related to the process of
making sense of data (Marsh & Farrell, 2015). It is important, though, that the use of data, and
therefore the use of administrative structures, be seen as a support for improved recruitment
outcomes, rather than as an externally-imposed dictate (ibid.). One way to do this is to present
the benefit of valuing the structures in a realistic way, and not to exaggerate the results of not
using the structures (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Expectancy-value solutions. The next three items in Table 14 above are based on the
theory of expectancy-value. This theory of motivation refers to two sets of beliefs: belief in the
value of a task, and belief in the importance of particular outcomes related to the task; together,
expectancy and value can predict achievement (Eccles, 2006). Rueda (2011) stated that values
influence the choice of an individual to start an activity, and expectancies influence persistence
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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in the activity. The three needs posited above had the values of enrolling underrepresented
students, using data in that process, and becoming more culturally aware. The expectations are
for success in each of these areas.
The CMTP’s mission is focused on training underrepresented classical music
students. The need assumed here is that stakeholders value enrolling underrepresented students,
and they expect success in doing so. Higher levels of value equate with higher levels of
motivation (Pintrich, 2003). Furthermore, feedback can positively influence stakeholders’
perceptions of competence, as can actual success (Borgogni et al., 2011). The recommendation
is to ask stakeholders about their expectations and beliefs in order to increase value, and to ask
about expectations of success to increase motivation.
Bensimon (2005) wrote:
The problem of unequal outcomes resides within individuals, in the cognitive frames that
govern their attitudes, beliefs, values, and actions. Similarly, the reduction of inequalities
also lies within individuals, specifically, in their capacity to develop equity as their
cognitive frame (p. 100).
Motivating stakeholders to recruit and enroll underrepresented students, and to expect success in
this task, presumes that the individuals value reducing inequalities. Explicit conversations with
stakeholders on this topic can strengthen motivation, and are necessary because, as Hendry
(1996) noted, behavior must change before values can be changed.
The second expectancy-value need falls under the critical behavior of using data.
Valuing the use of data and expecting success in using structures, procedures, and data to recruit
and enroll students requires presenting stakeholders with rationales for the importance and utility
value of the work (Eccels, 2006; Pintrich, 2003). The CMTP stakeholders are musicians who
may not be attuned to the use of data, and therefore may not value it or expect success in using it.
Marsh and Farrell (2015) suggested that dialogue and questioning were ways to reflect and act
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on data, with the caution that “non-defensive dialogue” (p. 280) is an important factor in such
conversations. The recommendation is thus to discuss with stakeholders the importance of using
data to recruit and enroll students.
In her article on the use of data for continuous program improvement, Rosenberg (2013)
pointed out that data may not be only summative. This idea can be applied to CMTP
stakeholders and recruitment efforts by discussing data throughout the annual recruitment cycle,
rather than simply looking at numbers at the end of the cycle. Tracking different elements such
as schools, teachers, and programs that are sources of students can lead to more directed efforts.
As students are identified for the program, stakeholders can experience success and greater
appreciation for the utility value of data, which in turn can increase motivation.
The third assumed expectancy-value need is that stakeholders’ efforts to deepen their
cultural sensitivity and awareness will enable them to achieve the goal, and that expecting
success in deepening their understanding can positively influence their learning and motivation
(Pintrich, 2003). Discussing the importance of diversity invites stakeholders to look at the
attainment value of a diverse student body in the CMTP, and within the music profession as a
whole. The recommendation, therefore, is to discuss with stakeholders the value of diversity in
these contexts.
In their article on social justice and music education, Allsup and Shieh (2012) wrote
about the “imperative to care,” (p. 48), and suggested that moral engagement by music teachers
is needed. Bates (2012) emphasized the need to respect and understand the cultural background
of each student. Several practical strategies for understanding diverse cultural characteristics
were offered by Shaw (2015). These included teachers knowing about cultural diversity; cross-
cultural communication; and demonstrations that the teacher cares. The discussion of quality in
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arts education by Seidel, Tishman, Winner, Hetland, and Palmer (2009) emphasized the need for
reflection, discussion, and alignment of ideas about quality. Thus, stakeholders at the CMTP can
develop mutual values and expect success in enrolling underrepresented classical music students
by discussing diversity within the program, and reflecting on these discussions to deepen their
own understanding and cultural awareness.
Mood solutions. Clark and Estes (2008) noted that positive emotional environments
support motivation. Feeling positive about the program and their own efforts to recruit students
can increase stakeholders’ motivation. One of the elements that can negatively affect motivation
is a constant state of competition among stakeholders (Clark & Estes, 2008). Competition puts
the emphasis on performance goals, rather than on mastery goals (Yough & Anderman, 2006).
The recommendation to avoid competitive structures is meant to increase stakeholders’ positive
feelings toward the program, and sense of control over outcomes.
In Chapter 4, it was noted that a number of stakeholders felt positively about the
program, but no data were collected on whether stakeholders felt positively about their own
recruiting efforts. If stakeholders are not clear about their responsibilities in the area of
recruiting, it will be difficult for them to feel positive about their efforts. The recommendation to
avoid competitive structures is good only if stakeholders are clear about the goal. Clark and
Estes (2008) noted that clear goals are key to commitment, and vague goals can destroy
motivation. Thus this recommendation for a motivation need includes the organizational
component of goal clarity.
Processes and procedures can support recruiting efforts. Stakeholders need to feel
positive about the structures and procedures that they use or are asked to use in the recruitment
process. Clark and Estes (2008) noted that a positive emotional environment in which people are
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encouraged to be enthusiastic and supportive of each other can enhance work commitment. With
such support, stakeholders can learn evidence-based strategies for recruiting students. In turn,
the positive environment will alleviate anxiety and promote learner success. Thus, the
recommendation is to create and promote a positive emotional environment in order to reduce
anxiety about recruiting processes and procedures, and to increase success.
Stakeholders may need to be taught strategies for using processes and procedures to
recruit students. These strategies use evidence—data—to achieve goals. Marsh, Pane, and
Hamilton (2006) noted that just having data does not guarantee good solutions. They offered
several ways to build the capacity to gather and analyze data, and to implement solutions. At the
beginning of her article on practitioner-led inquiry, Malloy (2011) noted that data can be
intimidating—something for the experts, not for the practitioners. She emphasized that active
participation in data gathering and interpretation by practitioners can lead to solutions and
empowerment. Malloy’s suggestion that successes should be celebrated can help foster positive
emotional environments that, as noted by Clark and Estes (2008), support stakeholders’
motivation.
Similarly, a positive emotional environment (ibid.) supports the need for stakeholders to
feel positive about their own cultural sensitivity and awareness. Recent research on motivation
has been informed by social cognitive theory (Rueda, 2011). This theory includes the idea that
learning occurs in a social context (Denler, Wolters, & Benzon, 2009). Allowing stakeholders to
observe demonstrations of cultural sensitivity and awareness can improve their learning. This in
turn will create positive feelings about their abilities in this area.
Andrus (2001) defined culturally competent art educators as those who value cultural
competence, are aware of their own cultural backgrounds, and have examined their own personal
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biases. The ability to understand diversity and communicate with students was cited by Baker
(2012) as a key to the success of urban classroom music teachers. Although the CMTP is not the
same as an urban classroom, the diverse student body requires stakeholders who are culturally
sensitive and aware, and who contribute to an environment where such awareness is considered a
positive attribute.
Self-efficacy solutions. The majority of the stakeholders who are pursuing the goal of
recruiting underrepresented students are not African-American or Hispanic. These stakeholders
need to be confident in their ability to approach prospective students whose backgrounds are
different from their own backgrounds. Pajares (2006) noted that in order to increase self-
efficacy, feedback and modeling are important. Clark and Estes (2008) stated that goals should
be concrete, challenging, and achievable. The recommendations in the area of self-efficacy are
to set challenging but achievable goals, provide stakeholders with opportunities to observe a
credible model, and give feedback that focuses on efforts rather than on persons.
A model that conceptualizes cultural barriers to music learning, and supports for music
learning, was proposed by Butler, Lind, and McKoy (2007). In proposing their model, Butler et
al. described a model as a way to map reality and to represent processes, and suggested that their
model could be used to initiate conversations on diversity and cultural responsiveness. Castro
(2014) examined language for deficit-based discourses. Her example of the underrepresentation
of undergraduate students of color in STEM programs parallels the idea of underrepresented
students of color in classical music training programs. Both Butler et al.’s model and Castro’s
questions to identify deficit thinking can be guides for stakeholders to use in approaching
students from backgrounds that are unlike their own. Setting goals and giving feedback in the
manner recommended by Clark and Estes (2008) can increase self-efficacy in stakeholders.
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The second need in the area of self-efficacy was for stakeholders to be confident in their
abilities to use data to enhance recruitment efforts. As with other needs in the critical behavior
category of data, this need was not validated. Pajares (2006) noted that high self-efficacy can
positively influence motivation; indeed, self-efficacy is “a judgement of personal capability”
(Bandura, 2005, p. 26). Having confidence in one’s abilities increases learning (Denler, Wolters,
& Benzon, 2009). Three recommendations are proposed to close this gap. The first
recommendation is to provide stakeholders with opportunities to observe a credible, similar
model approaching prospective students from backgrounds different from their own. The second
recommendation is to set close, concrete, and challenging goals that allow stakeholders to
experience success at the task. The third recommendation is to provide feedback that balances
comments about strengths with comments about challenges. Together, these recommendations
will enhance stakeholders’ self-efficacy and aid in goal attainment.
The majority of participants in this study did not provide evidence of using data to
enhance their recruiting efforts. However, the effective use of data can make goal attainment
more likely. Dowd (2005) proposed a culture of inquiry within schools, and suggested that
individuals in such a culture can craft data into knowledge. Whelchel (2000) studied community
arts programs more specifically, and concluded that students’ stories may be more important than
data. However, the supposition here is that the use of data is one of three critical behaviors that
are required for goal attainment. Given the mission of the CMTP, data on its students and where
to find them is necessary, and stakeholders’ confidence in using data to enhance recruitment
efforts will support recruitment success.
The third self-efficacy need that was not validated was that stakeholders are confident in
their ability to be culturally aware and sensitive. Unlike self-esteem, which is a more general
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feeling about oneself, self-efficacy is about believing in one’s own competence (Rueda, 2011);
such belief leads to higher motivation (Eccles, 2006). To deepen stakeholders’ cultural
sensitivity and awareness, the recommendation is to model self-reflection. Learning through
observation is one of the core premises of social cognitive theory (Denler, Wolters, & Benzon,
2006). By providing stakeholders with models, including not only people but also written
literature and audio/visual tools (ibid.), stakeholders can learn to reflect on their cultural
sensitivity and awareness. This in turn will help consciously deepen their understanding and
increase their motivation.
The stakeholders in this study are using their skills as musicians and administrators to
serve a population that is underrepresented in classical music. What underrepresented means to
each stakeholder can and should be a question for self-reflection. Cultural sensitivity and
awareness can be conceived of not just in relation to students’ cultures, but also to the culture of
classical music. Gaztambide-Fernández (2010) pointed out that the common idea of what it
means to be a musician and an artist actually contributes to maintaining the status quo, in part
because “the idea of culture itself has its roots in a European imperialist project” (p. 76).
Walcott (2005) opined that the attempt to appear neutral means walking “the very difficult line
of denying the existence of race as a category and simultaneously speaking the effects of racism
on and in the lives of racialized others” (p. 3). These two authors are quoted here to illustrate the
challenge of being an individual working with an underrepresented population, and finding ways
of “naming our world” (Allsup & Shieh, 2012, p. 49). In other words, self-reflection can lead to
greater cultural awareness, and also to greater understanding.
Attribution solutions. Stakeholders need to believe that it is their own efforts that result
in successfully identifying and recruiting students from underrepresented populations.
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Attribution theory emphasizes that success is more likely when the locus of control is internal,
and focused on effort rather than ability (Anderman & Anderman, 2009). In order for
stakeholders to attribute success to their own efforts, they need knowledge and skills—K
needs—and a supportive community. Thus, the recommendation is to provide stakeholders with
accurate feedback about the knowledge and skills they need, encouragement that they can learn
what they need to learn, and actually teach them what they need to know, building a supportive
community of stakeholders through this learning process.
In 1997, Allsup wrote an account of his early experience teaching instrumental music in a
New York City school. As someone from a small farming town in Illinois, the experience was
completely different from where and how he grew up. His list of what works with urban music
students can be a starting point for stakeholders’ efforts to identify and recruit students from
underrepresented populations. Allsup’s suggestions include expecting commitment, starting
with what the students already know, and establishing links with the community. Albert (2006)
studied the recruitment and retention of band students in low socioeconomic status areas, and
noted that teachers’ personalities and values played important roles in recruitment and retention.
Furthermore, he suggested that the visibility and exposure of the music program was a great aid
in recruitment. The point here is that there is research that identifies recruitment strategies that
work. These can be taught to stakeholders, which will help them create an internal locus of
control (Anderman & Anderman, 2006) and a supportive community within the CMTP.
The second attribution need goes back to data, and stakeholders’ beliefs that they are
capable of using data to enhance recruitment efforts. As with other needs related to data, this
need was not validated. Success in using data for recruitment is more likely if stakeholders
attribute it to their own effort (Rueda, 2011). Anderman and Anderman (2005) noted that these
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attributions influence individuals’ future behavior. The recommendation therefore is to provide
accurate feedback to stakeholders that identifies the knowledge and skills that they lack,
emphasizing that these can be learned. Stressing the process of learning and the importance of
effort, strategies, and self-control while teaching the skills and knowledge needed will increase
stakeholders’ motivation (Anderman & Anderman, 2005).
Data are not the sole answer to enrolling underrepresented students. Indeed, data can
obscure important realities around questions of race (Gillborn, 2010). Yet if stakeholders have
confidence in their use of data to support the mission of the program, they are more likely to
persist in its use (Rueda, 2011). An important part of using data is that raw data must be
organized, turned into information, and then into actionable knowledge upon which different
types of decisions can be made (Marsh, Pane, & Hamilton, 2006). As stakeholders engage in
this way of processing and using data, they will increasingly attribute success to their own
efforts.
Organization Recommendations
Introduction. In Clark and Estes’ (2008) KMO model, individuals are assessed for their
knowledge and skills—the K—and motivation—the M. However, individuals exist and work
within an organization—the O. It is possible for individuals to possess K and M, but still lack
organizational tools and support to be successful in achieving their goals. For this study, 14
organizational needs were posited. Of these 14 needs, only one was validated. Table 15 below
contains the 13 organizational influences that were not validated. The sections following Table
15 discuss the context-specific recommendations for closing the gaps, and the principles on
which they are based.
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Table 15
Summary of Recommendations for Organizational Needs That Were Not Validated
Assumed Organizational Need
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
The organization ensures that
stakeholders know what the goal is.
(Resources Need #1)
Goals motivate and direct
people (Pintrich, 2003).
Communicate goals
to stakeholders.
Stakeholders have the time to learn
and implement appropriate
recruitment behaviors. (Resources
Need #2)
Sustainable organizational
change requires that groups at
all levels of the organization be
managed…. Managing groups
means … allocating resources
to groups (Schneider, B., Brief,
A., & Guzzo, R., 1996).
Allocate time to learn
new behaviors.
Stakeholders have the time and
money to create administrative
structures and procedures that
support the gathering of data for
recruitment purposes (Resources
Need #3)
Organizations are resource-
dependent; change cannot
succeed without resources
(Kezar, 2001).
Organizations must provide
resources, tools, and strategies
to facilitate change (Moran &
Brightman, 2000).
Establish that it is a
priority for
stakeholders to create
administrative
structures and
procedures that
support the gathering
of data for
recruitment purposes.
Stakeholders have the time to
implement culturally-aware
recruitment strategies by interacting
with prospective and current
students. (Resources Need #4)
Facilitate interaction to
develop new mental models
and sense-making (Kezar,
2001).
Organizations must provide
resources, tools, and strategies
to facilitate change (Moran &
Brightman, 2000).
Provide opportunities
for stakeholders to
interact with
prospective and
current students.
The organization has the resources
to compensate the stakeholders for
their time in learning and
implementing strategies to reach
their goals. (Resources Need #5)
Organizations are resource-
dependent; change cannot
succeed without resources
(Kezar, 2001).
Provide equitable
compensation for
time spent learning
and implementing
recruiting strategies.
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The organization supports the
creation of policies, processes, and
procedures consistent with the
organization’s existing ones so that
stakeholders may implement
effective recruiting behaviors.
(Policies, Processes, and
Procedures Need #1)
Identify structures, policies,
and practices that will ensure
that you gain or maintain the
positive results (Johnson,
1998).
Create the policies, strategies
and structures that translate the
governing ideas into business
decisions – policies are the
rules that guide decisions, and
they are separate from
decisions (Senge, P., 1990).
Review existing
policies, processes,
and procedures and
create new ones
where needed.
The organization has an effective
process by which to communicate
necessary information about
policies, processes, and procedures
related to cultural awareness to
stakeholders. (Policies, Processes,
and Procedures Need #3)
Interact often, communicate
the change to legitimize it,
close the gaps in understanding
(Moran & Brightman, 2000).
Build communication
about policies,
processes, and
procedures into
regularly scheduled
meetings.
The organization’s culture ensures
that appropriate recruitment
behaviors are understood and
implemented. (Cultural Setting
Need #1)
Learning in an organization is
also socialization (Hendry,
1996).
Communicate about
recruitment behaviors
so that the learning
generates a cultural
setting that supports
the use of appropriate
recruitment
behaviors.
The organization’s culture supports
the creation of data-driven
recruiting. (Cultural Setting Need
#2)
To implement a change,
permanent support structures
must be created (Langley, G.,
Moen, R., Nolan, K., Nolan,
T., Norman, C., & Provost, L.,
2009).
Review the use of
data to ensure that
structures support
data-driven
recruiting.
The organization’s culture supports
culturally aware interactions with
prospective and current students.
(Cultural Setting Need #3)
Settings are the context in
which cultural models are
played out (Rueda, 2011)
Those outside the community
learn to value what everyone
has to say, and don’t speak as
the experts; balance silence
Provide opportunities
for stakeholders to
discuss cultural
humility.
Provide opportunities
for stakeholders to
discuss and
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and speaking; exercise cultural
humility (Chavez, et al., 2008)
understand how the
program is perceived
in the community.
Stakeholders consciously
understand how their mental
models affect their success in
implementing appropriate
recruitment behavior, thus affecting
the unspoken cultural model
(Cultural Models Need #1)
Cognitive frames govern how
individuals interpret situations,
and how they act (Bensimon,
2005)
Accept that outsiders cannot
fully understand community
and interpersonal dynamics,
but still listen and engage;
speak about white privilege
and racism (Chavez, et al.,
2008)
Provide opportunities
for stakeholders to
examine their mental
models and cognitive
frames, and to
discuss privilege and
racism.
Stakeholders have a shared
understanding of the purpose of
gathering data to meet stakeholder
goals, and the organization holds
them responsible for results.
(Cultural Model Need #2)
Creating standard processes is
an important source of
improvement; put processes in
the context of the system
(Langley, G., Moen, R., Nolan,
K., Nolan, T., Norman, C., &
Provost, L., 2009).
Shared meanings are a
manifestation of culture
(Schein, 2004).
Discuss the process
and the purpose of
gathering data, and
why stakeholders are
responsible for
results.
Stakeholders and the organization
together create a shared model that
is culturally aware, so that
interactions with prospective and
current students are positive and
result in successful implementation
of recruiting strategies. (Cultural
Model Need #3)
Organizational development
assumes that paying attention
to self-actualization will
change an organization, but the
goals and direction of the
organization, and performance-
related support and awards,
must be conscious for change
to be successful (Schneider, B.,
Brief, A., & Guzzo, R., 1996).
Discuss cultural
awareness, and
culturally aware
interactions, with
stakeholders to arrive
at a conscious, shared
model.
Resource solutions. In their discussion of organizational performance gaps, Clark and
Estes (2008) gave more space to cultural settings and models than to resources. However, they
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did state that “all organizational goals are achieved by a system of interacting processes that
require specialized knowledge, skills, and motivation to operate successfully” (p. 104). For this
study, five resource needs were articulated; none were validated. As Clark and Estes pointed
out, having knowledge and motivation but lacking resources hinders goal attainment; it is
therefore important to examine organizational needs as well as knowledge and motivation (ibid.).
The very first resource need is for the organization to ensure that stakeholders know what
the goals are for which they are striving. In the interviews, participants had some differences of
opinion as to what the overall goal of the program is, and they had no knowledge of specific
quantitative recruitment goals. Pintrich (2003) noted that goals motivate and direct people.
Clark and Estes (2008) stated outright that “without a clear picture of the goals we are trying to
reach, gap analysis is futile” (p. 21). The recommendation, therefore, is for the organization to
clearly communicate the goals to the stakeholders. Combining knowledge of the goal with the
other K and M needs can lead to greater success.
Bolman and Deal (2013) offered four interpretations of goal setting using different
frames: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic. According to these frames, goals
can keep an organization on track, and communication about goals helps keep people committed
to them. Setting goals provides opportunities for stakeholders to express their interests, and also
provides the opportunity to emphasize shared values and symbols (ibid.). If the stakeholders at
CMTP do not know the organizational goal, the program goals, or the recruiting goals, their
actions will not be strategic. As Wheeler and Sillanpa’a (1998) noted, achieving short- and
medium-term goals gives meaning to an organization’s vision.
The second resource need was for stakeholders to have the time to learn and implement
appropriate recruitment behaviors. The majority of stakeholders in this study’s group of focus
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were working musicians. Their schedules varied from day to day, as they practiced, taught, and
played gigs. As a group, they need to be managed, and that means allocating resources
(Schneider, Brief, & Guzzo, 1996). Because the need is for time to learn new behaviors, the
recommendation is to allocate time to learn.
Learning new behaviors—e.g., recruiting behaviors—is another way of saying that
stakeholders must change. The way things were done before does not work, or does not work
well enough, and therefore change is needed. Schein (2010) stated that learning something new
requires time, resources, coaching, and feedback. By giving stakeholders time to learn new
behaviors, the organization supports stakeholders’ efforts to achieve their goals.
The third resource need is for stakeholders to have the time and money to create
administrative structures and procedures that support the gathering of data for recruitment
purposes. Money is included here as there may be a need to compensate stakeholders for their
time; this also may be the case with Resource Need #2 above. Kezar (2001) noted that all
organizations are resource-dependent; creating structures and procedures to gather data requires
the resource of time, and may require the resource of money. The organization must provide
these resources if it wishes to facilitate change in data gathering (Moran & Brightman, 2000).
The recommendation, therefore, is to clearly establish for the stakeholders that the creation of
administrative structures and procedures that support the gathering of data for recruitment is an
organizational priority, and to communicate this priority to the stakeholders.
Lewis (2011) noted that policies, processes, and procedures are defined as ways of doing,
and they should be aligned with desired outcomes. Since the organizational goal is to identify
and recruit underrepresented students, CMTP’s policies, processes, and procedures must be
aligned with that goal. Moran and Brightman (2000) pointed out that change can challenge a
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person’s sense of mastery. The faculty in the stakeholder group have mastered their disciplines,
but may not have mastered administrative structures and procedures. By establishing that data-
gathering is a priority, and then providing resources for the stakeholders to create the structures
to gather data, the organization can provide a safety net for the stakeholders. Moran and
Brightman (2000) noted that a dialogue on how change affects perceptions of professional
mastery is a useful tool for successful change.
In the section on motivation needs above, cultural awareness was discussed. In this
section on organizational needs, time to implement culturally-aware recruitment strategies is
seen as a resource need. Interaction between stakeholders and prospective and current students
is a way for stakeholders to develop new mental models and sense-making (Kezar, 2001), thus
facilitating the change in cultural awareness, but such interaction takes time. It is up to the
organization to provide the time for stakeholders to interact with prospective and current students
(Moran & Brightman, 2000). By providing such opportunities, the organization is supporting
stakeholders’ development of culturally aware recruitment strategies.
As with Resource Needs #2 and #3, time is the need. Knowing culturally-aware
recruitment strategies and being motivated to use such strategies is useless if there is no time for
interactions with prospective and current students. This is a resource issue. Yet as Clark and
Estes (2008) pointed out, organizations are complex systems. One of the complexities present in
the CMTP is that stakeholders have other jobs. These can be steady positions as public school
music teachers, or the irregular hours of a free-lance musician. And while faculty members see
current students regularly, those interactions may not include cultural awareness. Thus the
organization can bridge this gap by providing time, and opportunities, for culturally aware
interactions.
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Resource Need #5 is related to the previous three resource needs in that when
stakeholders’ time is needed to learn and implement strategies to reach the goals, the resources to
compensate the stakeholders follows. Because most of the stakeholders are musicians who free-
lance for their living, the organization must be prepared to compensate them for their time, using
the resource of money (Kezar, 2000). The recommendation is to provide equitable pay, so that
stakeholders feel fairly and adequately compensated.
A quick search of the internet found that private instrumental music teachers in the area
near CMTP charge from $40 per hour to close to $100 per hour. If CMTP stakeholders are
asked to learn recruitment behaviors (Resource Need #2), create and use structures and
procedures for gathering data (Resource Need #3), and interact with students using culturally
aware strategies (Resource Need #4), the time these activities take can result in real loss of
income. Therefore, the organization must consider in advance what resources will be needed to
compensate stakeholders.
Policies, processes, and procedures solutions. Clark and Estes (2008) define the three
terms in this subheading as follows: Procedures are what individuals use to accomplish tasks.
Processes combine the procedures of individuals into larger units. Policies support processes.
In combination, procedures, processes, and policies help to translate the ideas of an organization
into actions (Senge, 1990). Organizations need to identify the policies, practices, and structures
that help attain positive results (Johnson, 1998). Therefore, the recommendation is to review
existing policies, processes, and procedures, creating new ones where needed to help
stakeholders implement effective recruiting behaviors.
The task for CMTP stakeholders in this study was identifying and recruiting
underrepresented students. Some procedures for doing so were identified in the interviews as
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either being done currently—e.g., distributing flyers—or suggested for the future—e.g., having
CMTP students perform in public outdoors to make more people aware of the program’s
existence. Processes would combine individual recruiting efforts into larger units; program
policies would then define and support the processes. Lewis (2011) pointed out that processes
are always in motion. Stakeholders need to try different procedures, and they need policies that
support both the trying and the outcomes. In his monograph on action mapping, Matsui (1997)
named several assumptions on which action mapping was based. One of these assumptions was
that “processes are needed to guide groups while they are engaged in the selection of critical
information that will affect eventual outcomes” (p. 15). To ensure that the organization is not
creating barriers to successful recruitment, a review of current policies will allow stakeholders to
engage in assessment. When new procedures, processes, and policies are seen to be needed,
stakeholders can design them based on the program’s purpose and core values (Senge, 1990).
The other need that was not validated in the area of policies, processes, and procedures
was for the organization to have an effective process by which to communicate information
about policies, processes, and procedures related to cultural awareness to stakeholders. In the
case of large changes, Moran and Brightman (2000) emphasized the need to communicate
frequently about the change in order to legitimize it, and to close gaps in understanding. Lewis
(2011) stated that communication strategies influence how stakeholders form behavioral
intentions. Because cultural awareness is a critical behavior for stakeholders associated with the
CMTP, the recommendation is to build communication about policies, processes, and procedures
related to cultural awareness into regularly scheduled meetings in order to aid in goal attainment.
Communication is not the only factor that affects the success of a change; there may be
other organizational barriers or gaps that affect outcomes (Lewis, 2011). This study attempted to
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identify some of those gaps. The need articulated here—to communicate regarding cultural
awareness—may not be a change in the sense that many authors describe change, yet
communication leads to trust, which leads to greater commitment, which leads to goal
achievement (Clark & Estes, 2008). The policies that support the recruiting processes at CMTP
must include cultural awareness because the mission of the program is one of promoting
diversity in classical music. Communicating those policies, processes, and procedures is a key to
closing organizational gaps.
Cultural setting solutions. The first need in the category of cultural setting is for the
culture to ensure that appropriate recruitment behaviors are understood and implemented.
Cultural settings are the social contexts of organizations (Rueda, 2011). The discussion in the
case of the CMTP is about recruiting behaviors; the cultural setting is where these behaviors are
played out. Stakeholders who need to learn appropriate recruitment behaviors will learn them
within the cultural setting, in what is an act of socialization (Hendry, 1996). The
recommendation is therefore to communicate about recruitment behaviors in such a way that the
learning generates a cultural setting and social context that is supportive of the behaviors.
Shaw’s (2015) paper on urban choral music educators provides some parallels to the
question of cultural setting at the CMTP. Shaw focused on social context, stating that the
success of choral music teachers was based in part on how they navigated both the classroom and
the larger community. Stakeholders in the CMTP need to understand appropriate recruitment
behaviors and implement such behaviors in the classroom and in the larger community. By
understanding and implementing recruitment behaviors, stakeholders at the same time create
their cultural setting (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Clark and Estes (2008) pointed out that
over time, organizations develop different cultures. The need to ensure understanding of
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recruitment behaviors occurs within a cultural setting, and contributes to the evolution of the
organization’s culture over time.
The second need under cultural settings is for the culture to support the creation of data-
driven recruiting. Meeting this need requires permanent structures that support the change to a
data-driven approach (Langley, Moen, Nolan, Nolan, Norman, & Provost, 2009). The
recommendation, therefore, is to review the use of data to ensure that structures support data-
driven recruiting, and thus to ensure that stakeholders are comfortable using data within the
CMTP setting.
It has been noted above that participants in this study did not appear to use data to make
recruiting decisions, nor did the majority give evidence of actively recruiting for the program. In
the KMO model, organizational culture is “the most important ‘work process’ in all
organizations because it dictates how we work together to get our job done” (Clark & Estes,
2008, p. 107). Marsh, Pane, and Hamilton (2006) identified factors that increased the likelihood
that data would be used to drive decision-making. These factors included accessibility of data,
time available to interpret data, and an organizational culture that had a strong commitment to
the use of data. In the KMO framework, these are “O” factors—if the organization provides a
setting that supports the use of data, including analyzing data and taking action on the data
(Marsh, Pane, & Hamilton, 2006), then data are more likely to be used by stakeholders in
achieving their goals.
Cultural settings are the broader context in which the more unconscious cultural models
exist and are acted upon (Rueda, 2011). Given that the CMTP’s mission is to teach
underrepresented students, the culture of the organization must support culturally aware
interactions between stakeholders and students. Although students may be from different
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backgrounds than the stakeholders, Chavez et al. (2008) suggested that those stakeholders must
value what everyone has to say. They further suggested that stakeholders not speak as the
experts: culturally aware interactions can be supported by a balance of silence and speaking, and
the exercise of cultural humility. The recommendation here is that the concept of cultural
humility be discussed by stakeholders. Also, stakeholders should discuss how the CMTP is
perceived in the community, as that may lead to a deeper understanding of cultural differences.
Emmanuel (2005) studied music education students and their preparation for teaching in
culturally diverse settings. Basing her study on the theory of intercultural competence,
Emmanuel noted that teachers must understand their places in their own cultures as well as their
beliefs toward students who come from other cultures. Bradley (2006) emphasized that the use
of coded language such as multicultural instead of race maintains the status quo.
Acknowledging such coded language can deepen discussions about the motives behind programs
such as the CMTP and lead to more meaningful interactions between stakeholders.
Cultural model solutions. Cultural models are unconscious constructs, but stakeholders
need to understand on a conscious level how their mental models affect their success in
implementing appropriate recruitment behavior. Bensimon (2005) noted that cognitive frames
are ways of approaching diversity. These frames can be asset-based or deficit-based. Although
stakeholders may be outside of the communities in which students live, and thus may not fully
understand that community and its dynamics, they can still listen and engage (Chavez, et al.,
2008). Furthermore, discussing racism and white privilege supports bringing unconscious
models into the light. The recommendation is thus to provide opportunities for stakeholders to
examine their mental models and cognitive frames, and to discuss privilege and racism.
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One example of such an opportunity was provided by Case (2012) in her study of a
women’s discussion group. The group was formed specifically for “self-initiated critical
reflection” (p. 82) on racism and white privilege, and it provided support and opportunities for
growth for those involved. Kezar (2001) pointed out that it is the members of an organization
who create and reproduce its values. Deep transformation, or paradigm shifts, in an
organization’s cultural model are difficult to achieve, Kezar noted, and she suggested the
importance of “constructed interaction” (p. 118) as a primary means to accomplish change.
Chavez, et al. (2008) emphasized self-reflection as a way to break through one’s own
assumptions. Having opportunities to reflect and discuss will help stakeholders to bring their
cognitive frames and mental models into consciousness, and “learn to think from the standpoint
of equity” (Bensimon, 2005, p. 109).
The second need in the category of cultural models is for stakeholders to have a shared
understanding of the purpose of gathering data to meet goals, and for the organization to hold
stakeholders responsible for the results. Shared meanings are a manifestation of culture (Schein,
2004), which is a dynamic process (Rueda, 2011). Cultures can and do change. The CMTP can
support the gathering and use of data for recruitment, even if it is not currently conscious of the
need to do so. By creating standard processes in the use of data, and putting the processes in the
context of the system, the organization can improve (Langley, Moen, Nolan, Nolan, Norman, &
Provost, 2009). The recommendation, therefore, is for stakeholders to discuss the process and
the purpose of gathering data, and the reasons why stakeholders are responsible for results.
One of the needs under cultural settings was for the organization’s culture to support the
creation of data-driven recruiting. Here, the cultural model need is for stakeholders to have a
shared understanding of the purpose of gathering data to meet stakeholder goals, with the
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organization holding stakeholders responsible for the results. The difference between cultural
models and cultural settings was clarified by Gallimore and Goldenberg (2001). Put simply,
cultural settings are where cultural models are played out. Models are typically unconscious
“shared ways of thinking” (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001, p. 47)—such as stakeholders’ shared
understanding of the purpose of gathering data. CMTP stakeholders come together periodically
for faculty meetings and annual jury exams. These are settings where understanding can be
consciously shared. As Lewis (2011) noted, small group discussions are good ways to both
disseminate and receive information. Additionally, data-gathering processes and procedures
provide a way for the organization to hold stakeholders accountable (Emanuel & Emanuel,
1996).
Culture can be difficult to identify (Clark and Estes, 2008), in part because it is often
invisible (Rueda, 2011). Even so, cultural models shape organizations, including their values
and strategies (ibid.). The third cultural model need in this study was for the stakeholders in
CMTP and the organization together to create a shared model that is culturally aware. Such a
model will support positive interactions with prospective and current students, and result in the
successful implementation of recruiting strategies. Schneider, Brief, and Guzzo (1996)
suggested that, from an organizational development perspective, change can come about by
paying attention to the human need for self-actualization. For change to be successful, however,
goals and performance-related support and awards must be conscious (ibid.). The
recommendation is thus to have stakeholders discuss cultural awareness and culturally aware
interactions, in order to arrive at a conscious, shared model.
Allsup and Shieh (2012) wrote about the act of naming. One of their examples was
naming the lack of social and economic diversity they encountered in their careers as music
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educators. Case (2012) similarly discussed naming whiteness and white privilege. Case wrote
that “making unrecognized white norms explicit exposes the influence of racism on the lives of
Whites and people of color” (Case, 2012, p. 79), and said that explicitness can lead to self-
exploration. The mission of the CMTP to reach out to underrepresented students might be taken
to mean that all stakeholders are culturally aware, but that might not be true. The advice of
Castania (2003) can be applied: “one consistent way for facilitating change is to encourage and
create safe spaces for the conversations about difference to occur” (p. 1).
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan: The New World Kirkpatrick Model
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
The framework used to create an integrated implementation and evaluation plan was the
New World Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). This model was built on the
work of Don Kirkpatrick, who published Evaluating Training Programs in 1993. In that book,
the four levels of reaction, learning, behavior, and results were set forth. The New World
Kirkpatrick Model updated the use of the four levels so that they were less sequential and more
applicable to the present day.
One key difference in the new model is that, during the planning stage, the four levels are
considered in reverse order: results, behavior, learning, and reaction. An organization’s overall
Level 4 result is singular: Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) defined it as the organizational
mission combined with the organization’s financial reality. Because each organization has only
one Level 4 result, progress toward that result must be measured using short-term leading
indicators. These observations and measurements show whether or not the organization is
moving forward to its Level 4 result. Organizational alignment is achieved when individual and
departmental goals are focused on this one highest-level result.
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Having identified an organization’s one Level 4 result, Levels 3, 2, and 1 can be defined
in the training plan. Level 3 focuses on making sure that the training provided is used on the job.
The leading indicators, or measurements, that show an organization is on track in Level 4 must
be aligned with what is learned during training. The New World Kirkpatrick Model uses
required drivers—processes and systems— to link training with application, so that individuals
perform critical behaviors consistently.
A key part of Level 2 is creating a positive context for learning. Not only are knowledge
and skills addressed in training, but attitude, confidence, and commitment also are addressed. To
use the language of Clark and Estes (2008), both knowledge and motivation must be present in
order to reach goals. Level 1 asks whether a training program is perceived as relevant by
participants. This level needs the least investment of resources. Formative assessments as to the
participants’ engagement, satisfaction, and comfort with the learning environment should suffice
for this level, with resources saved here used for deeper Level 3 assessment.
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations
As noted above, Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) stated that each organization has
only one true Level 4 result. They defined this result as the organizational mission combined
with the organization’s financial reality. The mission of the Classical Music Training Program
(CMTP) is to train pre-college-age students who are underrepresented in classical music. The
organizational performance goal is to be recognized as the premier music program within its
region for developing underrepresented students to higher levels of artistry as classical
musicians. To meet this performance goal, the organization must recruit an applicant pool that is
at least 50% African-American and Hispanic-Latino by September 2022.
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The stakeholder group’s goal is that by September 2019, 100% of the staff and faculty
will implement 100% of the specific strategies to increase the applicant pool 100% of the time.
It was reasoned that if staff and faculty implement all of the strategies to recruit the applicant
pool all of the time, then the makeup of the applicant pool will be at least 50% African-American
and Hispanic-Latino. This result, in turn, will enable the program to fulfill its mission of training
students who are underrepresented in classical music, which will help the organization meet its
goal of being recognized as the premier such music program within the city.
The proposed solution uses the CMTP’s regular schedule of meetings to provide
opportunities for training, sharing information, and discussions of crucial elements of the
recruiting process, including cultural awareness and sensitivity. By implementing this solution
based on the New World Kirkpatrick Model, the stakeholders should achieve their goal of a more
diverse applicant pool, which in turn will support the organization’s striving toward its Level 4
goal.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Table 16 divides outcomes into external and internal categories. The metrics and
methods used to assess the internal outcomes include spreadsheets for data, observations of
stakeholders and students, feedback from students, and group stakeholder discussions. By
focusing on achieving the internal outcomes, Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) state that the
external outcome will follow.
Table 16
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
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Program is perceived as a
model of its kind
Positive reputation,
demonstrated by inquiries about
best practices from other pre-
college music training programs,
press reports, word-of-mouth,
and increased donations to the
program
Greater visibility of the program
within the region and
articulation of its mission and
approach
Internal Outcomes
Administrative structures
and procedures for
gathering and tracking
data exist and are being
used by stakeholders
Spreadsheets exist showing data
in various forms: year-to-year
comparisons, sources, student
persistence, etc.
Stakeholders are given access to
existing spreadsheets and to the
database, and are given job aids
showing what data to track and
how to track if methods do not
yet exist
Stakeholders adapt
recruiting strategies to
individual students as a
result of cultural
sensitivity and an
awareness of their own
assumptions and biases,
with the result that
stakeholders have
increasing confidence in
their efforts and
expectations for success
Positive feedback from students,
and increased confidence and
expectations for success voiced
by stakeholders
Observations of interactions
between stakeholders and
students show adaptations
Discussions with stakeholders
reveal confidence and
expectations of success
Stakeholders are sensitive
to cultural differences,
aware of their own
assumptions, biases, and
mental models
Increase in ability of
stakeholders to articulate their
assumptions, biases, and mental
models
Group discussions create a safe
space in which to discuss
diversity; increasing awareness
leads stakeholders to share what
they have learned with others
Level 3: Behavior
Critical behaviors. Three behaviors that are critical to the achievement of the
stakeholders’ goal have been identified through a review of the literature and the investigator’s
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professional expertise. The first critical behavior is that stakeholders must effectively implement
recruitment behaviors appropriate to the target population. The second critical behavior is that
stakeholders must create administrative structures and procedures to track recruitment efforts,
and use the data gathered to further inform recruitment. The third critical behavior is that
stakeholders must demonstrate cultural sensitivity and awareness in their interactions with
prospective and current students, and their implementation of recruiting strategies. Stakeholders
must demonstrate these three critical behaviors in order to achieve the desired outcomes. Table
17 lists the three behaviors, along with metrics and methods to measure them, and the timing of
the measurements.
Table 17
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing
Critical Behavior
Metric(s)
Method(s)
Timing
Critical Behavior #1.
Stakeholders
effectively implement
recruitment behaviors
appropriate to the
target population.
Decrease in the
number of complaints
and increase in the
number of
compliments received
by the administration.
The administration
shall administer a
survey of program
applicants to assess the
appropriateness of
stakeholders’
recruitment behaviors.
All program
applicants, whether
admitted or not, shall
be surveyed within 14
days of CMTP’s
decision being made.
The survey shall be
administered annually
to each applicant
pool, so that year-to-
year comparisons can
be made.
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Critical Behavior #2.
Stakeholders create
administrative
structures and
procedures to track
recruitment efforts,
and use the data
gathered to further
inform recruitment.
The existence of
structures and
procedures, and
evidence of their use
in recruiting efforts.
An audit shall be made
of existing structures
and procedures to
determine if they are
sufficient. If not, new
structures and
procedures shall be
created.
The structures and
procedures shall be
used to determine if the
data are being used,
and whether use of the
data are having a
positive result on
recruitment.
The audit shall take
place as soon as
possible.
Following each
application cycle, data
shall be examined to
assess improvements
year-to-year.
Critical Behavior #3.
Stakeholders
demonstrate cultural
sensitivity/awareness
in their interactions
with prospective and
current students, and
implementation of
recruiting strategies.
Success in enrolling a
class that reflects the
mission of the
program.
Comparison of
recruitment results
with program
enrollment targets
Annual review,
following completion
of application cycle
Required drivers. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) defined four varieties of
processes and systems that promote the performance of critical behaviors: those processes and
systems that reinforce, that monitor, that encourage, and that reward. Most importantly,
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) stated that training events alone do not guarantee on-the-job
application of what was learned; rather, required drivers must be monitored in order to increase
the success of a training program. Having defined three critical behaviors for the stakeholders in
this study in Table 17, the required drivers that support them are defined in Table 18.
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Table 18
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s)
Timing
Critical Behaviors Supported
(1, 2, 3)
Reinforcing
Model recruitment behaviors such
as giving presentations, role-
playing interactions with students
and parents, etc.
Ongoing
1
Job aids showing how to organize
data and information on existing
structures and procedures
Ongoing
2
Worked examples demonstrating
culturally aware interactions
Ongoing
3
Encouraging
Peer modeling during faculty
meetings
Once a semester
1, 2, 3
Coaching in use of data,
particularly in looking at historical
records to identify programs and
teachers that have been and could
be sources of students for the
CMTP
Ongoing
2
Mentoring stakeholders through
stories and examples to understand
unconscious cultural models and
personal assumptions and biases
Ongoing
1, 3
Rewarding
Recognition of stakeholders’
efforts to recruit and to interact
with students in culturally aware
ways
Ongoing
1, 3
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Recognition of stakeholders’ use
of data and data tools when results
are positive
Ongoing
2
Monitoring
Observation of stakeholders
implementing recruitment
strategies during interactions with
prospective students
At least once a semester
1
Use of action learning to train
stakeholders in use of data tools
(e.g., spreadsheets)
At least once a semester
2
Self-monitoring to evaluate
awareness of cultural assumptions
and biases; this could include a job
aid that asks questions designed to
guide self-monitoring
Ongoing
3
Holding stakeholders’ meetings to
discuss cultural awareness and
progress toward organizational
goal
At least once a semester
3
Organizational support. The three critical behaviors for the CMTP can be summed up
as recruitment behaviors, data collection and use, and cultural awareness and sensitivity. The
context-specific recommendation for supporting recruitment behaviors is for the organization to
communicate, and to provide resources and an appropriate culture for the program.
Communication includes giving stakeholders information about the program’s goals, as well as
about policies, processes, and procedures; communication also includes effective methods of
communicating. The organization can provide resources such as time and money; for example,
hiring trainers and paying stakeholders to attend training. Lastly, the organization can provide
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appropriate cultural settings and models by examining current models and settings, and
undertaking the challenge of adjusting them where evolution is needed.
The context-specific recommendation for data collection and use is for the organization
to have appropriate structures and procedures to gather data and use it for recruiting.
Furthermore, the organization must establish that it is a priority for stakeholders to create these
structures and procedures. Job aids about the use of data will be distributed at the first faculty
meeting of the year. Coaching will encourage and reinforce the use of the job aids. Follow-up
on the use of the required drivers will take place at small-group faculty meetings.
The organization will encourage cultural awareness by providing opportunities for
stakeholders to discuss its meaning; such discussions can include defining mental models and
cognitive frames. The opportunities for these discussions are the large- and small-group faculty
meetings, where self-reflection can be taught and modeled.
Level 2: Learning
Learning goals. Following the completion of the recommended knowledge, motivation,
and organizational solutions, stakeholders will be able to:
1. Know the current administrative policies and procedures used to track data (declarative
knowledge).
2. Know how to organize data (declarative knowledge).
3. Know how to adapt recruiting strategies to the needs of the individual student
(procedural knowledge).
4. Reflect on their own cultural sensitivity and awareness, achieving equipoise in their
interactions with people of different backgrounds (metacognitive knowledge).
5. Value diversity, and the goal of diversity within the student population (value).
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6. Expect that their efforts to deepen their understanding of cultural sensitivity and
awareness will lead to success in reaching the goal of enrolling underrepresented classical
music students (expectancy).
7. Feel positive about the structures and procedures used to recruit students (mood).
8. Be confident in their ability to approach prospective students from backgrounds
different from their own (self-efficacy).
9. Believe they are capable of identifying and recruiting students from underrepresented
populations through their own efforts (attribution).
Program. The CMTP faculty and administrators meet once per semester as a large
group, with smaller area meetings during the semester. Because the faculty are working
musicians with multiple gigs, the recommended program uses this existing structure as a way of
minimizing the impact on individuals’ schedules.
The first faculty meeting of the year will be expanded to provide faculty with
information, job aids, and training in the use of data for recruiting students to the CMTP. This
will be accompanied by a discussion of the target population and appropriate recruitment
behaviors. The concept of cultural sensitivity/awareness will be introduced.
During the smaller area meetings that occur during the semester, faculty will be asked to
discuss cultural awareness; administrators will attend meetings to both facilitate and participate
in the discussions. These meetings also will be a time for administrators to check in with faculty
on their use of data in recruiting and also to discuss recruitment practices that have been tried.
The recommended training program spans one academic year. A large-group meeting
will take place at the start of each semester, for a total of two large-group meetings; smaller-
group meetings will follow during each semester, with a required minimum of two smaller-group
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meetings per semester. Information provided in the large-group meetings will include current
administrative structures and procedures to track data; job aids will be provided to organize data.
Worked examples will be shared to illustrate how to adapt recruiting strategies to the needs of
individual students, and training will be provided that focuses on cultural sensitivity. In the
small-group meetings, participants will debrief their thinking on cultural awareness, and share
examples of how they adapted their own recruiting strategies to individual students.
The training program will address motivation influences through small-group discussions
four times during the year. Models of recruiting approaches will be presented, as well as models
of how to self-reflect. The large-group meetings will teach participants recruiting strategies,
while the small-group meetings will provide opportunities for feedback on individuals’
knowledge and skills.
Components of learning. The recommended program is designed to achieve the
learning goals listed above. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) pointed out that it is more
common for too many resources to be employed in Level 2 Learning than too few resources.
The real goal of learning, they emphasized, is to support the organization’s striving toward its
one unique Level 4 outcome. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) recommended both formative
and summative methods for evaluating learning, listing five components of that learning:
knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and commitment. Table 19 lists the methods and/or
activities for evaluating the five components, along with the timing of the evaluations.
Table 19
Components of Learning for the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”
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Knowledge checks through oral explanations of
current administrative structures and procedures
to track data
During large-group meetings
Knowledge checks through stakeholders creating
their own methods of organizing data
During small-group meetings
Comparison of recruiting results from previous
year to current year
At end of the academic year (summative)
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”
Role-playing to demonstrate and practice the
procedure of adapting recruiting strategies to the
needs of individual students
During small-group meetings
Quality of feedback from peers during role-
playing exercises
During small-group meetings
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Instructor’s observation of participants’
statements and actions demonstrating that they
see the benefit of what they are being asked to do
on the job
During small-group meetings
Discussions of the value of a population of
students from underrepresented groups
During large- and small-group meetings
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”
Participant discussions following practice and
feedback
During small-group meetings
Participant self-assessment and reflection on the
success of their efforts
At end of academic year
Commitment “I will do it on the job.”
Check-in with stakeholders
At the end of the first large-group meeting
Check-in with stakeholders
At first small-group meeting
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Level 1: Reaction
Reaction. In creating a plan according to the New World Kirkpatrick Model
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016), Level 1 is addressed last. It is the simplest of the four levels
to evaluate because one simply asks the training program participants if the training is engaging,
relevant, and satisfying. Evaluations can be formative and summative, although program
participants may need time to process the training before being given summative assessments.
The methods and tools used to measure the three components of Level 1: Reaction are listed in
Table 20, along with the timing of the measurements.
Table 20
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement
Observation by the administrator leading the
training
During large- and small-group meetings
Pulse check
During large- and small-group meetings
Relevance
Discussion among stakeholders
During small-group meetings
Discussion among stakeholders
During last small-group meeting of the year
Customer Satisfaction
Focus groups
During last small-group meeting of the year
Survey items
End of academic year
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Evaluation Tools
Immediately following the program implementation. The proposed program uses
faculty/staff meetings that occur each semester as opportunities to provide training. During
faculty/staff meetings in which training takes place, the coordinator will ask training program
participants formative questions, or Level 1: Reaction pulse checks, to determine how the
training is going. The coordinator also will observe the participants to see if they are engaged in
the training. Immediately after the training session, those who participated will be asked to
complete the evaluation in Appendix F. This summative evaluation includes not only Level 1
items, but also items to determine changes in participants’ knowledge, skills, attitude,
confidence, and commitment—that is, changes in Level 2: Learning.
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick
(2016) recommended timing the second evaluation for after participants have had time to use the
new knowledge and skills, and after the required drivers are active. The proposed program spans
two academic semesters; it is recommended that the evaluation instrument in Appendix G be
given midway through second semester. Using Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2016) Blended
Approach®, this instrument revisits Levels 1 and 2, and adds in Level 3: Behavior and Level 4:
Results. By delaying this second evaluation until the training program participants have had
some time to put their knowledge and skills into practice, results of the training will be clearer,
and areas for future improved training will be identified.
Data Analysis and Reporting
The three critical behaviors for the stakeholders in this study are related to recruiting
strategies, the collection and use of student recruiting data, and sensitivity and understanding of
cultural differences. The outcome of training is stakeholders who use appropriate recruiting
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strategies, based on data and cultural awareness, to identify and enroll students according to the
mission and goals of the CMTP. The cycle of recruitment-application-audition-admission-
enrollment spans the academic year; therefore, the end result of the training is not seen until the
new class enrolls. However, progress can be tracked and reported at points along the way.
Immediately after training, a survey will be administered to the participants. The goal
here is to identify the participants’ learning, and areas that need support going forward. For
example, if a participant cannot identify three types of data that should be tracked for effective
recruiting, a job aid with this information can be shared and reviewed with him/her.
At the end of the first semester, applicant metrics will be reported and assessed. These
include current numbers of prospects, geographic locations of prospects and applicants, and
sources of applicants such as specific schools or community programs. Based on these metrics,
the large-group meeting at the start of the second semester can point out trends, and small group
meetings can be used to reinforce recruiting behaviors so that the final metrics reflect the mission
and goals of the CMTP.
At the end of the spring semester, when new students have enrolled to begin studies in
the fall, data will be gathered for a final report. Data points to include in the report are total
number of applicants, total number of openings by area, total number of offers of admission, and
total number of enrollments. Since the program’s mission covers a specific geographical area,
the previous data point will be tracked by location. The mission also includes a focus on
underrepresented students in classical music, so ethnic and racial data will be included. Finally,
parents of new students will be surveyed to determine their perception of the appropriateness of
recruiting behaviors they observed. Survey data will be used to inform the application cycle for
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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the following year. The figures below are samples of some of the data that will be included in
the final report.
Figure 16. Sample figure showing geographic distribution of applicants.
Figure 17. Sample figure showing geographic distribution of enrolled students.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
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Figure 18. Sample figure showing ethnic and racial distribution of enrolled students.
Summary: The New World Kirkpatrick Model Implementation and Evaluation Plan
The Kirkpatrick Model uses four levels to evaluate the effectiveness of a training
program: reaction, learning, behavior, and results (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). The New
World Kirkpatrick Model upends the original model, looking at results, behavior, learning, and
reaction. This study began with Level 4 results—the organizational and stakeholder goals—and
defined both internal and external outcomes. Leading indicators were identified that can be used
to ascertain whether the stakeholders are progressing toward the goals. Level 3 of the Model
identified critical behaviors, and the required drivers that can be used to reinforce, monitor,
encourage, and reward performance.
Level 2 of the Kirkpatrick Model defined the learning goals and the components related
to this specific study. A training program was designed to address these goals and related
knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and commitment. During the training, shortly after, and
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somewhat later, participants will be asked about their learning, and whether the training was
relevant to their work toward the stated goals.
Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) pointed out that Levels 1 and 2 of the Kirkpatrick
model are about effective training, and Levels 3 and 4 are about training effectiveness. One of
their key recommendations was to spend fewer resources on Levels 1 and 2, and more resources
on Levels 3 and 4. The plan developed in this study provides a structure for connecting
training—Levels 1 and 2—with on-the-job performance—Level 3, and then connecting
performance to results—Level 4. Stated differently, the Kirkpatrick Model begins with training
and then integrates implementation of the training and evaluation of the results so that
expectations are met.
In support of this cycle, Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2016) recommended asking three
key data analysis questions to ensure that training programs are achieving expectations. The first
question to ask is whether the requirements for each level have been met. If they have not been
met, the second question is, Why not? And if expectations have been met, the third question is,
Why? By building the proposed program from Level 4 down to Level 1, the training makes
sense in the context of the organizational and stakeholder goals. And while training is not the
goal itself, following the Kirkpatrick Model ensures that the stakeholders are given the tools to
work toward their goals in an organized manner using a theoretically grounded framework.
The New World Kirkpatrick Model in the context of the CMTP. This study collected
qualitative data in order to answer specific research questions. The program of focus was the
Classical Music Training Program, and the stakeholder group of focus was the combined faculty
and staff. The assumption by the researcher was that faculty and staff were the stakeholders best
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
177
positioned to identify and enroll students in the program. The data told a somewhat different
story.
In the language of the Clark and Estes (2008) framework, the data revealed gaps in
knowledge, motivation, and organizational support. What the researcher has determined is that
the faculty and staff do not have the same relationship to the gaps. The New World Kirkpatrick
Model can be used to train all stakeholders, but in the end, the faculty are not recruiters.
Faculty. As was shown by the data collected during this study, faculty did not see
recruiting as the primary function of their work in the CMTP. At the college level, a faculty
contract might explicitly include recruiting students, but this is not the case for the CMTP
faculty. They need to know the mission of the program and the demographics of the student
population, but they do not necessarily need to know how to use data to recruit. Appendix H
contains three tables showing the knowledge, motivation, and organizational needs that are
relevant to faculty. These needs were not validated, meaning that gaps exist that must be closed.
The gaps can be addressed by the New World Kirkpatrick Model training program presented in
this chapter. The point, though, is that not all needs are relevant to faculty.
Staff. The original concern voiced by the SPCE was whether the program was
identifying and enrolling the right students. Three critical behaviors were articulated by the
researcher, based on the literature and the researcher’s own experience. These three critical
behaviors and the KMO needs associated with them (see Appendix G) apply across the board to
the staff. Staff members must have specific knowledge to reach the goals, they must be
motivated to reach the goals, and the organization must support their efforts to reach the goals.
The needs that were not validated represent gaps that exist in staff knowledge and motivation,
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
178
and in organizational support. The implementation and evaluation plan laid out in this chapter
provides practical solutions to close these gaps.
Recommendations for the CMTP. The following recommendations are made as a
result of this study. There are recommendations for the organization, for staff, and for faculty
and staff combined. The act of recruiting is the responsibility of the staff, but faculty share some
of the same KMO needs, and the organization itself must join in efforts to reach the goals.
• Organization: Based on the data collected and the literature reviewed, the CMTP
should continue to exist, with its specific mission to train students from populations
underrepresented in classical music. Whether it falls under the umbrella of
community engagement or that of pre-college education, the program addresses a
need.
• Organization: The organization must fully embrace the existence of the CMTP, and
be willing to provide resources and visibility to the program.
• Organization: The organization must clarify the relationship between the CMTP and
the LCMTP. Once this is done, marketing and fundraising efforts should proceed
with a full understanding of the difference between the two programs.
• Organization: The organization needs to define the role of artistic advisor. If the
position is to be considered an asset and retained going forward, then it must be
funded and the role of the advisor must be clear not only to the advisor, but also to the
stakeholders.
• Faculty and staff: All stakeholders must know the mission of the program, and must
be clear as to whether the program is a pipeline program or an enrichment program.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
179
• Faculty and staff: All stakeholders need cultural sensitivity and awareness.
Stakeholders need a vocabulary to articulate asset and deficit approaches to recruiting
and training underrepresented students, and to explain the need for the CMTP to exist
separately from the LCMTP. This in turn will help create the cultural settings and
models in which stakeholders are conscious of their assumptions and biases, and
therefore can move beyond them.
• Staff: Staff members must agree upon effective recruiting behaviors for the specific
CMTP target population, and must implement the behaviors ethically.
• Staff: Staff members must become familiar with collecting data and turning it into
actionable knowledge—data-driven decision-making—which can be used to reach
quantitative recruitment and enrollment goals. Using data to identify students for the
program will ultimately provide greater visibility than a broader, less targeted,
approach would.
• Staff: Staff members must create a recruiting plan grounded in cultural awareness and
clear as to assigned responsibilities. This must be communicated to faculty, so that
they understand how they can best assist in the identification and recruitment of
students for the program.
These recommendations are specific to the CMTP and its parent organization. They are a
practical outcome to this study, and are articulated for the purpose of helping the CMTP and its
stakeholders achieve their fullest potential.
Limitations and Delimitations
This qualitative study focused on one program, and therefore generalizability is limited.
The purpose in digging deeply into the CMTP was to assist the stakeholders in answering their
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
180
particular question about identifying and recruiting classical music students from
underrepresented populations. Appendix A lists a number of peer institutions and similar
programs, but each program is unique to its institution and its location. To illustrate one point of
difference, some programs, such as the CMTP, focus on the young students, but also provide
opportunities for older students to teach and learn. In contrast, there are other programs that
were created to support the learning of the older students by placing them in situations with
underrepresented students. It is the researcher’s hope that although the qualitative data are not
generalizable, the descriptive data may be transferable to other situations (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016).
A second limitation of this study is that participation in the interviews was voluntary.
Stakeholders who did not participate may hold different opinions than those who participated,
e.g., about the mission, about recruiting, etc. Participant 12 stated that
I think [CMTP] needs to take a look at some of their faculty who are not so committed to
this mission statement…. I think there's some people here who have been here for a while
and they're kind of just going through the motions.
The lack of data from stakeholders who did not participate may mean that some themes were
overlooked, or that some themes would have gained more depth with contrasting data.
This study strove to provide rich descriptive data. In doing so, the possibility of some
findings applying to other situations is increased (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In the end, each
reader must make his or her own determination as to whether the findings are applicable (ibid.).
Recommendations for Further Inquiry
This researcher followed the advice given by Bogdan and Biklen (2007) to “discipline
yourself not to pursue everything” (p. 161). A broader study would have extended the
stakeholder group to include interviews with current students and parents, prospective students
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
181
and parents, and people working at organizations that identify or could potentially identify
students for the program. Including these stakeholders as part of a study would add more
dimensions to the findings. Alternatively, a study focusing on only one of these groups would
provide deeper data for a single facet of the research.
Conclusion
The Classical Music Training Program (CMTP) coexists with the Large Classical Music
Training Program (LCMTP). The two programs enroll students in the same age group, and
provide similar curricula in the same building, on the same day of the week, and yet the
programs are separate. The CMTP mission statement defines that program’s purpose in relation
to a specific demographic. The supervisor of the program worried that they weren’t finding all
the students that could benefit from it. The researcher worried that the reasons for targeting a
specific demographic came from a deficit mindset. The supervisor was asking a Knowledge
questions; the researcher was asking a Motivation question.
Using the Clark and Estes (2008) gap analysis framework and a qualitative approach to
data collection and analysis enabled a deep examination of this particular case. It is the
researcher’s conclusion that the CMTP should continue to exist and serve its population.
Although knowledge, motivation, and organizational gaps were identified, the New World
Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) provides a way to close those gaps. The
result is a stronger program that benefits all stakeholders.
This paper is the culmination of several years of doctoral study. The author was a
classical musician, now turned higher education administrator. What the program and this
dissertation did for the author was to provide a vocabulary for discussing inequities in classical
music. This point is mentioned in concluding the study because if we don’t follow Allsup and
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
182
Shieh (2012) in “naming our world” (p. 49), we will be able to pretend, or continue to pretend,
that all is well, when the data clearly reveal the lack of diversity in the profession. It may be,
though, that given support and resources, other musicians also may find a vocabulary that names
our world. Because, as Bowman (2001) said better than I,
[W]e are not concerned primarily or exclusively with developing things like music
literacy or aesthetic responsiveness or even musicianship. We are necessarily concerned,
at least in part, with who people become, through and as a result of musical instruction
and experiences (p. 16).
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
183
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APPENDIX A
Peer Programs
School Program Name and URL Notes
Cleveland
Institute of
Music
Minority Artist Fellowship for African-
American and Latino students entering grades
7-9
https://www.cim.edu/maf
For underrepresented
youth. Offered through
CIM’s Preparatory and
Continuing Education
Division.
Colburn
School
Jumpstart
https://www.colburnschool.edu/about-
colburn/colburn-los-angeles/community-
engagement/jumpstart/
For low-income students in
first through eighth grades.
Offered through the
Community Engagement
office.
Eastman
School of
Music
(University of
Rochester)
Pathways Program
https://www.esm.rochester.edu/community/path
ways/
For students from the
Rochester City School
District, meant to enrich
RCSD programs. Offered
through the Eastman
Community Music School.
Enrollment is intended to
mirror the ethnic mix of
city schools.
Frost School
of Music
(University of
Miami)
Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program
http://musicreach.frost.miami.edu/index.html
For underserved students in
Miami-Dade County.
Offered through the
Community Education and
Engagement Program
Juilliard
School
Music Advancement Program (MAP)
https://www.juilliard.edu/school/preparatory-
education/music-advancement-program
For students from diverse
backgrounds. Offered
through the Preparatory
Education Division
San Francisco
Conservatory
of Music
Conservatory in the Schools
https://sfcm.edu/student-life/professional-
development-and-engagement-
center/employment-opportunities/campus-0
Uses SFCM students to
provide intensive support
for music programs in
disadvantaged San
Francisco schools. Offered
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194
through the Community
Engagement office
Thornton
School of
Music
(University of
Southern
California)
Community Engagement Program
https://music.usc.edu/departments/scholarly-
and-professional-studies/community-
engagement/
Uses USC Thornton
students to provide
learning opportunities for
USC’s Family of Schools
(these are 15 schools in the
area surrounding USC)
Yale School
of Music
(Yale
University)
Music in Schools Initiative
http://music.yale.edu/community/music-in-
schools/
Uses YSM grad students as
teaching artists in the New
Haven Public Schools and
other organizations.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
195
APPENDIX B
Recruitment Text
The text provided here will be used in an email to the stakeholder group of focus, as well as in a
spoken presentation.
Dear Faculty/Staff Member:
I am writing to you with the approval of the Assistant Dean to ask for your help in my
research project. I am enrolled in the Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and
Leadership program at the University of Southern California. I am investigating the question of
diversity and talent among classical musicians, specifically within the CMTP. My interest in this
topic comes from my own experience as an orchestral musician, and my observations of various
training programs over the years.
To provide data for my research project, I wish to interview the faculty and staff of the
CMTP, and also to conduct observations. The questions that I seek to answer are:
• What are the knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors that influence your
ability to identify, recruit, and enroll students in the program?
• What gaps exist between these factors and successful recruitment?
• What are the recommended solutions to bridging these gaps?
The interviews and observations will take place on site, at your convenience. The
interview will last approximately 90 minutes, although this can be broken into two parts if that is
more convenient for you. The observation will last 30 minutes or less. During the interview, and
following the observation, I will check back with you to make sure that I am accurately capturing
what you are saying.
Your participation in this research is completely voluntary. Any personally identifiable
information obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential. Your responses will
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
196
be reported under a pseudonym. The recommendations resulting from my study will be shared
with the institution’s leadership, with all personally identifiable information removed.
Implementation of any recommendations will be entirely at the discretion of the institution.
You will not be paid for participating, other than the intrinsic reward of contributing to
the development and growth of the CMTP. For the sake of current and future students, I hope
that you will agree to be part of this study.
I can be reached at ktesar@usc.edu or 310-435-1063.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
197
APPENDIX C
Interview Protocol
Researcher: Kathleen Tesar Interview Number: _________________________
Date of Interview: __________________ Time In/Time Out: _______________________
Location of Interview: __________________________________________________________
Respondent (Name): ____________________________________________________________
Role (Staff or Faculty): __________________________________________________________
Introduction
Interviewer:
Thank you for taking time to meet with me today. This interview is part of my dissertation
research for the Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership program at
the University of Southern California. I am investigating the question of diversity and talent,
specifically within the CMTP. My interest in this topic comes from my own experience as an
orchestral musician, and my observations of various training programs over the years.
Your participation in this interview is completely voluntary. We can skip any question or stop
the interview at any time. Any identifiable information obtained in connection with this study
will remain confidential. Your responses will be reported under a pseudonym. If you have no
objection, I will record our conversation; the recording will be deleted after it is transcribed.
The results of my study will be shared with the institution’s leadership, with all personally
identifiable information removed. Implementation of any recommendations will be entirely at
the discretion of the institution.
I am interested in your experiences with the program, and your opinions about several aspects
of it. There are no right or wrong answers and again, your answers are confidential. In order
to arrive at a deep understanding, this interview will take about 90 minutes. Do you have any
questions? May we begin?
Background Questions
What is your relationship with the program: staff member, faculty, parent?
How long have you been with the program?
What got you interested in the program at first?
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
198
Knowledge Questions
Describe what it means to you to recruit for this program. (declarative knowledge)
• Probes:
o Describe target populations
How do you go about recruiting? (procedural knowledge)
• Probes:
o Describe how you use data to recruit more effectively, if you use it at all.
o If you don’t use data, why not?
What is your concept of recruiting ethics? Describe how data could help you recruit. (conceptual
knowledge)
• Probes:
o Describe how knowing ethics can strengthen your recruiting efforts, or not.
Describe your own background and how that affects your approach to recruiting for this
program. How do you think your background and approach affects students’ perception of the
organization and its values? (metacognitive knowledge)
• Probes:
o What do you think the organization needs to reflect on in order to improve the
program?
Motivation Questions
Tell me what you think are the organization’s values. Do these align with your own values?
(value)
• Probes:
o What structures does the organization have in place to support its values?
What do you value in particular about the program? Do you expect your efforts will contribute to
the success of the program? (expectancy/value)
• Probes:
o How do your efforts compare to others’ efforts?
o Has your participation in the program changed your understanding of the
students?
o Which of these tasks are the most valuable to you:
▪ Visiting schools
▪ Talking with parents
▪ Discussing recruitment results with other stakeholders
Describe how you feel about the program, and about recruiting students into the program. (mood)
• Probes:
o How would you rate your own cultural sensitivity and awareness?
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199
o Describe how you feel about the structures that are currently in place to help you
recruit.
How confident are you in your ability to approach prospective students and recruit them to the
program? Why do you persist in recruiting students to the program? (self-efficacy)
• Probes:
o To what degree are you able to use data to recruit?
o To what degree do you feel culturally aware and able to be sensitive to
prospective students from different backgrounds?
o How much time per week do you spend on recruiting activities?
What are some of the reasons you are successful in recruiting students for this program? When
you are not successful, what are the reasons? (attribution)
• Probes:
o Do you feel the organization is successful in recruiting students? Why or why
not?
Organization Questions
What is the organizational goal? What resources does the organization give you in support of
that goal? (resources)
• Probes:
o Describe what you identify as impediments to reaching the organizational goal.
o Have you been given any instruction on appropriate recruiting behaviors? If so,
what are these behaviors?
o Do you have time to interact with prospective students? Are you compensated for
your time?
o What is the most important thing that the organization does to support your
recruiting efforts?
Describe the policies, processes, and procedures related to recruiting students for the program.
(policies, processes, procedures)
• Probes:
o What policies, processes, and procedures could be created to improve recruitment
results? To improve recruitment efforts?
o Do you feel the organization communicates its policies, processes, and procedures
effectively to you and other stakeholders? How so?
What are your feelings about the organization’s culture in relation to recruiting students for the
program? (cultural setting)
• Probes:
o Describe your feelings about the organization’s cultural awareness.
o Describe your feelings about data-driven recruitment. Does the organizational
culture support the use of data? Is using data a good idea, in your opinion?
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
200
To what extent does the organization seem to be culturally aware in relation to this program? To
what extent is that awareness shared by stakeholders? (cultural models)
• Probes:
o In what ways is this program unique?
o To what extent do you feel the organization holds you responsible for recruiting
results?
o To what extent do you feel the organization holds you responsible for using data
to recruit?
o To what extent do you feel the organization holds you responsible for being
culturally aware?
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201
APPENDIX D
Information Sheet
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Diversity and talent: How to identify and recruit classical music students from among
underrepresented populations
You are invited to participate in a research study. Your participation is voluntary. This
document explains information about this study. Please ask questions about anything that is
unclear to you.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to examine how to identify and recruit classical music students from
underrepresented populations for enrollment in the Music Advancement Program at The Juilliard
School.
PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to participate in an interview with the
researcher. The interview will take approximately 90 minutes, and will be conducted onsite at
Juilliard. If a time cannot be arranged at this location, other times and locations will be
considered for your convenience. The interview will be conversational, and follow-up questions
may be asked as well. The interview will be audio recorded. You do not have to answer any
questions you do not wish to answer, and you will be free to stop the interview at any time.
ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION
Your alternative is to not participate. Your relationship with MAP will not be affected whether
you participate in this study or not.
CONFIDENTIALITY
There will be no identifiable information obtained in connection with this study. Your name,
address, or other identifiable information will not be collected. Only the researcher will have
access to the audio recordings. The audio files will be destroyed once they have been
transcribed. The transcripts will be stored on password-protected computers in a secure location.
The members of the research team and the University of Southern California’s Human Subjects
Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews and monitors research
studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.
When the results of the research are published or discussed, no identifiable information will be
used.
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202
INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about the study, please contact the following individuals:
Principal Investigator
Kathleen Tesar
ktesar@usc.edu
310-435-1063
Faculty Advisor
Melora Sundt
msundt@usc.edu
310-403-6671
IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los
Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
203
APPENDIX E
Critical Behaviors and KMO Needs
This appendix shows the knowledge, motivation, and organization needs organized according to
the three critical behaviors.
Table E1
Critical behaviors and knowledge needs
Critical Behavior
Declarative
Knowledge
Procedural
Knowledge
Conceptual
Knowledge
Metacognitive
Knowledge
Recruiting
behaviors:
Stakeholders
effectively
implement
recruitment
behaviors
appropriate to the
target population.
Declarative
Knowledge
Need #1:
Stakeholders
know effective
recruiting
behaviors.
Validated.
Procedural
Knowledge
Need #1.
Stakeholders
know how to
implement
recruiting
behaviors.
Conceptual
Knowledge Need
#1. Stakeholders
have a
conceptual
understanding of
recruiting ethics.
Metacognitive
Knowledge
Need #1.
Stakeholders
understand how
their behavior
impacts
students’
perception of
the organization
and its values.
Procedural
Knowledge
Need #2.
Stakeholders
know how to
adapt recruiting
strategies to the
needs of the
individual
students.
Data: Stakeholders
create administrative
structures and
procedures to track
recruitment efforts,
and use the data
gathered to further
inform recruitment.
Declarative
Knowledge
Need #2.
Stakeholders
know what data
should be
tracked, what
administrative
structures and
procedures
Procedural
Knowledge
Need #3.
Stakeholders
know how to
use structures
and procedures
to gather data.
Conceptual
Knowledge
Need #2.
Stakeholders
have a
conceptual
understanding of
using data to
support
Metacognitive
Knowledge
Need #2.
Stakeholders
reflect on how
to use data to
improve
recruitment
results.
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204
currently exist
to track data,
and what
structures and
procedures
need to be
added so that
data can be
tracked and
used for
effective
recruiting.
recruitment
decisions.
Cultural awareness:
Stakeholders
demonstrate cultural
sensitivity/awareness
in their construction
of the curriculum,
interaction with
prospective and
current students, and
implementation of
recruiting strategies.
Declarative
Knowledge
Need #3.
Stakeholders
know the
demographics
of the
population
targeted for
recruitment.
Validated.
Procedural
Knowledge
Need #4.
Stakeholders
know how to
approach
different
constituents
appropriately,
based on
knowledge of
their cultures.
Conceptual
Knowledge
Need #3.
Stakeholders
have a
conceptual
understanding of
the goal of
recruiting
underrepresented
students using a
mastery
orientation
approach.
Metacognitive
Knowledge
Need #3.
Stakeholders
reflect on their
own cultural
sensitivity and
awareness,
achieving
equipoise in
their
interactions
with people of
different
backgrounds.
Table E2
Critical behaviors and motivation needs
Critical Behavior Value Expectancy-
Value
Mood Self-
Efficacy
Attribution
Recruiting
behaviors:
Stakeholders
effectively
implement
recruitment
behaviors
appropriate to
Value Need
#1:
Stakeholders
value diversity,
and the goal of
diversity
within the
student
Expectancy-
Value Need
#1:
Stakeholder
s value the
goal of
enrolling
underrepres
ented
Mood Need
#1:
Stakeholders
feel positive
about the
program and
their efforts to
recruit
Self-
Efficacy
Need #1:
Stakehold
ers are
confident
in their
ability to
approach
Attribution
Need #1:
Stakeholders
believe they
are capable of
identifying
and recruiting
students from
underrepresen
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
205
the target
population.
population.
Validated.
students,
and expect
success in
enrolling
students.
underrepresent
ed students.
prospecti
ve
students
from
backgrou
nds
different
from
their
own.
ted
populations
through their
own efforts.
Data:
Stakeholders
create
administrative
structures and
procedures to
track recruitment
efforts, and use
the data gathered
to further inform
recruitment.
Value Need
#2:
Stakeholders
value the
administrative
structures that
support their
efforts to
recruit a
diverse
population.
Expectancy-
Value Need
#2:
Stakeholder
s value
using data
to increase
enrollment
and expect
success in
using
structures,
procedures,
and data to
recruit and
enroll
students.
Mood Need
#2:
Stakeholders
feel positive
about the
structures and
procedures
used to recruit
students.
Self-
Efficacy
Need #2:
Stakehol
ders are
confident
in their
abilities
to use
data to
enhance
recruitme
nt
efforts.
Attribution
Need #2:
Stakeholders
believe they
are capable
of using data
to enhance
recruitment
efforts.
Cultural
awareness:
Stakeholders
demonstrate
cultural
sensitivity/aware
ness in their
construction of
the curriculum,
interaction with
prospective and
current students,
and
implementation
of recruiting
strategies.
Value Need
#3:
Stakeholders
value talent,
and the goal of
enrolling
underrepresent
ed students
who have the
talent but have
lacked the
opportunity to
join such a
program as
theirs.
Validated.
Expectancy-
Value Need
#3:
Stakeholder
s value
becoming
more
culturally
aware and
expect
success in
their efforts
to deepen
their
understandi
ng of
cultural
Mood Need
#3:
Stakeholders
feel positive
about their
cultural
sensitivity and
awareness.
Self-
Efficacy
Need #3:
Stakehol
ders are
confident
in their
ability to
be
culturally
aware
and
sensitive.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
206
sensitivity
and
awareness.
Table E3
Critical behaviors and organization needs
Critical Behavior Resources Policies,
Processes, &
Procedures
Cultural
Settings
Cultural Models
Recruiting
behaviors:
Stakeholders
effectively
implement
recruitment
behaviors
appropriate to the
target population.
Resource Need
#1: The
organization
ensures that
stakeholders
know what the
goal is.
PPP Need #1:
The organization
supports the
creation of
policies,
processes, and
procedures
consistent with
the organization’s
existing ones so
that stakeholders
may implement
effective
recruiting
behaviors.
Cultural
Settings Need
#1: The
organization’s
culture ensures
that appropriate
recruitment
behaviors are
understood and
implemented.
Cultural Models
Need #1:
Stakeholders
consciously
understand how
their mental
models affect
their success in
implementing
appropriate
recruitment
behavior, thus
affecting the
unspoken
cultural model.
Resource Need
#2: The
stakeholders
have the time
to learn and
implement
appropriate
recruitment
behaviors.
PPP Need #2:
The organization
has an effective
process by which
to communicate
necessary
information about
policies,
processes, and
procedures
related to the
recruitment of
underrepresented
students to
stakeholders.
Validated.
Resource Need
#5: The
organization
has the
resources to
compensate the
stakeholders
for their time in
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
207
learning and
implementing
strategies to
reach their
goals.
Data: Stakeholders
create administrative
structures and
procedures to track
recruitment efforts,
and use the data
gathered to further
inform recruitment.
Resource Need
#3: The
stakeholders
have the time
and money to
create
administrative
structures and
procedures that
support the
gathering of
data for
recruitment
purposes.
Cultural
Settings Need
#2: The
organization’s
culture supports
the creation of
data-driven
recruiting.
Cultural Models
Need #2:
Stakeholders
have a shared
understanding
of the purpose
of gathering
data to meet
stakeholder
goals, and the
organization
holds them
responsible for
results.
Cultural awareness:
Stakeholders
demonstrate cultural
sensitivity/awareness
in their construction
of the curriculum,
interaction with
prospective and
current students, and
implementation of
recruiting strategies.
Resource Need
#4: The
stakeholders
have the time
to implement
culturally-
aware
recruitment
strategies by
interacting with
prospective and
current
students.
PPP Need #3:
The organization
has an effective
process by which
to communicate
necessary
information about
policies,
processes, and
procedures
related to cultural
awareness to
stakeholders.
Cultural
Settings Need
#3: The
organization’s
culture supports
culturally aware
interactions
with
prospective and
current
students.
Cultural Models
Need #3: The
stakeholders and
the organization
together create a
shared model
that is culturally
aware, so that
interactions with
prospective and
current students
are positive and
result in
successful
implementation
of recruiting
strategies and
curriculum.
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208
APPENDIX F
Evaluation Instrument for Levels 1 and 2, immediately after training (written survey)
1. The setting of a faculty meeting supported engagement. (Engagement, Level 1:
Reaction)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
2. What I learned in the training will help me recruit for the program. (Relevance, Level 1:
Reaction)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
3. How could this training be improved? (Customer Satisfaction, Level 1: Reaction)
Open-ended question
4. List three types of data that should be tracked for effective recruiting. (Declarative
Knowledge, Level 2: Learning)
5. Describe one recruiting strategy that you would use with a student who is from a
background different than your own. (Procedural Knowledge, Level 2: Learning)
Open-ended question
6. Having cultural sensitivity and awareness is valuable to me on the job. (Attitude, Level
2: Learning)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
7. My confidence about applying what I learned here is not high because: (Confidence,
Level 2: Learning)
a. I did not understand the concepts being taught.
b. I do not have a clear picture of how to apply what I learned.
c. I do not feel the need to change the way I have always done things.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
209
d. Other (please explain):
8. I feel prepared to apply what I learned today. (Commitment, Level 2: Learning)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
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210
APPENDIX G
Delayed Blended Evaluation Instrument
1. The number of applicants in my area has increased as a result of applying this training.
(Leading Indicator: External; Level 4: Results)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
2. As a result of this training, I feel more engaged in the process of recruiting students from
underrepresented populations. (Leading Indicator: Internal; Level 4: Results Training
and Evaluation)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
3. I feel encouraged and supported by my peers and supervisor to apply what I learned.
(Required Driver: Encouragement; Level 3: Behavior)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
4. I have been able to apply what I learned in the training to student recruitment. (Level 3:
Behavior)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
5. Describe any challenges you are experiencing in applying what you learned to student
recruitment. What are some possible solutions for these challenges? (Level 3: Behavior)
Open-ended question
6. My skill at interacting with prospective students from backgrounds that are different than
mine has improved because of this training. (Skills, Delayed Level 2: Learning)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
7. My knowledge of cultural differences was heightened by this program. (Knowledge,
Delayed Level 2: Learning)
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
211
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
8. This training was a good use of my time. (Customer Satisfaction, Delayed Level 1:
Reaction)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
9. Was there any information in this course that is not relevant to your job? If so, what?
(Relevance, Delayed Level 1: Reaction)
Open-ended question
10. I have had occasion in my job to use what I learned in this training program.
(Engagement, Delayed Level 1: Reaction)
Strongly agree – Agree – Disagree – Strongly disagree
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212
APPENDIX H
Faculty Needs
Assumed Knowledge Need
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Stakeholders know the demographics
of the population targeted for
recruitment (Declarative Knowledge
Need #2). Validated.
Stakeholders know how to approach
different constituents appropriately,
based on knowledge of their cultures.
(Procedural Knowledge Need #4).
The use of metacognitive
strategies facilitates
learning (Baker, 2006;
Clark & Estes, 2008).
Provide stakeholders
with education in
which stakeholders are
taught about why
things happen and
what causes them to
happen, so that they
can handle unexpected
and novel situations.
Stakeholders understand how their
behavior impacts students’ perception
of the organization and its values.
(Metacognitive Knowledge Need #1)
The use of metacognitive
strategies facilitates
learning (Baker, 2006).
Provide stakeholders
with training that
includes opportunities
to engage in guided
self-monitoring and
self-assessment.
Stakeholders reflect on their own
cultural sensitivity and awareness,
achieving equipoise in their
interactions with people of different
backgrounds. (Metacognitive
Knowledge Need #3)
The use of metacognitive
strategies facilitates
learning (Baker, 2006).
Equipoise is the ability to
serenely monitor the
movements of one’s own
mind and correct for biases
and shortcomings (Brooks,
2011).
Provide stakeholders
with training that
focuses on cultural
sensitivity, and which
includes opportunities
to debrief the thinking
process to heighten
awareness of their
own assumptions and
biases.
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213
Assumed Motivation Need
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
Stakeholders value diversity, and the
goal of diversity within the student
population (Value Need #1).
Validated.
Stakeholders value talent, and the
goal of enrolling underrepresented
students who have the talent but have
lacked the opportunity to join such a
program as theirs (Value Need #3).
Validated.
Stakeholders value becoming more
culturally aware, and expect success
in their efforts to deepen their
understanding of cultural sensitivity
and awareness. (Expectancy-Value
Need #3)
Rationales that include a
discussion of the
importance and utility
value of the work or
learning can help learners
develop positive values
(Eccles, 2006; Pintrich,
2003).
Discuss with
stakeholders the
importance of
recruiting classical
music students from
underrepresented
populations so that
students have equal
opportunity and so
that the profession
benefits from all
talented musicians,
and provide rationales
about the importance
and value (intrinsic,
extrinsic, utility, and
cost values) of the
task.
Stakeholders feel positive about their
cultural sensitivity and awareness.
(Mood Need #3)
Positive emotional
environments support
motivation (Clark & Estes,
2008).
Modeling to-be-learned
strategies or behaviors
improves self-efficacy,
learning, and performance
(Denler, Wolters, &
Benzon, 2009).
Help stakeholders
acquire new behaviors
through demonstration
and modeling,
supporting positive
feelings as a result.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
214
Stakeholders are confident in their
ability to approach prospective
students from backgrounds different
from their own (Self-Efficacy Need
#1)
Feedback and modeling
increase self-efficacy
(Pajares, 2006).
Provide stakeholders
with opportunities to
observe a credible,
similar model
approaching
prospective students
from backgrounds
different from their
own.
Set close, concrete,
and challenging goals
that allow
stakeholders to
experience success at
the task.
Provide feedback that
balances comments
about strengths with
comments about
challenges.
Stakeholders are confident in their
ability to be culturally aware and
sensitive. (Self-Efficacy Need #3)
Higher expectations for
success and perceptions of
confidence can positively
influence learning and
motivation (Eccles, 2006)
Model self-reflection
as a way of deepening
stakeholders’ cultural
sensitivity and
awareness.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
215
Assumed Organizational Need
Principle and Citation Context-Specific
Recommendation
The organization ensures that
stakeholders know what the goal is.
(Resources Need #1)
Goals motivate and direct
people (Pintrich, 2003).
Communicate goals to
stakeholders.
Stakeholders have the time to
implement culturally-aware
recruitment strategies by interacting
with prospective and current students.
(Resources Need #4)
Facilitate interaction to
develop new mental
models and sense-making
(Kezar, 2001).
Organizations must
provide resources, tools,
and strategies to facilitate
change (Moran &
Brightman, 2000).
Provide opportunities
for stakeholders to
interact with
prospective and
current students.
The organization has the resources to
compensate the stakeholders for their
time in learning and implementing
strategies to reach their goals.
(Resources Need #5)
Organizations are resource-
dependent; change cannot
succeed without resources
(Kezar, 2001).
Provide equitable
compensation for time
spent learning and
implementing
recruiting strategies.
The organization has an effective
process by which to communicate
necessary information about policies,
processes, and procedures related to
cultural awareness to stakeholders.
(Policies, Processes, and Procedures
Need #3)
Interact often,
communicate the change to
legitimize it, close the gaps
in understanding (Moran &
Brightman, 2000).
Build communication
about policies,
processes, and
procedures into
regularly scheduled
meetings.
The organization’s culture supports
culturally aware interactions with
prospective and current students.
(Cultural Setting Need #3)
Settings are the context in
which cultural models are
played out (Rueda, 2011)
Those outside the
community learn to value
what everyone has to say,
and don’t speak as the
experts; balance silence
and speaking; exercise
cultural humility (Chavez,
et al., 2008)
Provide opportunities
for stakeholders to
discuss cultural
humility.
Provide opportunities
for stakeholders to
discuss and
understand how the
program is perceived
in the community.
RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
216
Stakeholders and the organization
together create a shared model that is
culturally aware, so that interactions
with prospective and current students
are positive and result in successful
implementation of recruiting
strategies. (Cultural Model Need #3)
Organizational
development assumes that
paying attention to self-
actualization will change
an organization, but the
goals and direction of the
organization, and
performance-related
support and awards, must
be conscious for change to
be successful (Schneider,
B., Brief, A., & Guzzo, R.,
1996).
Discuss cultural
awareness, and
culturally aware
interactions, with
stakeholders to arrive
at a conscious, shared
model.
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
A number of programs exist that were created to diversify classical music by training students from underrepresented populations, in particular African‐American and Hispanic/Latino populations. This qualitative study examined the recruiting practices of one such classical music training program for pre‐college‐age students from predominantly African‐American and Hispanic/Latino backgrounds. A gap analysis using in‐depth interviews of program faculty and staff, supplemented with historical enrollment data, was conducted to identify the knowledge, motivation, and organizational factors that influenced stakeholders’ abilities to meet the program’s recruitment goals. The search for answers to what was posed as a recruiting question led to practical solutions using the New World Kirkpatrick Model, but also included examination of asset‐ versus deficit‐based approaches.
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Tesar, Kathleen
(author)
Core Title
Diversity and talent: how to identify and recruit classical music students from among underrepresented populations
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)
Publication Date
04/30/2018
Defense Date
02/07/2018
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
(digital)
Tag
asset‐based,Classical music,deficit‐based,diversity,gap analysis,KMO,music,OAI-PMH Harvest,pre‐college,student recruitment,talent,underrepresented
Format
application/pdf
(imt)
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Sundt, Melora (
committee chair
), Awe, Jennifer (
committee member
), Cutietta, Robert (
committee member
)
Creator Email
kat200711@gmail.com,ktesar@usc.edu
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-497132
Unique identifier
UC11268222
Identifier
etd-TesarKathl-6286.pdf (filename),usctheses-c40-497132 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
etd-TesarKathl-6286.pdf
Dmrecord
497132
Document Type
Dissertation
Format
application/pdf (imt)
Rights
Tesar, Kathleen
Type
texts
Source
University of Southern California
(contributing entity),
University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses
(collection)
Access Conditions
The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...
Repository Name
University of Southern California Digital Library
Repository Location
USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA
Tags
asset‐based
deficit‐based
gap analysis
KMO
pre‐college
student recruitment
talent
underrepresented