| With the intent of understanding the music teacher's experience in informal music pedagogy, the purpose of this study was to explore the processes, perceptions, and practices of music teachers as they participated in a professional development community (PDC) to discuss and implement informal music learning practices. This study also investigated the nature of the teachers' participation within the PDC. While many studies have explored the characteristics and processes of students engaged in informal music learning, little research has focused specifically on the experience of music teachers who may have little or no experience with informal music learning practices. There is a need for research that explores how music teachers respond to exploring and implementing informal music pedagogy with their students and the role that a professional development community with other music teachers can play in this process.;This study was an instrumental case study using ethnographic techniques. In this study, the case was a professional development group (PDC) of four elementary general and choral music teachers who read research articles about, discussed, and implemented informal music learning. Data forms included video-recordings of PDC meetings, audio-recordings of semi-structured individual interviews, observations of music classes, comments from a private Facebook group, and collected artifacts. Data were coded and analyzed for emerging themes and trustworthiness was ensured through member checks, peer review, and data triangulation.;Themes emerged in four main areas: (1) "Applications and Perspectives," (2) "Pedagogical Practices Supporting Informal Music Learning," (3) "New Windows into Students' Musicianship," and (4) "The Professional Development Community." The participants developed a variety of applications of informal music learning activities that they implemented in their classrooms, and they began to value the engagement, motivation, and independent musicianship that they saw blossoming in students, although they were concerned about the activities' logistics and the perceptions of others. They employed several pedagogical strategies in implementing informal music learning activities; these strategies fell along a continuum ranging from having more teacher control to more student freedom. The teachers recognized the change in their practice and appreciated how their classrooms were becoming more democratic. As they stepped back to observe students' "messy" processes, they valued the new windows they gained into students' musicianship, including the development of unexpected student performers and leaders. Finally, in the PDC, the teachers developed a collaborative community, felt validated and encouraged by reading research articles, and enjoyed having autonomy in their professional development experience.;Based on the results, I recommended that informal music learning may serve as an approach for music teachers to support independent musicianship and develop a more democratic classroom, but they need support and validation when implementing these concepts. Music teacher education should continue to introduce informal music learning to undergraduates and find ways to help practicing music teachers explore these ideas, and PDCs may serve as a way for music teachers to have autonomy in their professional development, leading to more effective and long-lasting teaching change. Ideas for future research are also discussed. |
