| The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of Taiwanese general music teachers as they developed and used class portfolios as a basis for reflective planning and teaching. This was accomplished through an examination of reports of three elementary general music teachers about materials collected for the portfolios, the ways they used portfolio materials in planning and teaching, the difficulties and frustrations they encountered in compiling class portfolios, and the benefits formulated as a result of using a class portfolio.; This qualitative study examined the thoughts and feelings of three purposefully selected elementary music teachers from Nantou County, Taiwan. These teachers assembled portfolios of their own planning materials and students' work and regularly reflected on their teaching and student learning as evidenced by the items collected. The data for the study consisted of transcripts from group discussions, individual interviews, lesson plans and other materials developed by the teachers, and field notes taken by the researcher. An analysis of these materials provided insight into the teachers' experience: the degree to which their reflections influenced their teaching practice and the practicality of assembling such portfolios.; Teachers were requested to compile materials that would provide an accounting of what they did in class and that would be useful in their planning for future instruction. All three participants included video recordings of class activities, checklists of student accomplishments, list of goals for the class, lesson plans, and their own journals. Each teacher's unique interests and teaching style resulted in some individual differences in other items placed in the portfolios. The participants indicated that there was a relationship between their experiences with class portfolios and (1) goal setting, (2) instructional planning, (3) instructional strategies, (4) classroom management, (5) interactions with students, and (6) assessment. Three specific sources of frustrations for teachers working with portfolios in general music classes included: (1) time, (2) technology, and (3) confidence. All participants expressed the opinion that developing and using class portfolios was very time consuming, but that the process was beneficial to their teaching. They reported several benefits gained from the use of class portfolios: (1) reflective thinking, (2) effective teaching, and (3) student centeredness.; In general, it can be concluded that the experience of developing and using a class portfolio was positive and beneficial for the teachers who participated in this study. |
