Music history pedagogy: Three approaches to teaching a one-semester music history survey course in accordance with the LEAP Initiative

Music appreciation is a popular General Education course at the university level and is included as a survey course for music majors at many universities, yet there is not a consensus on the "correct" way to teach the course. Many pedagogical approaches have been explored; each having its merits, and it is probable that there will never be unanimous agreement among music educators regarding which approach is the most effective. Three pedagogical approaches in particular have been effective; namely the analytical approach, the historical approach, and the contextual approach as described by professor of music Dr. Lewis W. Gordon. These approaches were applied in a onesemester survey music history course with the goal of analyzing which is the most effective in teaching freshman music majors. The assessment of these results will be discussed, and suggestions of ways to incorporate these methodologies into teaching will be offered. These approaches will also be discussed in their accordance with the Essential Learning Outcomes of AAC&U's LEAP initiative.