World Music Pedagogy in the United States Middle School

In an applied action research study examining the effectiveness of World Music Pedagogy, two 6th grade general music classes made Andean music through singing, playing raft pipes and creating Andean-styled music, one class via Western transmission techniques and the other via a transmission process modeled after that used by indigenous Andean highland musicians. Both groups' learning outcomes were evaluated on the presence and quality of Andean musical characteristics included in their compositions, the methods of Andean musical skill building used to create music, and the development and strength of the group relationship as it pertained to the creation and performance of Andean music. Ultimately, the Western class students had difficulty creating music that contained Andean musical characteristics, developing their Andean musical skills as individuals rather than in groups. The Andean class students created music communally and developed Andean music making skills in small groups, mimicking the music culture of the Andean