Minutes Dec. 2010

Minutes for the Third Annual Meeting of the NYSSMA Research Committee

Saturday, December 4, 2009
11:45 AM
Rochester Radisson Board Room- Rochester, NY

Committee Members in Attendance: Janice Smith, Mark Campbell, Donna Brink Fox, Maria Runfola, Melissa Natale-Abramo, Michael Albertson

Others in Attendance: Beth Etopio, David Gaines

The meeting was called to order at 11:59 AM by committee chair, Janice Smith.

Janice Smith will request lunch for 2011 meeting: salad (no meat), chips and soda

I. Review of Research Gallery

  • Continuing to grow—13 presenters this year
  • If tables are placed perpendicular to windows rather than parallel, gallery can accommodate 26 boards.
  • Gallery will be limited to only Saturdays at future conferences—security concerns over equipment is a concern for two-day presentations.

II. Research Sessions

  • Only one was turned down this year due to similarity to previously accepted research.
  •  Session calls for 2011 conference due by January 15, 2011.  Submit directly to Janice Smith.
  •  Research gallery poster calls will go out on April 1, 2011 and will be due no later than May 15, 2011.
  • The committee agreed to continue to pursue goal set at last year’s meeting to have sessions on data collection.  Other possible topics: “How to Make Valid Evaluations from Assessments”, “How to Interpret Data.”  Maria Runfola volunteers to work on session, tentatively titled, “Creating Valid Assessment: What is Valid Assessment?”
  • In regard to developing anonymous surveys of NYSSMA members:
  1. Two good proposals were received.
  2. Maria Runfola feels that this method works great, but also suggests investing in a Mac to better collect and process data.

III. Articles for School Music News

  • April 2011 (due February 15)—Donna Brink Fox will find researcher
  • May/June 2011 (due March 15)—Undecided.   Maria Runfola may have two students,
  • Donna Brink Fox will ask one of her students.
  • September 2011 (due July 15)—Mark Campbell?
  • October 2011(due August 15)—Donna Brink Fox
  • November 2011 (due September 15)— Melissa Natale-Abramo will speak to her contacts at Columbia.         
  • Janice Smith will write for December 2011 and January 2012 issues.
  • Melissa Natale-Abramo poses the idea that poster presenters can turn their research into articles for SMN.

IV. Other Business

  • David Gaines thanks committee for keeping research in focus  for NYSSMA.
  • Mark Campbell suggests that NYSSMA leadership set the focus and direction for research in the state.  Dr. Campbell also stated that “research should inform policy” and passionately argued for the mandate, “Music education is important!  It makes a difference.”
  • Donna Brink Fox would like funding for research to be more available and visible.
  • Janice Smith proposed having mini-grants–$2,000.00 split into four grants of $500.00 to go towards research for poster sessions and SMN articles.  She also asks the committee, “Should we ask NYSSMA for this money?”  The “yeas” were unanimous. 

The meeting was adjourned at 12:45 PM.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Michael Albertson on Friday, December 10, 2010.