Seminar in Ethnic Music: Eastern Europe – ETHM 549

Course Description

Concentrated study of a selected ethnic music culture. In scheduling each seminar, consideration will be given to student interest and the availability of appropriate guest musicians.

Rationale

The Seminars in Ethnic Music are intended to provide the student with a more culture specific study than other general ethnomusicology courses. Special attention is given to the contrast between the context, use, and function of music within that culture as a means of identifying cultural insight for the use of indigenous music in worship, discipleship, and mission.

Course Assignment

After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview Section.

Discussions provide opportunities for class conversations on important readings, topics, questions, and issues. The student is required to create a thread or threads in response to prompts for each forum, and in so doing demonstrates course-related knowledge, critical thinking, collaboration, openness to ideas, and the ability to share and defend opinions and perspectives. Replies to peers' threads are also required, furthering the conversation through expansion, sharing new perspectives, asking questions, and the like. Number and length of threads and responses are specified in the assignment instructions.

Peer Review is a useful tool for students to receive feedback on their assignment from others. For this Discussion students will submit the Final Project: Presentation for review and use the critiques of their peers to assist in finalizing their project.

Essay assignment are typically written essays, reflections, or summaries, though some allow flexibility in format. Specific information on and expectations for each assignment is available within each module, as they are linked to readings, presentations, or other course content. In general, written assignments should follow Chicago (Turabian) style.

The final project includes two different forms: a traditional paper and a formal, electronic presentation. It is important in the field of ethnomusicology that the student is able to not only write about what he or she has discovered, but present his or her findings to an audience in a manner that is clear, accessible, and informed. The topic is of the student’s own choosing, but needs to relate to the larger subject of the course and be narrow and specific enough to work as a 10 page paper. The presentation is a summary of the student’s research in a format including, but not limited to a narrated PowerPoint, website, video, multi-media module, Prezi, or podcast.