Communities of Practice that Contribute to Undergraduate Identity Construction: A Case Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine communities of practice that contribute to undergraduate professional identity construction. Participants were music education, performance, and therapy majors in a university school of music in the southern United States. Each participant completed an online survey regarding their experiences in school of music communities and the extent to which these communities developed their professionalism. Descriptive and correlational analyses of data show strong connections between school of music communities of practice and self-concept as a music educator, performer, or therapist. School of music communities of practice influence students’ views of themselves and how they believe others perceive them. Within these communities, student interaction and collaboration with their professors in a variety of settings inspire students to organize concrete images of the knowledge, competence, and professional work needed as a professional.