Improvisation is present in music all over the world, and it has been an integral part of music since the beginning of time. Professional organizations, including the National Association for Music Education and the American String Teachers Association, consider improvisation to be an essential part of music education. However, there is a lack of research with regard to improvisation and string music teacher education. With the intent of improving string music teacher education, this study examined the breadth and depth of improvisation in string teacher education, specifically its use in string methods and technique courses. The design of this study most closely resembles that of the Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Design, with elements of the Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Design (Creswell and Plano Clark, 2011). The first phase of the study included a researcher-developed survey regarding the use of improvisation in collegiate string methods and techniques classes. The second phase of the study consisted of follow-up interviews to provide insight into the philosophical and practical applications of improvisation as both a teaching tool and skill for life-long music making and learning. The participants in the first phase of the study included all known string music teacher educators at NASM-accredited schools offering 4-year undergraduate music education degrees. Out of 565 possible participants, 171 responded for a response rate of 30%. The survey results indicate that the majority of string teacher educators are interested in improvisation and feel that it is important to include in music teacher education. Many respondents described improvisation as beneficial to undergraduate music students' musical growth, both technically and expressively, and for the development of teaching skills for pre-service music teachers. However, the results also demonstrate that, while string teacher educators may feel strongly about the importance of improvisation, the majority of respondents included improvisation activities in their classes only sometimes to never. Participants reported time constraints and discomfort with improvisation as impediments to including improvisation in their classes. Many survey participants (n=50) volunteered to take part in the interview portion of this study. The five music teacher educators interviewed not only included improvisation in their teaching but also felt strongly that it was an important component of music education. Analysis of the interview data revealed three main themes: Benefits of Improvisation, Challenges of Improvisation, and Strategies for Incorporating Improvisation. The Benefits of Improvisation theme divided into two sections. The first section, Benefits to Music Students, included the codes Improving Aural Skills, Improving Technique, Creativity, and "Bridging the Gap." The second section of this theme is Benefits for Pre-service Music Teachers. The second theme, Challenges of Improvisation, included the codes Time Constraints and Class Size, and Student Apprehension. The third theme, Strategies for Incorporating Improvisation, includes the following sub-themes: Acknowledging the K-12 Teaching Reality, Creating a Safe Environment, Keeping it Simple, Incorporating Multiple Styles and Genres, Improving Music Teacher Education, and Resources and Opportunities for Professional Development.
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