
Assistant Professor of Music and Human Learning
Justin J. West is Assistant Professor in Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas, where he teaches courses on musical development, qualitative methods, sociology of music education, and law and policy in arts education. He was previously Assistant Professor of Music Education at Louisiana State University.
Dr. West is a scholar of music teacher learning and professional development, with articles published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, Arts Education Policy Review, Journal of Music Teacher Education, General Music Today, International Journal of Research in Choral Singing, International Journal for Research in Education, and Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education. He facilitates the Professional Development for Music Teachers ASPA, a working group within the Society for Music Teacher Education, and was co-editor of a 2022 special issue of the International Journal for Research in Education on teacher learning during the pandemic. He has also written or presented on teacher self-efficacy, arts education policy, teacher social capital, and middle and high school choir program building. Dr. West is a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Research in Choral Singing and presents frequently at conferences across the U.S. For his scholarly work, he was recognized at LSU with a 2021 Rising Faculty Research Award.
Dr. West earned a Ph.D. in music education, with cognates in educational research and administration, from the University of North Texas; an M.A. in music and music education from Columbia University; and a B.M. in choral music education, magna cum laude, from Lamar University. A native Texan, he previously taught choir, AP music theory, and piano in the Houston area and holds active teacher and principal certifications. A lifelong church musician (choir director, pianist, organist), Dr. West is Director of Music at Calvary Episcopal Church in Bastrop.
MUS 354C
Musical Development of Children I
MUS 354D
Musical Development of Children II
MUS 393
Qualitative Research in Music
MUS 393
Law and Policy in Arts Education
West, J. J., & Bowers, J. P. (2022). (Re)building the secondary school choir program: An organizational perspective. International Journal of Research in Choral Singing, 10, 19–44
West, J. J., & Bautista, A. (2022). Global perspectives on teacher professional development: Navigating the pandemic. International Journal for Research in Education, 46(1), 1–27.
West, J. J., Stanley, A. M., & Appova, A. K. (2022). Exogenous shocks and teachers’ motivation to learn: Pandemic and professional development in the United States. International Journal for Research in Education, 46(1), 261–308.
West, J. J., Stanley, A. M., Bowers, J. P., & Isbell, D. S. (2021). Attrition, (de)motivation, and "effective" music teacher professional development: An instrumental case study. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education.
West, J. J., & Bautista, A. (2021) Greater than the sum of its parts: Promoting systemness in music and arts teacher professional development. Arts Education Policy Review, 122(1), 54–64.
West, J. J. (2020). Is music teacher professional development becoming more effective? Evaluating practice and policy in the U.S., 1993–2012. Journal of Research in Music Education.
West, J. J. (2020). Understanding the process of proximate change following music teachers’ participation in large-scale conferences: A grounded theory. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 225, 67–94.
West, J. J. (2019). From the conference to the classroom: Elevating short-term professional development for lifelong learning. General Music Today, 31(1), 24–28.
West, J. J., & Frey-Clark, M. L. (2019). Traditional versus alternative pathways to certification: Assessing differences in music teacher self-efficacy. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 28(2), 98–111.
West, J. J. (2019). Social capital and music teacher professional development: Principle, policy, and practice. Arts Education Policy Review, 120(1), 33–44.
Contact Information
Email address
justin.
Campus location
MRH 2.204B
Teaching Areas
Music & Human Learning
Research Areas
Music Teacher Learning and Professional Development
Arts Education Policy
Music Program Building
Education
Doctor of Philosophy
University of North Texas
Master of Arts
Columbia University
Bachelor of Music
Lamar University