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Abstract

The use of the ukulele in classrooms and communities is growing, and, as a result, so is meaningful musical engagement from people of all ages. In this collective case study, I described the perspectives of three different music teachers and discussed how they implement the ukulele in diverse settings. Research questions were (a) what factors influence participants while creating ukulele groups or lessons, (b) how do participants use ukuleles in their classrooms, (c) what are participants' perceptions of the ukulele's value, and (d) what are participants' perceptions of students' interest in learning the ukulele? Participants were three music teachers located in Western New York who used the ukulele in their school. One participant taught in a rural school, one in a suburban school, and one in an urban school. Data were pre-observation, post-observation, and summary interviews; field notes from observation of participants' teaching; and participants' digital and classroom materials that support learning ukulele. Several themes emerged from the analysis: learning through informal experiences, ease of use, flexibility, accessibility, extra-musical development, and student interest and success. Finally, I indicate suggestions for practical application and future research.

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