Shaping Future Audio Engineering Curriculum: An Expert Panel s View by David T. Tough, Belmont University. Abstract

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1 Shaping Future Audio Engineering Curriculum: An Expert Panel s View by David T. Tough, Belmont University Abstract Audio engineering programs are being created and expanded at 4-year universities across the United States. The purpose of this online study was to create a ranking of essential core competencies and technologies required by AET (audio engineering technology) programs 10 yearsin the future (2019). A panel of 52 audio experts and industry leaders were selected as a purposive sample and an online, modified Delphi methodology was employed. The 3-round process produced 160 competencies that can be used by administrators to construct future curriculum and technologies needed for their programs. Introduction The audio industry is a highly sophisticated and constantly changing technological environment. A career in the audio industry requires expert technical skills and is multidimensional in its knowledge base. Many audio engineers must acquire not only technical skills, but also additional musical and artistic skills to gain competence in their specialized areas. Consequently, the audio engineering can be considered an art form as well (Martin, 1983, p. 256). Today s modern media-influenced culture has created a high demand for universities that teach the discipline of audio engineering technology (AET) and provide the pedagogical and androgogical technologies associated with it. The mystique of the audio industry and the recording studio remains appealing and exciting and creates a large demand for students wishing to learn about audio engineering at the university level. Over the past 40 years, several educational entities, including 4-year universities, have attempted to train students in sophisticated audio, recording, and music technology through structured curricula. Audio engineering technology (AET) programs have now become commonplace at universities to teach audio engineering technology students the necessary skills, or competencies, needed by an audio engineer in the real world. There is a need more than ever for audio engineers. Americans spend billions of dollars per year attending live concerts, theater productions, and movies, purchasing pre-recorded music, DVD movies, and video games. All of these products require an audio soundtrack and equipment developed by audio engineers (Wacholtz, 2008, p. 24). Tanner (2001) maintained higher education exists to provide a formal learning atmosphere and to introduce the student to the skills they will need when entering the workforce. AET education has attempted to follow this trend. AET education creation and curricula has been heavily influenced by the digital audio workstation revolution of the past 15 years. Significant investments in technologies such as tape machines and large format console are no longer needed by fledgling music business programs. Additionally, anyone can now dub themselves an audio engineer by purchasing an inexpensive home recording setup. With the rise in the development of recording on a personal computer (DAW) and the popularity of Web sites such as Youtube and games like Guitar Hero, the consumer is now the producer of entertainment. This phenomenon could be compared to the personal photography revolution of the 1950s when consumers purchased a cheap personal camera and suddenly fancied themselves photographers. Standards and recommendations are needed to suggest what an educated engineer should know and what technologies educators should be used to teach them. Music business administrators now find themselves asking questions such as, What is the basic AET core? and

2 What courses, resources and technology are we funding that we cannot do without? Administrators want to know which courses effectively prepare audio students for the perpetually changing marketplace of music, media, and music business. Additionally, many new and expanding AET programs rely on the knowledge of the program director to form a new curriculum and to purchase technology, rather than questioning the future needs of the industry itself. Because of the multi-disciplinary nature of the audio engineering discipline, AET programs are created and hosted within a variety of college departments, including music, communications, and business. Most administrators in these areas have no specialized background or familiarity with the audio engineering discipline or the music industry in which it operates. A handful of administrators may have been music industry professionals at one time; however, they may not currently be abreast of the constant changes within the audio engineering field. Garfrerick (2006) suggested, Curricula in [AET] programs are a moving target, and due to the rate of change in the technology and how it affects the industry, those curricula should be in a constant state of review and revision. Literature on AET Curriculum and Accreditation Over the past 15 years, research literature in the area of music industry studies has grown rapidly, mostly in music business. An evaluation of the past six annual issues of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association Journal showed that the majority of the peerreviewed articles focused on topics in the music business, as opposed to AET as an emphasis. Similar findings applied when searching the ERIC ( ) database and dissertation databases provided by Tennessee State University. The number of doctoral dissertations in the areas of music business or music technology concerning audio engineering, recording technology education, or recording technology curriculum are limited to a handful to the relative youth and scarcity of the content area as an academic discipline. Formal research specifically on AET curricula is non-existent with the exception of Lightner (1993), Sanders (1994), and Walsh (1996), whose research and contributions were pioneering the field. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of AET education, no broad accreditation standards exist which cover all programs. Kemmerer (2005) states: Since most programs are tracks or emphases with a department, control of the curriculum can be cumbersome. This is further exacerbated by the various accreditation bodies for those departments: The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), The Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and The Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). Each agency has standards that programs must meet in the major (the spokes) which sometimes are not in the best interest of the MEI program (the hub). This strong gravitational pull toward the spokes creates limited options for new courses and revision in core MEI curricula. (p. 2) Furthermore, if AET programs attempt to satisfy the needs of their host college, particular competencies and resources needed to teach those competencies may be overlooked. Garfreick (2006) cautioned, There is the additional issue of the music department qualifying for the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) accreditation and the standards prescribed. There is a temptation to put resources at the must do point (p. 94). Competency-Based Education Theories that underpin the core competency model used in this study, include competency based education, Bloom s taxonomy, and various instructional design models. Competency-based education (CBE) is an educational methodology that focuses on the roles to

3 be filled when students complete an educational program (Stines, 2003). Competencies are becoming the new framework for higher education curriculum design, training, and professional development. The emphasis in CBE is on student demonstration of competency or proficiency in external roles rather than on tests or exams that simply indicate a superior understanding of course material (Forest & Kinser, 2002). Competency-based education is focused on outcomes that are linked to workforce needs, as relayed by employers and industry. Large skill sets are divided into competencies, which may have many levels of mastery. Competencies support one another from basic to advanced, as learning progresses, with a synergistic outcome as the goal (Council on Education for Public Health, 2006). In this study, the term competency specifically relates to the possession of particular knowledge, attitudes, or skills that enable an audio graduate to serve at an acceptable level of performance. Methodology The design of this study used both qualitative and quantitative measures, as defined by the Delphi method. The Delphi is primarily a qualitative methodology that employs a purposeful sample of dispersed, anonymous experts to develop consensus for contemporary and futureoriented guidance (Coates, 1975; Dalkey, 1969; Delaney, 2004; Delbecq et al., 1975; Dunham, 2009; Linstone&Turoff, 2002; Weaver, 1971; Wilhelm 2001). The Delphi is most appropriate when expert opinions are geographically dispersed (Jones & Hunter, 2000; Linstone&Turoff, 2002). This study was conducted from January through April Participants in the study included music producers, recording engineers, mixing engineers, mastering engineers, film sound engineers, broadcast engineers, audio hardware and software manufacturers, sound reinforcement engineers, jingle/advertising engineers and producers, audio maintenance technicians, audio installation technicians, business owners and managers of commercial studios, audio forensics engineers and other various engineering disciplines. Panel participants were considered future-oriented audio experts if they met two or more of the following predetermined criteria: 1. Had participated in the production of a minimum of five commercially available recordings or products that each sold 500,000 copies or more. 2. Had been in the audio business a minimum of 10 years. 3. Were considered by audio peers as an industry leader. 4. Were future oriented, either inventing or accessing new technologies in their work. Additionally, to represent geographic diversity, a minimum of two initial panel participants were purposefully chosen inform each of the following geographical areas: 1. Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin 2. South: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia 3. Northeast: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont

4 4. West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming In this study, 52 panelists that met the criteria agreed to participate from an initial pool of 70 that were contacted and interviewed by the research assistant. At the end of the three rounds, 31panelists remained. Round 1 began with 2 focus questions for the panel. Possible statements were provided and comment boxes were provided for panelists to suggest items not listed. Panelists were requested to suggest competencies that fit in seven content domains (general audio, MIDI, digital audio, traditional business and music business, music, electronics, and communications/leadership/other competencies). The research questions were as follows: 1. What essential competencies need to be taught in an AET program 7 years from now (2016) to prepare AET students effectively for a career in the audio industry of the future? 2. Given a limited budget typical of smaller AET programs, what essential technologies must be purchased for an AET program 7 years from now (2016) to prepare AET students effectively for a career in the audio industry of the future? After all responses were gathered and consolidated by an independent research assistant. Similar competencies were consolidated for clarity and brevity (Gaspard, 1992) an unique competencies were kept as separate items. The Round 2 instrument contained the compiled results of Round 1. In order to conserve panelist s time and maximize their effectiveness only the top-ranked 164 competencies were provided to panelists on this instrument, chosen from the 255 unique items found in Round 1 (Gaspard, 1992). Additionally, items were separated from content domains to present items to panelists randomly. Panelists ranked the competencies on 5-point Likert-type scale: 5 = Very Important; 4 = Important; 3 = Moderately Important; 2 = Of Little Importance; 1 = Not Important. During Round 3, each expert panelist was ed his or her own unique instrument with the 160 items (4 were removed due to duplications) and the panel s rankings from round 2. All items randomly re-ranked. The panelists were presented with the same competencies as in Round 2 and asked to rank the concepts using the same scale. Each panelist was provided his or her responses from Round 2, the group mean response to each question from Round 2, and the panel s standard deviation (given to the panel as ± 1 standard deviation, high and low scores) for each of the 160 items taken from Round 2. It should also be pointed out that triangulation, which uses multiple investigators, multiple sources of data, or multiple methods to confirm the emerging findings was used throughout the entire study in order to minimize researcher bias. Results Out of the final 160 competencies, one hundred and fifty-four competencies reached a level of statistical consensus of 51% or more. Statistical consensus was calculated by dividing the number of panelists who were within ± 1 standard deviation of the median by the total number of experts in the panel (Gaspard, 1992).

5 Although many of the competencies in the communications/ leadership/other content domain are the hardest for audio engineering educators to implement and measure within an AET curriculum, they nonetheless ranked the highest. The competencies in the communications/leadership/other content domain accounted for 25 of the top 50 items (50%) in the overall items ranking. This is consistent with the research of several AET and other competency-based studies (Day &Koorland, 1997; Lee &Blaszczynski, 1999; Lightner, 1993; Paulson, 2001; Patterson et al., 2002;Sanders 1994; Walsh, 1996). The complete list of competencies and their rankings is found below. With regard to individual content domains, the highest ranked competency in the general audio content domain was, A student graduating from a 4-year AET program in 2019 should be able to demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of effects including EQ, reverbs, delays, gates, limiters, receiving a mean rating of 4.87 (SD = 0.43). The lowest-ranked item in the general audio content domain was A student graduating from a 4-year AET program in 2019 should know the general history of recording technology (1877-present), receiving a mean rating of 3.23 (SD = 0.92). The highest ranked competency in the digital audio content domain was, A student graduating from a 4-year AET program in 2019 should be able to backup and organize session data on an external hard drive/zip drive correctly, receiving a mean rating of 4.61 (SD = 0.62). This finding stresses that digital audio file management practices will become an integral part in the audio industry of the future. The lowest ranked item in the Digital Audio content domain was A student graduating from a 4-year AET program in 2019 should be able to apply a BASIC knowledge of digital circuit theory and digital signal processing to the design of digital audio systems, receiving a mean rating of 3.27 (SD = 0.98). Ranking of competencies needed by students in 2016 by expert panel Round 3 competencies were ranked from the highest to the lowest group mean. In the case of a tie, the item with the least standard deviation was ranked first (Gaspard, 1992). In case of tied means and standard deviations, the median, then level of consensus, then alphabetical order of competency was used to rank the items. A student graduating from a 4-year AET program in 2019 should be able to Rank Cat a Competency M b Mdn SD % c 1 COM Demonstrate the ability to work hard and complete projects. 2 COM Recognize the need for personal responsibility. 3 COM Demonstrate the ability to be an effective listener towards co-workers and clients. 4 COM Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and tactfully with clients and coworkers COM Develop the ability to be professional

6 around clients. 6 GA Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of effects including EQ, reverbs, delays, gates, limiters COM Demonstrate dependability COM Demonstrate the ability to pay attention to detail COM Show a strong passion for what they do GA Analyze BASIC audio signal flow in the recording studio COM Work effectively on a team COM Put into practice the ability to handle criticism. 13 COM Demonstrate flexibility and the ability to change and adapt to a dynamic environment. 14 COM Demonstrate patience in a working environment. 15 COM Demonstrate the ability to be selfstarting. 16 COM Develop the ability to be a "life-long learner" who continues in their personal development. 17 COM Demonstrate the ability to interact with diverse types of people. 18 COM Demonstrate the ability to avoid or resolve potential human conflict situations. 19 COM Demonstrate an ability to use tact and diplomacy. 20 COM Demonstrate an ability to handle delicate and high pressure situations in a professional manner. 21 DA Backup and organize session data on an external hard drive/zip drive correctly. 22 GA Engineer recording projects as an individual

7 23 GA Demonstrate recording session procedures for tracking, overdubbing, and mixing sessions. 24 DA Demonstrate a working knowledge of the current computer platforms. 25 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE knowledge of effects including EQ, reverbs, delays, gates, limiters. 26 COM Develop the ability to work well under the authority of a mentor. 27 GA Describe the stages and procedures used in the recording process. 28 DA Demonstrate the ability to mix and edit in the digital audio realm. 29 COM Demonstrate humility in a working environment. 30 GA Develop an ability to successfully plan, conduct, and conclude a recording session. 31 COM Display an ability to use sophisticated critical thinking (inquiry, reflection, and analysis) skills including quantitative reasoning; critical reading and reflection; engaging and solving complex problems; understanding systems and relationships, including interdependencies and interconnections MBB Understand BASIC business ethics GA Develop an ability to successfully plan, conduct, and conclude a recording session COM Inspire confidence in clients GA Demonstrate BASIC knowledge and basic skill manipulating entry-level professional recording equipment. 36 GA Apply and interpret a technical vocabulary as related to audio. 37 COM Demonstrate leadership skills and the ability to lead a small team

8 38 COM Demonstrate the ability to think outside the box. 39 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE competency in the use of studio microphone techniques. 40 DA Demonstrate the ability to record audio on the then current computer platform using a current audio program. 41 GA Demonstrate a BASIC ability to interface and integrate various audio formats into practical working systems. 42 DA Demonstrate the ability to connect together into a meaningful recording system equipment employing differing digital interconnect formats. 43 DA Troubleshoot BASIC computer problems on a PC and MAC. 44 GA Assess the quality of recordings using basic critical listening skills. 45 COM Demonstrate the ability to professionally present information to a group of peers DA Troubleshoot digital clocking issues GA Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of loudspeakers, and amplifiers. 48 GA Plan, organize, illustrate, and document recording session information according to industry standards. 49 MBB Identify industry delivery requirements, the importance of submitting accurate documentation, and the impact on getting paid for services rendered. 50 DA Demonstrate INTERMEDIATE understanding of principals of digital audio capture, conversion, editing, compression methods. 51 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE working knowledge of professional mixing techniques COM Show a record of taking part in an

9 internship. 53 COM Recognize the need to balance family and work. 54 COM Demonstrate the ability to resolve conflict through building consensus. 55 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE knowledge of the language of record production. 56 GA Perform practical examinations on basic audio equipment demonstrating a satisfactory level of proficiency. 57 GA Understand and know how to eliminate ground hum. 58 GA Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of psychoacoustics and aural perception. 59 MUS Identify instruments commonly used in commercial recording. 60 COM Put into practice the ability to maintain a sense of humor. 61 MUS Demonstrate an understanding of BASIC music terms. 62 COM Identify approaches and means to professional development, including job-seeking strategies, and interview techniques. 63 COM Understand and implement scientific method as applied to problem solving and fact development COM Demonstrate critical reading skills DA Apply BASIC terminology and theory, as related to digital recording and the digital audio workstation. 66 GA Recognize and appraise differences in audio examples using critical listening skills. 67 GA Demonstrate BASIC signal flow comprehension and application through operation of entry level consoles (Mackie, Toft, etc)

10 68 GA Demonstrate satisfactory competency in the use of multiple studio environments. 69 GA Engineer recording projects in a group setting. 70 GA Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of the tools and equipment commonly used in live audio. 71 GA Apply BASIC terminology and theory, as related to internet audio. 72 GA Identify techniques used in the creation of audio for motion picture, television, and video games. 73 GA Demonstrate how to route and reroute a patch bay. 74 GA Recall what music sounds like in a natural setting through attending several (live, symphonic, etc) concerts. 76 GA Have engineered a moderate # of recording projects (15-20) in the studio/lab MUS Recognize different musical forms COM Demonstrate the ability to write letters, technical papers, and other documents using good grammar, punctuation, and techniques. 79 DA Demonstrate recording and editing proficiency on one hard disk editor/recorder. 80 MUS Develop an appreciation of music as an art form. 81 GA Identify and analyze live acoustic and audio 82 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE knowledge of acoustics. 83 DA Demonstrate INTERMEDIATE knowledge of the ProTools program. 84 GA Associate the relationship of similar component functions between various

11 consoles. 85 EET Understand the BASIC function of electronic components and their relationship to each other. 86 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE signal flow comprehension and application through operation of large format consoles (Neve, Harrison, SSL, etc). 87 COM Examine the importance of building relationships within the local community DA Record digital audio on a MAC DA Recognize time code formats MUS Develop a BASIC knowledge of different styles of music. 91 MBB Identify the types of music business professionals to contact when you need music business help. 92 GA Work on as many different pieces of equipment as possible. 93 DA Demonstrate a working knowledge of microprocessors, operating systems, and software on a MAC. 94 GA Predict the tonal spectrum of instruments and describe the effect on placement in a mix. 95 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE knowledge of psychoacoustics and aural perception. 96 MBB Demonstrate the ability to create and read a recording budget. 97 GA Read spec sheets for mics, mixing consoles, loudspeakers, etc. 98 MBB Understand the overall function and structure of the music industry. 99 MBB Demonstrate a BASIC understanding of entrepreneurship principles MUS Demonstrate a BASIC understanding of

12 musical structure, compositional format, and rhythmic form. 101 MUS Demonstrate BASIC aural skills intervals, chords, etc. 102 DA Demonstrate a BASIC ability to use multiple DAW platforms. 103 COM Find information on new technologies and professional audio resources MIX, gearslutz, AES, etc COM Negotiate effectively with artists MUS Demonstrate the ability to follow a chord chart/lead sheet. 106 COM Demonstrate a basic knowledge of math formulas, addition, subtraction, division, multiplication GA Record, mix, and author a song to a CD EET Demonstrate BASIC knowledge of physics as applied to transducer polar patterns. 109 DA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE knowledge of recording and mixing in surround sound. 110 GA Plan a performance with multiple performers and input cable layouts. 111 EET Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of electronic circuits to an extent that will allow selection of appropriate signal paths. 112 MUS Identify styles of music ranging from classical to popular. 113 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE working knowledge of professional mastering techniques. 114 DA Demonstrate BASIC knowledge of wireless networking, Bluetooth, UWB and other wireless communication protocols. 115 MUS Recognize the difference of the voice ranges: Soprano, Mezzo, Alto, Tenor,

13 Baritone, Bass, etc. 116 DA Organize and label session files using NARAS standards. 117 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE knowledge of live sound techniques. 118 MUS Identify the working ranges of the instruments used in recorded music. 119 MBB Recognize music industry associations related to their field. 120 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE knowledge of live sound system setup. 121 GA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE working knowledge of sound engineering for commercials. 122 MID Know different types and functions of virtual instruments. 123 GA Associate the effects of the overtone series, instrument timbre, and key signature to potential microphone selection, preamp choice, and use of equalization. 124 COM Recognize the need for personal morals/ spirituality. 125 MBB Demonstrate knowledge of how to legally use prerecorded sounds and clear samples. 126 MID Demonstrate a working knowledge of sequencing in the current format/software. 127 MBB Demonstrate an understanding of accounting skills required in the role of the recording engineer. 128 GA Manage and understand workflow in the studio by completing case studies of notable engineers and projects EET Know how transducers work MBB Demonstrate a BASIC understanding of copyright law, publishing, contracts, and licensing

14 131 GA Describe the development of sound for picture technology and the requisite techniques and workflows used. 132 MBB Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of music licensing. 133 DA Demonstrate an INTERMEDIATE working knowledge of professional video techniques in a DAW. 134 MUS Describe musical aspects of existing sound recordings and categorize into different musical genres EET Use a soldering iron GA Design and execute a blind (or doubleblind) critical listening test. 137 MID Describe basic MIDI/Synthesizer theory and technology. 138 GA Engineer at least one project that involves simultaneous venue sound reinforcement and recording. 139 GA Know what classic pieces of outboard equipment sound like. 140 MBB Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of marketing. 141 EET Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of soldering, troubleshooting analog wiring recapping, and other common studio maintenance and repairs. 142 COM Develop the ability to use Microsoft Office for word-processing. 143 DA Apply an ADVANCED language of state of the art digital signal processing. 144 GA Design, assemble, trouble-shoot and operate small venue sound systems with a knowledge base of large concert venue sound systems. 145 GA Recover material from damaged media in both digital and analog formats. 146 GA Demonstrate an ability to read and understand block diagrams

15 147 MBB Demonstrate a BASIC knowledge of music publishing EET Understand international electricity EET Demonstrate the knowledge of relationships between watts, amps and load, earth leakage breakers, and power essentials GA Know how to wrap a cable EET Correctly build a moderate variety of wired cables (mic, speaker, RCA, etc.) 152 EET Know wiring standards of different manufacturers (AES D sub, Tascam, Yamaha, etc). 153 MUS Identify music productions from different recording eras. 154 MBB Demonstrate a functional knowledge of music products marketing, promotion, and merchandising. 155 MBB Identify and examine the foundations of copyright law and the representative licenses needed for making money from different music revenue streams. 156 COM Develop the ability to use software packages other than Microsoft's for presentations, word processing, and accounting 157 DA Apply a BASIC knowledge of digital circuit theory and digital signal processing to the design of digital audio systems. 158 MUS Develop relative pitch to INTERMEDIATE ability. 159 GA Know the general history of recording technology (1877-present). 160 MUS Develop an ADVANCED ability to play one or more instruments a Category of competency. GA = General Audio, MID = MIDI, DA = Digital Audio, MBB = Music Business/Business, MUS = Music, EET = Electronics, COM = Communications/Leadership/Other

16 b Mean rating assigned by Delphi panelists based on the anchored scale: 5=very important, 4=important, 3=moderately important, 2=of little importance, 1=not important c Level of consensus Findings Concerning AET Technology Although AET program technology recommendations did not complete the Delphi process, findings were still made via the Round 1 instrument. With regard to the statement, A 4- year AET program with students graduating in 2019 should purchase and maintain the following equipment, the item with the highest number of responses (96) was listed as outboard gear. The next items were audio monitors (56 responses), microphone-moving coil (38 responses), ear protection (33 responses), and computer/software/condenser microphones (all with 32 responses). The lowest ranked items with regard to this statement was analog multi-track recorder (1 response), software-administrative (1 response) and studio furniture (1 response). Conclusions and Recommendations for Practice The researcher formed eight conclusions and nine recommendations for practice by analyzing the findings and comparing those findings to the literature. Conclusions of the study were as follows: 1) competencies needed by future AET graduates are multi-disciplinary with unique educational needs; 2) communications/leadership/other competencies are essential for future AET graduates; 3) practical skills should be balanced with, and at times, take priority over, theoretical content in future AET curricula; 4) the AET student must be offered several internship and mentorship opportunities to develop competencies; 5) traditional business and music business, music, and MIDI competencies are important, but should be purposefully limited in the scope of AET curriculum; 6) the AET graduate must develop basic trouble shooting skills and basic electronics competencies; 7) the audio industry should begin developing and promoting a standardized curriculum and accrediting body; and 8) technologies needed to teach future AET curriculum are identifiable. Recommendations for practice were as follows: 1) Based on the first conclusion, the researcher recommends that faculty in smaller AET programs evaluate their current curricula to determine the extent to which the needed diversity should be present. The need for multi-disciplinary competencies points to close interdepartmental interaction.; 2) Administrators overseeing AET programs must provide coursework for students to develop communication and leadership competencies; 3)AET curriculum must emphasize practical skills and competencies on the same level as audio theory and history; 4) Administrators overseeing AET programs should make internships and mentorships a mandatory requirement; 5) The AET graduate of the future must be provided some musical knowledge or competency. The minimum seems to require the AET program offering 2-3 courses that address aural skills such as musical and critical listening skills; 6) The AET student must learn enough business competencies to understand what Cruz (2003) called the recorded music value chain musical artists, management companies, and record labels ( 7), in order to be compensated in the changing music business models of today s music industry. This does not necessarily mean taking several courses in accounting and marketing, but AET programs should offer a minimum of one survey of music business course; 7) An adequate amount of MIDI knowledge should be integrated into existing AET courses, as a dedicated MIDI course may be overkill. MIDI competencies did not rank as high as other competencies, but

17 competency in virtual instruments seemed important enough to the panel to have it appear on the final list; 8) The AET program should offer one course in basic trouble shooting skills and electronics competencies or should find a way to integrate these skills into existing AET courses. Music and business departments must form alliances with physics and engineering departments on campus in order to fulfill this requirement; 9) AET programs should begin investing in technologies such as several digital audio workstations (DAW) augmented quality analog outboard gear and high quality monitors for critical listening. Resources should be devoted to smaller digital consoles over large format analog consoles. These conclusions and recommendations are only a snapshot of AET curriculum development. Other resources such as the META alliance, the Audio Engineering Society, and the National Association of Schools of Music, should be used to provide the additional pieces of the puzzle. The final step is to apply this information to AET curriculum design and use it as a stepping stone for AET program accreditation in the future. Hopefully, administrators of AET programs are able use the results of this study to inform academic and curricular decisions for the next ten years. To visit the entire study and its recommendations for practice please visit References Coates, J. F. (1975). Review of Sackman report. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 7(2), Council on Education for Public Health. (2006, February 19). Competencies and learning objectives. Retrieved August 15, 2007, from Dalkey, N. C. (1969). The Delphi method: An experimental study of group opinion. (Contract No. F C-0045). Santa Monica, CA: Rand. Day, S., & Koorland, M. (1997). The future isn't what it used to be: Student competencies for the 21st century. Contemporary Education, 69(1), Delbecq, A. L., Van de Ven, A. H., & Gustafson, D. H. (1975). Group techniques for program planning. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman. Delany, B. W., Jr. (2004). Entry level job skills needed by wildlife management professionals. Dissertation Abstracts International, 65(07), (UMI No ) Dunham, R. B. (2009). The Delphi technique: A user s guide. University of Wisconsin-Madison School Business. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from Forest, J. J. F., & Kinser, K. (2002). Higher education in the United States. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. Garfrerick, R. (2006). Music and entertainment industry curricula: A case for autonomy? MEIEA Journal, 6(1), Available at Gaspard, C. P. (1992). Identification of plant science concepts needed in agriscience programs of the future. Dissertation Abstracts International, 54(02), 405. (UMI No ) Jones, J., & Hunter, D. (2000). Using the Delphi and nominal group technique in health services research. In C. Pope and N. Mays (Eds.), Qualitative research in health care (2nd ed., pp ). London, UK: British Medical Journal Books.

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