Abstract
This article presents heuristic inquiry as a form of autoethnography and its potential as a methodological resource for music educators. Rather than reporting findings from a single study, the article illustrates how heuristic inquiry can serve as a structured yet flexible process of critical reflection that helps teachers navigate the cultural and political contexts of their work. Drawing on the author’s experiences as a high school choral director, the discussion highlights the six phases and seven processes of heuristic inquiry, showing how personal reflection, cultural awareness, and relational care can be interwoven into professional practice. By framing autoethnography as both scholarly and pedagogical, the article demonstrates how heuristic inquiry offers music educators a means to cultivate reflexivity, resist uncritical compliance with institutional norms, and sustain authentic, culturally responsive caring practices in the classroom. The article positions heuristic inquiry not as a prescriptive procedure but as a methodological process through which educators may generate knowledge through ongoing reflection, meaning-making, and collaboration.
Accessibility Requirements
1
Recommended Citation
Lee, Austina F.
(2026)
"Heuristic Inquiry as a Research Method in Music Education,"
Visions of Research in Music Education: Vol. 49, Article 11.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/vrme/vol49/iss1/11