Teacher Professional Development: Whose Responsibility Is It?

In this Society for Research in Music Education interview, Dr. Justin J. West, Associate Professor of Music and Human Learning at the University of Texas at Austin talks alongside SRME Executive Committee member, Dr. Elizabeth Parker, about a few key research studies on teacher professional development, including the four domains of teacher professional development, perceived roles of music administrators, and advice for preservice teachers, teacher educators, and PreK-12 music educators.

Recorded January 2026.

Justin J. West, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Music and Human Learning in the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. West’s research focuses on how professional development interventions and policies shape music teacher practice and quality in the U.S. His quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods scholarship is published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Arts Education Policy Review, and  Journal of Music Teacher Education. He serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Research in Music Education, Texas Music Education Research, and the International Journal of Research in Choral Singing. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Research and Publications Standing Committee at the American Choral Directors Association. His research has been supported at UT by fellowships to the Sandra E. New Endowed Professorship in Music Education and the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music Endowment as well as grants from the Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors. In the Butler School, West teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in choral methods, music education foundations, and arts education law and policy. He is also music education field experience coordinator. West was previously on the music education faculty at Louisiana State University. He holds degrees in music education from the University of North Texas (PhD), Columbia University (M.A.), and Lamar University (B.M.) as well as Texas teacher and principal certifications. A church musician (choir director, pianist, organist) for nearly 20 years, West is Director of Music at Calvary Episcopal Church in Bastrop.

NAfME makes this resource available as a service to the profession. If you would like to obtain a course completion certificate for professional development hours, please view this resource in the NAfME Academy, which is a benefit of membership in NAfME.