Date: Friday, January 16, 2026
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Location: Marriott Meeting Room 5 | Tampa, Florida
Conference: Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) Annual Conference
Kent State Online faculty continue to share their expertise at national and state conferences across the country. This January, Dr. Jay Dorfman, Professor and Coordinator of the online Master of Music in Music Education (MMME) program at Kent State University, will present “Help Them Rock: Techniques for Guitarists in Popular Music” at the 2026 Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) Conference in Tampa.
Among the attractive qualities of the guitar is that it’s relatively easy to make a characteristic sound quickly. Often, guitar teaching focuses only on chordal strumming or reading single notes in folk or classical styles. In this interactive session, Dr. Dorfman will help educators take the next step—guiding guitarists to learn the techniques that make popular music sound authentic and engaging.
Attendees will explore:
- Variations of strumming styles common in popular genres
- Simple soloing and improvisation techniques
- How to control sound through muting
- Using technology and effects to recreate the sounds students hear on the radio
Designed for music educators who want to connect with students through contemporary styles, the session offers practical ways to demonstrate and teach these skills effectively in the classroom.
“Your students want to know these techniques,” says Dr. Dorfman. “This session will help you figure out how to demonstrate them the right way.”
About Dr. Jay Dorfman
Dr. Dorfman teaches courses in Progressive and Vernacular Music Methods, Technology in Music Education, and Research in Music Education, and supervises doctoral dissertations at Kent State University. He holds BM and MM degrees from the University of Miami (FL) and a PhD in Music Education from Northwestern University (IL).
Dr. Dorfman is the past-president of the Technology Institute for Music Educators and has relationships as an ambassador for several music technology companies. He is an Executive Board member and Communications Chair for the Society for Music Teacher Education.
Dr. Dorfman’s research interests include music education technology, music teacher education, popular and vernacular music education, and curriculum development in music. His research has been published in The Journal of Research in Music Education, The Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, The Journal of Music Teacher Education, Visions of Research in Music Education, and in several state music education publications. He is the author of “Theory and Practice of Technology-based Music Instruction “(Oxford University Press, 2022, 2nd edition), a contributor to several handbooks in music education research, and co-editor of “Music Education Research in the 21st Century: Theories, Questions, Problems, and Methodological Pluralism” (Springer, 2018). Dr. Dorfman is also a frequent presenter at state and national music education conferences.
Learn More about Kent State’s Online Master of Music in Music Education
Kent State University’s online Master of Music in Music Education (MMME) program empowers current and aspiring music educators to bridge traditional musicianship with modern classroom practice. Designed for working teachers, the program is 100 percent online and flexible—allowing students to balance full-time teaching, performing, and personal commitments while advancing their careers.
Students explore topics such as progressive and vernacular music methods, technology integration in music education, assessment and research in music learning, and curriculum design that supports diverse learners. Courses are taught by nationally recognized faculty, including Dr. Jay Dorfman, who bring real-world classroom and research experience to each virtual session.
Graduates of the MMME program are prepared to:
- Integrate technology and contemporary styles into K–12 and community music programs.
- Design inclusive, research-based curricula that engage today’s learners.
- Lead ensembles, classrooms, and community programs with confidence and creativity.
Advance your passion for teaching and music performance while earning a respected graduate degree from Kent State Online—built to help educators inspire the next generation of musicians.
