Student experiences with studio instruction

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to examine students’ experiences of independent music lessons, and to ascertain what factors predicted enjoyment and success, especially those predictors arising from self-regulation learning theory. A self-report survey was used to gather data on student demographics, practising habits, musical skills, achievements, and enjoyment. The survey was distributed through a Canadian conservatory system and other music schools in Canada, yielding 3920 surveys for analysis. Intrinsic motivation was the most salient predictor of enjoyment, persistence, and beliefs regarding musical self-efficacy for these highly engaged students. Additional contributing predictors for successful performance included focussing on aural abilities, motivation to acquire musical skills, and prior success at performing in public. The paper closes with a discussion of the role of intrinsic motivation for lifelong musicianship, as well as how future research might focus on broadening the student sample and on cross-validating student results with data from parents and teachers.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-regulated learning
• music learning
• deliberate practice
• motivation
• self-efficacy

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the thousands of students who filled out the survey, and would also like to acknowledge the contributions made by Jane Willms, Gerry Dimnik, Angela Elster, and Serena Manson.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Rena Upitis, EdD, is a Professor of Education at Queen’s University. For many decades, she has focused her research on the transformative powers of the arts for teachers, parents, and students. Current research interests include assessing the value of digital music tools in studio settings, as well as explorations of how school architecture influences learning.

Philip C. Abrami, PhD, is a Professor, University Research Chair, and the Director of the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance, a multi-institutional and internationally recognized educational research centre. Abrami’s interests include: (a) the design, development, and validation of educational software for promoting the teaching and learning of essential competencies; (b) systematic reviews of educational research, particularly using quantitative methods such as meta-analysis; and (c) issues in knowledge mobilization in education, particularly the high quality, sustained and scalable implementation of educational software in classrooms worldwide. Among his numerous awards and distinctions, in 2010 he received the Canadian Education Association (CEA), Whitworth Award for Education Research.

Wynnpaul Varela is a doctoral candidate at Concordia University’s Department of Education. His research interests include how music students use technology to self-experiment during their practice. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in music and a Masters in Linguistics. Before pursuing doctoral studies, Wynnpaul taught English in Japan for 14 years.

Matthew King is the National Project Manager for the Social Program Evaluation Group at Queen’s University. He has close to three decades of experience as an analyst and project manager. His recent publications and reports are primarily in the areas of health behaviours in school-aged children and youth.

Julia Brook, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at the Dan School of Drama and Music, Queen’s University. Her research programme explores the intersections between music education and the communities in which they are situated. Julia remains active as a studio music teacher and collaborative pianist.

Additional information

Funding

This research was made possible by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [grant number 895-2011-1000]; the Canada Foundation for Innovation; Queen's University; Concordia University; and The Royal Conservatory of Music.