A Study of Interaction and Learning in Instrumental Teaching

Abstract

Eleven brass and guitar lessons in Sweden were videotaped, transcribed, and analyzed to investigate how teachers and students used speech, music, and body language; to what they focused their attention during the lessons; and how this affected student learning. A detailed description of each lesson was analyzed using cognitive concepts of experiencing and learning music, as well as concepts of educational genres of speech and music use. Five hours of video of 4 teachers and 21 students were minutely described and analyzed. The results of the study reflect how music during the lessons was broken down into separate note symbols as read from the score, rather than the expected musical phrases, rhythms and melodies. Surprisingly, expressive qualities of performing music were not addressed at all. The teacher controlled the interaction, while student attempts to take any initiative were ignored or questioned in a manner that was not anticipated. A STUDY OF INTERACTION AND LEARNING IN INSTRUMENTAL TEACHINGThe interaction between teacher and student has consequences for the student's opportunities to learn. A study of instrumental teaching in Sweden brings teacher-student interaction and musical learning into focus. The participants in the study were engaged in the non-compulsory music tuition of Swedish municipal music schools (kommunala musikskolor). The main purpose of the study was to improve knowledge about different patterns of interaction during instrumental music lessons as well as the effect of these patterns on the students' opportunities to learn and develop musical skills and abilities. The actions of teachers and students during the course of eleven lessons are described and analyzed in the study. These actions are viewed in a perspective of face-to-face interaction and discussed in relation to the traditional development of instrumental teaching and its institutional rules and values. This article focuses mainly on the results of the Swedish study and discusses issues raised as consequence for music educators internationally.

3d augmented mirror

“…This has been confirmed in interviews we have conducted with students and teachers and is supported by the study in [3].…”

Changing Patterns of Scaffolding and Autonomy During Individual Music Lessons: A Mixed Methods Approach

“…On the other hand, this tradition can result in a heavily skewed power distribution, which can greatly undermine the student's autonomy and motivation (McPherson, Evans, Kupers, & Renwick, 2016;Persson, 1994). Indeed, contemporary empirical investigations of teacher-student interactions in individual music lessons confirm that teachers can be very directive and insufficiently sensitive to responding to students' needs (Gaunt, 2010;West & Rostvall, 2003).…”

A dynamic model that links skill acquisition with self-determination in instrumental music lessons

“…Self-determination as a socially embedded process (see level 2 in Figure 3) As proposed in the Introduction of this article, one of the main issues for music education concerns how and in what ways some children remain motivated for an extended period of time, while others become less motivated and eventually cease learning (Costa-Giomi et al, 2005;McPherson, Davidson, & Faulkner, 2012;West & Rostvall, 2003). The developmental model of interest -a concept closely related to motivation (see Hidi & Renninger, 2006;Lipstein & Renninger, 2007) -demonstrates how interest within a certain domain develops from being mainly situationally triggered to becoming a more or less stable individual characteristic.…”

“…The first concerns 'the extent to which musical progress is sequenced and orderly, and why some children's progress appears to be effortless in contrast to others who struggle' (McPherson, 2005, p. 5). The second concerns how successful learners are able to acquire the resilience needed to 'bounce back' despite stresses and distractions which impact on motivation and a desire to continue learning (West & Rostvall, 2003;Costa-Giomi, Flowers, & Sasaki, 2005). This article aims to contribute to research on these issues in the context of instrumental music lessons, by presenting a dynamic model linking skills acquisition (from the perspective of scaffolding theory) and self-determination theory.…”