Throughout the learning process, it is common for students to transition to a new teacher, whether they relocate, decide to change teachers, or study at a summer program. During this transition, students must adapt to a potentially different pedagogical philosophy, language, and performance expectations. Using a multiple case study research…

Students' motivation to engage in elective music courses can be complicated or nuanced and is often informed by myriad personal and environmental factors. In this review of literature, I examine general education and music education research related to organismic perspectives on the development and maintenance of academic motivation among middle…

Sustaining or increasing participation in school choral programs is a priority among choral music educators. Motivation frameworks are helpful tools for understanding why students start, stop, or sustain involvement in activities. In this article, I explore some of the sociopsychological factors associated with choral music participation through…

In this study, I examined the relationship between undergraduate music education and nonmusic education majors and their music self-perception, or how they perceived themselves as musicians. A secondary purpose of the research included investigating the relationship between music self-esteem, gender, concentration, year in school, and continued…

Postsecondary violin instructors often implement remedial pedagogy with first-year performance/music education students to holistically nurture individual artistic goals and overall well-being. Using a qualitative multiple case study research design, 10 postsecondary violin instructors from across North America were interviewed to investigate…

Asmus's model of achievement motivation in music established a framework for the study of motivation in music education. Student perceptions of self were included in the model as a dynamic factor in student motivation to accomplish music learning tasks. Research has revealed further teacher influence on student motivation and perceptions of self…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of using a motivation inventory with music students in upper-elementary, middle, and high school. We used the middle/high school version of the MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation Inventory to survey 93 students in the 5th to 12th grades in one school. Our analysis revealed…

The purpose of this research was to investigate the experiences of instrumental music teachers in Designing Arts Instruction, a 4-day professional development course in a large urban school district. Specifically, I was interested in which activities participants (a) found most relevant and applicable to their current teaching situation, (b)…

This multiple case study examined six adolescent band students engaged in self-directed practice. The students' practice sessions were videotaped. Students provided verbal reports during their practice and again retrospectively while reviewing their video immediately after practice. Students were asked to discuss their choice of practice…

This study investigated influences encouraging active music engagement beyond the high school and college years among nonmusic majors who are actively engaged in music. A web survey yielded a 50% response rate (N = 476) from nonmajor students enrolled in performing organizations at a large Midwestern public university, whose responses addressed…

The purpose of this study was to investigate fourth-grade students' extrinsic motivators for joining and continuing in a school instrumental music program. Three research questions were investigated: (a) What extrinsic motivators have influenced fourth-grade students' initial interest and continuing participation in an instrumental music program?…

John Dewey knew that when students were actively involved in their learning, they were more motivated and achieved higher. Unfortunately, our practices often negatively affect motivation, such as when teachers emphasize competition, social comparison, normative grading criteria, public forms of evaluation, and ability self-assessment. Most…

Motivation and leadership are two important factors influencing achievement in today's classrooms. Whereas some students are naturally self-motivated, other students struggle to find the basic motivation to reach their full potentials. Goal theory states that people naturally select goals based on mastery learning achievements or performance…

The purpose of this study was to explore the reasons why undergraduate music majors pursue a career in music performance. The authors surveyed music majors at seven institutions and asked them about the main reasons as to why they were considering a career in music performance. Participant responses yielded qualitative data that the authors coded,…

This qualitative collective case study examined the practice strategies of two eighth-grade instrumentalists. Participants included two student-parent pairs from the author's school district. Data were obtained through interviews and videotaped practice sessions. Results are presented according to two main themes: practice description versus…