Abstract
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? (b) What are the musical backgrounds of these students? (c) What musical activities (in or out of school) are they involved in at the time of this study? Elementary instrumental music students (N = 6) were interviewed following Seidman’s three-interview series. Extrinsic motivators that influenced student decisions to join and continue in the instrumental music program were family, environment, social factors, and finances. Participants had varied musical backgrounds and their primary musical activity (in or out of school) at the time of the study was the instrumental music program. Study results indicate that participation in an instrumental music program may encourage students to become life-long musicians.
|
Abeles, H. (2004). The effect of three orchestra/school partnerships on students’ interest in instrumental music instruction. Journal of Research in Music Education, 52, 248–263. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Asmus, E. (1985). Sixth graders’ achievement motivation: Their views of success and failure in music. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, (85), 1–13. doi:10.2307/3345260 Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Asmus, E. (1986). Student beliefs about the causes of success and failure in music: A study of achievement motivation. Journal of Research in Music Education, 34, 262–278. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Austin, J. R. (1988). The effect of music contest format on self-concept, motivation, achievement, and attitude of elementary band students. Journal of Research in Music Education, 36, 95–107. doi:10.2307/3345243 Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Austin, J. R., Vispoel, W. P. (1992). Motivation after failure in school music performance classes: The facilitative effects of strategy attributions. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, (111), 1–23. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Charter School-Homestead . (n.d.). bestplaces.com. Retrieved from http://www.bestplaces.net/schools/pennsylvania/homestead/propel_charter_school-homestead Google Scholar | |
|
Gabriel, T. (2010, June 10). Under pressure, teachers tamper with tests. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/11/education/11cheat.html Google Scholar | |
|
McPherson, G. E. (2000). Commitment and practice: Key ingredients for achievement during the early stages of learning a musical instrument. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, (147), 122–127. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
McPherson, G. E., Gabrielsson, A. (2002). The science & psychology of music performance: Creative strategies for teaching and learning. In Parncutt, R., McPherson, G. E. (Eds.), Motivation (pp. 31–46). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Google Scholar | |
|
McPherson, G. E., McCormick, J. (1999). Motivational and self-regulated learning components of musical practice. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, (141), 98–102. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). London, England: Sage. Google Scholar | |
|
Mitchum, P. P. (2008). Student motivation to participate in instrumental music (Master’s thesis). Available from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 1451379) Google Scholar | |
|
Ryan, R. M., Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68–78. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68 Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Schmidt, C. P. (2005). Relations among motivation, performance achievement, and music experience variables in secondary instrumental music students. Journal of Research in Music Education, 53, 134–147. doi:10.1177/002242940505300204 Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Schools in Charter School-Homestead . (n.d.). schooldigger.com. Retrieved from http://www.schooldigger.com/go/PA/district/00111/search.aspx Google Scholar | |
|
Seidman, I. (2006). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press. Google Scholar | |
|
Smith, S. E. (2011). What is a responsive classroom? Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-responsive-classroom.htm Google Scholar | |
|
Winner, E., Hetland, L. (2007, September 2). Art for our sake: School arts classes matter more than ever: But not for the reasons you think. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/09/02/art_for_our_sake/ Google Scholar |

