Katie Zhukov

Student learning styles in advanced instrumental music lessons

Despite a large body of research into learning styles from cognitive, personality and activity perspectives, the definition of learning style is still unclear. The assessment instruments commonly in use have methodological problems. The learning styles of conservatorium instrumentalists are scarcely known and are best studied using an observational approach. This study investigates student behaviour in 24 studio music lessons in order to provide music educators with new means of describing and classifying learning styles in this unique setting. Six learning styles were identified using cluster analysis, with the largest group of students using the Compliant style of learning that exhibits submissive student behaviour associated with maestro-style teaching. Similar numbers of students employed positive learning strategies (Extrovert and Serious) and negative learning approaches (Apologetic, Disappointed and Frustrated). Stereotypical gender attitudes to learning emerged. The results provide new insights into the learning styles of advanced instrumentalists and inform professional practice by drawing complex models of music learning occurring at conservatorium level.

Interpersonal Interactions in Instrumental Lessons: Teacher/Student Verbal and Non-Verbal Behaviours.

This study examined verbal and non-verbal teacher/student interpersonal interactions in higher education instrumental music lessons. Twenty-four lessons were videotaped and teacher/student behaviours were analysed using a researcher-designed instrument. The findings indicate predominance of student and teacher joke among the verbal behaviours with no substantial gender differences between males and females. Deceit cues were the most frequent among the non-verbal behaviours, with the males displaying more gestures of deceit than the females. Other gender differences include the female students using courting signals towards both teacher groups and the female teachers showing interest towards the male students. The presence of positive verbal and negative non-verbal behaviours highlights the mixed messages present in teaching. Implications for instrumental teaching practice include greater focus on gender differences in interpersonal interactions and visual cues to improve communication and teacher/student relationship in the instrumental studio.

Teaching strategies and gender in higher education instrumental studios

This study investigates instrumental music teaching strategies in higher education settings, in order to identify those employed and their frequency and context of use. An instrument- and gender-balanced sample of 24 lessons from five institutions was analysed using a researcher-designed observational instrument. The results reveal the predominance of teacher demonstration, general directives and praise as most frequent teaching strategies employed in lessons. Gender differences emerged in the teaching approaches: the male teachers gave more general directives and explanations and the female teachers offered more answers and practice discussions; the male students received the most specific teacher criticism despite uniform use of praise. The findings provide new evidence of teaching practices in advanced instrumental studios and raise questions regarding gender issues in music teaching.

Gender Issues in Instrumental Music Teaching in Australian Conservatoriums

Research into gender issues has provided clear results in stereotyping of instruments, personality and androgyny of musicians, and teaching styles in universities. The application of these findings to studio teaching at tertiary level is yet to be evaluated. This study analysed a large body of data from observation of 12 master teachers in Australian Conservatoriums in order to draw conclusions on gender differences in lesson structure, content, teaching methodology and teacher/ student relationship. Student behaviour was also examined to provide valuable insight to teachers on gender differences among advanced instrumentalists. Teachers and students were found to behave in strongly stereotyped manner across all areas: domineering male teachers and facilitating female teachers, assertive male students and compliant female students. The findings have implications for understanding of gender issues in instrumental music teaching at conservatoriums.

Evaluating New Approaches to Teaching of Sight-Reading Skills to Advanced Pianists.

This paper evaluates three teaching approaches to improving sight-reading skills against a control in a large-scale study of advanced pianists. One hundred pianists in four equal groups participated in newly developed training programmes (accompanying, rhythm, musical style and control), with pre- and post-sight-reading tests analysed using custom-made software that provided four scores on accuracy: two on pitch and two on rhythm. Mixed-design ANCOVAs were used to analyse the performance data, showing improvement in one rhythm and one pitch variable for each of the training groups and progress in pitch for the control group. The results suggest that training does develop various aspects of sight-reading and that additional sight-reading activities enhance post-test performance. The curriculum combining all three teaching strategies is being currently trialled. Future research needs to focus on instruments other than piano to formulate generic approaches to teaching of sight-reading skills.

Exploring the Content of Instrumental Lessons and Gender Relations in Australian Higher Education.

This observational study analysed the lesson content of 24 instrumental lessons (piano, strings and winds) using a gender-balanced sample (equal numbers of male/female teachers and students) from five Australian higher education institutions to ascertain the priorities of topics in advanced applied music lessons in the Western Classical tradition. The results were analysed according to gender to determine differences of approach between male and female teachers and male and female students. Same-gender and different-gender pairings were also considered. Technique was found to be of the greatest importance, followed by Articulation and Expression. Some gender differences have emerged between the teachers, with the male teachers tending towards a more analytical approach and the female teachers adopting more balanced lesson content. The treatment of students showed some divergence, with greater emphasis on Expression in the lessons of female students, whereas the male students studied more Structure. The results demonstrate stereotypical gender behaviour among the teachers and towards their students not previously observed in this educational setting. Copyright

Exploring advanced piano students’ approaches to sight-reading:

The ability to read music fluently is fundamental for undergraduate music study yet the training of sight-reading is often neglected. This study compares approaches to sight-reading and accompanying by students with extensive sight-reading experience to those with limited experience, and evaluates the importance of this skill to advanced pianists and the type of strategies they use when sight-reading. Analysis of 74 survey-interviews highlights the importance of sight-reading, and indicates underdeveloped sight-reading skills and a substantial lack of experience in sight-reading and accompanying in advanced pianists. Significant differences in accompanying practice emerged between the groups with no/little and extensive sight-reading experience. The analysis of a number and the type of strategies used during sight-reading suggests individual approaches and distinct paths in the development of the skill. The findings emphasise the need for a new approach in the development of sight-reading curricula for higher education.

Improving sight-reading skills in advanced pianists: A hybrid approach:

This article evaluates a new curriculum for training of sight-reading skills in advanced pianists that combined three teaching strategies proven effective in an earlier study. The course was developed collaboratively and trialed in two implementations. Twenty-five participants were pre- and post-tested and their playing analysed using custom-made software. Mixed-model ANCOVAs were used to analyse performance data against the results from the individual training programs. The findings show that the students using the hybrid program improved significantly in their sight-reading skills in all four categories measured, surpassing progress made in the individual programs. Implications for future research include application of such a hybrid approach to the training of younger pianists and to sight-reading on other instruments.

Challenging approaches to assessment of instrumental learning

Over the past 15 years research has documented many assessment strategies for higher education. In music the emphasis has been on developing reliable assessment measures for instrumental performance such as multi-dimensional rubrics for practical examinations. While music education research has demonstrated novel assessment practices in primary and secondary settings, few studies report on innovative approaches to assessment in higher education. These include self-assessment in Concert Practice and individual lessons, peer assessment using well-developed criteria and student panels, reflective journals that help students to articulate their knowledge, and group work to develop teamwork and presentation skills. This review of music assessment literature challenges engrained attitudes towards assessment of classical instrumental music learning and encourages the embracing of innovative practices already trialled in higher music education such as initiating a broader range of evaluation tasks, engaging students in the development of assessment criteria, using technology and recording for self- and peer evaluation, and helping students to develop graduate attributes for the twenty-first century.

Evaluating the impact of a generalist teacher-led music program on early childhood school children’s singing skills and attitudes to music:

This article reports on the impact of a generalist teacher-led music program on early childhood school children’s singing skills and attitudes to music. Singing tests and class surveys were administered to students in 11 Australian primary schools where music specialists mentored classroom teachers over the period of one to two school terms. The results show that implementing music activities in early education settings can positively impact young children’s singing skills and attitudes to music regardless of gender, ethnicity and socio-economic standing of the school. The study provides empirical evidence of the benefits accrued by children through access to music education.