Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - Research Publications
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ItemEvaluating practice strategies, behavior and learning progress in elite performers: An exploratory study(SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD, 2020-03)Typical musicians devote most of their time to blocks of physical practice and mistake-avoidance, as opposed to mental preparation, desirable difficulties, and strategies that strengthen self-efficacy and autonomy. For this reason, teachers try to steer students away from mindless drill and towards self-regulated learning strategies. Yet, both the scientific and pedagogical literature lack guidelines for developing musicians that are supported by empirical research. This exploratory study with 14 musicians was designed to capture what they planned to practice, as well as what they actually did in the practice room, in order to assess the level of repetition and innovation intended and carried out. A questionnaire captured the musician’s self-reported intentions (cognitions), behavior, and emotions during practice. The questionnaire accompanied a self-recorded video of a practice session of the participant’s choice. Evaluation of the questionnaire and videos provided evidence that participant’s own ratings of the effectiveness of their practice supported their belief in the importance of repetition. The evaluation scores of these students’ practice sessions by two independent raters, in contrast, indicated that varied strategies were more beneficial with regard to individual progress than habitual repetition.
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ItemUsing a microanalysis intervention to examine shifts in musicians' self-regulated learning(SAGE Publications, 2021-07-01)The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of using a self-directed practice diary on conservatory pianists’ self-regulated learning tendencies. We sought to determine whether the implementation of a self-directed practice diary based on the three-phase model of self-regulated learning would lead students to gradually demonstrate more self-regulated learning tendencies across a semester of practicing, and if the type and quality of their self-regulated learning tendencies varied as a function of performance ability. A marked and consistent improvement in metacognitive monitoring skills was observed across the semester for all seven participants. Variations between lower and higher ability students were most pronounced in the Forethought stage, with higher ability pianists reporting fewer goals and strategies and higher self-motivational beliefs than their lower ability counterparts. In the Performance phase, higher ability students invested more effort in help seeking and structuring their practice environment, and lower ability students reported more self-instruction. In the Self-Reflection phase, higher ability pianists reported being more focused in the practice session. Suggestions for further refinement of the technique to improve musicians’ ability to master their learning and achieve their personal best are provided.
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ItemApplying self-regulated learning microanalysis to study musicians’ practice(SAGE Publications, 2019-01)This article describes the development of a music practice microanalysis protocol that is based on the three-phase model of self-regulated learning (i.e., Forethought, Performance, and Self-Reflection). Up until now, most studies on music practice have tended to focus on behavioural aspects. The expanded view presented here outlines a technique for mapping the types of behaviours (actions), cognition (thoughts), and affect (feelings) that can help focus musicians’ practice. To explain the technique, we describe the practice of two first year Bachelor of Music students studying at a prominent university music school who are compared at three time points across one semester as they prepare an étude for a performance exam. These case studies demonstrate two broadly contrasting self-regulated learning profiles of how microanalysis can be used to cue students to think about what they are doing and then reflect critically on the strategies they can use to improve their playing. As a technique, microanalysis can inform educational interventions aimed at breaking the cycle of habits that typify musical practice by encouraging musicians to become more behaviourally, metacognitively, and motivationally involved in their own learning.
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ItemInternational Symposium on Performance Science(Listaháháskóli íslands, 2017)Background An increasing body of research in both music and sports psychology indicates that repetitive, habitual, and mindless practice often leads to sub-optimal preparation and performance. In contrast, deliberate practice, intrinsic motiva-tion, and a growth mindset can optimise preparation for public performance. Still, the majority of musicians devote their time to blocks of physical practice and mistake-avoidance, as opposed to mental preparation, desirable difficul-ties, and strategies that strengthen self-efficacy and autonomy. Music teachers may want to steer their students away from mindless drill towards 21st century self-regulated learning strategies, yet both the scientific and pedagogical literature is lacking in alternatives supported by empirical research. Aims This exploratory study was designed to capture what musicians planned to practice, as well as what they actually did in the practice room. In order to separate behavior from thought and emotion, we designed a brief questionnaire (seven questions) to accompany a video recording made of a portion of a practice session. Participants were asked to report their intentions regarding practice focus and planning, then to appraise what they had experienced during practice, and, finally, to access the difficulty of applying this strategy and their motivation to use it in the future. Method Fourteen participants, faculty and students in music degree programs at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich, volunteered for this pilot study to test the effectiveness of the practice questionnaire. Each one completed questions both prior to and following the videotaping of an excerpt of a practice session of their choice. The first three questions (pre-recording) addressed the focus of the practice session, i.e. problem to be solved, the source, and choice of strategy. The last four questions (post-recording) allowed participants to self-rate the effectiveness, new-ness, ease of application, and usefulness of the strategy, as well as what they were doing, feeling, and thinking during the session. Two professional musicians evaluated the videos in terms of strategy applied and improvement over the session. Results Examinations of practice process were conducted, including specificity of goals, problem areas to be addressed (such as accuracy, musical expression), and planned strategies to address problems. Participant self-evaluations of strategy effectiveness were correlated with rater assessments taken from practice video footage. Strong positive relationships were found between: participant-rated strategy effectiveness and rater-assessed mindful deliberate practice (r=0.66, p=0.01) and degree of progress (r=0.59, p<0.05); as well as rater-assessed degree of progress and deliberate practice (r=0.95, p=0.001). Conclusions Breaking any cycle of less than optimal practice requires the adoption of new strategies that augment or replace old habits. To do this one must self-regulate, by identifying patterns in behavior that are based on habits, and then ac-tively working to modify these routines. This study provides preliminary evidence for the efficacy of a short protocol which encourages musicians to improve practice outcomes through self-regulated skills in practice planning and observation for proactive learning and enhanced performance.
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ItemThe use of microanalysis as an innovative tool for improving musician’s self-regulated learning and practice efficiency(Listaháhåskóli Íslands, 2017)Background This paper describes the development of a music practice microanalysis protocol that is based on the three phase model of self-regulated learning (i.e., Forethought, Performance and Self-Reflection). Up until now, most studies on music practice have tended to focus on behavioural aspects. The expanded view presented here outlines a technique that focuses on the types of behaviours (actions), cognition (thoughts), and affect (feelings) that can help focus musicians’ practice, and enable them to make improvements to the efficiency of their learning. Aims To develop a research and intervention tool reflecting the breadth of self-regulated learning strategies, and within-subject, moment-to-moment fluctuations in practice quality that determine the intensity and quality of practice within and across practice sessions. Method We conducted a two-stage research study: first, a baseline observational study; second, a practice intervention, involving seven first year Bachelor of Music students studying at a large University music school across two semesters as they prepare repertoire for their performance exams. Results The technique revealed students demonstrate broadly contrasting self-regulated learning profiles. It also informed an effective self-directed educational intervention to cue students to think about what they are doing and then reflect critically on the strategies they can use to improve their playing. Implications This flexible, working microanalytic protocol can inform educational interventions aimed at breaking the cycle of habits that typify musicians at this developmental stage, encouraging them to become more behaviourally, metacognitively, and emotionally involved in their own learning. This tool could be used to help musicians become more aware of their own practice efficiency, and an aid for teachers who wish to adopt the technique to improve their student’s learning.
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ItemExploring the academic and psychosocial impact of El Sistema-inspired music programs within two low socio-economic schools(Taylor & Francis (Routledge), 2016)
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ItemMotivation to study music in Australian schools: the impact of music learning, gender, and socio-economic status(SAGE Publications, 2015)This study extends an eight-country mapping exercise undertaken (McPherson & O’Neill, 2010; see RSME issues 2010-2011) to now include students’ motivation to study music within the Australian context. It sought to determine whether music learners (students learning an instrument or voice), might be more motivated to study academic subjects at school, and whether gender and socio-economic status (SES) affected student motivation to learn music at school. A total of 2,742 students from grades 5 to 12 completed a questionnaire based on Eccles’ and Wigfield’s expectancy-value framework. Data collected included ratings of competence beliefs, interest, importance, usefulness and difficulty for four subjects music, English, maths and science, and indications of whether the students were currently learning a musical instrument or voice (music learners) or whether they would like to if given the opportunity. There was an overall significant decline in competence beliefs, interest, importance, and usefulness across the school years, in contrast with increased task difficulty ratings across the school years. Music learners reported significantly higher competence beliefs, interest, importance, usefulness, and significantly less task difficulty than non-music learners. This advantage applied across all school grades for music, competence beliefs for English in upper primary and lower secondary school grades, and for maths in lower secondary grades. Although females reported music as more important and useful than males, their competence beliefs and task difficulty ratings were equivalent. Music was considered slightly less interesting for females than for males. The value of music as a subject declined significantly for upper SES students from upper primary to lower secondary schools. The greatest number of participants (40.8%) who expressed a desire to learn a musical instrument came from the lower SES category in upper primary school. This result for the Australian context is significant, indicating that this may be a positive time to recruit learners. This study provides new information regarding the relationship between motivation and desire to learn a musical instrument across school grades, gender, and socio-economic factors.
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ItemArtistic Development(Wiley - John Wiley & Sons, 2015)