What's new in pedagogy research?(Professional Resources)

Does a student's level of confidence in his or her ability to practice affect the way he or she practices? This rather intriguing question was the basis for a recent study in Norway titled "Strategies and Self-efficacy Beliefs in Instrumental and Vocal Individual Practice: A Study of Students in Higher Music Education." (1) Siw Nielsen states that many music students enter higher education feeling they have not been taught how to practice by their previous teachers. This study investigated which strategies used during practice were most relevant to improving performance and whether their perceptions of self-efficacy were correlated to these practice strategies. Self-efficacy was defined as "people's judgment of their capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to attain designated types of performances." (2)

The author chose first-year undergraduate music students because it is at this point in their careers when they must assume responsibility for their practice habits and musical achievement. Previous studies in other academic areas have shown very positive relationships between self-efficacy beliefs and the use of studying and learning strategies, and these beliefs have been found to relate to persistence and performance. Students who were confident about their academic abilities persisted longer and worked harder than those who doubted their capabilities. It is interesting to note that a previous study of the relationship between self-efficacy and musical performance in children was reviewed in this column in the June/July 2003 issue of American Music Teacher. In the conclusion of that study involving children, the authors wrote:

 
      The principal result is the strong 
   association between self-efficacy 
   and actual performance, and the 
   former's clear superiority as a predictor 
   of actual performance in a 
   graded external music examination 
   ... performance is arguably the 
   most important image-forming 
   component of an individual's 
   identity as a musician. 
   Consequently, it is perhaps not 
   surprising that students' perceptions 
   of self-efficacy should play a major 
   role in how they perform. 
   However, we still do not understand 
   properly the mechanisms 
   whereby students come to believe 
   in their own abilities to perform 
   well. (3) 

Nielsen's study took this concept of self-efficacy affecting outcomes and investigated older students, exploring the strategies used for superior practice. He addressed three specific questions:

* To what extent do first-year music students use specific learning and study strategies?

* What is the relationship between first-year music students' self-efficacy beliefs and strategy use?

* Are there any differences in use of strategies and self-efficacy beliefs with regard to main instrument, degree program or gender? (4)