Motivational Constructs Influencing Undergraduate Students’ Choices to Become Classroom Music Teachers or Music Performers

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether any of the six motivational constructs in the expectancy-value model of motivation (i.e., expectancy, ability perceptions, intrinsic interest value, attainment value, social utility value, and cost) would predict whether students intended to have a career teaching classroom music or performing music. Participants included 270 undergraduate students enrolled in music programs at seven major U.S. universities who completed an online questionnaire. Using stepwise multiple regression, the authors documented that attainment value, intrinsic interest value, and expectancy predicted 74% of the variance in whether students intended to choose a career teaching music. They found that expectancy, attainment value, ability perceptions, and intrinsic interest value explained 65% of the variance in whether students intended to choose a career in music performance. Because of the importance of attainment value in predicting students' intentions to teach and the importance of expectancies in predicting their intentions to have a performance career, these two constructs would be obvious choices for teachers and advisors to target if they want to encourage students to pursue these careers.

Motivation to pursue a career in music: The role of social constraints in university music programs

“…The music education majors' responses also emphasized topics such as having an opportunity to work with children and having a relatively safe and stable career choice. Parkes and Jones (2012) followed their earlier pair of articles with a correlational study employing the music education and performance major participants of their previous studies as a single sample. Participants reported the likelihood they would be teaching classroom music and the likelihood they would be performing as a career following graduation.…”

Factors that lead students to study music education : a descriptive study.

“…Schmidt, Zdzinski, and Ballard's (2006) research shows a relationship between students' motivational approaches towards success and attempt to avoid failures. Their findings suggest that self-concept of ability did not directly affect participant overall career goals (Parkes & Jones, 2012;Schmidt et al, 2006). Sichivitsa (2007) states "Students who believe that music performance is a reflection and function of their talent rather than their practice efforts tend to avoid challenging tasks that may uncover their lack of talent.…”

“…Research has also examined the influence of a developed "self-identity" on becoming a music teacher (Bright 2006;Isbell, 2008;Hamann & Walker, 1993;Jones & Parkes, 2010;McClellan, 2007;McClellan, 2011;Parkes and Jones, 2012;Sichivitsa, 2007). Teacher self-identity, or seeing one's self as a teacher, is another factor when selecting a major.…”

“…In a second study, Parkes and Jones (2012) suggests that students give several reasons for choosing a career in music, including: "they enjoyed music, believed that they were good at teaching, believed that a teaching career was useful, and viewed teaching as a part of their identity. "…”

“…External influences may also affect a student's decision-making process in not choosing an area of study (Brand, 2002;Parkes & Jones, 2012;Sichivitsa, 2007).…”