The purpose of this study is to determine differences in choral students’ perceptions of motivation strategies. A survey provided the opportunity for students (N = 515) to identify effective motivation techniques. Students identified director/ student attention and knowledge of results as being highly effective, interest as being effective, and task achievement and level of concern as being somewhat effective in enhancing student motivation. Significant differences, compared by gender and grade level, were identified for several motivation strategies. Implications for choral music educators who wish to enhance their ability to motivate students to learn are provided, as are recommendations for further research.
Ames, C. ( 1990). Motivation: What teachers need to know. In S. Tozer, T. H. Anderson , & B. B. Armbruster (Eds.), Foundational studies in teacher education: A reexamination (pp. 111-121). New York: Teachers College Press.
2.
Anderson, M., & Greathouse, L. (1978). New approaches to an old subject: Motivation. Improving College and University Teaching , 26(2), 149-151.
3.
Asmus, E.P., & Harrison, C.S. (1990). Characteristics of motivation for music and musical aptitude of undergraduate music majors. Journal of Research in Music Education, 38(4), 258-268.
4.
Baker, J.S. ( 1993). The effects of two motivational factors on accuracy and persistence for second graders (motivation, feedback, praise) (Doctoral dissertation, Western Michigan University, 1993). Dissertation Abstracts International, 54, 1230A.
5.
Bartholomew, D. ( 1993). Effective strategies for praising students. Music Educators Journal, 80(3), 40-43.
6.
Bavetta, A.G. ( 1993). An investigation of the influence of communication behaviors when presenting performance feedback (Doctoral dissertation, University of Washington, 1992). Dissertation Abstracts International , 54, 1003A.
7.
Blumfield, P.C. ( 1992). Classroom learning and motivation: Clarifying and expanding goal theory. Journal of Educational Psychology , 84(3), 272-281.
8.
Brendell, J.K. ( 1993). An analysis of time usage, rehearsal activity, and student off-task behavior during the initial minutes of high school choral rehearsals (Doctoral dissertation, Florida State University, 1992). Dissertation Abstracts International, 53, 2285A.
9.
Brophy, J. ( 1987). Synthesis of research on strategies for motivating students to learn. Educational Leadership, 53, 40-48.
10.
Caldwell, W.A. ( 1980). A time analysis of selected musical elements and leadership behaviors of successful high school choral directors (Doctoral dissertation, Florida State University, 1980). Dissertation Abstracts International , 41, 976A.
11.
Christophel, D.M. ( 1990). The relationships among teacher immediacy behaviors, student motivation, and learning (Doctoral dissertation, West Virginia University, 1990). Dissertation Abstracts International, 54, 1887A.
12.
Davis, A.P. ( 1994). Performance ratings and analysis of teaching during choral rehearsals (Doctoral dissertation, Florida State University, 1993) . Dissertation Abstracts International, 54, 2500A.
13.
DePugh, D.L. ( 1988). Characteristics of successful senior high school directors in the state of Missouri: A survey of teacher self-perception and student and administrator assessment (Doctoral dissertation, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1987). Dissertation Abstracts International , 48, 2568A.
14.
Fraker, D.S. ( 1993). Student motivation: A staff development program designed for classroom teachers (Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia, 1993) . Dissertation Abstracts International, 54, 1231A.
15.
Frazier, B. (1985). Classroom environment. London: Croom-Helm. Gleason, W. A. (1993). The relationship of choral conductor behavior to high school student attitude and performance (Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University, 1992). Dissertation Abstracts International, 53, 4244A.
16.
Gordon, L. ( 1989). Choral director’s rehearsal and performance guide. WestNyack, NJ: Parker.
17.
Grossnickle, D.R., & Thiel, W.B. ( 1988). Promoting effective students motivation in school and classroom. Reston, VA: National Association of Secondary School Principals.
18.
Hodson, R.J. ( 1991). Sex differences in intrinsic motivation (Master’s thesis, California State University, Fresno, 1990). Masters Abstracts International, 29, 541.
19.
Hunter, M.C. ( 1967). Theory into practice: Motivation. El Segundo, CA: TIP.
20.
Jacobson, B.L. ( 1981). The effects of paradoxical intention and feedback on cognitive and affective mediators of anagram solving (Doctoral dissertation, Northern Illinois University, 1980). Dissertation Abstracts International, 41, 4669A.
Lepper, M.R., & Hodell, M. ( 1989). Intrinsic motivation in the classroom. In C. Ames & R. Ames (Eds.), Research of motivation in education (Vol. 3, pp. 73-105). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
23.
Malone, T.W., & Lepper, M.R. ( 1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivation for learning. In R. E. Snow & M. J. Farr (Eds.), Aptitude, learning, and instruction (Vol. 3, pp. 223-253). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
24.
Matthews, D.B. ( 1991). The effects of school environment on intrinsic motivation of middle-school children. Journal of Humanistic Education and Development, 30(1), 30-36.
25.
McMillan, J.H., & Forsyth, D.R. ( 1991). Seventh graders’ conceptions of teachers: An interpretive analysis. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 45, 39-52.
26.
Mergendoller, J., & Packer, M. ( 1985). Seventh graders’ conceptions of teachers: An interpretive analysis. Elementary School Journal, 85, 581-600.
27.
Mudrick, A.W. ( 1997). Student motivation in four successful high school choral programs in south central Pennsylvania: A qualitative study (Doctoral dissertation, Temple University, 1997). Dissertation Abstracts International , 58/10, 3869A.
28.
Mullins, S. S. (1981). Motivation. Instrumentalist, 36(4), 20-24. Nicholls, J. (1989). The competitive ethos and democratic education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
29.
Osman, N.E. ( 1990). The development of the communication skill evaluation instrument: An instruments designed to assess the communication skill of the conductor in the choral rehearsal (Doctoral dissertation, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 1989). Dissertation Abstracts International, 50, 2419A.
30.
Peck, D. ( 1971). A theory of intrinsic classroom motivation (Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University, 1971). Dissertation Abstracts International, 32, 2919A.
31.
Peggie, A. ( 1982). Motivational problems. Music Teacher , 61(4), 14-15.
32.
Petty, R.A. ( 1988). Evaluation of procedures to develop selected choral rehearsal skills with undergraduate choral methods students (Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 1987). Dissertation Abstracts International , 48, 2317A.
33.
Ray, N.L. ( 1992). Motivation in education. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED349298)
34.
Rhoads, M.D. ( 1991). Decision-making in the choral rehearsal: A study of five outstanding high school choral directors using stimulated recall (Doctoral dissertation, University of Oregon, 1990). Dissertation Abstracts International, 51, 2674A.
35.
Richards, T.A. ( 1991). Effects of constructive feedback on perceived competence and intrinsic motivation (Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University, 1990). Dissertation Abstracts International, 51, 2685A.
36.
Rieck, A.J. ( 2000). The motivation of routine and its effect upon teacher action within one choral music classroom (Doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2000). Dissertation Abstracts International , 61/08, 3043A.
37.
Saunders, A.T. ( 2005). The role of motivation in the choral setting: Teacher beliefs and their impact on choral conductor behavior and choral student motivation (Doctoral dissertation, University of Utah, 2005). Dissertation Abstracts International, 66/05, 1687A.
38.
Stamer, R.A. ( 1994). The effect of Madeline Hunter’s variables of motivation in stimulating student motivation. Unpublished manuscript.
39.
Stamer, R.A. ( 1995). Choral student perceptions of effective motivation strategies based on Madeline Hunter’s motivation variables (Doctoral dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 1995). Dissertation Abstracts International, 56/08, 3046A.
40.
Stamer, R.A. ( 2004). Choral student perceptions of the music contest experience . Update: Applications of Research in Music Education , 22(2), 5-12.
41.
Teeran, R. C., & Birney, R. C. (Eds.). (1964). Theories of motivation in learning. Princeton, NJ: D. Van Nostrand.
42.
Tyson, T.L. ( 1988). A descriptive case study of a master teacher’s verbal behavior in a high school choral rehearsal (Doctoral dissertation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1988). Dissertation Abstracts International, 50, 299A.
43.
Warner, D.L. ( 1987). An investigation of patterns of motivation in rehearsal construction of selected high school choral conductors (Doctoral dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 1986). Dissertation Abstracts International, 47, 3352A.
44.
Weiner, B. ( 1972). Theories of motivation-From mechanism to cognition . Chicago: Rand McNally.
45.
Wickwire, A.J. ( 1992). The relationship between teacher verbal feedback, aptitude, and academic intrinsic motivation (Doctoral dissertation, College of William and Mary, 1992). Dissertation Abstracts International , 53, 1459A.
46.
Wlodkowski, R.J. ( 1984). Motivation and teaching: A practical guide. Washington, DC: National Education Association .
47.
Worthington, J.L. ( 1993). A descriptive study of teachers’ interactive decision-making in the high school choral music rehearsal classroom (Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park, 1992). Dissertation Abstracts International, 53, 2288A.
