Is the perception of music related to musical motivation in school?

• Published in: Music education research Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 375 - 386
• Main Authors: Arriaga Sanz, Cristina, Madariaga Orbea, José-María
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02-10-2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Academic Aspiration; Difficulty Level; Elementary School Students; Family Influence; Foreign Countries; Goal Orientation; Grade 6; Learning Activities; Motivation; Music; Music Education; musical activities; musical education; musical habits and preferences; Musical Instruments; perception of difficulty of music; Perceptions; primary education; Questionnaires; Spain; Student Attitudes; Student Motivation; Student participation; Spain
• ISSN: 1461-3808; 1469-9893
• DOI: 10.1080/14613808.2013.847074

This paper contains research on the relationship between factors that explain the pupils' perception of music and musical education and their motivation rates to study the subject of music based on motivational explanatory models of cognitive orientation. One hundred and sixteen, sixth-year primary education students belonging to four schools in the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain) participated in the experience. The most significant results suggest that the perception of difficulty of music is related to the students' motivation. Besides, the most motivated students prefer activities related to instrumental interpretation and musical audition. Conclusions lead us to interpret instrument interpretation activities as positive, where the difficulty of the repertoire is adapted, as well as those strategies that favour different forms of student participation, according to their abilities.