Students' perceptions of the factors that influence their decisions to study elective music in Year 8 and Year 11 of secondary school

Abstract

This study explored the perceptions of Year 8 and Year 11 students in relation to the influence of various selected factors upon their decisions to study elective music in secondary school. These factors included students’ achievement-related beliefs (for example, their expectancies for success, competence beliefs, and task values), their various musical experiences, their history of musical involvement, and the influence of other people. This study was conducted in a selective girls’ high school in the Sydney metropolitan area. The participants were Year 8 students who were studying the Additional Study Course, Year 11 students who were studying the Music 2 course, and their classroom music teacher. In order to gain greater insights into students’ perceptions this study employed a predominantly qualitative design for the collection and analysis of data. The collection of data involved a combination of methods including semistructured interviews and a questionnaire. The results showed that the students in this study who chose to study elective music had a history of previous musical experience beyond the secondary school music classroom, perceived themselves as musically competent, and considered music to be an important component of their lives. In addition, most students had support from home for their involvement in elective music and appeared to come from families in which music was a valued activity. Apart from their families, students’ decisions were also influenced by other people including their music teachers (classroom and private) and friends. Secondary classroom music teachers were shown to be a more significant influence upon students’ decisions than has been found in previous research. Overall, the Year 11 students were extrinsically motivated to study elective music because they thought it was a subject in which they could achieve good marks for their Higher School Certificate. In contrast, the Year 8 students were intrinsically motivated to study elective music because they derived enjoyment and interest from the subject. However, it was evident that a complex network of possible factors have the potential to influence students’ decisions to study elective music in secondary school.