The effect of choral student learning style and motivation for music on perception of music teaching style

The primary research question of this study was whether students' learning style and motivation for music would predict their perceptions of music teaching style. Secondary research questions were also of interest: (a) whether certain learning style or motivation types participated in choir (b) whether different types participated in choir based on the teacher and level of choir and (c) whether research instruments were reliable and measured distinct constructs. Middle and high school choral students (N=273) completed Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, Asmus' motivation for music measures, and Gumm's Music Teaching Style Inventory. Distinct and reliable constructs were confirmed in measures of motivation, learning style, and music teaching style. On average, most subjects in the sample had concrete experiential and active experimentation learning styles, were motivated in music through effort and their musical ability, and perceived their teachers as having positive, efficient, nonverbally motivating, and assertive music teaching styles. Across grade level students were increasingly more active experimentation in their learning style and were increasingly more motivated by their personal commitment and preference for music over other activities. Lea ming style predicted small but significant variance in student perceptions of teacher assertiveness and time efficiency. Motivation for music predicted moderate variance in each music teaching style dimension.