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Relevance and Application of Motivation in Music Education
In this paper, I will explore how motivation is relevant in teaching and learning, as
well as how motivation can be applied in education and particularly, music education. This
paper will first discuss significant concepts on the topic of motivation, some research on this
subject and how they guided current classroom practices, and subsequently how this will lead
to a change in my teaching approach.
Motivation in Music Education
Understanding the concepts of motivation is important in providing insight as to how
and why students choose to learn a discipline, their perseverance through challenges of
learning and practice, and why some people give up (Evans, 2015).
One significant theory in studying motivation is the self-determination theory (SDT),
an approach that emphasizes the role of students’ internal motivational resources in
generating positive classroom engagement and learning (Renwick & Reeve, 2012). The
teacher’s motivating style poses a major influence on their internalized values and intrinsic
motivation. According to SDT, intrinsic motivation is shown when we do something because
it is inherently interesting or satisfying. It is maintained or enhanced by factors like positive
feedback, supply of optimal challenges, freedom for self-direction (Renwick & Reeve, 2012).
Extrinsic motivation is commonly seen in music teaching and learning, such as giving
stickers to students for their achievement, because it seemed to have a positive effect in
immediate, short-term contexts. However, Evans (2015) highlighted that these external
motivators are unlikely to foster independent practice and mastery of a piece when the
teacher stops using stickers as encouragement, as they do not internalize a sense of
motivation for long-term music learning in students.
Another concept important to understanding motivation in education is the study of
fixed and growth mindsets to explain the beliefs students have regarding learning and
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intelligence (Robinson, 2017). Students with fixed mindset think that intelligence is
unchangeable, while “students with a growth mindset believe that their abilities can be
developed and improved over time with practice” (Robinson, 2017, p. 18). Learning
behaviors are influenced by mindsets and students with growth mindset are more inclined to
place more effort into learning.
Researches Concerning Motivation in Education and Music Education
A study done by Renwick et al. (2009, as cited in Renwick & Reeve, 2012) indicated
that intrinsic motivation was the greatest predictor of effective forms of practicing, such as
usage of corrective strategies and effort. Even though intrinsic motivation plays a strong role
in learning, Woody (2020) found that extrinsic motivation is similarly crucial as students who
felt empowered in making music have a higher tendency to reach a certain valuing and
