Stage 4 Music students are more likely to study Music in stage 5 if they study year 8 Music.

(Video included below)

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Quick facts:

• 5-week Action Research period

• 84 stage 4 students participated in the research

• Independent Catholic High School in Sydney subject of study

• The school currently offers stage 4 Music in year 7 only.

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The stage 4 music club:

• Offered to students as a 'rock club' with year 7/8 students learning drums, bass, guitar and keys with the opportunity to form their own bands and add other instruments.

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Why do this Action Research Project? (Significance of research)

• This Action Research Project aims to identify whether the implementation of a stage 4 extra-curricular music programme would make students more likely to choose music as an elective subject in year 9.

• A reduction in students partaking in music activities is often observed during adjustment periods, such as the transition from primary school to high school or from one stage of secondary education to another (Marshall & Hargreaves, 2007). 

• In the case of this Action Research project, the division in the school’s classroom music programme from year 7 to 9 is a significant factor in the lower numbers of students electing music in year 9. 

• There is great inconsistency between adolescent’s engagement with music in school and non-school settings, so it is vital to cater to student’s musical interests as this will be a determining factor in the successfulness of the programme (Temmerman, 2005). 

• Music has been identified as a preferred leisure activity of adolescents, although this is not evident in student’s participation in classroom music education (Boal-Palheiros & Hargreaves, 2001).

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Literature Review 

• According to the article ‘Secondary student motivation to participate in a Year 9 Australian elective classroom music curriculum’ the factors which influence a student's decision to elect year 9 music include school culture, peer group, family values and student perceptions of teachers (Harrison, 2007). These constituents are important when considering the findings of this action research project.​

• Although the effectiveness of a stage 4 music club is the main factor being investigated in this Action Research Project, additional data regarding these secondary factors will be collected, providing students with the opportunity to express their perceptions of these other factors.

• This additional data will be collected using open-ended questions in the pre- and post- survey; “Open-ended questioning was employed in the survey to explore each motivational category while also promoting a freedom in response that did not preclude unanticipated data” (McEwan, 2012, p. 106).

• This study utilised a pre- and post- survey design, as it allows for a clear and concise approach to understanding if changes in student’s perceptions of election music as a subject in year 9 have occurred after the implementation of the programme, providing the researcher with greater clarity in enacting change.

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Results... 

Link to results here

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Reference List: 

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  Boal-Palheiros, G. M. & Hargreaves, D. J. (2001) Listening to music at home and at school. British Delamont, S. (1992). Fieldwork in educational settings : methods, pitfalls, and perspectives. Falmer Press.

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  Marshall, N. A. & Hargreaves, D. J. (2007) Crossing the hump-back bridge: Primary–secondary school.

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  McEwan, R. (2013). Secondary student motivation to participate in a Year 9 Australian elective classroom music curriculum. British Journal of Music Education, 30(1), 103–124.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S026505171200023X

 

  Temmerman, N. (2005) Children’s participation in music: connecting the cultural contexts – an Australian transition in music education. Music Education Research, 9, 65–80.

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