Descripción: |
Abstract:
The influence on learning outcomes of interpersonal interaction amongst
teachers, pupils and parents is the subject of an inquiry that took this researcher on a
voyage from the qualitative to the quantitative side of the “methodological divide”, and
back again.
This paper presents findings from first phase of the research, which included a
quantitative survey to examine how learning and teaching experience for violin pupils was
influenced by the interpersonal dynamics of responsiveness and control, within pupilparent
and pupil-teacher relationships.
As part of the survey pupils were asked to draw pictures of their violin lessons. It was
thought that the pictures might reveal pupils’ perceptions of their experience of learning
an instrument and that the pictures would add depth to the quantitative scales that
measured interpersonal mechanisms and pupil outcomes.
The pictures were subjected to content analysis and coded accordingly. These codes
were matched with pupil artists’ scores for control and responsiveness, as well as with
their scores for outcomes that included enjoyment of music, personal satisfaction, self
esteem, self efficacy, friendship, motivation and musical attainment. Analysis of variance
was computed in order to test the null hypotheses that a) pupil-teacher-parent
interpersonal behaviour (control and responsiveness) was not represented in their
pictures and b) pupil outcomes were not reflected in their depictions of violin lessons. This
paper presents the results of this analysis, thus addressing the question of whether the
pictures could be accepted as telling a credible and coherent story about pupils’
perceptions of learning the violin. |