THE ROLE OF SELF-EFFICACY AND MODELING IN IMPROVISATION AMONG INTERMEDIATE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC STUDENTS

The first purpose of this study was to investigate whether different modeling conditions (Aural and Aural/Notated Transcription) produced significant differences for improvisation achievement. Another purpose was to investigate whether music learning theory-based improvisation instruction had an effect on students' self-efficacy for improvisation and for instrumental music. Participants (N = 76) completed two researcher-designed self-efficacy scales before and after a 10 treatment session improvisation instruction. Following the treatment sessions, each participant was individually recorded and assessed. The posttest improvisation scores were subjected to an ANOVA, while the pretest and posttest self-efficacy scores were subjected to two Repeated Measures ANOVAs. The alpha level was adjusted from .05 to .017. The statistical analysis showed that there was no significant difference in improvisation achievement for the modeling conditions. Further analyses showed there were significant increases in students' self-efficacy for improvising and for instrumental music following the improvisation instruction.