The effect of two methods of music instruction on the degree of liking and musical knowledge on non-music majors enrolled in music appreciation classes.

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to compare the effects of icon-based listening outlines and language-based listening outlines on the degree of liking scores and musical knowledge scores of nonmusic majors enrolled in music appreciation courses. A secondary purpose was to examine interactions between the methods of instruction and the students' age, gender, teacher, and primary language with the dependent variables of degree of liking and musical knowledge scores. One-hundred and ninety-seven university undergraduates enrolled in six intact music appreciation classes served as subjects for the twelve week study. Three instructors, each teaching two intact music appreciation classes, taught both methods. The study used a pretest/posttest two group experimental design to answer fourteen research questions. The results indicated that degree of liking scores and musical knowledge scores significantly improved between the pretests and posttests regardless of method of instruction. Results also revealed a significant interaction between method and time of test for both degree of liking and musical knowledge. Students using icon-based listening outlines showed a greater increase in degree of liking scores and musical knowledge scores from pretest to posttest than the students using language-based listening outlines; however all increases were slight. Results also revealed significant interactions among teacher, primary language, and musical knowledge scores and among teacher, method of instruction, and musical knowledge scores.