The relationship between interpersonal communication skills, teaching effectiveness, and conducting effectiveness of music education students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was (a) to determine if there was a significant relationship between the interpersonal communication skills of music education students and teaching effectiveness, (b) to determine if there was a significant relationship between the interpersonal communication skills of music education students and conducting/rehearsal technique, and (c) to determine if there is a significant difference between the conductor and ensemble perception of the conductor's interpersonal communication skills. Subjects were 30 music education students who had taken at least one semester of conducting instruction. Subjects completed three 10-minutes micro rehearsals with an ensemble. Each micro rehearsal was videotaped. Upon completion of the third micro rehearsal, members of the ensemble completed the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction for each subject to determine the subject's perceived interpersonal communication style profile. Each subject completed the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction using his/her ideal responses to determine an ideal interpersonal communication style profile. Three judges evaluated videotapes of the first and third micro rehearsal for each subject using the Survey on Teaching Effectiveness to determine teaching effectiveness and the Conductor Observation Form to determine conducting effectiveness. Data were analyzed using two Two-way Analysis of Variances with Repeated Measures to determine if significant differences existed between interpersonal communication skills, teaching effectiveness, and conducting effectiveness. A quotient of agreement was calculated to determine the degree of association between ideal interpersonal communication styles and perceived interpersonal communication styles. Eleven subjects were identified as having helpful/friendly interpersonal communication styles, 11 subjects were identified as having understanding interpersonal communication styles, and 8 subjects were identified as having strict communication styles. Significant (p ≤ .05) differences were found to exist between interpersonal communication skills, teaching effectiveness, and conducting effectiveness. A low (quotient of agreement = .10) degree of association was found between ideal interpersonal communication styles and perceived interpersonal communication styles.