Preservice music and classroom educators’ predictions of music preferences of 3rd, 5th and 7th grade students from rural, suburban, and urban schools

Date
2011-05
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore to what extent preservice educators, both music and traditional classroom, were able to predict the music preferences of 3rd, 5th and 7th grade students from rural, suburban, and urban areas. The process included data collection from two populations: student music preference ratings (N = 647); and preservice educator predictions of student ratings (N = 124). Students and preservice educators responded to a stimulus recording consisting of 15 song samples. ANOVA calculations compared the results of the preservice music and preservice traditional classroom predictions of the students’ actual preference rating. If the results did not yield a significant difference between the prediction and the student ratings, then the teacher prediction was noted as accurate.

Preservice educator prediction trends were revealed as the data were explored across student gender, grade, and geography. Although preservice traditional classroom educators were significantly more accurate in their predictions than preservice music educators, neither group had an overall success rate greater than 44.44%. Implications for teacher preparation included the dissemination and application of student preference materials for a more productive and successful learning environment, and the connection of music to the outside world and across the curriculum.

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Keywords
Student preferences, Predictions, Music preferences
Citation