An Investigation of Reinforcements, Time Use, and Student Attentiveness in Piano Lessons

Abstract

This investigation was a survey of natural rates and ratios of reinforcements, time use, student attentiveness, and interruptions of student performance in 96 private piano lessons. Forty-eight teachers and two students per teacher voluntarily participated with student age ranging from preschool to older adult. Intervallic observation procedures were used with an observation form adapted for this investigation; pilot-testing of the form resulted in interobserver reliability of .85. Results indicated that student age was a significant factor in observed differences among twelve selected variables. Elementary students (preschool through grade 6) received highest rates and ratios of approvals, secondary students (grades 7 through 12) spent more lesson time in student performance, and adults (high school graduates to adults of retirement age) were most on-task during lessons. All students were on-task for at least 85% of the lesson time. The survey found that lesson time was largely divided between student performance and teacher instruction.