An Exploration of the Effect of Instructor Visual Signal on Vague Feedback Statements by Preservice Music Educators

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of a visual signal on feedback type and rehearsal time usage by preservice music educators. A secondary aim was to examine the types of ambiguous feedback statements made by preservice music educators during instruction. Study participants rehearsed their university lab ensemble four times over the course of a semester after being randomly assigned to the control group ( n = 9) or the intervention group ( n = 9). The intervention did not produce a statistically significant effect on the frequency of vague feedback statements. Participants assigned to the intervention group, however, demonstrated a significantly increased amount of music making during their rehearsals and decreased the amount of general talking. Finally, the types of vague statements made by participants during their rehearsals were mostly positive, followed by ambiguous, comparative, and negative statements.