Secondary Students’ Preferences for Various Learning Conditions and Music Courses: A Comparison of School Music, Out-of-School Music, and Nonmusic Participants

Abstract

This study was an investigation of middle and high school students’ preferences for various music learning conditions and secondary music course offerings. The stratified random sample included students who were and were not enrolled in school music classes ( N = 827). Participants represented secondary school music students ( n = 369), students who only participate in music outside of school ( n = 254), and nonparticipants in music ( n = 204). The research questions for this study concerned students’ preferences for teacher role, group size, and repertoire in the music classroom as well as interest in six different secondary music courses. Findings showed out-of-school music participants and nonparticipants had a stronger preference for small group learning environments and repertoire choice when compared to school music participants. In-school and out-of-school music participants expressed similar levels of interest in four music course offerings and ranked them as follows: (1) piano/guitar class, (2) music composition with technology class, (3) popular music groups, and (4) music history/theory class. In-school and out-of-school music participants differed on only two course offerings: large ensembles and world music groups. In-school music participants expressed high interest in large ensembles, whereas out-of-school music participants conveyed a lower interest in large ensembles.