Developing Self-Efficacy to Improve Music Achievement

Albert Bandura identified self-efficacy as the dominant self-perception shaping action, effort, and achievement. In music education, researchers have identified a positive relationship between self-efficacy and achievement, but how can music educators develop self-efficacy to improve achievement? This article offers a description of self-efficacy and provides practical strategies to promote its development in music education. These strategies can be applied in any music learning environment so that music educators may be more fully prepared to integrate activities that build self-efficacy into their instruction, enabling their students to reach higher levels of achievement.