Variation in the Ways that Instrumental and Vocal Students Experience Learning Music

This paper reports on variation in the ways that instrumental and vocal students at tertiary level experience, or understand, learning. Five related conceptions of learning are described ranging from quite limiting views to expansive views. Students who only experience learning music within a limiting conception will focus their attention on the technical aspects of playing or singing. Students who experience learning music within the expansive conception are able to focus on more meaningful aspects of music if the learning environment supports their view. Understanding the ways that instrumental and vocal students experience learning may have implications for the development of learning environments that will encourage students to adopt a more sophisticated learning framework resulting in higher quality learning outcomes.