THE APPLICATION OF DIFFERENT TEACHING STRATEGIES REFLECTIVE OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS’ LEARNING MODALITIES IN THE UNIVERSITY FLUTE STUDIO CLASS DOCUMENT Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Musical Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Nicole L. Molumby, M.Mus * * * * * The Ohio State University 2004 Document Committee: Professor Katherine Borst Jones, Advisor Approved by Professor David Frego Professor Christopher Weait _____________________________ Advisor Professor Keith Warren School of Music ABSTRACT The purpose of this Doctor of Musical Arts document is to identify and explore different learning modality combinations expressed by university flute students in the studio class. In five lessons, this document investigated how activities based on the technical and musical aspects of selected standard flute repertoire could be used in the studio class with students expressing their personal learning modalities. In this qualitative study of metacognition, the students’ awareness of their learning modality was observed as they became more conscious of their own learning style. The goal of this document was to encourage university flute students to incorporate a personal understanding of their individual learning process within the flute studio class. The majority of literature on student learning styles focuses primarily on elementary-aged students. However, this study examined how teaching strategies can be applied to students on the university level with music as the academic subject. This research identified and used different teaching strategies that encouraged students to reach their potential of understanding of their learning modality within a group environment. ii The study participants ranged from freshman to senior level flute majors at The Ohio State University and included both performance and music education majors. Students took the VARK learning modality questionnaire, which determined if they were visual, aural, reading, or kinesthetic learners. A combination of classroom observations and questionnaire results produced student learning profiles for each of the seven participants. The student reflection responses from each of the five lessons, as well as the final exit questionnaire, revealed that students found the studio class environment and the teaching strategies effective in meeting their personal learning styles. This brief study produced positive responses from all of the participants, particularly regarding group instruction and the students’ self-awareness of their personal learning styles. iii DEDICATION To “Ann, Brad, Carrie, Daria, Elaine, Fiona, and Gail,” You are not alone. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank my advisor, Professor Katherine Borst Jones for her support during this project, allowing me to work with such talented flute majors and for observing and attending the lessons. I am grateful to Dr. Frego for helping me develop this document topic, his creative lesson ideas and most of all his expert assistance in editing the manuscript. I would also like to thank Professor Weait for his encouragement and enthusiasm for teaching. Finally, to the participants, “Ann, Brad, Carrie, Daria, Elaine, Fiona, and Gail,” words cannot express my gratitude for your patience, participation, creativity, support, and willingness to try new things. v VITA May 29, 1975 ………………………………………… Born -Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1997 ………………………………………………….. B.M. Flute Performance B.M.E. K-12 Choral Education University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa 1998 ………………………………………………….. Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Manchester, England 1999 ………………………………………………….. Performance Diploma Royal Northern College of Music Manchester, England 2000 ………………………………………………….. M.Mus. Flute Performance Royal Northern College of Music Manchester, England 2001 …………………………………………………. Music Teacher Columbus Public Schools Columbus, Ohio 2001 - 2004 ………………………………………… Graduate Teaching Associate The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio Field of Study ………………………………………. Music - Flute Performance vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………. ii Dedication …………………………………………………………………………. iv Acknowledgments …………………………………………………………………. v Vita ………………………………………………………………………………… vi List of Tables ………………………………………………………………………. x List of Figures ……………………………………………………………………… xii List of Musical Examples ………………………………………………………….. xiii Chapter 1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 1 Study Purpose ……………………………………………………………… 1 My Learning Modality …………………………………………………….. 1 Study Overview …………………………………………………………… 4 2. Review of Literature …………………………………………………………… 6 Learning Styles …………………………………………………………….. 6 Teaching Strategies ……………………………………………………….. 28 Qualitative Research ………………………………………………………. 47 3. Transfer and Background ………………………………………………………. 51 Visual, Aural, and Kinesthetic Learning Modalities and Teaching Applications ……………………………………….. 51 Learning Environments and Teaching Applications ………………..…….. 53 Personality Types and Teaching Applications …………………………….. 55 Learning Preferences: Affective, Physiological, and Cognitive and Teaching Applications …………………………………………. 56 Perception, Process and Teaching Applications ………………………..…. 58 Hemisphericity and Teaching Applications ……………………………..… 60 Learning Phases in College Students and Teaching Applications ……..….. 61 4. Qualitative Study Narratives …………………………………………………… 64 Introduction ………………………………………………………………… 64 4.1 Marcel Moyse, 24 Little Melodies, # 3 …………………………………. 64 Repertoire Review ……………………………………………..…… 64 Lesson Plan ……………………………………………………..….. 67 Narrative …………………………………………………………..… 70 Reflection Responses ………………………………………………. 75 vii 4.2 Gabriel Fauré, Fantasie, opening Andantino ………………………….. 77 Repertoire Review …………………………………………………. 77 Lesson Plan ………………………………………………………… 78 Narrative……………………………………………………..…….. 81 Reflection Responses ………………………………………..…….. 88 4.3 Katherine Hoover, Kokopeli ………………………………………….. 90 Repertoire Review …………………………………………..…….. 90 Lesson Plan ………………………………………………………... 92 Narrative ………………………………………………………..…. 95 Reflection Responses …………………………………………..….. 104 4.4 Taffanel and Gaubert, Seventeen Big Daily Exercises, #4 ……………… 108 Repertoire Review ……………………………………………..……. 108 Lesson Plan ……………………………………………………….…. 111 Narrative……………………………………………………………. 114 Reflection Responses ……………………………………………….. 120 4.5 Maurice Ravel, Boléro ………………………………………………….. 123 Repertoire Review ………………………………………………….. 123 Lesson Plan …………………………………………………………. 125 Narrative …………………………………………………………… 127 Reflection Responses ……………………………………….……… 132 5. Conclusion …………………………………………………..………………….. 135 Exit Questionnaires Summary ……………………………………………… 135 Recommendation for Further Research …………………………………….. 139 Future Professional Applications …………………………………………… 140 Final Conclusion …………………………………………………………… 141 Bibliography ……………………………………………………………………….. 143 Appendices …………………………………………………………………………. 149 A. Student Learning Profiles ………………………………………………………. 149 Student Learning Profile Table …………………………………………….. 150 Initial Study Questionnaire …………………………………………………. 151 Ann …………………………………………………………………………. 152 Brad ………………………………………………………………………… 154 Carrie ………………………………………………………………………. 157 Daria ……………………………………………………………………….. 160 Elaine ……………………………………………………………………….. 164 viii Fiona ……………………………………………………………………….. 167 Gail ………………………………………………………………..……..… 169 B. Vark Questionnaire .…………………………………………………………… 171 C. Exit Questionnaire …………………………………………………………….. 178 Questionnaire ……………………………………………………………… 179 Student 1 Questionnaire Responses ……………………………………….. 180 Student 2 Questionnaire Responses ……………………………………….. 182 Student 3 Questionnaire Responses ……………………………………….. 183 Student 4 Questionnaire Responses ……………………………………….. 185 Student 5 Questionnaire Responses ……………………………………….. 186 Student 6 Questionnaire Responses ……………………………………….. 188 Student 7 Questionnaire Responses ……………………………………….. 189 D. Images used in Lesson #3 - Hoover’s Kokopeli ……………………….………. 191 ix LIST OF TABLES Table Page Table 1 - Kennell’s Instructional Sequence …………………………………….….. 33 Table 2 - Teaching Characteristics ……………………………………………….… 34 Table 3 - Declarative and Procedural Memory Functions ……………………….… 38 Table 4 - Musical Form and Qualitative Research ………………………………… 50 Table 5 - Gregorc’s Learning Model ………………………………………….……. 59 Table 6 - Group Discussion …………………………………………………….….. 72 Table 7 - Student Responses …………………………………………………….…. 83 Table 8 - Kokopeli Part Assignments …………………………………………….… 93 Table 9 - Student Responses …………………………………………………….…. 97 Table 10 - Student Responses ………………………………………………………. 100 Table 11 - Student Responses ……………………………………………………… 101 Table 12 - Student Responses ……………………………………………………… 116 Table 13 - Final Boléro Exercise ………………………………………………….. 126 Table 14 - Student Responses ……………………………………………………… 130 Table 15 - Anonymous Student Responses ………………………………………… 136 Table 16 - Anonymous Student Responses ………………………………………… 137 Table 17 - Anonymous Student Responses ………………………………………… 137 x Table 18 - Anonymous Student Responses ………………………………………… 142 Table 19 - Learning Modality Chart Reflection of Participants’ Learning Styles …. 150 xi LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Figure 1 - Susan Hallam’s Learning Process ……………………………………… 10 Figure 2 - Image of Running Horse ……………………………………………….. 192 Figure 3 - Image of Dancing Kokopeli ………………………………………….… 192 Figure 4 - Image of Desert Canyon ……………………………………………….. 193 Figure 5 - Image of “You are not alone” …………………………………………… 193 Figure 6 - Image of Large Kokopeli ……………………………………………….. 194 xii LIST