Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education
Date of this Version
Summer 6-29-2011
Document Type
Article
Abstract
The field of education is constantly searching for techniques to efficiently select effective instructional strategies in order to differentiate instruction for students. Why do teachers select the types of instructional strategies they do to promote learning in the music classroom? Most teachers believe a mixture of educational goals, teacher experience, research, student ability, aptitude, interest, and learning style intuitively guide their strategy selection process (Tomlinson et al., 2003). One possible theory is that teachers' personalities are guiding the intuition that selects the instructional strategies. The purpose of this study was to determine if the high school band director's personality temperament significantly influences his/her instructional strategy selection in the context of a high school band rehearsal. Videos of 14 Midwestern high school band directors were coded to determine the instructional strategy types they used. These strategy type selections were analyzed between personality temperaments looking for independent relationships. Significant effects between personality temperament and instructional strategy type selections were found as well as differences in how high school band directors differentiate instruction. It was found all four personality temperaments chose to use Verbal Dictated instructional strategies more than any other instructional strategy type. However, the proportions in which they chose the instructional strategy types differed greatly. The intuitive-thinker personality temperament had the highest percentage in 60% o f the instructional strategy types. This means intuitive-thinkers had the greatest differentiation of instruction. Differences in chi-square contributions showed significant differences in each personality temperament's choice of instructional strategy types. For example, sensory-perceivers were more likely to choose behavioral cues than any personality temperament was to choose any instructional strategy type. A person of the intuitive-thinker temperament was less likely to use verbal dictated strategy types that 95% of the other personality temperament-strategy type pairings. Since personality is a preference for behaviors rather than a cause of behavior, the instructor can use categorized instructional strategy types to increase the breadth of instructional choices. Using a wider variety of strategy types statistically improves the chance of finding a strategy to meet the needs of each student.
Advisor: Brian R. Moore
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
Comments
A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Major: Educational Studies (Teaching, Curriculum and Learning), Under the Supervision of Professor Brian R. Moore. Lincoln, Nebraska: June, 2011
Copyright 2011 Matthew D. Herrick