Besides gaining insights into self-regulation habits of conservatoire students and how they correlate to self-efficacy and motivation, the main outcome of the research was the development of a Musicians’ Reflective Journal. The final design was finished in October 2020 and the journal was distributed to first year students in December 2020. A digital version of the journal was also produced and made available to all conservatoire students of The Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. The design and contents of the journal were based on self-regulated learning theories and research described in the literature review (chapter two) as well as on the outcomes of the preliminary interventions and pilot study reported in chapter three.
Content
At the beginning of the journal is an introduction to help convince the reader of the potential benefits of self-regulation. This is meant to help convince those students who are not intrinsically motivate to at least try it – and hopefully helping to make an extrinsic motivation, intrinsic (Ryan & Deci, 2000). At the end of the introduction is a description of SMART goals and why they work.
The table of contents was partly filled out and partly left open to cater to whatever the student ends up putting in their journal.
The semester overview bas based on assessment criteria designed by Gerda van Zelm and Susan Williams for the assessment and self-assessment of students at the Royal Conservatoire for their final exams in June and July of 2020. This form of assessment, which was filled in by both teacher and students and used as a basis for discussion in the examination panel, turned out to be widely popular with both staff and students. The assessment focussed on the students learning process and provided a balance to assessing the students solely on a single performance. In the journal the questions from the assessment form help to student to assess their current level, their strengths and weaknesses and formulate appropriate goals for the semester. At the end of the semester, the student is reminded of their goals and asked to review their progress and adjust their goals for the next semester in the semester reflection.
The month overview provides an overview of a whole month at a glance, and should contain only important events and deadlines. Important goals for the month can be noted down on the opposite page. This is meant to help time management and to avoid the stress of feeling “I don’t have enough time” and trying to think about everything, every day. Similarly, the week overview should help to see where there are obligations and free spaces – goals can be formulated accordingly.
The daily log serves two purposes: to get things done and to write down reflections. As not all students enjoy spending a lot of time on reflective writing, a ‘rapid logging’ concept (inspired by the bullet journal) was included in the journal. This list can be simple keywords or more elaborate. When planning the day, it is very important to not plan future days, but rather note down what one wishes or needs to do in connection with how you feel today. In this way we avoid a ‘road map’ that feels constricting and learn to plan in a way that is relevant and achievable by being tuned into our present energy and motivation levels. This also counts for planning the month and week – by noting only the important things in each month and week and not planning future ones.
What students want to document and collect is entirely up to them – and hopefully helps to stimulate their inner compass. Three are some collections pages offered as suggestions but these can be replaced or added to with the students’ own headings.
Design
Some of the ideas about how the journal functions were inspired by Ryder Carroll’s ‘Bullet Journal’ (Carroll, 2018), including page numbering and table of contents, monthly and weekly list and ‘rapid logging’ for daily tasks.
The journal is meant to promote self-regulation in all three of Zimmerman’s phases of the SRL process: space for short, medium and long-term goal setting; noting strategies and tools for practicing and information from lessons: space for noting insights, inspirations and motivation. The performance log was designed to document not only how a performance went, but to promote insights into the preparation and ideas to carry to the next learning phase.
One of the most important aspects of the journal is that it invites the student to customise it to reflect their unique process and at the same time offer enough structure for the less autonomous student. There is no pressure to write a lot or every day. Some components can be designed together with a teacher or a tutor, but ultimately the journal should be personal. The aim behind the design was to stimulate the student’s inner compass by asking them what is important for them rather than just provide a roadmap to fill in.
The performance log offers an introduction explaining how and why a performance is a unique learning moment, incorporating goals & intentions, documenting an event and reflecting in order to learn for the future:
Learning a piece of music or improving skills requires a period of exploration until the new skill or piece becomes more automatic. You will notice that you are not as consciously busy with steering, controlling and correcting your movements and the technical details; your mind is freer to focus on music, expression and the effects you want to make.
At the end of this phase of learning you are not necessarily ready to step onto the stage. Playing is not the same as performing. Performance preparation is about practicing trust. Are you able to play your piece well if others are watching? When your teacher is in the room? During an exam? When the performance is recorded for live radio?
If a particular passage or element is not going well every time, go back to using exploratory methods on that passage or element, until it feels more comfortable and ‘in your body’.
Before a performance spend time practicing performing, using mental imagery exercises to prepare yourself for the event, and most importantly, do practice in which you are practicing your musical intentions – with deliberation, nuance and detail. By asking yourself one or two weeks before a performance how prepared and confident you feel, and what specifically concerns you, gives you a chance to steer the final stages of preparation. A good question to ask a few weeks before a performance is: What would it take for me to look forward to this performance?
Having a performance log helps you to look at your performances over time – not only how they went, but how you prepared them and what insights they bring about you, your playing and your performing. Use the template provided here, adjust it or make up your own. It is important to formulate a clear goal or intention for each performance and for each piece. Then you can ask yourself what you need to focus on during playing (something you have hopefully practiced). What makes a good performance? The list of aspects displayed in the log sheet prompt you to formulate what you believe to be as important factors for a successful performance.
Many people make the mistake of deciding to aim for a perfect performance – this generally brings stress – resulting in physical tension and anxiety, which ultimately doesn't help you to play well. An even worse goal is to not make mistakes. This invites you to focus on mistakes! And to give up when the first error happens. A useful goal for performances in general is to be convincing. Ask yourself what the music is about, what you are communicating to the audience. Know exactly what every phrase and note needs to sound like and say. Then you have something relevant and positive to focus on during playing that can inform and enable your mind-body system to produce optimal results.
A performance is a unique learning moment, and can be approached as either a threat or an opportunity. You have a chance to share something with the world. Whatever happens in your performance, it will yield valuable information for the next one!
The following is a description of a musician’s spiral of learning, based on the self-regulatory processes described by Zimmerman (2002) and incorporating exercises designed and /or collected by the researcher. In this version the phases of Forethought, Performance and Self-Reflection are replaced by Intention, Attention and Reflection.
Prerequisites that are needed for your journey include being motivated and having a positive attitude about your ability to learn. Know your strengths and weaknesses, find ways to develop a growth mindset and develop practices that enhance positive self-beliefs. Collect and employ strategies that feed your motivation.
INTENTION (Forethought phase): involves understanding the task by formulating intentions. Intentions can be formulated through making decisions about what is to be learned and what the desired results should sound and feel like as well as developing a sense of the meaning behind and the emotions connected with the piece (if one is learning repertoire). A piece of music would be played slowly or in small chunks. Strategies can then be designed for achieving the intended goal/s. The early stage also involves organisation and time management– taking care that everything that is needed is available and organised.
ATTENTION (Performance Phase) is characterised by exploration and awareness. This stage involves creating and environment for exploration by choosing tools, methods and strategies that enhance getting to know the skill or piece better by developing sensory awareness and exploring musical intention – e.g. by using external focus tools or by improvisation. Develop your awareness, your engagement and ways of focusing.
REFLECTION (Self-Reflection Phase) involves reflection and is an opportunity to assess not only the learning outcome (e.g. the performance) but also the entire cycle of the learning process. Assessment includes checking whether the preceding phases were dealt with in an efficient and effective way: including the goals and intentions, learning strategies and methods, whether there was enough time and attention for each phase etc. In this way a performance is treated as a unique learning moment and even aspects that didn’t go well can be seen as valuable information for the next cycle in your lifelong spiral of learning.
For the whole process:
- Practice and performance logbook
- Literature on musicians’ learning and self-regulation
For Prerequisites:
- Self-assessment
- Mindset questionnaire
- Balance wheel
- Meditation – identity exercise
For the Forethought Phase:
- Goals
- Practice logbook
For the Performance Phase:
- Practice cards
- Practicing-in-flow
- Recording
- Performance preparation using mental training
- “Task focus” and external focus of attention
For the Self-Reflection Phase:
- Performance logbook
- Recordings
- Feedback process
Intention
- What do I need to work on right now?
- Why? What will it bring me?
- What is the time frame?
- What are the challenges involved?
- What do I need in order to master the task?
- How will I know that it is finished (for now)?
Reflection
- What went well and what didn’t go well?
- To what extent were my original goals met?
- What helped me in my process?
- What hindered me in my process?
- What helped to motivate me during the process?
- Which aspects of my preparation could I have done differently?
It is important to reinforce self regulation tools with information and coaching about the theory behind self-regulation and reflection and how to apply and customise it (Kruse-Weber et.al., 2019; Cowan, 2013).
The best way to make theory, material and strategies in self-regulated learning accessible for students and staff would be to have workshops and tutorials where participants can not only be presented information, but have an opportunity to develop their own applications as well as discuss, explore and try them out. SRL needs to be an integral part of student courses in practicing as well as staff development programs.
Online tutorial videos can also help disseminate knowledge and applications of SRL.
