| The purposes of this study were to discover the factors contributing to academic apathy, to discover the factors supporting motivation in public high school students, and to determine if participation in instrumental music affects motivation or attitudes toward school. Research questions in this case study explored student experience with instrumental music and the effect of participation on motivation toward school and academics, what students attribute to their motivation level, what students' attitudes and motivations were toward school, and any perceived role that students felt music played in their attitude and motivational levels towards school. Six former instrumental music students who graduated from high school participated in individual interviews and submitted a written narrative, which were analyzed first in cycle coding, then prioritized and categorized in the second cycle based on emergent themes and patterns. Findings were that there were fewer factors to support demotivation than to support motivation. Data indicated 3 main factors in the demotivation of high schools students: disruptive peers, workload, and teaching styles. Factors contributing to motivation were family, working towards a goal, and teachers. Results from the study highlight the importance of relationships within a student's life during high school, most notably relationships with teachers. By offering professional development to teachers on relationship building and differentiated teaching styles, they will be equipped better to form meaningful relationships with students and will become stakeholders in student success. Implications for positive social change are that providing positive classroom experiences will increase motivation towards school, leading to students who are more successful, eligible to attend university, and return to their local area to improve the community. |
