The Research On Motivation Of Piano Learning

Learning motivation is an intrinsic force and mechanism for improving and maintaining students' learning activities. Many contemporary psychologists and educationists have been aware of the important effects that such a psychological phenomenon as motivation has on students' learning. Similarly, motive also plays a profound role in piano learning. The author has been engaged in piano teaching for years and, by learning theories on musical education and educational psychology, has realized the significance of studying the motivation of piano learning.This thesis, based on a comprehensive review of the western theories concerning learning motivation and on the results of a questionnaire, has systematically analyzed the features of piano learning motivation for children and college students and the reasons behind such features, with the conclusion that, as far as the types of motivation are concerned, there are both intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation during the course of piano learning and that the former take a leading position in children's piano learning while the latter prompt college students' piano learning. From the perspective of motivation intensity, children's is stronger than adults'. And both of these two elements have remarkable changes as the piano learners grow older. Besides, the thesis has also analyzed and compared the aspirant levels and attributing characters during the course of piano learning of both children and adults. Moreover, the thesis has also investigated some factors affecting the motivation of piano learning, including the upbringing methods of learners' parents, the performing confidence and psychological characteristics such as anxiety etc. and the social, cultural and economic background of piano learners. A relevant analysis of these elements and the motivation of piano learners respectively indicate that they all affect in different degree the learning motivation of piano learners of any age group.With the above analysis and investigation, this thesis makes a preliminary study of the motivation of piano learning by employing theories from the behavioral science on learning motivation, by associating practice with theory and with reference to present research achievements. The author hopes that this study can provide some help and guidance to relative research.