Chinese and American Music Majors: Cross-Cultural Comparisons in Motivation and Strategies for Learning and Studying

Abstract

North American, European and Australian music schools, departments and conservatories actively recruit talented music students from Asia. Stereotyped by some music faculties as "model international students", Asian students are typically viewed as highly talented, incredibly diligent, and extremely hard working. However, another image, as reported in surveys of University faculty, depicts the Asian learner as a rote learner. Utilising Bigg's (1987) Study Process Questiontnaire (SPQ), this study examines these assumptions by comparing motives for learning and cognitive strategies of 335 American and Chinese music students. The SPQ, a 42-item, self-report questionnaire, is often used in cross-cultural comparisons of university students' approaches to learning. While it was found that on most aspects of the SPQ, American and Asian music students are similar in terms of their depth of involvement and dedication to music study and musical achievement, findings reveal that the American students show a greater tendency to rely on extrinsic motivation and greater reliance on rote learning approach as compared to Chinese music students.