Scaffolding Autonomy in the Practice Room: A Mixed Methods Study Examining the Impact of Digital Scaffolds on High School String Musicians\u27 Self-Correction and Improvement of Pitch and Rhythmic Accuracy During Independent Music Practicing

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the deficiencies and capabilities of high school string players in the practice room, through a mixed methods within-subjects experiment exploring the impact of digital scaffolds on pitch and rhythmic accuracy growth, self-assessment, self-correction, and other self-regulatory behavior during independent music practicing. Sixty high school string students individually completed a 30-minute practice session divided into four practice conditions with the order randomly assigned (1.Model, 2.Model+Playback, 3.Model+Playback+Feedback, and 4.Control). During each practice condition, performances at sight-read (pretest), during practicing (formative), and after practicing (posttest) were assessed for pitch and rhythmic accuracy by computer software SmartMusic. While participants practiced, they spoke their thoughts out loud, self-assessed their progress, and answered questions about their experiences. A two-factor mixed ANOVA revealed significantly greater accuracy gains when students practiced with the aural model (Model) and with the visual evaluative feedback (Model+Playback+Feedback). Integration of qualitative and quantitative data illuminated deficiencies in audiating an aural goal image from written notation, detecting errors by ear, and self-assessing performance deterioration; capabilities included strategy use and technique adjustment