3 School-Wide Goal Environment and Continuing Motivation in Music

This study describes the school-wide motivation culture of an elementary music program that has an exceptional record of stimulating students ’ continuing motivation to participate in music ensembles on the middle school level. Participant observer techniques and open-ended interviews were used to gather data that were analyzed using the theoretical model taken from Maehr’s “Transforming School Culture to Enhance Motivation. ” It was found that the principal in this context was supportive of the music program and according to Maehr’s theoretical framework, was instrumental in creating a school-wide environment supportive of student task-goal adoption, thus stimulating continuing motivation