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Abstract
The overreaching purpose of this study was to explore and establish a hierarchy of difficulty in the performance of rhythm patterns in the context of high school band students. The study was guided by the research questions: (a) Can a hierarchy of difficulty be objectively identified; (b) How should the items be analyzed to best achieve accuracy of scoring; (c) Does the instrument one plays (primarily) have an impact on the level of the student performance of rhythm patterns; and (d) Do students generally have different achievement levels of reading rhythm patterns based upon years of study in band? A total of 146 band students participated in this study from as many as eight suburban eastern Georgia high schools. Implications for teaching and learning, curriculum development, and understanding of cognitive processing may allow for teachers in the field to more effectively sequence the instruction of rhythm pattern reading according to best practices of instruction of simple to complex and known the unknown based on this and other research and may be a step toward more objective and reliable assessments and evaluations.