The learning environment plays a significant in students’ academic achievement. Instructors have the mandate to create surroundings that cater to learners’ needs. A safe and positive environment supports the students’ physical, social, and emotional growth. An instructor should allow students to give their opinions during class discussions and respond to them in a caring manner. This style encourages positive student-teacher interactions. Military schools tend to incorporate controlling and directive teaching techniques that may discourage active learning. However, some military school instructors attempt to improve relationships with learners by spending time guiding them through complex activities. This review addresses the environmental factors that enhance conducive learning. It highlights four themes that emerge from the topical sub-question, “What kind of educational environment is most conducive to student learning?”
Peer Influence Impact the Students’ Skills and Abilities and Make Them Role Models to Their Counterparts
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Collaborative learning is an integral part of music practice. It entails participating in musical classes, cultivating a shared understanding, and engaging in uniform problem-solving approach (Nielsen et al., 2018). Collaborative learning enables students to reflect on the canonized forms of interaction and hierarchies. In the dissertation, the students claimed that peer feedback enhanced active learning. Young people spend most of their time with their peers; hence the peer networks’ norms and characteristics are vital socializing agents (Wang et al., 2018). The academic norms of a peer group influence the members’ beliefs and achievements. Peer learning can be beneficial to students in higher learning institutions studying music. The social cognitive theory asserts that peer learning and feedback foster the learners’ sense of personal efficacy in planning and executing competent performance (Nielsen et al., 2018). Observational learning—one of the elements of peer influence—involves students seeing and visualizing their peers’ actions, and in turn, they believe they possess the abilities to master musical activities. Vicarious learning enables music students to create and visualize experiences that may enhance their instrumental practicing (Nielsen et al., 2018). Higher education music students believe that participating in collaborative music promotes a sense of belonging, social skills, satisfaction, and self-esteem. These factors facilitate the students’ identity and intrinsic motivation (Nielsen et al., 2018). Peer-assisted learning can be an essential tool for Army music instructors and coaches in promoting student achievement, engagement, and commitment to learning.
In Army musical school, students respect each other, resulting in effective peer learning. In environments where there are informal and hidden power hierarchical, students may be competitive and explore each other’s weaknesses (Nielsen et al., 2018). Such surroundings can be uncomfortable and hostile to students. However, the military school has clear rules; the students are equal and have to obey the Platoon Sergeants. As a result, students do not view each other as competitors or enemies. Peer-assisted learning is effective when instructors group together students with diverse prior knowledge and experiences and remind them of the significance of respecting each other (Johnson, 2017). In ordinary music schools, peer-assisted may be ineffective since learners judge each other based on their backgrounds and abilities. In contrast, the military school has clear power structures that students have to observe. Besides, peer learning boosts the highly qualified students’ self-esteem since they consider themselves role models. Consequently, they focus on improving their musical skills to motivate their peers. The outcome is learners’ uniform growth and development.
Setting Short- and Long-Term Goals Enables Students to Realize Achievement
Effective practice skills enable students to achieve high levels of musical achievement. However, some young instrumentalists may have an impractical approach to musical practice. Unconducive environments force students to measure their musical achievement based on time spent in training instead of accomplishments. In contrast, conducive surroundings comprise instructors who implement self-monitoring activities, such as listening to students’ issues and discussing solutions (Mieder & Bugos , 2017). Students who have analytic and strategic approaches for musical practice are likely to have high-performance accuracy. According to goal-setting theory, goals must be conscious and specific, and sufficiently challenging for students (Epton et al., 2017). When the instructors fulfill these factors, the students are likely to focus on their musical practice. Besides, instructors can enhance the link between the students’ performance and goal setting by ensuring the musical tasks are in low complexity, there is constant and timely feedback, and students have access to situational resources, such as peer learning, time, and musical instruments (Epton et al., 2017). Goal setting guides the students to perform the tasks per the instructors’ requirements and develop intrinsic motivation.
A conducive environment ensures there is a positive relationship between short- and long-term goals. Students who continuously achieve their short-term goals will eventually focus on long-term goals (MacCosham & Gravelle, 2017). Intrinsic motivation is a predictor of musical practice success and achievement, while extrinsic motivation results in attaining short-term goals. Students need autonomous motivation to pursue long-term goals and pursue music out of interest and enjoyment (Werner et al., 2019). When instructors create an environment that contains constant review and appraisal and communicate their demands, learners are likely to develop long-term goals that align with their values and identity (Werner et al., 2019). The outcome will be high achievement and performance. Military schools’ instructors promise students that their hard work and dedication will make them successful. Besides, most students pursue music since it is congruent with their values and interests (Werner et al., 2019). As a result, they find constant feedback, auditions, and rewards to be motivational factors. While students may encounter constraints in their musical practice, their motivation derives from achieving short- and long-term goals.
A Positive and Safe Environment Improves Student-Teacher Interactions
A conducive learning environment humanizes the relationships between a teacher and student. Its features include individualized interactions, availability of support that focuses on students’ needs, and increased mutual understanding (Garcia-Moya et al., 2019). Students believe that a safe and positive environment entails the instructors addressing them by name, recognizing their progress, and describing their proficiency level. While students need some level of pressure to be successful in their musical practice, constant stress levels may exacerbate tension and anxiety, which adversely impact the learners’ productivity and achievement (Tharani et al., 2017). Students believe that a safe and positive learning environment should involve teachers who create spaces to know them well. However, students do not want instructors to focus not only on academic aspects but also on their mental wellbeing (Tharani et al., 2017). Being to meet the instructors on a one-on-one level humanizes student-teacher interactions. Students believe that seeing their instructors and coaches reveals their personality and makes them feel connected (Garcia-Moya et al., 2019). Besides, students appreciate when instructors take time to chat with them informally, share personal anecdotes, and use a sense of humor.
Empathy and perspective-taking are also part of a safe and positive learning environment. Students respect and value the instructors who share their worldview and have a degree of empathy for students’ circumstances (Garcia-Moya et al., 2019). Music practice is demanding, and some students may lose focus. In such cases, students need coaches who can understand them and organize content sensitive to the students’ feelings and preferences (Garcia-Moya et al., 2019). Instead of punishing students who struggle to understand a given subject, instructors should provide resources that enhance achievement. Considerate and open-minded instructors tend to have a high connection to the students (Garcia-Moya et al., 2019). Additionally, students are likely to succeed in musical practice when there is adequate faculty support. Learners have improved relationships with approachable teachers (Garcia-Moya et al., 2019). Military school students believe that instructors are willing to listen to their concerns, and in turn, provide the necessary support. Additionally, relationships conducive to learning enable students to connect with their instructors. The features of such relationships include motivating skills, instructors’ genuine commitment to their class, and untiring classroom management style (Garcia-Moya et al., 2019). Military school students believe that instructors genuinely care about the learners’ academic outcomes. They make the most effort to achieve the best results—caring teachers their time and resources to prepare lessons and enhance their learning. Besides, students appreciate teachers who demonstrate practical classroom management skills, such as controlling the learners, setting lesson limits and academic goals, and ensuring students concentrate in musical class (Garcia-Moya et al., 2019). Instructors who observe these guidelines maintain a balance between a positive learning environment and caring relationships.
Platoon Sergeants Motivated Students to Improve their Musical Prowess
Platoon Sergeants promote a sense of belongingness which enhances the students’ self-regulated learning. Instructors with fixed mindsets tend to use person-praise and influence significant performance (Vermote et al., 2020). Platoon Sergeants rarely engage in dialogues with students. Teaching efficacy requires the Platoon Sergeants to execute specific instructions under given circumstances (Steinmayr et al., 2018). Due to clear communication, the students understand their goals, and they strive towards achieving them. Besides, Platoon Sergeants adopt intrinsic instructional goals; their priority is to promote the students’ personal and relationship growth (Steinmayr et al., 2018). Military leaders are decisive and work transparently and collaboratively with teams. They also take accountability for their actions. The dissertation contains an example of how the Platoon Sergeant greets the students. While military leaders exhibit a laissez-faire leadership style, the students respect their behavior and conduct. Besides, the Platoon Sergeants are knowledgeable, can adapt to changing environments, and guide students with detailed information. Students believe that the military school has the necessary resources to prepare them for their musical careers. Also, the Platoon Sergeants demonstrate a high level of integrity and moral courage to ensure students achieve their goals. Learners follow leaders who respect the organization's core values and guides them through the decision-making process. Platoon Sergeants rely on guiding teaching practices, including encouragement, desired assistance, and growth-oriented feedback (Vermote et al., 2020). For this reason, military students believe they can succeed in musical class.
References
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