An investigation of postsecondary violin instructors’ remedial pedagogy: A case study

Applied violin instructors at the postsecondary level often implement remedial pedagogy with incoming first-year students in order to address technical/musical habits or deficiencies. As students strive to alter their technique, resistance to change and low self-efficacy often result. Using a descriptive qualitative multiple case study research design, 10 postsecondary violin instructors from across North America were interviewed to gain insight into their personal perspectives and experiences implementing remedial pedagogy with first-year violin students. The interview data and external data sources were analyzed through the theoretical framework of attribution theory and teacher attribution scaffolding theory. The results indicate that many participants address correction through effective communication, based on the individual physiological/psychological wellbeing of every student, their level of self-efficacy, motivation, resistance to change, and postsecondary expectations. The pedagogical expertise and applied experiences presented in this study should inform current and future violin pedagogues about how to effectively address technical/musical deficiencies so that the wellbeing of students remains a priority throughout the remedial process.