The Role of Formative Feedback Exemplified in one-to-one Piano Lessons: Through Feedback Levels, Feedback Types and Feedback Intentions

Abstract

During a piano lesson, whenever feedback is issued, be it on an entire piece or on one measure of the music, it is assumed that some sort of informal assessment had to have taken place prior to the issue of feedback. However, the role of feedback in a piano lesson has not always been the same for the learner and the teacher. In fact, the very nature of this skill-oriented activity encourages the teacher to take on a feedback initiator role. Unfortunately, when that happens, the purpose of feedback and benefits of feedback diminishes. The aim of this study is to explore how focused attention on different types of feedback could improve the quality of feedback in one-to-one piano lessons. This study explores the techniques of analyzing formative feedback through three feedback variables: feedback levels, feedback types and feedback intentions.