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Abstract

Musical instruments have been recognized as attractive targets of volitionally developed long-term engagement. However, in music education research, the significance of autonomy in fostering learning motivation has mainly been perceived through the prism of student-teacher interaction. Addressing this gap, this study shifts the focus towards an autonomous learner perspective embracing the learner’s volitional approach and interest in engaging with musical instrument learning. Through an analysis of a survey sample (N=215) involving participants’ experiences with an online music learning platform, the study explores participants’ study motives and their association with study engagement, alongside the subsequent learning and wellbeing outcomes. An exploratory factor analysis on learning motives revealed six factors, among which the autotelic motive emerged as the most significant precursor to affective, behavioral, and cognitive engagement with learning. A statistical path model elucidated that the autotelic motive was linked to wellbeing and instrumental learning outcomes through the engagement. Further examination on motivational participant clusters indicated that the effects between engagement factors and outcomes varied between the groups, shaped by their distinct motivational profiles. The observations underscore the importance of recognizing learners’ autotelic orientation and devising strategies to nurture this motive, particularly through challenge and curiosity support within the instructional context.

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