TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender differences in instrumental learning among secondary school students in Hong Kong
AU - Ho, Wai Chung
N1 - Funding Information:
No financial support given by parents
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - This paper examines the extent of gender differences, and discusses the role of gender in musical instrument learning. It focuses on the collective instrumental experiences of 1493 Chinese students (774 boys and 719 girls attending grades 7-13) within Western and non-Western musical traditions in Hong Kong. The discussion draws attention to gender differences in the learning of Chinese and Western musical instruments, in musical interest and instrumental learning, and in the reasons why students learn or do not learn musical instruments. The paper argues that, while female and male students exhibit different attitudes towards the types of instruments learnt, significant correlations exist between their interest in music and parental support for their instrumental learning. Gender is brought to the fore by the pedagogical actions of the teacher, the mass media and by parental efforts to reduce gender bias and stereotypes through school, public and family education.
AB - This paper examines the extent of gender differences, and discusses the role of gender in musical instrument learning. It focuses on the collective instrumental experiences of 1493 Chinese students (774 boys and 719 girls attending grades 7-13) within Western and non-Western musical traditions in Hong Kong. The discussion draws attention to gender differences in the learning of Chinese and Western musical instruments, in musical interest and instrumental learning, and in the reasons why students learn or do not learn musical instruments. The paper argues that, while female and male students exhibit different attitudes towards the types of instruments learnt, significant correlations exist between their interest in music and parental support for their instrumental learning. Gender is brought to the fore by the pedagogical actions of the teacher, the mass media and by parental efforts to reduce gender bias and stereotypes through school, public and family education.
KW - Gender differences
KW - Hong Kong
KW - Instrumental learning
KW - Music education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70449380628&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09540250802537596
DO - 10.1080/09540250802537596
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:70449380628
SN - 0954-0253
VL - 21
SP - 405
EP - 422
JO - Gender and Education
JF - Gender and Education
IS - 4
ER -