Attitudes and Motivation
The national monitoring assessment programme recognises the impact of attitudinal and motivational factors on student achievement in individual assessment tasks. Students' attitudes, interests and liking for a subject have a strong bearing on progress and learning outcomes. Students are influenced and shaped by the quality and style of curriculum delivery, the choice of content and the suitability of resources. Other important factors influencing students' achievements are the expectations and support of significant people in their lives, the opportunities and experiences they have in and out of school, and the extent to which they have feelings of personal success and capability.

Music Surveys
The national monitoring music surveys sought information from students about their involvement in and enjoyment of music curriculum experiences at school. Students were also asked about their involvement in and enjoyment of music related activities out of school time. There are numerous research questions that could be asked when investigating student attitudes and engagement. In national monitoring it has been necessary to focus on a few key questions that give an overall impression of how students regard music in relation to themselves. Each survey was administered in a session which included group and independent tasks, with a teacher reading the survey to year 4 students and available to help with writing. The surveys included 22 questions that could be responded to by ticking or circling a chosen response. Responses to these 22 questions are summarised in the large tables on the next two pages. The results are discussed below, along with responses to two other questions.

Year 4
Year 4 students were generally very positive about doing music at school. More than half chose the highest rating for question 1, representing a small improvement on the 1996 response. Further study of music was also warmly anticipated (question 6). The responses to question 2 appear to indicate a modest increase in music activities in school since 1996, with listening to music and singing continuing to be the dominant activities. Enjoyment of the activities has been maintained or improved (question 3). There continues to be a large gap between the enjoyment of playing instruments and the extent to which this activity is included in school programmes. Opportunities to make up (compose) music seem to be infrequent.

Outside of school, the most common activity is listening to music, which is also rated the most enjoyed activity. All other activities are also quite popular. In an additional question, students were asked if they learned music or belonged to a music group outside of school. Twenty-four percent said "yes", little changed from 25 percent in 1996. The most common activities were piano/keyboard (7 percent), singing (5 percent), and recorder (5 percent).

Year 8
Compared to year 4 students, year 8 students were less inclined to use the most positive categories. This pattern has been common in national monitoring surveys. Older students can be expected to be more discerning and critical, as well as more realistic about their own abilities.

Year 8 students were quite positive about doing music at school. One third chose the highest rating for question 1, unchanged from 1996. The prospect of further study of music was also well received (question 6), but with a noticeable decline since 1996. The responses to question 2 appear to indicate little change in music activities in school since 1996, with listening to music continuing to be the most common activity. Enjoyment has been maintained or improved, except for a small decline in enjoyment of singing (question 3). As at year 4 level, there continues to be a substantial gap between the enjoyment of playing instruments and the extent to which this activity is included in school programmes, and opportunities to make up (compose) music seem to be infrequent.

Outside of school, by far the most common activity is listening to music, which is also rated the most enjoyed activity. All other activities are also quite popular. In an additional question, students were asked if they learned music or belonged to a music group outside of school. Twenty-nine percent said "yes", little changed from 30 percent in 1996. The most common activities were piano/keyboard (9 percent), guitar (9 percent), with singing, playing drums, and membership of a performing group all at 3 percent.