Learning Beyond the Lesson: Lifelong Learning Tendencies and Strategic Learning in Violin Education

Abstract

This quantitative correlational study examines how lifelong learning tendencies relate to strategic learning behaviors among undergraduate violin students in Turkish higher music education. Forty participants from two universities completed validated instruments assessing lifelong learning dispositions and violin-specific learning strategies. The results indicate that students demonstrated high motivation and persistence alongside minimal deficiencies in learning regulation and curiosity. They reported frequent use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies – particularly, organization, monitoring, and rehearsal – and moderate use of elaboration and affective strategies. Motivation and persistence were strongly associated with strategic behaviors, especially organizational and monitoring processes, underscoring the interdependence of dispositional and self-regulatory dimensions in instrumental learning within the feedback-intensive and self-regulated context of violin practice. No significant differences were observed between universities or grade levels, thereby reflecting consistent pedagogical approaches across institutions. Theoretically, the findings extend self-regulated and lifelong learning models to the domain of music education, illustrating how motivational and regulatory constructs interact within instrumental pedagogy. Practically, integrating structured self-regulation activities and guided reflection into violin instruction may enhance both artistic performance and the development of sustainable lifelong learning capacities among future educators and performers.