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APPLYING OPERANT CONDITIONING IN PREPARING 

STUDENTS FOR MUSIC TESTS: A CASE STUDY OF ZION 

SECONDARY SCHOOL, NNOBI 

 

Umeojiaka, David Sopuluchukwu, Ph.D. 

Department of Music, Nnamdi Azikiwe, University, Awka 

Email: sd.umeojiaka@unizik.edu.ng 

                                                           

Abstract 

The use of rewards in teaching and learning has been generally acclaimed to be of great 

impact in various disciplines, the study of music inclusive. Scholarly, rewards as applied 

in teaching and learning has been debated to either be completely positive or negative. 

This paper however, discussed the positive impacts of operant conditioning in preparing 

students for music tests using Zion Secondary, School, Nnobi as a case study. The study 

adopted a survey approach using ten selected students as a pilot study which was further 

divided into two different groups, (A) and (B) as experimental and control groups. The 

library, interviews and observations were used as sources of information.  The findings 

of the study were reported on the analysis pages. The study established and concluded 

that the application of positive rewards motivates students in preparing for tests in 

music as well as in teaching and learning generally. It was recommended that material and 

verbal rewards be employed in teaching and learning to motivate students in performing 

positively in their academic pursuits. The study suggests that further researches be 

carried out by other interested scholars in other secondary schools to authenticate the 

outcome of this study. 

 

Introduction  

The reliability of test is usually said to be a measure of the extent to which a test 

consistently measures what it intends to measure. Operant conditioning as propounded 

by skinner in the context of this paper has been put to trial to ascertain its relevance 

towards goals in music studies. The attitude of teachers towards the use of positive 

rewards in teaching and learning is dwindling specially in the aspect of musical studies 

which this paper seeks to address. It is the hope of the researcher to remind teachers 

and educational stakeholders the need to emphasize and constantly use positive rewards 

in motivating students in the study of music especially in preparing students in classroom 

tests. 

 

It is the aim of the researcher to find out whether the use of reward in preparing music 

students for tests can actually be positive in influencing their academic performances. 

The researcher who had taught music for some years observed that students face 

difficulties in studying music. To find out how to motivate students in overcoming the 

challenge of studying music, he applied the operant conditioning method propounded by 

Skinner and confirmed that students can do well in music when they are positively 

rewarded. This paper is a survey study which seeks to find out the extent the use of 

operant conditioning (rewards) has motivated the selected ten JSS 1 students of Zion 



 

 
  

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Secondary School, Nnobi in understanding the subject music and passing music tests. It 

was the intention of the researcher to find out if operant conditioning theory could be 

applied in all situations of teaching and learning with particular reference to the study 

of selected topics in music as shown in the analysis pages at the end of the study. The 

school studied was a mission secondary school owned by St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Nnobi. 

The researcher through random sampling selected ten JSS 1 students of the above-

named school as his population sample. After administering an on-the-spot Performance 

Based Test to ascertain their entry behavior, he further sub-divided the students into 

two different groups A, (the experimental group) and B, (the control group). The white 

board, marker, music manuscripts and cardboard sheets were used as major instructional 

materials. The researcher personally taught the class for the period of 45 minutes on 

each contact two times a week for the period of one term. Specifically with regards to 

this investigation, the researcher used verbal praises, exercise books and monetary gifts 

as the material rewards used in the study.  

 

Methodology 

This study centers on the JSS 1 students of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Nnobi in Idemili 

South Local Government Area in Anambra State, Nigeria.   To gather the required 

information necessary for this study was a problem because music has not been taught 

in the school as a subject since inception. Again, bringing together the selected students 

for the essential information was also a problem hence the researcher was only allowed 

to carry out his research during the prep hours after school. The research adopted 

survey design method in carrying out this research. Data collection was through 

interview, participant observation and the use of the library. The population sample 

comprised of ten selected students and the school principal from whom the brief history 

of the school was gathered.  

 

Brief Historical Background of Zion Secondary School, Nnobi. 

Zion secondary school, Nnobi is a mission secondary school owned by St. Paul’s Anglican 

Church, Nnobi in the Diocese on the Niger (Anglican Communion). The school was founded 

in 2014. The pioneer principal was Mr. Thompson Oladimeji (a youth corps member). The 

second as well as the incumbent principal at the time of this research was Mr. 

Ifeanyichukwu Nwosu. The Rev. Matthew Chukwuneme was the school administrative 

manager as at the time of this research while the Rt. Rev. Dr. Owen C. Nwokolo doubled 

as the Diocesan bishop as well as the school proprietor. At the time of the study, the 

school has the total of 180 Students with the JSS1 students under study 42 in number. 

The numerical strength of the teaching staff was as follows: 

Full time teachers =10 

Part time teachers = 5 

Teaching Practice teachers =4 

From inception to the period of this research, music was not taught as a subject in Zion 

Secondary School, Nnobi. Because of the shortness of time accrued to this research, 

the researcher decided to randomly select 10 students of JSS 1 of the school to make 

for easy coordination and possible reliable outcome of the result findings. 

 



 

 
  

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Concept of Operant Conditioning 

Operant conditioning simply put is the act of using positive reward in motivating students 

to learn. The use of reinforcement in arousing the interest of learners has been an age 

long tradition. However, educational psychologists have argued on various learning 

theories that can positively influence learning better than the other. Struggling to find 

the most effective method of motivating students to learn, some educators turn to the 

system of punishment and rewards which up till date are not exhaustive in solving the 

problem. Punishment can be seen as practical solution through which students are forced 

to learn, e.g. studying, doing their home works, behaving well in class, being prepared for 

class tests, among other desirable behaviors  required for effective learning that can 

lead to positive academic performance. Rewards on the other hand, can produce students 

who are only interested in the reward rather than the learning itself. Nevertheless, with 

the use of positive reinforcement, a classroom can be well managed. Ross (2009), 

explains: 

One kind of learning occurs when a child's actions are followed by a reward 

or punishment. A reward, also called reinforcement increases the 

probability that behavior will be repeated. For example, a young child may 

regularly draw pictures because she receives praise from her parents 

after completing each one. A punishment decreases the probability that 

behavior will be repeated. For example, a child who touches a hot stove and 

burns his fingertips is not likely to touch the stove again. (Retrieved 8, 

August 2019, from https://doi.org/10.1177/014662168000400406 )  

 

An American Psychologist B.F. Skinner devoted his career to clarifying how human 

behavior is affected by its consequences. He called this process “operant conditioning.” 

To him, students can be motivated to learn and do well in class tests when they are 

positively rewarded. This was against the past generations when it was acceptable for 

teachers to use corporal punishments on students who misbehaved or unprepared for 

class tests. Despite the fact that the contemporary society and the government 

discourages corporal punishments in schools, Hyman (1990) defines corporal punishment 

as “the infliction of pain or confinement as a penalty for an offense committed by a 

student” (p. 10). Ellen (1998) opines “while there are many systems available to provide 

for a well-managed classroom, some are more effective than others…” (Accesses 

17/7/2021 from ematusov.see.udel.edu). Based on the above assertion, the researcher 

investigated ten JSS one students of Zion Secondary School Nnobi through random 

sampling. It is his intention to discover whether the use of rewards (operant conditioning) 

will be very effective in preparing the experimental group in doing better than the 

control group at the end of the research. Explaining the employment of operant 

conditioning in teaching and learning, McLeod (2018) explains: 

Operant conditioning, also known as instrumental conditioning normally 

attributed to B. F. Skinner, where the consequences of a response 

determine the probability of it being repeated. Through operant 

conditioning behavior which is reinforced (rewarded) will likely be 

repeated, and behavior which is punished will occur less frequently.” 

https://doi.org/10.1177/014662168000400406


 

 
  

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(Accessed 20/7/2021 from https://WWW.simplypsychology.org/operant-

conditioning.html). 

Since the study of music could be effectual with the use of positive rewards, the need 

to try its efficacy in this research becomes imperative. The researcher has therefore 

embarked on the study regarding the above subject matter and reports the results of 

his findings in the analysis pages. Having the above definition in mind, the researcher 

has gone deep to find the educational implications of reward in relation to the academic 

performance of the music students in the aforementioned school. 

 

The Effects of Operant Conditioning on Music Tests 

Writing on educational implication of the Operant Conditioning, Onwuekwe (2019) 

explains: 

Generally, the learner must do or operate in order to learn. In a music 

classroom situation for instance, the learner must actually play the 

keyboard in order to learn. A trumpeter who is learning must handle the 

trumpet; a clarinetist must play the clarinet; a saxophonist must play the 

saxophone in order to learn. In the same vain, a dancer must dance, a singer 

must sing in order to learn. When the learner performs appropriately, she 

will be rewarded or reinforced positively; but if the learner behaves 

inappropriately, it will be reinforced negatively. In Skinner’s experiment, 

the concept of reinforcement is illustrated and emphasized. It is also 

noteworthy that reinforcement depends upon the activity or the response 

of the learner. (p. 67). 

Considering the above, it could be said expressively that reinforcement is dependent 

upon response. Skinner’s experiment on reinforcement showed that positive rewards 

enhance learning. In music classroom, effective learning can take place when the students 

are motivated with both material and non-material rewards like verbal praises etc.  

 

Concept of Test 

Okoye (1996) in Onwuekwe (2017:1) defines test as “a process of exposing an individual 

to set of questions, tasks and statements in order to obtain scores.” In a broader sense, 

Onwuekwe (2017) further said: 

A test can be defined as a set of questions, tasks or statements that can 

be presented to an individual, response to which would enable the tester 

establish how much of a desired characteristic is possessed by the teste. 

When defined as above, tests may include aptitude, achievement and 

personality tests. Personality test here stands for all devices for assessing 

non-cognitive characteristic. These tests are referred to as achievement, 

aptitude and non-cognitive measures. (p. 9). 

Schnitzer (2009) in his own contribution states “Psychological testing is a measurement 

of some aspects of human behavior by procedures consisting of carefully prescribed 

content, methods of administration and interpretation… (Retrieved 8th, August 2018 

from https:www.ncbi.nih.gov.>books) 

Bringing the above definitions to a narrower sense, the researcher views tests as those 

measures that comprise questions or tests, which can have literally correct or incorrect 



 

 
  

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answers. The history of testing as we have it nowadays is imbedded in the need for 

practical procedures for solving public problems.  In 1905, the first useful intelligent 

test was developed by the French psychologist Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon. They 

developed a 3C item scale to ensure that no child was denied instruction in the Paris 

school system without formal examination (tests). (Retrieved 8th August 2018 from 

https:www.ncbi.nih.gov.>books). 

 

Uses of Tests 

Tests are used by various bodies like the clinics or hospitals where tests are 

administered for purposes of diagnosis and treatment planning. The industrial and 

organizational settings use tests primarily for selection and classification. In the former, 

tests are used to specify the types of positions for which an individual seems best suited. 

For example, Schnitzer (2009) explains: 

In educational setting however, various kinds of tests are administered to 

assess students’ accomplishment and to improve instruction and curriculum 

planning. For instance, achievement tests are designed to assess current 

performance in an academic area because it is viewed as an indicator of 

previous learning determinant which is often used to predict future 

academic success. Aptitude tests predict future performance in area of 

interest in which an individual has not yet to be trained. Intelligent tests 

in contrast to tests of specific proficiencies or aptitudes appraise the 

global capacity of an individual to cope with the environment; interest 

inventory tests offer a frame for narrowing career possibilities. 

Objectivity personality tests measure social and emotional adjustment and 

are used to identify the need for psychological counselling while the 

projective techniques tests are based on the phenomenon of projection, a 

mental process described by Sigmund Freud as the tendency to attribute 

to other persons feelings or characteristics that are too painful too 

acknowledge. (Retrieved 8th, August 2018 from https: 

www.ncbi.nih.gov.>books). 

 

In her own contribution, Onwuekwe (2017) opines: 

Tests serve different functions to those who use them, the teacher uses 

tests to know how much of the course content the student has learned… 

the student entry behavior to a new topic… grouping students according to 

their abilities for effectiveness of teaching… goal setting and achievement 

of goals as well as identification of curriculum areas to be revised… Tests 

help to motivate students to learn, develop good study habits, identify 

their strength and weakness, make vocational choice as well as in subject 

selection (p. 6). 

It is important to note that “if for example, students of a particular teacher consistently 

do well, it could be inferred that such a teacher is an effective one. Parents use test 

scores as a feed back to know their children’s academic performances. This will help them 

guide them academically as well as guide them properly in their future careers. Remedial 

programs could be arranged for extra tutorial classes for their children in subjects 



 

 
  

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where they are weak. Researchers can as well lay their hands-on ready-made tests as 

instrument for data collection. Again, test scores are also relied upon in ex-post facto 

researches. For instance, if a teacher wishes to study the trend of performance in school 

certificate music, he does not start afresh to administer music tests over a period of 

time. What he rather does is to collect the scores of students in past music school 

certificate examinations and from the available results draws his conclusion. 

 

The Music Teacher and how he effectively Impacts Knowledge 

Ekwueme (2001) in Ajewele (2015) explains: 

A music teacher is a qualified person professionally trained, certified and 

well prepared to teach music in the school system. He is trained to equip 

students/learners with musical knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that 

will make the student good consumers and producers of music and also 

contribute to the development of his/her society (p. 15).  

 

Okonkwo (2010) states “music educators face problems in adopting appropriate teaching 

techniques to impact music knowledge to many students of music in Nigeria because of 

their untutored background from earlier age (p. 125). Ojukwu, & Onuora-Oguno (2015) in 

their input observe: 

The teaching and learning of music in Nigeria secondary schools has been 

through many problems. Often times, music teachers complain of 

inattentiveness and warning interests of the students in music. One major 

cause of the problem pointed out by many researches is the poor teaching 

methods used by the teachers in transmitting musical knowledge. (p. 35). 

The researcher rightly took note of the points made by the above-named scholars that 

“storytelling, project, demonstration, lecture, discussion, dramatic and field methods are 

conventional methods of teaching in the educational system of Nigeria.” These methods 

could be adopted by teachers to effectively enhance learning. He however, narrowed his 

points down to those activities that motivate students in preparing them for music tests 

in the classroom. It may be necessary to mention here that positive reinforcements 

(rewards) are keys to making students ready for music tests (examinations). The 

researcher being aware of both negative and positive rewards has pin-pointed positive 

reward as the major reinforcement that mostly motivates students in doing well during 

music tests. However, Okafor (2005) says “the teacher had to be taught to teach and 

he had to know how to deliver the information and how to impart knowledge” (p. 305). 

 

Learning 

Talking about how to reinforce music students in other to do well during classroom tests 

will be incomplete without making mention of learning. A student can only do well in music 

class only when he learns. Ezeanolue (1982) in Onwuekwe (2017) has define learning as: 

An adaption to the environment… being able to adjust to the environmental desirable 

characteristics of learning… as a mental process, before an individual learns, he must 

first think… as an acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitude… the learner must have 

registered some facts, skills and attitudes in his/her term memory… As a modification 

of behavior… an undesirable behavior or idea can be regulated to suit life changing 



 

 
  

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pattern…, learning is an elimination of errors that may be encountered. With effective 

learning taking place, these errors gradually decrease. (pp. 2-5). 

 

However, many psychologists according to Ezeanolue (1982) in Onwuekwe (2017) explains 

that “learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior resulting from activity, 

training and experience.” (p. 3.). In furtherance of the above, Mbanugo (2006) defines 

learning as “Growth, development and experience”. (P. 41). Researches carried out on 

human learning have led to theories about how individuals learn and how learning could be 

best achieved. The researcher recognizes various studies embarked upon by the early 

educational psychologists. These psychologists came up with learning processes such as 

“sensation” meaning that the learners should be stimulated through one or more of the 

senses of sight, taste, smell, hearing and touch. “Perception” stimulations that lead to 

turning an individual’s attention to a particular situation of interest, aims, needs and 

aspirations. Psychologists posit that learning begins at the point of perception hence a 

period of clearer attention and concentration. “Association” means that, the learner 

relates present situations to past experiences in order to facilitate understanding of the 

new situation i.e. (from known to unknown). “Generalization”’ at this point, the learner 

draws up some conclusions that serve purposes beyond a particular situation. 

“Application” means a general statement which has been made on a particular situation 

which can be applied to a new but similar situation. 

 

Nye and Nye (1972) and Leonard and House (1972) in Mbanugo (2006) have developed 

principles of learning especially applicable to problems in music education, issues of 

planning and sequencing of musical learning have been well articulated by Glenn and 

Turretine (1968) in Mbanugo (2006, p. 41).  

 

Report of the Findings 

It is not enough to assess students’ knowledge and skills at the end of the course or 

program. The teacher needs to find out what they know prior to the introduction of the 

course (entry behavior). This is to identify more specifically the knowledge and skills 

they have gained during the course or program. In this particular study, the researcher 

used the “performance-based prior knowledge assessment to determine the entry 

behavior of the selected 10 students” before embarking on his actual research. 

Performance-based prior knowledge assessments are the most reliable way to assess 

students’ previous knowledge. It involves assigning a task (e.g., quiz to test their 

knowledge on a subject matter). Those assessments are for diagnostic purposes only and 

they should not be graded. They can help you gain an overview of students’ preparedness, 

identify areas of weakness, and adjust the pace of the course. The table below shows 

the researcher’s performance-based assessment on the selected 10 JSS. 1 students of 

Zion Secondary School, Nnobi on his first visit. 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 
  

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DAY 1: Tuesday        Date: 10th September, 2019.  

Table 1 

     Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: 

Musical  

Notes and 

Values 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the Spot 

Test Scores (%) 

 

 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45mins 0 No 

2.  45mins 0 No 

3.  45mins 0 No 

4.  45mins 0 No 

5.  45mins 0 No 

6.  45mins 0 No 

7.  45mins 0 No 

8.  45mins 0 No 

9.  45mins 0 No 

10.  45mins 0 No 

 

The table above shows that the total number of 10 students who had not been exposed 

to music as a subject for the first time were given a “performance-based prior knowledge 

assessment to test their entry behavior on musical notes and their values. The test lasted 

for 45 minutes. The 10 Students were not reinforced with any kind of motivation 

(reward). No Student could spell out the note values correctly hence the 10 of them 

scored very poorly. Reward had no effect on any Student because none was rewarded. 

The findings from the above results show that none of the 10 Students had prior 

knowledge of musical notes and their values, hence their poor performances. 

 

In furtherance of the study, the researcher divided the ten students into two groups 

comprising of 5 students in the group A, the experimental group, and 5 students in group 

B, the control group. After sharing the class into two through random selection, he taught 

them three topics two times a week to ascertain the extent the use of positive reward 

could improve the performance of the rewarded group. The following topics were taught: 

“musical notes and values, “simple rhythmic patterns” as well as “sight singing simple 

melodies.” These two groups were taught differently to avoid a particular group knowing 

what others were doing in their own class. To ascertain the effectiveness of positive 

reward in teaching and learning, the researcher administered on the spot class tests 

immediately after every lesson period that lasts for 45 minutes on each contact. To make 

for clarity, every class test was scored over 10 percent.  The tables below clearly show 

the analysis of performances of the selected ten students shared into two groups.  

Students of group A, (the experimental group) were reinforced with positive rewards 

while the students of group B otherwise known as the control group were not reinforced 

at all. 

 

 



 

 
  

Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol. 16, September 2023 

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DAY 2: Thursday    Date: 12th September, 2019.  

 

Group A. Table 2. 

 

After the first day, the class of 10 was divided into two groups A and B. The choice 

was through random selection.  On the first day of independent teaching in groups, the 

researcher taught the students musical notes and their values which was followed 

immediately with a class test. The table above shows the performances of the 

rewarded students (Group A). 

 

Group B. Table 3. 

     Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: 

Musical  

Notes and 

Values 

 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

On the      

Spot Test score 

(%) 

 

 

 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45 mins 4 No 

2.  45 mins 3 No 

3.  45 mins 2 No 

4.  45 mins 4 No 

5.  45 mins 3 No 

The table above shows the performances of the students of the control group (B) 

performing poorer than the rewarded group as shown in table 2 above. They were taught 

the same topic within the same period of 45 minutes under the same school atmosphere.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: 

Musical  

Notes and 

Values 

 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the Spot 

Test Scores 

(%) 

 

 

 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45mins 7 Yes 

2.  45 mins 6 Yes 

3.  45 mins 8 Yes 

4.  45 mins 8 Yes 

5.  45 mins 5 Yes 



 

 
  

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DAY 3: Monday    Date: 16th September, 2019. 

Group A. Table 4  

     Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: 

Simple 

Rhythmic 

Patterns 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the      

Spot Test Scores 

(%) 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45 mins 7 Yes 

2.  45 mins 7 Yes 

3.  45 mins 9 Yes 

4.  45 mins 9 Yes 

5.  45 mins 6 Yes 

The table above shows improved performances of the students of group (A) having been 

rewarded for the second time after the class lesson. 

Group B. Table 5 

Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: 

Simple 

Rhythmic 

Patterns 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the      

Spot Test Score 

(%) 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45 mins 4 No 

2.  45 mins 4 No 

3.  45 mins 5 No 

4.  45 mins 5 No 

5.  45 mins 4 No 

Table 5 above shows the performances of the students of the control group (B). 

DAY 4: Wednesday   Date: 18th September, 2019. 

Group A. Table 6 

     Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: 

Simple 

Rhythmic 

Pattern 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the      

Spot Test Score 

(%) 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45 mins 8 Yes 

2.  45 mins 7 Yes 

3.  45 mins 10 Yes 

4.  45 mins 10 Yes 

5.  45 mins 7 Yes 



 

 
  

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The table above depicts the performances of the rewarded group (A) who were 

motivated for the 3rd time. The analysis shows much improved performances by the 

students because they were being reinforced with rewards. 

 

Group B. Table 7 

Number 

    of   

Pupils 

Topic: 

Simple 

Rhythmic 

Pattern 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the spot test 

scores under 5 

(%)  

 

 

 

Rewarded? 

 

  45 mins 5 No 

  45 mins 5 No 

  45 mins 4 No 

  45 mins 4 No 

  45 mins 5 No 

 The table above shows the performances of the students of the control group (B) poorer 

than those in group (A) who were motivated with rewards. 

 

 

DAY 5: Friday     Date: 20th September, 2019. 

Group A. Table 8 

     Number 

    of 

Students 

Topic:  

Sight singing 

f simple 

melodies 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

On the      

Spot Test score 

(%) 

 

 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45 mins 8 Yes 

2.  45 mins 8 Yes 

3.  45 mins 10 Yes 

4.  45 mins 9 Yes 

5.  45 mins 8 Yes 

The scores above show the performances of the rewarded students of group (A) still 

outperforming the control group B which was not rewarded. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 
  

Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol. 16, September 2023 

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Group B. Table 9 

     Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: sight 

singing of 

simple 

melodies 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the spot 

test score (%) 

 

 

 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45 mins 6 No 

2.  45 mins 5 No 

3.  45 mins 4 No 

4.  45 mins 4 No 

5.  45 mins 5 No 

 

The table above shows the non-reinforced group (B) still performing lesser than the 

rewarded group (A) as shown in table 8 above. 

 

 

DAY 6: Monday     Date: 23rd September, 2019. 

GROUP A 

Grop A. Table 10 

     Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: sight 

singing of 

simple 

melodies 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the spot test 

score (%) 

 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45 mins 9 Yes  

2.  45 mins 9 Yes 

3.  45 mins 10 Yes 

4.  45 mins 10 Yes 

5.  45 mins 9 Yes 

The table above shows the performances of group (A) students who are rewarded still 

performing better than the non-rewarded group (B) students. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 
  

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Group B. Table 11 

     Number 

    of   

Students 

Topic: sight 

singing of 

simple 

melodies 

 

 

Number 

    of 

Minutes 

 

On the      

Spot Test score 

(%) 

 

 

 

Rewarded? 

 

1.  45 mins 6 No 

2.  45 mins 6 No 

3.  45 mins 5 No 

4.  45 mins 5 No 

5.  45 mins 5 No 

 

The table above shows the poor performances of the non-rewarded group (B) as against 

the rewarded students of group (A). The above exercises continued within the period of 

seven weeks that make up a term. The results consistently showed improved 

performances by the rewarded group with the non-rewarded group steadily performing 

poorly.  

 

Conclusion 

The researcher discovered that the 5 students in the reinforced group positively 

performed well in music tests. They showed interest in the study of music because they 

were regularly with the gift of money and other material items such as exercise books, 

music manuscripts and verbal praises. This shows that operant conditioning is a positive 

way of motivating students to learn especially as it concerned the selected JSS 1 

students of Zion Secondary School, Nnobi. The result of this study vividly shows   that 

almost all the 5 students in the experimental group improved in their learning of music 

following the rewards given to them by the researcher. This made them to continuously 

outperform their non-reinforced opponents in group B. On a general analysis therefore, 

the results of the finding in this study strongly agrees with the operant conditioning 

theory by Skinner which states “learners perform better when they are positively 

rewarded”.  The researcher discovers that in a situation where he used the use of 

positive rewards in teaching, the motivated students learned and performed academically 

well.  Based on the above finding, the researcher makes the following recommendations. 

 

Recommendations 

1. Proper training to be given to music educators to develop the required potentials 

in imparting musical knowledge to their students especially in such subjects like music 

which many occasions, students meet for the first time in their JSS 1 or even some times 

in their higher educational levels. 

2. Individual secondary school music teachers should be empowered by the 

government and school administrators especially in the privately owned secondary schools 

like Zion Secondary School, Nnnobi. If this is done, the music teachers will not lack 

enough material rewards with which they will be motivating students in learning music. 



 

 
  

Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol. 16, September 2023 

334 

3. Rewards in music education should be encouraged by education administrators of 

all levels to enable for improved academic performance especially in the study of music 

in Nigerian secondary schools. 

 

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https://doi.org/10.1177/014662168000400406

