Metacognition in Filipino electronic musicians

Miriam Tan-Fabian and Frederick Antonio Fabian

San Pedro, Laguna

Abstract
Music defines a culture. Although the concept of electronic music is a Western import, Filipino electronic music artists, while on the fringe, have established themselves to be quite distinct in style and aesthetics from their European counterparts. While appropriating the musical form, Filipino musicians have created a separate and original take on electronic music and its various subgenres. Electronic music in the Philippines, while already present in some parts of mainstream media, still has not been fully discussed and defined as a serious subject of interest outside subcultural scenes, and even less as a means of crafting national identity. The ouputs of the mind are and should be considered a nation's resource.Thus, studies of thought processes is a forward-thinking method that contributes to nation building and social progress. One reason why the Philippines is lethargic in terms of social and economic growth is due to massive brain drain and untapped, unaddressed, and undeveloped human potential, among others. Metacognition is knowing about knowing and thinking about thinking (Flavell, 1979). In other words, metacognition deals with monitoring and controlling the thinking and learning process. This research aims to investigate the metacognition processes of Filipino electronic musicians. As metacongition is hard to directly observe, some standard tests were developed to assess it. Countinho (2007) cited the Metacogitive Awareness Inventory or MAI test developed by Schraw and Dennison (1994) as a means to measure metacognition. The MAI is a 52-item test to measure mental skills like planning, organizing, comprehension, debugging and evaluation, among others. A revised MAI test will be tweaked to fit the context of musicians. The research expects that electronic musicians will score fairly well on the MAI, proving that they utilize various modes of planning, organizing, comprehension, debugging, and evaluation skills in their music creation and performance. This research acknowledges the support of Filipino electronic musicians from the Synthicide and Electronica Manila in Facebook.

is a discipline that values creativity, which significantly contributes to both cultural and Leong (2010) acknowledges that the arts economic development. He cited the 2006 World

1. INTRODUCTION

Forum Economic Forum that the creative industries emerged as the largest single sector of economic activity in many nations. He also reported that creativity can help in finding solutions to many of the world's problems. Even so, Leong noted that there is little relationship between the development of creativity and imagination, and art education (Bamford, 2006; Winner and Cooper, 2000; Moga et. Al, 1999; Eisner, 1999; and Sharp, 1998).

1.1. Declarative knowledge is the factual knowledge the learner needs before being able to use critical thinking related to the topic. Declarative knowledge includes knowing about, what, or that. This includes knowledge of ones skills, intellectual resources, and abilities.

A learner can obtain declarative knowledge through presentations, For example, in the United States, it was demonstrations, and discussions. reported that though there is a downward trend in music revenues, Forrester Research still 1.2. Procedural knowldege relates to the estimated that music profits for 2013 will still application of knowledge for the purposes of reach $ 9.2B in 2013. completing a process. Though the Philippines does not have a music industry and infrastructure as big or as efficient as the United States, this industry thus has more potential for growth. Thus, it is important that musicians, like learners develop their metacognitive abilities to assess their own abilities and not just rely on extrinsic factors like awards and recognition, honoraria, number of gigs, popularity, or whatnot. Leong (2010) cited Jacobson (1998) when he said that metacognition is a vital element of learning. He also borrowed from (Pressley et al., 1998) when he said that metacognition includes a person's beliefs and knowledge about thinking and the factors affecting it. It includes control of learning, planning and selecting strategies, monitoring one's progress, correcting errors, assessing the effecitveness of learning strategies, and changing behaviors when needed (Ridely et. Al, 1992). Metacognitive knowledge is said to comprise three kinds of knowledge, declarative knowledge which deals with knowing what, procedural knowledge which is about knowing how, and conditional knowldege or knowing when (Taylor, 1991; Biggs and Moore, 1993). This type of knowledge is involved about how to implement learning procedures (e.g. strategies). It requires learners to know and apply the process in different situations. Learners can obtain procedural knowledge through discovery, cooperative learning, and problem solving. 1.3.Conditional knowledge includes determining under what circumstances, specific processes, or skills should transfer knowledge about when and why to use learning procedures. One such learning strategy includes simulations. Conditional knowledge involves the application of declarative and procedural knowledge with certain conditions presented. 1.4. Planning includes goal-setting and allocating resources before leraning. 1.5. Information management staretgies involves skills and the organization of strategies to efficiently process information, for example organizing, elaborating, summarizing, and selective focusing. 1.6. Comprehension monitoring is about evaluating one's learning and use of strategies

Unfortunately, as metacognition has only been investigated for the last 30 years, it is relatively a 1.7. Debugging strategies are concerned with new branch of cognitive psychology (Flavell, strategies used to correct and adjust 1979). comprehension and performance. 1. Definiton of terms As a meams of promoting a better understanding of the topic,it is helpful to include the definition of some relevant terms. 1.8. Evaluation - involves the analysis of performance and strategy effectiveness after a learning episode. 2. METHODOLOGY

According to Ericsson and Charness 2.1 Sample (1994), to gain expertise in any field, a person Twenty-four electronic musicians from the would have to devote a minimum of 10 years of Synthicide and Electronica Manila groups, as deliberate practice. Thus, this means that most of well as Facebook contacts, accomplished the the respondents are still in the novice stage. MAI survey. These musicians come from different parts of the Philippines. They come from various One explanation for this is that in the backgrounds and play in many different styles Philippine context, electronic music as a genre is and subgenres. A lot of them are relatively new still quite young. The relatively few respondents acts while a rare few have been performing for gathered is also a reflection of this novelty. In as far back as 23 years. fact, most Filipino electronic musicians only started out recording and performing in the late 2.2.Instrument 1980's and early 2000's. The Metacognitive Awareness Inventory Perhaps it is fair to say that Philippine or MAI was used as the instrument to gather data electronic music is only at the developing stage of the metacognitionof electronic musicians of music. through self rating. Table 1. Minimum, maximum, and 2.3. Data Collection average number of years that the electonic musicians have been performing. To facilitate collection of data, a free online survey creator called JotForm was used. Number of years as an electronic musician Links were posted in Facebook and sent through email. Jotform's services including collation of Minimum 1 data and presenting it in a database form. The collated Excel file was downloaded for analyses.
Maximum Mean 23

2.3. Data Analyses For both Tables 1 and 2, Using Excel's features, scores were added per component of metacognitive stage. The minimum and As shown in Table 2, there seems to be a maximum values were then identified. The significant difference between the lowest function for averages was also used to comute (minimum) scores of respondents compared to means. For Table 2, percentages were computed the highest (maximum) scores. In ascending thus: score over the maximum value multipled by order, most of the minimum scores were lower 100%. than 50%. The scores were 12.5% for declarative knowledge; 14.29% for planning; 16.67% for Finally, for Table 3, MAI statements were evaluation; 20% for debugging strategies; 25% first organized by metacongitive awareness and for procedural knowledge; and 42.86% for its components, scores were added per comprehension monitoring. statement, and divided into the total number of points per component. This average was then Only two items, conditional knowledge divided into the number of respondents to be and information management strategies had translated into percentages. minimum scores higher than 50% at 60% for both items. 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION As presented in Table 1, most of the respondents have been performing electronic music for only a couple of years, as reflected in the relatively low average of 5.83 years. Only one respondent has been performing for 23 years, with some who have been performing for only a year. In contrast, most of the maxium scores were at the highest values of what is possible, except for declarative knowledge which scored at 87.5%. Again, as mentioned in earlier results, respondents included both novices and experts This maybe one explanation why the range of
5.83

values or the difference between the maximum and minimum rcorded values in Table 2 is significant.

music that already has set standards, pieces, procedures, including music sheets, professional education, and formal training, electronic music is less formal and more focused on discovery of new sounds, effects, and musical forms. This is Table 2. Minimum and maximum scores of supported by the fact that much of electronic components of the metacognitive stage music is based on the fusion of the art form with Metacognition Metacognitive Minimum Maximum technology, including software and hardware like stage stage in percent in percent computers, samplers, drum machines, components synthesizers, etc. all of which are constantly Awareness Declarative 1/8 (12.5) 7/8 (87.5) upgrading and evolving.
knowledge Procedural knowledge Conditional knowledge
Regulation Planning Information management strategies

(25) 3/5 (60)

1/7 (14.29) 6/10 (60)

4/4 (100) are still novices, it is also notable that Hallam 5/5 (100) to plan more than their novices counterparts.
7/7 (100) 10/10 (100) 7/7 (100) 5/5 (100) 6/6 (100)

Recalling that some of the respondents

(2001) reported that expert music students tend She defined high planning as completion of task requirements, speedy identification of difficulties, concentration of effort on difficult sections, and integration of the sections practised into the whole of the performance (p.35). She noted that only 10% of novice student musicians this executed this high planning compared to 33% of advanced (expert) students who executed the same. In addition, Leong (2010) cited Nielson (1999) who also reported that expert musicians tend to have high scores in evaluation and planning that enabled them to efficiently and effectively solve problems related to technique, interpretation, and performance.

Comprehensio 3/7 (42.86) n monitoring Debugging strategies Evaluation 1/5 (20) 1/6 (16.67)

Legend:Thedenominatorifthemaxiumattainablescore.

As reflected in Table 3, most of the musicians scored relatively high, in percentages between 80.21 to 88.33 in a majority of the metacognitive components, which include procedural and conditional knowledge under the awareness stage, and information management strategies, comprehension monitoring, and debugging strategies under the regulation stage.

Finally, since many of the respondents are still exploring and experimenting with electronic sounds and performance techniques, it Filipino electronic musicians scored 80.21 would also be understandable why they would for procedural knowledge and 82.50 for feel ambiguous about their present declarative conditional knowledge under the awareness knowledge and evaluation skills, as there is no stage. single method to perform tasks related to electornic music performance. Under the regulation stage, the respondents scored 80.42 in information Table 3. Average percentage of musicians that management, 81.55 in comprehension answered true to the MAI statements organized monitoring, and 88.33 in debugging strategies. by metacognitive stage components As can be noticed in the percentage of scores, only a little more than half of the participants scored significantly in both the declarative knowledge component of the awareness stage and planning skill of the regulation stage. The low planning scores may be attributed to the fact that electronic music is often experimental and exploratory. Unlike classical
Metacognition stage Metacognitive stage components Average Percentage

Awareness

Declarative knowledge Procedural knowledge Conditonal

15.63 19.25 19.8

65.10 80.21 82.5

knowledge
Regulation Planning Information management strategies Comprehension monitoring Debugging strategies Evaluation 15.57 19.3 64.88 80.42

19.57 21.20 16.83

81.55 88.33 70.14

Some musicians, critics, and electronic music enthusiasts attest that Filipino electronic music has its own unique sound. Despite the fact that it has Western influences, it doesn't sound Western. Most Western electronic music is produced in the confines of professional studios or by musicians using high-end equipment which isn't often true for their Filipino counterparts. Taking into consideration, economic limitations, Filipino electronic music in general lacks the existing industry infrastructure thus, most, if not all local electronic musicians create their music using makeshift and often obsolete equipment, free music software, and modified instruments through methods such as circuit bending. This aethetic has endowned Filipino electronic music with an organic and handifcrafted music not found in its Western counterparts. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Wewould like to thank the participation of the following electronic musicians, without which, this
research paper would not have been produced: Lionel Valdellon a.k.a. Acid42 Erick A. Fabian a.k.a. CERUMENTRIC chrisflip Digital Ghost! Dredillah Embi Santos a.k.a. embidnb Erick Calilan Bong Tan of foodshelterandclothing Sharen De Guzman a.k.a. happyboy ixiz / wyre John Mago Justin de Guzman a.k.a. DJ JDG Aldelm Sarthou Ferriols a.k.a. Lintech Francis Maria Regalado of Love in Athens Noel C. Acosta of Names Are For Tombstones Never Forget The Cause Nights of Rizal Ok! Reblora Vun Vince Cruz of Pure Mind Quiet Heart DJ Ryan Pamatmat

Cyril of silverfilter singleeyeperspective Mark Redito of Spazzkid/My Parasol Bibiliography Bamford , A. (2006). The Wow factor : Global research compendium on the impacts of arts in education. New York: Oxford University Press. Countinho, S. A. (2007). The relationship between goals, metacognition, and academic auccess. Educate, 7, 1, 39-47 . Retrieved July 8, 2010 from http://www.educatejournal.org/index.php? journal=educate&page=issue&op=view&path[]=23 Ericsson, K.A. & Charness, N. (1994). Expert Performance: Its structure and acquisition. American Psychologist, 49 (8), 725-247. Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitivedevelopmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34, 906-911. Jacobson, R. (1998). Teachers improving learning through metacognition with self-monitoring learning strategies. Education, 118 (4): 579-589. Leong, S. (2010). Metacognition and creativity in music assessment. e-journal of studies in music education., 9, 17-27. Moga, E., Burger, K., Hetland, L., & Winner, E. Does studying arts engender cerative thinking? Journal of Aesthetic education. 34 (3-4), 92-103. Nielson, S. (1999). Learning strategies in instrumental music practice. British Journal of Music Education, 16 (3), 175-291. Music Industry (2010) Retrieved January 13, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industry Ridley, D.S., Schultz, P.A., Glanz, R.S., & Weinstein, C.E. (1992). Self-regulated learning: the interactive influenc of metacognitve awareness and goal-setting. Journal of Experimental Education, 60, 293-306. Schraw, G. and Dennison, R. S. (1994). Assessing metacognitive awareness. Educational Psychology Review, 7, 4, 351-371. Taylor, J. (1991). Designing instruction to generate expert skill performance: empirial evidence. In G. Evans (Ed), Learning and teaching cognitive skills. Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research.

MetacognitiveAssessmentInventory
True 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. I ask myself periodically if I am meeting my goals. I consider several alternatives to a problem before I answer. I try to use strategies that have worked in the past. I pace myself while learning in order to have enough time. I understand my intellectual strengths and weaknesses. I think about what I really need to learn before I begin a task I know how well I did once I finish an art work. I set specific goals before I begin a task. I slow down when I encounter important information. I know what kind of information is most important to learn. I ask myself if I have considered all options when solving a problem. I am good at organizing information. I consciously focus my attention on important information. I have a specific purpose for each strategy I use. I learn best when I know something about the topic. I know what my mentor expects me to learn. I am good at remembering information. I use different learning strategies depending on the situation. I ask myself if there was an easier way to do things after I finish a task. I have control over how well I learn. I periodically review to help me understand important relationships. I ask myself questions about the material before I begin. I think of several ways to solve a problem and choose the best one. I summarize what Ive learned after I finish. I ask others for help when I dont understand something. I can motivate myself to learn when I need to I am aware of what strategies I use when I do art. I find myself analyzing the usefulness of strategies while I study. I use my intellectual strengths to compensate for my weaknesses. I focus on the meaning and significance of new information. I create my own examples to make information more meaningful. I am a good judge of how well I understand something. I find myself using helpful learning strategies automatically. I find myself pausing regularly to check my comprehension. I know when each strategy I use will be most effective. I ask myself how well I accomplish my goals once Im finished. I draw pictures or diagrams to help me understand while doing art. I ask myself if I have considered all options after I solve a problem. I try to translate new information into my own words. I change strategies when I fail to understand. I use the organizational structure of the text to help me learn. I read instructions carefully before I begin a task. I ask myself if what Im reading is related to what I already know. I reevaluate my assumptions when I get confused. I organize my time to best accomplish my goals. I learn more when I am interested in the topic. I try to break studying down into smaller steps. I focus on overall meaning rather than specifics. I ask myself questions about how well I am doing while I am learning something new about art. 50. I ask myself if I learned as much as I could have once I finish a task. 51. I stop and go back over new information that is not clear. 52. I stop and reread when I get confused. False

Directions -- For each True on the MAI give respondent 1 point on the following charts. For each False, give respondent 0 points in the Score column. Total the score of each category and place in box.

Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) Scoring Guide

KNOWLEDGE
DECLARATIVE KNOWLEDGE -- The factual knowledge the learner needs before being able to process or use critical thinking related to the topic -- Knowing about, what, or that -- Knowledge of ones skills, intellectual resources, and abilities as a learner -- Students can obtain knowledge through presentations, demonstrations, discussions PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE -- The application of knowledge for the purposes of completing a procedure or process -- Knowledge about how to implement learning procedures (e.g. strategies) -- Requires students know the process as well as when to apply process in various situations -- Students can obtain knowledge through discovery, cooperative learning, and problem solving CONDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE -- The determination under what circumstances specific processes or skills should transfer -- Knowledge about when and why to use learning procedures -- Application of declarative and procedural knowledge with certain conditions presented -- Students can obtain knowledge through simulation SCORE PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE 3. I try to use strategies that have worked in the past. 14. I have a specific purpose for each strategy I use. 27. I am aware of what strategies I use when I do art. 33. I find myself using helpful learning strategies automatically.

ABOUT

COGNITION
SCORE

DECLARATIVE KNOWLEDGE 5. I understand my intellectual strengths and weaknesses I know what kind of information is most important to learn. 12. I am good at organizing information. 16. I know what my mentor expects me to learn. 17. I am good at remembering information. 20. I have control over how well I learn. 32. I am a good judge of how well I understand something. 46. I learn more when I am interested in the topic. TOTAL

CONDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE 15. I learn best when I know something about the topic. 18. I use different learning strategies depending on the situation. 26. I can motivate myself to learn when I need to. 29. I use my intellectual strengths to compensate for my weaknesses. 35. I know when each strategy I use will be most effective. TOTAL

SCORE

TOTAL

Regulation of Cognition
PLANNING --Planning, goal setting, and allocating resources prior to learning INFORMATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES --Skills and strategy sequences used to process information more efficiently (e.g., organizing, elaborating, summarizing, selective focusing) COMPREHENSION MONITORING --Assessment of ones learning or strategy use DEBUGGING STRATEGIES --Strategies used to correct comprehension and performance errors EVALUATION --Analysis of performance and strategy effectiveness after a learning episode PLANNING 4. I pace myself while learning in order to have enough time. 6. I think about what I really need to learn before I begin a task. 8. I set specific goals before I begin a task. 22. I ask myself questions about the material before I begin. 23. I think of several ways to solve a problem and choose the best one. 42. I read instructions carefully before I begin a task. 45. I organize my time to best accomplish my goals. 7 TOTAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES 9. I slow down when I encounter important information. 13. I consciously focus my attention on important information. 30. I focus on the meaning and significance of new information. 31. I create my own examples to make information more meaningful. 37. I draw pictures or diagrams to help me understand while doing art. 39. I try to translate new information into my own words.
SCORE SCORE

COMPREHENSION MONITORING 1. I ask myself periodically if I am meeting my goals. 2. I consider several alternatives to a problem before I answer. I ask myself if I have considered all options when solving a problem. 21. I periodically review to help me understand important relationships. 28. I find myself analyzing the usefulness of strategies while I study. 34. I find myself pausing regularly to check my comprehension.

SCORE

41. I use the organizational structure of the text to help me learn 43. I ask myself if what Im reading is related to what I already know. 47. I try to break studying down into smaller steps. 48. I focus on overall meaning rather than specifics. TOTAL DEBUGGING STRATEGIES 25. I ask others for help when I dont understand something. 40. I change strategies when I fail to understand. 44. I re-evaluate my assumptions when I get confused. 51. I stop and go back over new information that is not clear. 52. I stop and reread when I get confused. 1
SCORE

49. I ask myself questions about how well I am doing while learning something new about art.

TOTAL EVALUATION 7. I know how well I did once I finish an art work. 18. I ask myself if there was an easier way to do things after I finish a task. 24. I summarize what Ive learned after I finish. 36. I ask myself how well I accomplish my goals once Im finished. 38. I ask myself if I have considered all options after I solve a problem. 50. I ask myself if I learned as much as I could have once I finish a task.
SCORE

TOTAL

TOTAL