Survey of the Integration of Learning Theories In American Undergraduate Piano Pedagogy Curricula

<p>The purpose of this study was to provide information about the integration of learning theories within undergraduate piano pedagogy courses at member schools of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). A 47-question online survey was sent to each 4-year member school listed in the 2007 NASM directory. The survey elicited 111 responses concerning institutional information, personal and professional information, undergraduate piano pedagogy courses at participating institutions, information pertaining to instructor backgrounds in learning theories, and learning theories in participants' current piano pedagogy course curricula.</p> <p>Analysis of the data showed that while many instructors of undergraduate piano pedagogy ranked learning theories as very important, almost 30% of undergraduate piano pedagogy instructors participating in this research did not include the topic of learning theories at all within their course. Most respondents had masters and terminal degrees in piano performance. Many had little background relating to the field of learning theories, and were relatively inexperienced at teaching undergraduate piano pedagogy. The broad categories of behaviorism and cognitivism were the two approaches most often included in undergraduate piano pedagogy courses, and Jean Piaget, Jerome Bruner, and B.F. Skinner were the three theorists most often included in undergraduate piano pedagogy courses.</p> <p>Suggestions for further research included quantitative research supporting the hypothesis that knowledge of learning theories creates a positive effect on the quality of instruction in piano teaching, similar research projects with a more narrowly defined population sample that might increase the response rate, further research regarding specific components of the curriculum, cross-curricular studies comparing the relative integration and effectiveness of learning theories within other types of pedagogical training programs, and a re-evaluation of the design of piano performance and piano pedagogy programs in order to determine if the needs of graduates from these programs are being addressed.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

D.M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Campus Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

School of Music

Year

2010

Author dc:creator

• Rushing, Michael W.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Scott Price

• Arts and Humanities
• Music
• Music Pedagogy
• curriculum
• learning theories
• piano pedagogy
• survey
• undergraduate

Statement dc:rights

• © 2010, Michael W. Rushing

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/253

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarcommons.sc.edu:etd-1254