Naslov
Functional Music Pedagogy in Piano Learning.

Autori
Bačlija Sušić, Blaženka

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Ocjenski radovi, doktorska disertacija

Fakultet
Akademija za glasbo

Mjesto
Ljubljana

Datum
06.09

Godina
2012

Stranica
342

Mentor
Rotar Pance, Branka ; Zlatar Jakša

Ključne riječi
Functional Music Pedagogy (FMP), Elly Bašić, improvisation in piano teaching, achievement motivation, music school, piano student, research.

Sažetak
Functional Music Pedagogy (FMP) is a music pedagogy concept of a Croatian music pedagogue, teaching specialist and ethnomusicologist, Elly Bašić (1908-1998), the goal of which is not only acquisition of music education, but also an overall development of a child's personality through music. The above goal also lays down the basic concepts or principles of this music pedagogy concept: Not a certain child, but every child is entitled to music culture ; every child has a musical ear ; every child has rhythm ; a musical ear is not identical to musicality, and every child has creative imagination. Based on these opinions and the principle that a child's creativity should not be evaluated, the selection of students enrolling in the music school was defined without selective entry exams. Likewise, the evaluation of student knowledge and skills does not include grading on the elementary-school level. The indicated FMP didactic principles are also influenced by the time period in which their author worked, encompassing the guiding principles of the general and music pedagogy concepts of authors from this period, like: M. Montesori, R.Steiner, J. E. Dalcroze, Z. Kodaly, S. Suzuki, C. Orff, E. Willems and others. The basic principles of FMP create a high level of individualization in the approach to teaching, and with it a specific formal structure and organization. The formal organization of teaching is implemented vertically, from preschool to high-school level. Instead of typical classes in individual instrument teaching, it has a specific program development in stages, with A and B program in the third stage, while specific, transitional solfeggio classes are designed for theory teaching. In addition to the functional method of solfeggio, which is a basic and unique trait of FMP with a specific didactic and methodological approach, this music pedagogy concept is also characterized by a whole range of specific didactic and methodological processes and principles in teaching. Improvisation as one of the main and most significant forms of children's creative music production implies a simultaneous discovery and performance of music without previous, general preparation. While the main role of improvisation in classical music used to be expressed in performance, today it retained its pedagogic value, and represents a significant methodological resource in music education. There is an abundance of works on improvisation which stress the methodological and didactic significance of improvisation in music education (Regelski, 1986 ; Kartomi, 1991 ; Kratus, 1991 ; Zentz, 1992 ; Azzara, 1999). Improvisation is the fundamental element in FMP teaching, implemented in all teaching areas as a methodical and well-defined program, starting in music preschool and the child's first encounter with an instrument. Spontaneous, intuitive or mechanical improvisations represent a child's free and unrestrained creative expression through music. The first spontaneous improvisations on the piano result from the child's active discovery and exploration of the instrument, usually accompanied by his expression in the form of a drawing, motor movement or possibly literary expression. A child's imagination and creativity are further developed through syncretism of different fields of art. Conscious improvisations occur when a child masters certain material so well, that this conscious behavior becomes spontaneous for him. In addition to encouraging the child's creativity, creative imagination, sensibility, freedom and his active response to tone, FMP improvisations helps in anticipating certain technical, agogic, musical and other interpretative elements through perception. On one hand, improvisation in the FMP educational process serves as a means of perception and awareness of music, and as a language of expression and communication on the other. Motivation as the driver, encouraging an individual to engage in specific activities, plays a crucial role and is significant in both general and music education. Achievement motivation is one of the most important types of motivation in music education, indicating the desire of an individual for achievement. Within his achievement motivation, Weiner's attribution theory is particularly significant, researching differences and consequences of different interpretations of success and failure (Weiner, 1992). According to him, interpreting the cause of success or failure of an individual in certain activities influences his behavior, opinion and relation to his other activities in the future. E. P. Asmus expanded the concept of the attribution theory, adapting it to music education, on the basis of which he formed a measuring instrument Measures of Motivation in Music, consisting of two different motivation scales: Motivating Factors and Magnitude of Motivation (1989). A whole range of research studies is based on these theories: Reimer, 1975 ; Asmus, 1985, 1986a, 1986b ; Chandler et al., 1988 ; Austin, 1991 ; Austin & Vispoel, 1992 ; Legette, 1992 ; Bogunović, 1995, 2005a, 2005b, Austin et al., 2006, Schatt, 2011. Based on the mentioned theoretical roots, in the empirical section we present a research which consists of two parts: (1) Action research of improvisation in individual piano classes and (2) research of achievement motivation among piano students, taught according to different educational methods. In regards to the nature of the problem researched, the first part of the research is based on the causal, non-experimental method of pedagogic research where action research (AR) was applied in a case study to monitor how improvisation during piano classes influences students and their inventiveness, as well as their motivation to play. The research was conducted in the school year 2009/10. Thirteen piano students from the Elly Bašić Music School were active participants in the research, while their instructor was the action researcher in the research conducted. The semantic differential scale, based on which students expressed their opinions about the music school, piano playing and music creation through improvisation, showed a growth of all values after a regular application of improvisation in teaching. Other data gathering instruments were also used in research, including a reflection and research dairy kept by the instructor, action researcher, and audio recordings of student improvisations. Due to the flexible nature of AR, three rounds of research were conducted instead of two. The conclusion from the first AR round, focused on spontaneous improvisation, was that regardless of planned activities, in the selection of topics and implementation of spontaneous improvisation, it is necessary to monitor each student as an individual with his own problems and needs, and adapt future work accordingly. It is important to monitor the child, while bearing in mind his non-verbal communication. This is why problems were approached differently in the second round of AR, where the student's character and needs were used for targeted improvisations. The conclusion was that by doing this, students expressed themselves more freely and spontaneously, they were more focused on the actual activity of creating music, captivated by it and enjoying it, and conveyed their emotional perception of the selected topic. They also focused more on tone, creating actual sound abstractions through atmosphere improvisations. All this had a positive impact on the motivation to play the program assigned. The third round of AR introduced students to improvisation with specific preassigned elements that they needed to comply with in their production. It was concluded that it is important to not assign overly challenging tasks to the students, which fully restrain their freedom and spontaneity in improvising, as they focus on the assigned element. Upon completion of AR, it was concluded that any form of production and creation of something new, original and personal has an exceptionally positive impact on the child's musical and creative development in life in general. As an individual with his needs, abilities, wishes and personality, a child should represent the nucleus around which all creative activities should be organized and directed. Regular application of creative music activities through improvisation had a positive impact on not only the child's, but also the instructor's motivation and on progress in different teaching dimensions. The second part of the empirical section dealt with research of motivation for student achievements in the 4th, 5th and 6th year of piano teaching in two music schools in Zagreb: the Elly Bašić Music School (EBMS) with a FMP curriculum and another music school with the traditional teaching methods. The main goal of this research was to determine how different methods influence achievement motivation of piano students during music teaching. The research was conducted in March of 2011, and a total of 136 piano students participated in it. Results of the research have shown that EBMS students, attending a FMP-based program, attribute their results achieved to a larger extent to attributions, effort, classroom environment and sensitivity to music. This is also evidence of the positive influence that FMP ideas and opinions have on achievement motivation of piano students, along with the fact that different methodological approaches in music learning significantly influence the student's achievement motivation. From the aspect of Weiner attribution theory, EBMS students stressed the attribution of effort to a larger extent as opposed to students from the music school with a traditional teaching methods. Based on results of the second questionnaire which measured the magnitude of motivation, we have determined that EBMS students have a higher ability self-concept, are more devoted to music and have a better relationship with the music school, including a more positive relationship with the music school in comparison to other extracurricular activities. The variance and covariance results have additionally confirmed the stated results by EBMS students. The scientific contribution of the doctoral dissertation lies in the presentation of FMP values and those of its author, Elly Bašić, in the analysis of the FMP concept in comparison to other established music pedagogy concepts, and in the analysis and comparison with the traditional teaching methods in music schools, obtained from research results. It moreover presents FMP literature unresearched until this point, particularly from the aspect of piano teaching. The applicable contribution of the work lies in the presentation and evaluation of the qualities of FMP pedagogical principles and ideas in practice. Researching motivation for student achievement in music, as well as experiences and conclusions resulting from the case study in the field of applied improvisation in piano classes in elementary music school, represent an original scientific contribution, since this topic had not yet been researched in either Croatia or Slovenia, with scarce references abroad.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

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