Putting Research into Practice

The purpose of this project was to provide a supplemental resource for college-level group piano teachers. The Review of Literature explored past and current information regarding effectiveness in a music education setting. Studies involving general music classrooms, band and orchestra rehearsals, choral rehearsals, and private music lessons were cited to determine what skills may also be present in effective piano instruction. Three major categories of skills were found. These categories are Non-verbal Communication Skills, Student Performance and Activity, and Complete Teaching Patterns. Much emphasis was given to the discussion of complete teaching patterns, including the use of teacher feedback to the students. In the supplemental resource portion of the project, a brief summary of teaching effectiveness in college-level group piano was provided, as well as a checklist of effective teaching skills. Seventy-six creative activities were created and adapted for application in college group-piano classrooms. The activities underwent formative evaluation. Stage 1 of the formative evaluation included presenting ten sample activities to the Advising Professor and directive committee members for the project. Stage 2 involved presenting each activity to the Advising Professor for approval. During Stage 3 of the formative evaluation, graduate teaching assistants of group piano used some of the activities in their individual classes. Written feedback from the participating graduate teaching assistants was provided for the activities selected. Changes to those particular activities were made accordingly. A small summative evaluation was conducted by surveying the graduate teaching assistants who participated in the project. These teaching assistants were given a short survey that addressed the activities' usability, how interesting the activities were, and the likelihood that the teaching assistants would use the activities in the future or recommend them to others. The teaching assistants were too few to conduct statistical tests. However, the responses by the graduate teaching assistants were generally positive.