The effect of cooperative learning method on pre-school teacher candidates in self-efficacy, success and music literacy in music lessons

The cooperative learning method is most simply defined as small groups working together. Cooperative learning is a teaching method that has been studied for more than 40 years around the world, and its positive effect on students' academic achievement and attitudes and behaviors has been demonstrated by numerous studies. It has been supported by many research results that this method has a positive effect on many variables such as success, attitude and social skills in music education. Many studies have been conducted on the cooperative learning method both in the professional music education process and in the general music education process, and the results have generally been positive. However, when the relevant literature is examined, it is seen that there is no study on cooperative learning method practices in the music education process of pre-school teacher candidates, and this situation is considered worthy of research, and it would be meaningful to conduct a study on the use of cooperative learning method in the music education of pre-school teacher candidates. has been considered. In this study, pre-test post-test model with control group was used as a method. The research was conducted with a study group of 62 people in total, and both groups consisted of 31 people. During the 10-week online course, the experimental group taught the music lesson with the team-game-tournament technique, which is one of the cooperative learning methods, while the control group taught the music lesson with the traditional teaching methods. At the end of the process, it was aimed to examine the self-efficacy, achievements and musical literacy of pre-school teacher candidates in the music education lessons they are taking with the cooperative learning method. For this purpose, data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively by using mixed method design. The quantitative data were obtained from the music literacy scale, the music lesson achievement test and the music lesson self-efficacy scales, and the qualitative data were obtained from the interview forms in which the opinions of the pre-school teacher candidates about the cooperative learning method used in music lessons were taken. According to the results of the study, although the music lesson achievement and music self-efficacy perceptions of the experimental group students who took music lessons with the cooperative learning method showed a significant difference compared to the control group, no significant difference was found on the musical literacy variable. On the other hand, it was found that both groups showed significant improvement according to the in-group pre-test and post-test findings. At the end of the experimental process, according to the data obtained from the semi-structured interview form applied to the experimental group, positive reflections of the cooperative learning method on the music lesson success, music literacy and music self-efficacy perceptions of the students were determined in many different categories. Keywords: Cooperative Learning, Music Lesson, Self-Efficacy, Success, Music Literacy, Pre-school Teaching