An experimental study on the usage of popular melodies in piano teaching: Suggestion of a piano study book

This research aims to determine whether the piano teaching conducted by using piano pieces containing popular melodies has created a significant change in the piano performance and motivation for piano lessons of the music teacher candidates. It is thought that the permanent participation of the piano workbook envisaged to be prepared within the scope of the study can contribute to the piano education field; and, the study is important due to the expectation that it can positively change the quality of the piano lesson. In the research carried on by experimental method, pre-test-post-test control group paired design was used. The study group of the research consists of 18 students studying at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Faculty of Education, Department of Fine Arts Education, Department of Music Education at the undergraduate-I level. To determine the piano performances of 18 students in the study group, piano performance graded scoring key was used. Additionally, the motivation assessment scale in piano education was used in the study in order to measure students' motivation for piano lessons. Obtained results; revealed that there is a significant difference between the piano performance and motivation scores of the control and experimental groups before and after the experiment. This result is important in terms of showing that the increase in the scores of the experimental group displays a statistically significant difference compared to the level of development in the control group.