Undergraduate piano pedagogy course offerings in selected colleges and universities in the Republic of Korea.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the content of undergraduate piano pedagogy courses at selected colleges and universities in the Republic of Korea. The study was conducted through a questionnaire that was sent to the fifty-one colleges and universities in Korea offering piano as a major as listed in the Hanguk Hakgyo Myungram 1996--97, Hanguk Gyoyuk Yongam 1998, and Hanguk Gyoyuk Myungbu 1998 . The study was designed to gather information on the institutions, piano pedagogy course structure, materials used in the courses, projects required, course contents, and observation and student teaching experiences.

Recommendations for improvement of Korean piano pedagogy courses were made in the following areas: enrollment limits in piano pedagogy courses, piano labs, preparatory departments and affiliated programs, Korean pedagogy textbooks, printed materials and piano pedagogy libraries/resource centers, pedagogy course content, professional relationships, observation and teaching experience, and administration of the pedagogy courses.

Observation and teaching experiences in the piano pedagogy course were included in the study. Student requirements for teacher observation, the type of teaching used for observation, and the formats used in the evaluation of student teachers were all investigated. The specific levels of students and classification of student teaching assignments and available settings both for observation of teaching and for student teaching were also investigated.

Institutions offering an undergraduate piano pedagogy course were asked to answer questions regarding the course content. The questions cover the teaching strategies for various levels of students, teaching techniques for various topics, categories of teaching literature and methods, special content areas, selected teaching aids, specific course projects, and professional relationships.