COMPUTER-AIDED MUSIC INSTRUCTION: AN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE USE OF NOTATION SOFTWARE IN A LOCAL TEACHERS TRAINING COLLEGE |
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Note: This paper was presented at a conference, citation information below. | |||
Md.Hassan A. & Ang, M. (2000). “Computer-Aided Music Instruction: An Implementation Of The Use Of Notation Software In A Local Teachers Training College”. First International Music Technology Conference in Southeast Asia (MusTech Asia’2000). The Mines Beach Resort Hotel, Serdang, 16-18 March 2000. Proc. pp. 22-24. | |||
ABSTRACT In this research, 59 trainee teachers, from the fourth semester at the Sultan Idris Teachers Training Institute in Tanjung Malim, were selected as respondents. The pre-test involved the respondents answering a questionnaire designed to survey their attitudes and perceptions towards the use of the computer as a teaching aid for music. The pre-test also included a test on the respondent’s ability to write music notation. The treatment or experiment conducted was in the form of a course on the use of the notation software “Coda Finale”. Respondents were required to undergo a short training course, teaching them how to use this software. Upon completion of this course, respondents were re-tested on their ability to write music notation. Respondents were also required to answer the survey questionnaire on attitudes and perceptions towards the use of the computer as a teaching aid for music once more. Pre-test and post-test results were then analysed statistically. For the music notation test, it was found that the mean achievement on the pre-test was 60.85% whereas the post-test yielded a mean result of 80.12%. The increase in the mean value of the post-test as compared with the pre-test indicates that the respondent’s skill at writing music notation increased after undergoing the treatment. The research hypothesis based upon the result of the paired t-test indicates that this increase is significant. Research findings indicate a significantly improved performance in music writing skills from candidates who gained experience with notation software. A significant improvement (23 points on the computer literacy test) in computer literacy as well as attitudes and perceptions towards computers (2.39 point increase) was also shown. However, no significant correlation was found between computer literacy levels and music writing skills or attitudes and perceptions towards computers and music writing skills. A significant correlation was found however between students’ attitudes and perceptions towards computers and computer literacy levels. All these findings indicate that a higher level of music writing skills may be attained with the aid of music notation software and computer based training, and that a side effect of increasing computer literacy and improving attitudes and perceptions towards computers results from such use. The other important finding is that prior experience with computers and good attitudes and perceptions towards computer-based training has no effect on a candidate’s ability to learn music writing skills. The complete paper is here. You will need the freely available Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it. |