This study focused on the challenges that students face during the early state of learning to play the guitar. Based on those challenges, a model of blended learning was developed, which provides a solution to how to organize teaching and answer students' diverse needs with the aim of encouraging our students to take advantage of blended learning environments and styles. Data were gathered with semi-structured theme interviews. The most critical factors in organizing teaching and designing a blended learning guitar course fell into four categories: Instrument specific challenges, heterogeneous group, learning facilities and course structure, and motivation. The results added depth to knowledge of previous studies on e-learning. Students want to have an instrument in hand when they watch instructional videos online; otherwise, they are just watching videos without learning. This indicates a need to define the concept of autonomous learning more specifically. When and where exactly is it supposed to happen? Results of the relationship between face-toface lessons and e-learning were in line with earlier research, in which both were seen to support each other.
Digitalization has become a part of Finnish education from elementary schools to universities. Additionally, students have begun to participate in university administration, thus participating in course development and design. Blended learning has arrived on the education scene, providing solutions on how to create e-learning environments and how to make them useful for students as well as teachers. The purpose of this research is to study the possibilities and challenges of e-learning environments in student teachers' piano courses. What is the position of e-learning environments compared to face-to-face or contact lessons? We want to know where students go to get information about piano playing and how students perceive autonomous learning, guided autonomous learning, and group contact lessons. The data was gathered from a large group lesson, from piano lessons in groups of different sizes, and from students' assignments where they reflected on the relationship between e-learning environments and contact lessons for the development of their piano playing and musicianship. The e-learning environments had good design and content; however, students pointed out that it is important to possess some musical skills in order to fully benefit from these environments. Students need to be instructed on the benefits of and how to use e-learning platforms and blended learning to enhance their knowledge and skills through independent learning.
The importance of supportive learning environments has been considered of utmost importance. In Finnish universities where the educational entities are being re-organised, teacher educators have to reconsider and also reorganise the learning environments to sustain the quality of teaching. At the Universities of Helsinki and Lapland, where the primary school student teachers' music programmes are under serious pressure, a large scale research project "Arctic Reformative and Exploratory Teaching Profession" (ArkTop), was launched, aiming to support teachers' lifelong professional development by organizing research based in-service courses, thus, providing possibilities for cooperation and creating networks between universities and comprehensive schools in Lapland through shared expertise, critical reflections and research. Part of this project focuses on different possibilities for developing music, including piano courses in primary school teacher education. In this particular study, the issues of piano-learning environments are examined. The study focuses on mapping the main problems and finding possible solutions in music programmes for creating supportive piano-learning environments in primary school teacher education by analysing topic-specific curricular documents of both universities and the interview data drawn from a number of lecturers. In order to create the best possible learning environments, it is essential to explore how university music educators comprehend the opportunities for designing piano-learning environments.
In Finland, music subject is part of National Core Curriculum and in the primary school stage (grades 1-6) usually taught by primary school teachers. To assure instruction of music education on a highly professional level, pre-service teachers are taught piano course as part of music didactics.This article reports findings of the pilot study carried out as part of ArcTop research project between University of Lapland and University of Helsinki to develop and improve primary school teacher education in both institutions. Students' expectations and reflections are examined through the lens of self-efficacy theory by Bandura (1977, 1986, 1997).The data were collected using an open-ended questionnaire to find out students experiences in piano playing and music reading as well as their self-reflections about the learning process. The answers (n = 97) were processed statistically and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results revealed that most of the participants (n = 64) were inexperienced in piano playing. At the same time they were highly motivated and eager to learn and practice. The students also mentioned the lack of elementary music literacy knowledge and the insufficient number of contact lessons which give grounds for making further arrangements in the curriculum.
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