A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION

EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ • Yıl: 24 Sayı: 83 (Yaz 2020) 165 Makalenin geliş tarihi: 02.05.2020 1. Hakem rapor tarihi: 25.05.2020 2. Hakem rapor tarihi: 25.06.2020 Kabul tarihi: 06.07.2020 A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION (Araştırma Makalesi) Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER (*) Abstract In this research, graduate theses written in Turkey and the world between 1933-2019 in the field of group piano education were examined in terms of different variables and in this context a general picture of the situation of graduate theses was presented. The research data consists of 166 graduate theses in the field of group piano education selected by sampling method available from the National Thesis Center of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE) and Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global databases. The research was intended to contribute to the creation of resources for new studies in the field of group piano education by considering the distribution of graduate thesis studies on group piano education. For this purpose, the distribution of theses according to their types, year of completion, countries and universities, subject areas, research methods used, data collection tools, sample/study groups were examined. The research is a descriptive study and content analysis techniques are used for data analysis. Theses in the field of group piano education were examined and classification of theses according to their subjects, frequency (f) and percentage (%) distributions were made and the representation of the results was explained with the help of relevant tables and figures. The data obtained in the research show that the majority of theses published in the field of group piano education is at the level of doctorate, that the published theses have increased systematically between 1970-2010, that the most studies have been carried out in the University of Oklahoma in the USA, mostly in the field of functional skills in group piano education and that working groups consisting of piano teachers are preferred in most of the researches. Suggestions developed in line with the results have been presented. Keywords: Group Piano Education, Postgraduate Education, Music Education, Piano Education, Functional Skills. *) Dr. Öğr. Üyesi, Çankırı Karatekin Üniversitesi, Sanat, Tasarım ve Mimarlık Fakültesi, Müzik Bölümü, Müzik Teknolojisi Ana Bilim Dalı (e-posta: [email protected]) ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0339-336X 166 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ Grup Piyano Eğitimi Alanındaki Lisansüstü Tezlere Yönelik Bir İnceleme Öz Bu araştırmada, grup piyano eğitimi alanında, 1933-2019 yılları arasında, Türkiye’de ve dünyada yapılmış lisansüstü tezler farklı değişkenler açısından incelenmiş ve bu bağlamda lisansüstü tezlerin genel bir durum tablosu ortaya konmuştur. Araştırma verilerini, Yükseköğretim Kurulu (YÖK) Ulusal Tez Merkezi ve ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global veri tabanlarından ulaşılabilir örnekleme yöntemi ile seçilen grup piyano eğitimi alanında yazılmış 166 lisansüstü tez oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada, grup piyano eğitimi alanındaki lisansüstü tez çalışmalarının belirlenen kategoriler üzerindeki dağılımını ortaya koymak ve bu alanda yapılacak yeni çalışmalara kaynak oluşturulmasına katkı sağlamak amaçlanmıştır. Hedeflenen bu amaç doğrultusunda araştırma kapsamındaki tezlerin; türleri, yılları, ülke ve üniversiteleri, konu alanları, araştırma yöntemleri, veri toplama araçları, örneklem/çalışma grupları açısından dağılımı incelenmiştir. Araştırma betimsel bir çalışma olup araştırma verilerinin analizinde, dokuman incelemesi tekniği ve içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Grup piyano eğitimi alanındaki lisansüstü tezler incelenerek konularına göre sınıflandırılmış, tezlerin frekans (f) ve yüzde (%) dağılımları yapılmış ve sonuçlar ilgili tablo ve şekillerle sunulmuştur. Bu araştırmadan elde edilen verilerden yola çıkılarak grup piyano eğitimi alanında yayımlanmış lisansüstü tezlerin çoğunluğunun “doktora düzeyinde” olduğu, 1970-2010 yılları arasında sistematik bir artış gösterdiği, en fazla çalışmanın ABD’de “University of Oklahoma’da” yapıldığı, en çok “grup piyano eğitiminde işlevsel beceriler” konu alanında lisansüstü tez üretildiği ve örneklem grubu olarak en çok “piyano öğretmenlerinin” seçildiği saptanmıştır. Ulaşılan sonuçlar doğrultusunda geliştirilen öneriler sunulmuştur. Anahtar Kelimeler: Grup Piyano Eğitimi, Lisansüstü Eğitim, Müzik Eğitimi, Piyano Eğitimi, İşlevsel Beceriler. 1. Introduction Education services at the pre-undergraduate, undergraduate and graduate levels are provided through universities. Universities consist of faculties, colleges, conservatories, vocational schools, institutes and sub-departments of institutes. These institutions aim to provide education to achieve high levels of education and to provide students with multi-faceted development as well as to gain a profession. Thus, by training the qualified manpower needed by society, regional and global, economic and social development can be supported. It is also aimed to contribute to the preservation, production, development, and dissemination of scientific experiences by conducting scientific research and publications. Postgraduate education includes a master's degree, doctorate, specialization in medicine and proficiency in art education based on undergraduate education. Students who have received a bachelor's degree and meet the requirements of graduate education are entitled to graduate education to be able to specialize in their field of study. After A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION 167 graduating from graduate programs, master's or doctoral theses are written and academic publications are made. Products that are produced in the field of science and/or art are expected to contribute to national or international studies in this field in terms of ideas, innovation, production, and the needs of the country. The objective evaluation of the theoretical propositions of these publications requires correct and valid application of the titles covering the research method. It also provides information about the content, trends, and characteristics of scientific studies in specific processes, whether there are a change and a development about the subjects and the fields which are being investigated. Graduate research on music education in Turkey is increasing day by day thanks to newly opened faculties and programs in the field of music/music education. In this context, bibliography studies were conducted to examine the graduate theses about various fields of music education in Turkey in terms of different variables. The research prepared by Ömür & Gültek (2011) and Toptaş (2013) is aimed at the study of graduate studies on piano playing in Turkey. Studies have been conducted in the field of a viola by Arıca (2017) and Sonsel (2018), in the field of the cello by Yıldırım Orhan (2012), in the field of double bass by Birel & Quader (2017), in the field of guitar by Öztutgan (2016), in the field of the choir by Babaç & Köse (2018) and Apaydınlı (2014), in the field of music technologies by Delikara (2019). Other graduate theses in Turkey have been studied in the works of the authors given in parentheses: (Kaptanoğlu & Tabakçı (2015)) in the field of piano accompaniment in vocal music, (Kurtaslan (2018)) on bow techniques in string instruments, (Toptaş (2013)) international classical music composers. Karkın's (2011) examination of postgraduate theses in the field of musicology and Ece & Çeşit’s (2011) examination of interdisciplinary music research differs from the other given examples in terms of subjects. It is observed that the studies prepared for the analysis of graduate researches mostly cover the field education courses and related subjects in the curriculum of music education and so the studies are limited to Turkey. Although group piano education is not included in the programs of the faculties of music/music education in Turkey, it is a teaching approach that can be applied with at least two pianos and two students, which involves learning the basic music knowledge which is necessary for music teaching education and gaining and developing the functional skills in piano. To benefit from the piano as much as possible in music lessons, the music teacher must have a sufficient level of functional piano skills such as being able to perform a piano accompaniment to school songs, writing accompaniment, transposing songs, etc. when necessary. The teacher's use of functional piano skills in his / her lessons will be useful both in the processing of the courses towards objectives of the primary music course curriculum, as well as in the reinforcement of the subject and content by sampling these skills. Group piano lessons allow the development of functional skills as well as performance skills, so that prospective music teachers will be better prepared for their future professional needs (Aydınlı, 2012). Graduate studies in Turkey related to group piano education are very few compared 168 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ to the studies abroad. In addition to this, a study on the examination of graduate theses in the field of group piano education has not yet been found among the studies conducted in Turkey. Although the majority of the master’s and doctoral theses studied in this research belong to the different countries and cultures, analyzing, questioning and interpreting these studies is useful for producing research that aims to achieve our gains. The analysis of theses is also important in terms of contributing to academic publications, activities and postgraduate theses to be prepared related to group piano education, contributing to researchers in terms of subject and method. This study aims to determine the general profile, research topics and methodologies the master’s and doctoral theses that the researcher can reach according to different variables. For this purpose, the problem phrase of the research was designated as “How do graduate thesis and doctoral dissertations written in the field of group piano education display a general view according to different variables?” and answers to the sub-problems listed below were sought: 1. What is the distribution of the types of master’s and doctoral dissertations? 2. How is the distribution of the master’s and doctoral dissertations related to the years of completion? 3. How is the distribution of master’s and doctoral dissertations in the countries where they were written? 4. How is the distribution of master’s and doctoral dissertations in the universities? 5. What is the distribution of master’s and doctoral dissertations by subject areas? 6. What is the distribution of master’s and doctoral dissertations by research methods? 7. What is the distribution of master’s and doctoral dissertations on the data collection tools? 8. How is the distribution of master’s and doctoral dissertations related to sample/ study group? 2. Methodology In this part of the research, explanations about the model of the research, the universe and its sampling, the collection and evaluation of the data, the validity and reliability of the research are given. 2.1. Research Model This research is a descriptive study designed with a survey model, in which postgraduate theses in the field of group piano education are examined in Turkey and around the world. “A survey model is a research approach that aims to describe the situation in the past or A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION 169 the present as it exists. The event, individual or object that is the subject of research, is tried to be defined as in its conditions” (Kuzu, 2013, p. 26). The research problem has been identified as the first step of this research. In the course of this process, master’s and doctoral dissertations related to group piano education were reached from the National Thesis Center of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE) and Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global databases, theses were examined, coding criteria were determined, coding, analysis, and evaluation of the theses were carried out. Since the research is intended to describe an existing situation, the master’s and doctoral dissertations within the scope of the research are evaluated based on document analysis, which is one of the qualitative research methods. Document analysis covers the analysis of written materials containing information about the cases or cases to be investigated. The selected research problem is important in determining which documents can be used as data sources. Document analysis is performed in certain stages. The first is the document access phase, which involves the researcher determining where and how to reach the documents suitable for the research and obtaining the ethically required permissions. The second stage is to check the authenticity of the reached documents to ensure the reliability of the research. The third stage is a deep understanding of the documents obtained by the researcher. The fourth stage is the analysis of the data. The final stage is the use of data (Yıldırım and Şimşek, 2005, as cited in Kuzu, 2013). 2.2. Universe and Sampling The universe of this work is master’s and doctoral dissertations made in group piano education in Turkey and abroad between 1933 and 2019. The postgraduate theses used in this research were selected by the convenience sampling method often used in qualitative research. According to Berg & Lune (2016/2019); convenience sampling can also be called random sampling or availability sampling. This sampling type is based on existing subjects who are close at hand currently available or easily accessible. The research sample consists of 166 master’s and doctoral dissertations prepared between 1933 and 2019 in the CoHE National Thesis Center and Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global databases. These are either in Turkish or English. Table 1. Distribution of Graduate Theses According to The Place Where They Are Written (Domestic and International) Group Domestic International Total (f) 3 163 166 (%) 1,81% 98,19% 100,00% According to Table 1, 3 (1.81%) of the postgraduate theses related to group piano 170 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ education were performed in Turkey and 163 (98.19%) were performed abroad. It is observed that the majority of postgraduate theses have been conducted abroad. 2.3. Data Collection and Analysis “Content analysis was carried out through document analysis in the evaluation of the data obtained from the theses that the researcher could reach. Content analysis can also be defined as analyzing a written, spoken text or symbol, converting it into numbers and interpreting it over these numbers, in other words converting the numbers back into words. The basic process of content analysis is to bring similar data together within the framework of specific concepts and themes, and to organize and interpret them in a way that the reader can understand” (Şahin, 2017, p.191). The structure and limits of the material to be examined must be determined while content analysis is being applied. In this kind of research, written texts should come to mind first. Prior identification of the characteristics to be examined during these studies and a certain systematic classification will be useful in terms of reducing data loss and errors. Employing a marking system or a checklist or similar methods to identify relevant points will help in summarizing the results (Kurtuluş, 2010). In this study, the thesis databases that can be accessed were scanned to compile the data that will form the sample group. To collect the data that constitute the sample group, searches were carried out with the keyword “grup piyano” in the CoHE National Thesis Center database. In the Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global database, the index term- DISKW and Document title-Ti categories were searched with the keywords “group piano” and “class piano” in the advanced search option. Besides, 56 postgraduate theses, which were not found as a result of the search but are known to exist, were also included in the research because the researcher's field of study was group piano training. Theses that have limited access were not included in the sampling. A total of 166 graduate theses included in the sampling were studied overall by the researcher. Theses were classified in terms of types, years of completion, countries, universities, subject areas, research methods, data collection tools, sample/study groups. “The stage of making sense of research data is called data analysis. At this stage, data collected by various methods are summarized by grouping and can be analyzed with the help of statistical analyses by the research model and hypothesis. Interpretation of qualitative research results is done with the help of content analyses” (Kurtuluş, 2010, p. 171). For the application of content analysis, a “thesis review form” has been created by A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION 171 the researcher to systematically encode the data obtained from theses. The criteria in the "thesis review form" were determined after the literature review. Categories (types, years and topics of the thesis, university and country names, research methods used, sample/ study groups, data collection tools) for the general profile of postgraduate theses were established and the final result was reached with the help of an experts point of view. As a result of the examination of the theses, the necessary information is encoded into the relevant form. While coding, there were also cases where more than one assessment was made in the same category (for example: the subject of research or tools of data collection). The frequency (f) and percentages (%) of the data obtained from the form are tabulated and presented in the results section when the coding process is concluded. 2.4. Research Validity and Reliability In qualitative research, "plausibility-acceptability, transferability" are validity concepts. It is necessary for the researcher to act by the nature of the qualitative research, i.e. to work with the methods, techniques, and tactics appropriate to the nature of the data, to use them properly, to experience the realities and to present the original data to the participants as much as possible. These can elevate the concepts mentioned before (Sönmez & Alacapınar, 2019). Therefore, the opinions of an expert researcher were consulted to interpret the data. The feedback that the data belongs to the research and the comments are related to the data has been obtained, thus the plausibility-acceptability of the information has been provided. The fact that the raw data about the categorized subjects were presented to the reader without the participation of the comment contributed to the transfer of the research. When reliability is mentioned in qualitative research, interpretative and reconstructionist approaches can be understood (Sönmez & Alcapınar, 2019). The concepts of reliability in qualitative research are consistency, verifiability. Consistency is whether the research is done by its paradigm. The concept of verifiability can be explained as the verification of the causal link between the data collected by the researcher and the results achieved. In this context, the researcher should be able to store all the data related to the research and present it on demand to those who need it (Sönmez & Alacapınar, 2019). The research categories of data were determined for consistency and the thesis examination form was created. The operations are explained in detail in the data collection and evaluation section. The fact that the examined graduate theses are available for researchers from Cohe National Thesis Center and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global databases is an important factor for the confirmation of the research. Also, dissertations and analyses of dissertations transferred and archived to computer media are kept in case of a possible confirmation attempt. 172 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ 5.5. Research Ethics In the research, the ethical rules specified in the CoHE Academic Research and Publication Ethics Directive were taken into consideration. The research is an original study and all stages of the research have been followed in accordance with academic ethical principles and rules. The data obtained from the literature are cited accurately and completely, and citations are appropriately presented in the references section. Ethics committee permission and/or legal/special permission was not required in this study, in which postgraduate theses on group piano education were investigated. 3. Findings The results obtained from the examination of 166 graduate theses in the field of group piano education in Turkey and around the world and the tables in which they are represented are given and interpreted in this part of the research. (Column headings are types and years of graduate thesis, countries and universities, subject areas, research methods used, data collection tools, sample/study groups) 3.1. Findings and Interpretations Regarding First and Second Sub-Problems Table 2. Distribution of Postgraduate Theses by Type and Year of Completion Year 1930-1940 1940-1950 1950-1960 1960-1970 1970-1980 1980-1990 1990-2000 2000-2010 2010-2019 Total MA (f) 4 1 7 1 6 2 4 6 5 36 (%) 11,11% 2,78% 19,44% 2,78% 16,67% 5,56% 11,11% 16,67% 13,89% 100,00% Ph.D. (f) 0 0 4 5 11 25 26 36 23 130 (%) 0,00% 0,00% 3,10% 3,88% 8,53% 19,38% 20,16% 27,91% 17,83% 100,78% Total (f) 4 1 11 6 17 27 30 42 28 166 (%) 2,41% 0,60% 6,63% 3,61% 10,24% 16,27% 18,07% 25,30% 16,87% 100,00% According to Table 2, of the 166 graduate theses were published between 1933 and 2019 on the field of group piano education, 36 were master's and 130 were doctoral level. It is noteworthy that more theses have been written at the doctoral level. The highest number of theses (19.44%) (f=7) at the master's level was made between 1950 and 1960, while the highest number of theses (27.91%) at the doctoral level (f=42) were made A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION 173 between 2000 and 2010. The first graduate thesis in group piano education was made between 1933 and 1940, and the first dissertation at the doctoral level was made between 1950 and 1960. Figure 1. Distribution of Postgraduate Theses by Year of Completion As seen in Figure 1. there is a systematic increase in the number of postgraduate theses (f=42) between 1970-2010 compared to the first postgraduate dissertations (f=4) published between 1930 and 1940 in the field of group piano education. The first practices of group piano training date back to the late nineteenth century (1815). Group piano classes were only intended for elementary and secondary students until the 1930s. Between 1930 and 1940, group piano classes for adults began to be added to the curricula of universities and public schools, and in the following years, group piano classes were opened in hundreds of universities and public schools. As a result of these developments, "group piano education" gained a place at the level of undergraduate education. The historical development described is thought to explain why the first postgraduate theses were published between 1930 and 1940. According to Figure 1, the first increase in studies in group piano education was the postgraduate theses (f=11) completed between 1950-1960. The reasons for this acceleration can be explained by the increase in the number of electronic pianos and piano pedagogy programs produced in the 1950-1960s. In 1954, electronic pianos produced by Wurlitzer were groundbreaking (Goltz, 1975). The technical developments in these years have primarily changed the group piano training program and continued to shape the methodological approach as well as the pedagogical approach (Tsai, 2007). According to Figure 1, the chart representing the number of undergraduate studies in the field of group piano education by year shows an increasing trend following the points 1970-1980 (F=17), 1980-1990 (F=27), 1990-2000 (f=30), 2000-2010 (f=42). The 174 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ reasons that explain this upward trend can be listed as the work of the Music Teachers National Association for group piano in the 1970s, the organization of the First National Group Piano Symposium in 1981 (Tsai, 2007) and the contribution of technological developments to the field of group piano education. 3.2. Findings and Interpretations of the Third Sub-Problem Figure 2. Distribution of Postgraduate Theses by Country Figure 2 shows the distribution of postgraduate theses in group piano education by country. According to the data examined, 160 out of 166 graduate theses were performed at universities in the United States (USA), while 6 other theses were performed in China (f=2), Turkey (f=3) and the United Kingdom (f=1). Although initial studies on group piano training began in Dublin, the capital of Ireland, group piano training attracted interest from the UK and many other countries around the world. Studies on group piano education began later than other countries in the United States, but more studies developed rapidly. For this reason, the number of postgraduate theses published in the United States is significantly higher. 3.3. Findings and Interpretations of the Fourth Sub-Problem A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION 175 Table 3. Distribution of Postgraduate Theses by Universities University Name The Univ.of Texas at Austin The Ohio State Univ. Univ.of Oklahoma The Univ.of Southern California Univ.of Miami Columbia Univ. Silver Lake College Univ.of Colorado California State Univ. The Univ.of North Carolina The Univ.of Memphis University of Illinois Azusa Pacific Univ. Florida State Univ. Uniersity.of Washington University of Rochester Auburn Univ. University of Florida Indiana Univ. Univ.of North Texas Univ.of South Carolina Univ.of Northern Colorado Louisiana State Univ. Southwestern Oklahoma State Univ. Chapman University Michigan State University University of Michigan Northwestern University Brigham Young University Tennessee State University Boston University Oakland University MA (f) (%) 0 0 0 13 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0,00 0,00 0,00 36,11 0,00 0,00 8,33 0,00 2,78 0,00 0,00 0,00 5,56 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 11,11 0,00 0,00 0,00 2,78 2,78 5,56 0,00 0,00 0,00 2,78 0,00 0,00 Ph.D. Total (%) (f) (f) 4 5 31 4 3 14 0 1 0 3 1 4 0 4 2 2 1 1 7 1 7 1 2 0 0 0 4 3 1 0 1 1 3,08 3,85 23,85 3,08 2,31 10,77 0,00 0,77 0,00 2,31 0,77 3,08 0,00 3,08 1,54 1,54 0,77 0,77 5,38 0,77 5,38 0,77 1,54 0,00 0,00 0,00 3,08 2,31 0,77 0,00 0,77 0,77 4 5 31 17 3 14 3 1 1 3 1 4 2 4 2 2 1 1 7 5 7 1 2 1 1 2 4 3 1 1 1 1 (%) 2,41 3,01 18,67 10,24 1,81 8,43 1,81 0,60 0,60 1,81 0,60 2,41 1,20 2,41 1,20 1,20 0,60 0,60 4,22 3,01 4,22 0,60 1,20 0,60 0,60 1,20 2,41 1,81 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 176 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER Iowa State University West Virginia University The Univ.of Southern Mississippi University of Missouri Ball State University University of Washington University of Minnesota New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary University of Kansas City Montana State University Arizona State University Claremont Graduate Univ. University of Wyoming Texas Tech University Walden University The Univ.of Wisconsin George Mason University Lindenwood University The Catholic Univ.of America The University of Arizona Hunan Normal University Hong Kong Baptist Univ. University of York Marmara University Gazi University Bursa Uludağ University Total EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 36 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 2,78 0,00 2,78 2,78 0,00 0,00 5,56 0,00 0,00 2,78 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 2,78 0,00 0,00 0,00 0,00 2,78 100 1 1 1 2 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 130 0,77 0,77 0,77 1,54 1,54 1,54 0,00 0,77 0,00 0,00 0,77 0,77 0,00 0,77 0,77 0,00 0,77 0,77 0,77 0,77 0,00 0,77 0,77 0,77 0,77 0,00 100 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 166 0,60 0,60 0,60 1,20 1,20 1,20 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 1,20 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 0,60 100 Table 3 shows that the top three universities are the University of Oklahoma (31), the University of Southern California (17) and Columbia University (14) according to the number of postgraduate theses in group piano education. All of the theses published at the University of Oklahoma and Columbia University are doctoral-level. The highest number of theses (f=13) at the master's level was made at the University of Southern California. Further publication at these universities may be due to the following reasons: In addition to training piano teachers in the piano pedagogy program at the University of Oklahoma School of music, training group piano teachers who can cater to different A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION 177 levels and purposes is thought to increase the rate of graduate publication. The first academic developments in group piano education in the United States were made by Raymond Burrows, a faculty member at Columbia University Teachers College, and piano laboratories were used for adults and music teacher candidates for the first time, and curricula were created (Skroch, 1991). The abundance of theses made at the University of Colombia shows that the steps taken in the past are continuing. The University of Southern California's music school is thought to provide a free environment for students who wish to graduate in group piano education through the multifaceted and diverse fields of classical performance and composition, contemporary music, scientific research on music education, and special education programs. According to Table 3, the postgraduate theses made at Marmara University, Gazi University, Bursa Uludag University (f=3) indicate that research on the field of group piano education has started in Turkey and that this field has attracted attention. 3.4. Findings and Interpretations of the Fifth Sub-Problem Table 4. Distribution of Postgraduate Theses by Subject Areas Research Subject - Group Piano Education Curriculum - Group Piano Education Methods - Group Piano Lab. - Functional Skills in Group Piano Education Functional Skills in Chant Teaching Functional Skills in Adult Blind Education Functional Skills with Dalcroze Method - Group Piano Teachers - Challenges of Group Piano Education - Status of Group Piano Educaiton - Use of Technological Instruments in Group Piano Education - Music Teaching Approaches in Group Piano Education - Group and Individual Piano Lessons - Piano Education - Music Education (primary-secondary) Total Total (f) 9 5 10 48 1 1 1 6 1 34 8 9 8 27 3 171 (%) 5,26% 2,92% 5,85% 28,07% 0,58% 0,58% 0,58% 3,51% 0,58% 19,88% 4,68% 5,26% 4,68% 15,79% 1,75% 100,00% According to Table 4, the research topics covered in the postgraduate theses published in the field of group piano education cover 12 different areas. It was observed that the graduate theses published in the associated fields were covered with various topics 178 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ related to music education and piano education and that there were studies that could be included in more than one group. The theses examined within the scope of the research are classified according to the subjects in which they are weighted by considering their contents. Although the total number of theses is 166 since the theses cover more than one subject, the number of theses is 171 in the table showing the distribution of the subject. The published postgraduate theses were found to be mostly in the field of functional skills in group piano training (f=51). The group piano education curriculum aims to develop functional skills so the majority of postgraduate theses are expected to be studies that address various musical teaching methods and approaches and sample groups at different levels, with different objectives and at different locations; and that is the exactly observed result. The majority of theses (f=44) on functional skills in group piano are doctoral level. Postgraduate theses on the status of group piano education are limited to 34. In these theses, the status of group piano education in preschool, primary, secondary, high school, undergraduate, adult levels are evaluated within the philosophy of music education. When the postgraduate theses on piano education (f=27) are examined, it is seen that group piano education is covered in the context of publications, trends, attitudes and beliefs related to piano education. Other topics that are discussed in the theses include group piano lab (f=10) group piano education curriculum (f=9), music teaching approaches in group piano education (f=9), group and individual piano lessons (f=8), group piano instruction in the use of technological tools (f=8) group piano teachers (f=6) group piano education methods (f=5), music education (primary-secondary) (f=3), the challenges of the group piano instruction (f=1). These subjects show that, although few, the studies on the education in question are multifaceted and comprehensive. 3.5. Findings and Interpretations of the Sixth Sub-Problem Table 5. Distribution of Postgraduate Theses According to Research Methods Research Method Quantitative Qualitative Mix Total MA (f) (%) 8 26 2 36 22,22% 72,22% 5,56% 100,00% Ph.D. (f) 70 52 8 130 (%) Total (f) (%) 53,85% 40,00% 6,15% 100,00% 78 78 10 166 46,99% 46,99% 6,02% 100,00% According to Table 5, the total distribution of the research patterns of the postgraduate theses published in group piano education column shows, that the numerical distribution of the master's (f=78) and doctoral (f=78) theses made in quantitative and qualitative types is equal. Theses using both patterns have a total of 10. 3.6. Findings and Interpretations of the Seventh Sub-Problem A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION 179 Table 6. Distribution of Graduate Theses According to Data Collection Tools Data Collection Tools Survey Interview Form Observation Form Experiment Literature Review Document Analysis Total (f) 67 21 14 38 51 18 209 (%) 32,06% 10,05% 6,70% 18,18% 24,40% 8,61% 100,00% According to Table 6, six different data collection tools were used a total of 209 times in published postgraduate theses on group piano education. The number of data collection tools (f=209) is higher than the number of theses (f=166) because more than one data collection tool is used in some theses. The most commonly used data collection tools are Survey (f=67), Literature Review (f=51), and Experiment (f=38) respectively. These are followed by the Interview Form (f=21), Document Analysis (f=18), and Observation Form (f=14) respectively. 3.7. Findings and Interpretation of the Eighth Sub-Problem Table 7. Distribution of Postgraduate Theses by Sample/Study Groups Sample/Study Group Piano Teachers Group Piano Teachers Music Teachers Undergraduate students (music majors) Undergraduate students (non-music majors) Piano Students Group Piano Students Students with General Music Education Families of Piano/Group Piano Students Choir Directors School Administrators (High School) Piano Dealers Piano Technicians No samples Total (f) 36 17 11 6 3 17 33 6 3 1 1 1 1 30 166 (%) 21,69% 10,24% 6,63% 3,61% 1,81% 10,24% 19,88% 3,61% 1,81% 0,60% 0,60% 0,60% 0,60% 18,07% 100,00% 180 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ Table 7 shows that the most frequently employed groups in the sample/study groups are piano teachers (f=36), group piano students (f=33), group piano teachers (f=17), piano students (f=17), music teachers (f=11). The fact that undergraduate students (f=6) and general music students (f=6) are also in the study shows that postgraduate thesis study groups cover a wide range of educational levels from pre-school to undergraduate level. Theses that involve piano/group piano students families and undergraduate students (non-music majors) are limited to 3. Theses involving choir managers, high school administrators, piano vendors, piano technicians are one. Although the study groups give priority to students/teachers of piano and/or group piano, it is observed that people who are not personally involved in formal education, such as family, managers, salesmen and technicians, are also included in the study groups. This suggests that studies related to group piano training can be done with different study groups and gives a wide range of study opportunities. 4. Conclusion and Recommendations 4.1. Results The study aimed to examine the distribution of master's and doctoral theses in group piano education in Turkey and the world written between the years 1933 and 2019 in terms of the year of completion, graduate-level, country and university where theses were made, subject area, the research method used, data collection tools, sample/study groups. 166 postgraduate theses accessed from CoHE National Thesis Center and Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global databases were examined, the findings were evaluated, the following conclusions were reached and suggestions were given. According to the data obtained from the research, 130 of the published postgraduate theses related to group piano education were found to be at the doctoral level and 36 were at the master's level. The first master's thesis in the field of group piano education was made between 1933-1940 and the first thesis at the doctoral level was made between 1950-1960. When we look at the distribution of postgraduate theses according to the years of completion, a systematic increase is observed. There is a marked increase in the number of graduate theses (f=42) from 1970-2010 compared to the first postgraduate theses (f=4) published between 1930 and 1940. This increase is thought to be a result of developments in the field of group piano training. 160 out of 166 postgraduate theses were written at universities in the United States, while 6 other theses were written in China (f=2), Turkey (f=3) and the United Kingdom (f=1). Based on the distribution of postgraduate theses in the first three universities, 31 theses were completed at the University of Oklahoma, 17 theses at the University of Southern California, and 14 at Columbia University. Referring to the situation in universities in Turkey; one postgraduate thesis has been done at each of the following universities; Marmara University, Gazi University, Bursa Uludağ University. Further studies have arisen in the United States as the steps taken about group piano training in A REVIEW OF GRADUATE THESES IN GROUP PIANO EDUCATION 181 the United States date back to the past and the United States has long ago incorporated the group piano approach into their training systems. Group piano education in Turkey is a new area of attention. Therefore, it is thought that the studies and practices related to this field will increase in the future in our country. When we look at the subject distribution of graduate thesis studies related to group piano education, 12 different subject areas are seen. Most postgraduate theses have been produced on functional skills in group piano training. The other topics discussed are as follows: • the status of group piano education at preschool, primary, secondary, high school, undergraduate, adult levels and group piano education within the scope of piano education, • piano education, • group piano laboratory, • group piano training curriculum, • music teaching approaches in group piano education, • group and individual piano lessons, • use of technological instruments in group piano training, • group piano teachers, • group piano education methods, • music education (primary-secondary education), • difficulties of group piano education. According to the total distribution of the research patterns of the theses published in the scope of the research, the numerical distribution of the master's (f=78) and doctoral (f=78) theses of quantitative and qualitative types are equal. Theses using both patterns have a total number of 10. The data collection tools used in graduate theses are survey, literature review, experiment, interview form, document analysis, and observation form, respectively. When we look at the distribution of the published postgraduate theses on group piano education according to the sample/study groups used, it is seen that piano teachers, group piano students, group piano teachers, piano students and music teachers are the most studied groups. Other sampling/study groups included in the graduate theses are in order; undergraduate students with music education, general music education students, undergraduate students (non-music majors) and families of piano/group piano students, choir managers, high school administrators, piano sellers, piano technicians. Although the study/sample groups focused on the piano and/or group piano student/teacher, students from different educational levels, it was observed that the people who indirectly participated in the education process were also included in the study groups. 182 / Dr. Demet AYDINLI GÜRLER EKEV AKADEMİ DERGİSİ 4.2. Recommendations Following suggestions can be made in line with the results obtained within the scope of the research: This research, which reveals the status of postgraduate theses in terms of different variables, can be a guide for the researchers working on group piano education in determining their subject and method choices and determining their tendencies. For this reason, this research should be repeated at certain time intervals. Almost all of the theses examined within the scope of the research have been made abroad and the language used is English. First of all, it is recommended that Turkish academic publications on group piano education should be included in the music education literature and increased in number. Additionally, presenting the output of the works in English in Turkey will increase the international interaction. This research covers postgraduate theses that can only be accessed through two databases. The researchers found different examples of publications (articles, papers, books, etc.) in the associated fields, both domestic and abroad.), expand the scope of research by examining various databases. The research shows that the number of postgraduate studies related to group piano education in Turkey is very small. For this reason, it is necessary to include group piano training in the undergraduate / graduate programs of music education institutions, establish piano laboratories, train experts in this field, and follow the current publications and technological developments. 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