The Relation between the academic achievement in the harmony course and the problem–solving skills of the students in Department of Music Education

Abstract

Bu araştırma öğrencilerin armoni dersindeki akademik başarıları ve problem çözme becerileri arasındaki ilişkileri belirlemek için yapılmıştır. Armoni dersi, Marmara Üniversitesi Müzik Öğretmenliği Anabilim dalında 2.ve 3.sınıfların programında yer almaktadır. Çok sesli müziği kurgulamada sesler arasındaki ilişkileri kullanarak partisyonlar oluşturmak alternatifli düşünebilmenin bir sonucudur. Araştırma, bu düşünme biçiminin problem çözme becerisini de geliştireceği varsayımı ile yapılmıştır. İkinci sınıflardan 28, üçüncü sınıflardan 29 öğrenci ile yapılan çalışmada öğrencilerin akademik başarı notları ile cevapladıkları Problem Çözme Envanteri sonuçları karşılaştırılmıştır. Sonuçta armoni dersinde akademik başarı notları yüksek olan öğrencilerin problem çözme becerilerinin de yüksek olduğu görülmüştür.

Anahtar Sözcükler: Müzik eğitimi, müzik ve beyin, armoni, çok seslilik, problem çözme

Keywords

• Müzik eğitimi,müzik ve beyin,armoni,çok seslilik,problem çözme

The Relation between the academic achievement in the harmony course and the problem–solving skills of the students in Department of Music Education

Abstract

It is known from data obtained by scientific researches that music is effective on wide range of different functions. Music affects functions such as learning, language, expression of feelings, memory, physiological and motor control in human brain (Karacay, 2010). At a research has been executed by Yılmaz Sendurur and Dolunay Akgul Barıs, grade point averages that they have taken from all courses at the end of the year of students consist of 2 groups who have taken and not taken music training, have been compared. Year end grade point average of two group have been classified, frequency and percentage distribution between the groups have been taken and it has been determined that the group who has been taken music training is more successful from all courses (Sendurur and Dolunay, 2002).

These researches which impress on relation between music training and academic success, creativity and problem solving, are also bringing up the question that what kind of contribution different courses that consist music training, provide to these skills. Theoretic Harmony Training which is one of these courses, teaches the rules of creating polyphonic music and shows the way of using relations between the sounds. Along with harmonic analysis of works, connections of the chords and creating polyphonic works at these connections, creating accompaniment model practices are done at piano. These practices provides students to reach different results by experiencing alternatives. From this aspect Harmony Training can be thought also as a practice that thinking alternatively and creativity are supported.

This study was conducted to identify the relationship between students’ academic achievement and problem-solving abilities in harmony classes, included in the 2nd and 3rd year curricula of Marmara University Department of Music Education. The formation of partitions using the interactions between the sounds in composing polyphonic music is a result of the ability to think in terms of alternatives.  The hypothesis of the study is that his way of thinking will eventually lead to better problem solving skills. In this study, carried out with 28 students from 2nd year and 29 students from 3rd year, the GPA’s of the students and the results of their problem -solving inventory were compared. As a result, it was observed that students with high academic achievement also have high-quality problem-solving skills.

There is a significant relation between points of the students related to problem solving skills and academic success grades of harmony course (r=-0,636 ve p<,01). It is understood that the problem solving skills of the students whose harmony course success points are high, are also high. There is a significant relation between belief points of their problem solving skills and harmony course success grades of students (r=-0,703 ve p<,01). For that reason belief to the problem solving skills of the students whose harmony course academic success point are high, is higher.

There is a significant relation between approach-avoidance points and harmony course academic success grades of students(r=-0,302 ve p<,01). For that reason approach-avoidance level  of the students whose harmony course academic success point are high, is higher. There is a significant relation between personal control points and harmony course academic success grades of students. (r=-0,485 ve p<,01). For that reason personal control level  of the students whose harmony course academic success point are high, is higher.

Keywords

• Music education,music and brain,harmony,polyphony,problem solving

References

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3. Moran, Melani (2008). “Musicians Use Both Sides Of Their Brains More Frequently Than Average People.” http://news.vanderbilt.edu/2008/10/musicians-use-both-sides-of-their-brains-more-frequently-than-average-people-65577/ (09.03.2014)
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