[[alternative]]A Study of the Application of Pop Music for Music Appreciation Teaching at the Junior High School Level

[[abstract]]The study investigated the feasibility of ncorporating pop music into the junior high school music curriculum. Pop and classical music were compared for efficiency as teaching material for teaching music elements identification. The influence of the learning transfer to the other genre of music was also investigated. The subjects' attitude toward these two genres of music, both before and after the instruction, was also examined to see if there was influence of instruction. Classical and pop music were used, control and experimental group separately, to teach the identification of eight music elements, namely melody and rhythm, harmony, form, dynamics and tempo, category of humen voices, category of music instruments 1, 2 and ensemble. Two classes of Minchuan Junior High School were randomly assigned to experimental (36 students) and control (33students) group. The subjects were tested on "Achievement Test for Music Elements Identification" developed by the researcher. The difference between the pre-test and post-test scores was examined to see if each genre of music was suitable as teaching material. The score difference were further compared between two groups to see which genre was more efficient. Data obtained from the achievement test and the questionnaire "Self-Report on Music Preference and Music Consumption" were subject to the two-way analysis of variance, three-way analysis of variance and t-test. The analysis yielded the following results: 1.Both pop and classical music used in this study proved suitable in improving the ability of music element identification. However, no significant differences were found between the two genres. 2.Learning transfers were found in both control and experimental group. Students received instruction using pop music showed identification ability improvement in classical music, vice versa. 3.In terms of usic preference, the students in pop music group showed the same inclination toward pop music only. The classical music group, however, showed changes in preference group, namely from "pop music only" toward preference for both pop and classical music. Based on the results, the researcher urged the government considered the possibility of incorporating pop music into the junior high school music curriculum, and designate a task force to investigate the time schedule of this incorporating, the building of the suitable teaching repertoire from the bulk of pop music. Suggestions were made to evaluate songs for teaching material, how to formulate proper teaching strategies. Future studies were suggested to 1. include additional two groups of tudents, one without instruction in music element identification, one receiving instruction using both pop and classical music. 2. use senior high students as subjects. 3. study the pop music in Taiwan.