Effects of Game-Based Learning on Piano Music Knowledge Among Elementary School Pupils: Pretest-Posttest...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Music Education Technology

Background:

• Traditional piano instruction in China often prioritizes rote memorization over conceptual understanding, hindering novice pupils' grasp of rhythm, melody, and theory.
• Game-based learning (GBL) offers a potential solution by integrating game elements to boost engagement, provide immediate feedback, and facilitate deeper learning in music education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a GBL module on elementary school pupils' music knowledge in piano education within Anhui Province, China.
• To compare the effectiveness of GBL against traditional piano instruction methods.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design with a nonequivalent control group was employed.
• Sixty novice piano learners (mean age 8.8 years) were divided into a GBL group (n=30) and a control group (n=30).
• Music knowledge was assessed using the Level 1 Basic Music Written Test over an 8-week intervention period, with nonparametric analyses conducted.

Main Results:

• Despite baseline disparities favoring the control group, the GBL group demonstrated significantly higher posttest music knowledge scores (median 100 vs. 60).
• Both groups showed significant pre-post improvements, but the GBL group's gains were more pronounced (r=-0.88 vs. r=-0.59).
• Item-level analysis revealed significant improvements in 5 out of 25 music knowledge items for the GBL group.

Conclusions:

• The GBL module effectively improved pupils' music knowledge, surpassing traditional methods and addressing initial learning gaps.
• The study highlights the innovative integration of gamification with Orff and Dalcroze pedagogy via the Sidek Module Development Model.
• This research provides empirical evidence for a validated, cost-effective, and scalable GBL module for piano instruction, particularly beneficial for resource-limited elementary schools.