Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka hur ett träningsprogram baserat på metoden Simultaneous Learning upplevs av lärare och elever. I bakgrundskapitlet beskrivs metoden som är skapad av Paul Harris och hur den förändrats över tid. Det finns endast lite tidigare forskning om metoden, på grund av att den är relativt ny, men den som hittats redogörs det för. Bakgrundskapitlet inkluderar också tidigare forskning om enskild musikundervisning och några viktiga problem som identifierats inom det området. Studien är en fallstudie där tre lärare, utan tidigare erfarenhet av Simultaneous Learning, fick delta i ett träningsprogram i metoden. Lärarna använde metoden i sin undervisning under 3-6 lektionstillfällen. Under datasamlingen intervjuades elever och lärare för att undersöka hur interventionen i form av träningsprogrammet upplevts. I resultatet framkommer att eleverna och lärarna upplevde skillnader, i form av till exempel nya moment i undervisningen såsom improvisation. De upplevde även att undervisningen efter träningsprogrammet påminde om den tidigare undervisningen. Det kan också lyftas fram att lärare upplevt att träningsprogrammet inom metoden gjorde det enklare att undervisa proaktivt. Ett sista relevant resultat var att elever uppskattade att momentet improvisation tillfördes i undervisningen. I diskussionen relateras studiens resultat till tidigare forskning samt till frågor kring hur olika perspektiv på lärande kan påverka synen på Simultaneous Learning som metod. Slutligen diskuteras hur Simultaneous Learning skulle kunna vidareutvecklas / The purpose of this study was to investigate how a training program based on Simultaneous Learning was perceived by teachers and students. In the background chapter the evolution of Simultaneous Learning, developed by Paul Harris, is traced. There is only little earlier research regarding the method since it is comparatively new. The research that was found is however presented. The background chapter also includes earlier research in the wider field of music-studio teaching, and the problems that have been identified within this style of teaching are presented. The study is a case-study where three teachers, with no prior experience with the method, participated in a training program and later proceeded to teach a selection of students with the method for between 3-6 lessons. To gather data semi-structured interviews with both the teachers and the students was conducted, to investigate how the intervention was perceived. Results show that both teachers and students noticed differences and similarities with their previous style of teaching. Some significant results include that teachers experienced that Simultaneous Learning was helpful in creating a pro-active teaching and students experienced the introduction of improvisation to the lesson as positive. In the discussion the results are related to earlier research and how different perspectives on the role of a teacher can affect how Simultaneous Learning is perceived as a valuable tool or not. Lastly, some suggestions on how the method could be further improved is suggested and discussed.

The existing curriculum for piano lessons in West Malaysia is over-reliant on the syllabi of foreign examination boards resulting in a fragmentary curriculum which denies the student access to a wider range of musical experiences. The aim of the study was to identify and suggest solutions to problems by analysing the teaching approaches of piano teachers and to determine if there are elements which are lacking in the lessons. It also aimed to provide solutions by establishing a theoretical framework for effective piano teaching with optimal lesson plans. This study made use of mixed methods research design. A cross-sectional survey was conducted and data collection was by self-structured questionnaires. In addition, interviews were conducted for the qualitative component of this study. Twenty-five piano teachers with between one to twenty years of teaching experience were randomly selected to participate in the survey. A further fifteen interviews were conducted with teachers who were selected from the participants of the survey by purposive sampling. Interpretative phenomenology analysis was used to analyse the interviews in an effort to gain a better understanding of the nature and quality of the piano teaching in West Malaysia. The study finds that having piano examinations with regularity, usually on a yearly basis, has largely dominated the curriculum with examination requirements and has resulted in several elements being missing or absent in a typical lesson. Hence the situation is clearly not ideal as lessons are too examination oriented. Furthermore, students are generally not exposed to sufficient opportunities to display their skills and musical achievements. These findings suggest that Western classical piano music can be taught more effectively in West Malaysia if teachers re-think their approach to teaching in terms of planning for an optimal lesson. This would involve having both long-term and short–term goals in which a variety of strategies and important elements are incorporated seamlessly using the “simultaneous learning” approach advocated by Harris, Crozier and Ley. / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Music / unrestricted