ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of the child care center directors on the piano utilization in order to provide active music educational environment in the practical teaching settings for young children. Survey questionnaire on the necessity and the reasons for piano utilization and the piano class experience during their undergraduate teacher training courses and the difference between the perception and practice was conducted with 258 child care center directors in B metro city. Collected data was analyzed by PASW 18.0 program. Research findings are: First majority of the subjects answered piano utilization as the necessity for the free and joyful educational performance with young children. Second there was the perceptual differences on children`s listening ability and the satisfactory level among the subjects according to the types of child care centers and to their piano performance levels. Lastly there was a gap between the directors` perception and the perception on the practice on the piano utilization. In conclusion the importance of the directors` perception on the piano utilization was emphasized and teaching and learning piano performance of the prospective and in- service teachers in child educational settings was suggested.

Keyword :