Beginner and Advanced Pianists’ Eye-Gazing Behaviors During Viewing YouTube Piano Instructional Videos

This study served as an initial attempt to investigate the visual attention of beginner and advanced pianists by tracking their eye-gazing behaviors while watching piano instructional videos on YouTube.The goals of this study were to (1) review and categorize different types of piano instructional videos currently available on YouTube, (2) examine the differences in participants’ response to visual stimuli of different categories of videos, and (3) discuss potential pedagogical implications of different categories of piano instructional videos in future piano teaching and learning. Results show that beginner and advanced pianists’ eye focus and perspectives were different, advanced pianists had a higher fixation number and time during the video viewing task, and overhead view with score was rated as the most effective type of visual component and sideway view as the least by both groups. Results are discussed in relation to the current understanding of visual presentations in piano learning, the function of instructional videos, the effects of instructional videos on piano learning within online communities, and the future adaptations or improvements of instructional videos in piano learning.

Embargo status: Restricted until 06/2027. To request the author grant access, click on the PDF link to the left.