本研究旨在探討將流行音樂運用於國中音樂欣賞課程的可行性，研究中以流行音樂與古典音樂兩種教材進行音樂要素的教學，並比較受試學生實驗處理前後在音樂要素辨識能力、音樂要素學習遷移成效以及音樂偏好與音樂消費態度三方面的改變。本研究以文獻探討及實驗研究兩種研究方法進行，研究者以文獻分析所得的結論作為本研究的理論基礎，並據以設計本研究實驗教學的架構。
文獻探討部份著重於流行音樂的特徵、流行音樂的商業機制、流行音樂對於青少年心理與社會方面的意義、美國運用流行音樂的教育經驗、音樂要素教學對於音樂欣賞的重要性以及國外研究者所做的相關研究的結果。
實驗教學部份採取準實驗研究法，以民權國中二年級普通班兩班學生合計69人為實驗對象，施以為期八週的音樂要素教學，項目包括曲調與節奏、和聲、曲式、力度與速度、人聲的種類、樂器的音色(一)、樂器的音色(二)以及合奏與重奏等八個單元。受試學生以班級為單位，隨機分派為實驗組(36名)及控制組(33名)，實驗組採用流行音樂教材，控制組則以古典音樂為教材。研究者依據本研究之依變項，自編測量認知與技能的「音樂要素辨識能力成就測驗」以及測量情意的「音樂偏好與音樂消費態度自陳量表」兩種研究工具。所得的資料以二因子混和設計變異數分析、三因子混和設計變異數分析以及ｔ考驗進行統計處理，並考驗研究假設。實驗研究得到以下三點結果：
(一)、在音樂要素辨識能力方向，本研究所設計的流行音樂教材與古典音樂教材，兩者皆能有效增進受試學生的音樂要素辨識能力，但兩者在成效上並無明顯的差異。
(二)、在音樂要素辨識能力學習遷移成效方面，兩種教材皆具有導致音樂要素辨識能力學習遷移的成效，但兩者在成效上並無明顯的差異。
(三)、在音樂偏好與音樂消費態度方面，兩組的受試學生不論在實驗處理前或後，皆傾向於流行音樂；但控制組的受試學生經過實驗處理後，對於古典音樂的接受程度明顯地增加。
研究者提出的建議包括三個方面：在教育行政單位方面，未來應將流行音樂納入音樂課程標準中，並詳加規劃音樂課程運用流行音樂的時機、樂曲選擇的範圍、討論的深度以及教學的方法；音樂師資教育應強調流行音樂與古典音樂同樣重要的概念，並注重教師以流行音樂進行音樂要素教學的技能。在國中音樂教師方面，應善用各媒體的流行音樂資訊作為教學的教材；教學時應慎選樂曲符合教學目標、畫面適合公開播放、討論的流行音樂錄影帶；單一的音樂要素教學可多採用流行音樂曲目，但結合多項音樂要素的教學宜多採用古典音樂曲目。在後續研究方面，可以另增一組不施予音樂要素教學、一組同時施予兩種教材的組別；研究的對象可以轉為高中學生；迫切需要更多的研究者投入以台灣的流行音樂為內容的音樂課程設計工作。

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.