Developing and renewing music teacher competences: prospects and challenges

Abstract

The topic of music teacher education and training raises many issues for discussion. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the approach of pre-service music education teachers towards their professional activity and to discuss their expectations within the context of the competence-based education. Thirty four students (international and national), all pre-service music teachers studying in Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences, were included. The results indicated that generally the expectations of students were (more or less) in line with the principles of the competence-based initial music teacher education. Prospective music teachers describe their professional activity as broad and multidimensional but they also emphasise the importance of personal and ethnic values, implementation of general, subject-specific and professional competences and continuous improvement. It has been revealed that in music education it is particularly important to combine orientation towards pedagogical activities with orientation towards the spread of the learner’s personality. Keywords: Competence-based education, music teacher education, competences, student’s expectations, Lithuania.