Music Teachers’ Perception of Music Teaching at the Stage of Early Adolescence

Petra Brdnik Juhart,Barbara Sicherl Kafol

doi:10.26529/cepsj.1092

Petra Brdnik Juhart, Barbara Sicherl Kafol

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.1092

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Abstract

Based on the descriptive method of qualitative educational research, the present study explores music teaching at the stage of early adolescence in terms of general-school music teachers’ viewpoints on factors defining the planning and implementation of music teaching. The study was based on qualitative analysis of data gathered in interviews with 18 teachers from nine countries (Slovenia, Argentina, Australia, USA, Turkey, Poland, Russia, Italy and Germany). The research found that music teaching based on authentic musical communication through the activities of playing, creating and listening to music was favoured by the interviewees. Among the factors affecting the presentation of music teaching at the stage of early adolescence, the quality of curricular bases and the professional competence of music teachers were emphasised. In this context, the research findings showed that music curricula in the international context do not provide a suitable curricular base for the implementation of music teaching. The problem becomes especially salient when the competences of music teachers are insufficient for the transference of the curricular platform to musical praxis through authentic ways of musical teaching. The research findings provide an insight into the complexity of the factors involved, including authentic music teaching, the music curriculum and teachers’ competences, which determine the planning and implementation of music teaching at the stage of early adolescence. In addition, the findings provide a basis for further research in a broader context and for the development of guidelines for curricular updates and the modernisation of music education in general schools.

Highlights

Key competences for lifelong learning involve the development of knowledge, skills and relationships that contribute to the quality of life in modern society (Council Recommendation, 2018)
The participating teachers expressed their viewpoints on the factors determining the planning of authentic music education in early adolescence, defined with the categories of weak and strong curricular bases
In line with Young (2013, p. 106), the participating teachers evaluated the relevance of curricular models from the following points of view: “Is this curriculum meaningful to my students? [...] What are the meanings that this curriculum gives my students access to? [...] Does this curriculum take my students beyond their experience and enable to envisage alternatives that have some basis in the real world?” Weak curricular bases of authentic music education enable the implementation of musical activities and content that adolescent students deem personally important and are aligned with their interests, needs and motivation

Summary

Introduction

Key competences for lifelong learning involve the development of knowledge, skills and relationships that contribute to the quality of life in modern society (Council Recommendation, 2018). In line with international strategies of development of arts and cultural education (ibid.), the findings of a study by Bamford (2006), carried out on a sample of more than 40 countries, showed that a quality arts and cultural education influences students’ holistic development by strengthening their self-confidence, self-awareness, sense of responsibility and respect for others, and improves their inclusion in the society In this context, the present article focuses on the artistic area of music education in the period of early adolescence. Engaging in music enables acceptance and communication of ideas among the members of a group, which contributes to the development of social interaction It encourages the development of thinking strategies, such 100 music teachers’ perception of music teaching at the stage of early adolescence as memorisation, comprehension, use, analysis, synthesis and evaluation (ibid.), all of which contribute to the development of the competence of lifelong learning

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