Policy Reforms, Pedagogical Practices, and Challenges in Early Childhood Music Education: Sources of Self-Efficacy Regarding Teaching Music

Abstract

This chapter exemplifies the interplay between policy reforms and teachers’ responses in pedagogical practices through the perspective of postcolonial Hong Kong. I first consider, from a historical and cultural perspective, the policy reforms that have impacted early childhood education in Hong Kong. Next, I discuss the challenges to the pursuit of high-quality music education in early childhood. Finally, I critically examine early childhood teachers’ beliefs in music education, as well as sources of self-efficacy for teaching music based on Bandura’s theory of sources of self-efficacy. Data were drawn from questionnaires and in-depth interviews with early childhood teachers. Both the level and sources of teacher self-efficacy (e.g., enactive mastery experience, verbal persuasion, vicarious experiences, and physiological and affective states) were examined. Aligning with Bandura’s social cognitive theory, each of the four sources of self-efficacy contributed to the development of teacher self-efficacy regarding music in relation to policy reforms in education.KeywordsPostcolonial educationPolicy reformMusic pedagogy Self-efficacy sources Childhood music Play-based learning