The importance of the Arts (Music) in pre-service teacher training

Carroll, C. & Harris, J. (2023). Because I'm not musical: A critical case study of music education training for pre-service generalist primary teachers in Australia. British Journal of Music Education, 40(2), 271-286. DOI:10.1017/S0265051722000274

Corresponding author Email: christine.carroll@excelsia.edu.au

Summary of research

The problem

The literature concerning pre-service training in music education for generalist primary teachers reveals a long-standing problem, poor self-efficacy in relation to the teaching of classroom music. Many pre service teachers describe themselves as not musical,due to limited musical skills- resulting in fears and lack of confidence in relation to teaching music in the generalist primary classroom.

The study

A study was undertaken in one Australian university, with 136x 2nd year Bachelor of Education students and investigated self efficacy beliefs of preservice teachers in relation to teaching music. Their coursework included four weeks (total 8 hours) of sequential music-making activities using voice, body and both un-tuned and tuned percussion, followed by the two-week (4 hours) peer-directed digital music-making project. The study utilised a pre- and post-survey mixed-methods design.

Current situation more broadly

Hocking’s (2009) national report of Australian teacher training institutions reveals why teachers feel underconfident and unprepared to teach primary music, with allocation for K-6 curricular Music consisting in total an average of only 1.51% of a bachelor’s degree, between 4 and 17 hours of training. Several commonalities in approach exist across institutions, with singing, playing classroom instruments and creating or composing comprising the majority of programmes featuring Kodaly, Orff and Dalcroze music pedagogies. Music is often delivered in conjunction with Dance, Drama, and Visual Arts instruction in integrated formats.

Conclusion

Teacher efficacy, including prior and current engagement with music; is closely linked to whether teachers are willing to engage with music in their future classrooms. The power for technology to facilitate creative music-making activities integrating listening, composing and both live and digital performance skills offers a practical solution to enduring problems of inequity of access in school music education. The use of technology in teacher training may have the power to impact children particularly in schools where limited resources for music exist and where teachers with specialist training in music are absent. There is an unequal playing field across different education systems in terms of access to quality music programs that needs to be addressed, and teacher training institutions are well situated to ensure all pre-service teachers have a level of confidence and competence in teaching music in primary classrooms.