MUSIC TEACHER TRAINING IN CROATIA

According to the new Croatian legislation, a Master’s degree must be obtained to become a general music teacher or a specialised music teacher. Institutions which carry out music teacher training in Croatia are:

· University of Zagreb, Academy of Music, Department for Music Pedagogy: They offer two programmes: Music Pedagogy (4‑year Bachelor and 1-year Master) and Music Culture[1] (3-year Bachelor and 2‑ year Master). They lead to the qualification of primary school music teacher (5^th-8^th class, 11-14 year old pupils) and secondary school music teacher (15-18 year old pupils) and students can also qualify to teach in music schools (music theory, solfeggio). Graduates are also qualified to lead choirs and bands. The other way to acquire a qualification for the music teaching is to enter and finish the other Bachelor and Master programmes: music theory, musicology (a two subject study programme) or church music and within one of these to take a module with pedagogical subjects. Information about the academic year 2008/2009 indicates that there are currently 4 students studying on the Music Culture Bachelor programme and 4 students on the Musicology Bachelor programme. There is no data for the Music Pedagogy Bachelor programme.

· University of Split, Academy of Arts, Department of Musical Art: The Music Pedagogy study programme includes a Bachelor’s degree (4 years, 240 ECTS, qualification awarded: Bachelor of Music in Music Education) and a Master’s degree (1 year, 60 ECTS, qualification awarded: Master of Music in Music Education). Information about the academic year 2008/2009 indicates that there are 12 places for the Music Pedagogy Bachelor programme. Graduates of the Music Culture study programme (4-year Bachelor and 1-year Master) are also qualified to teach music in the primary and secondary school.

The Music Pedagogy study programmes runs at both universities: The Bachelor programme (4 years, 8 semesters, 240 ECTS, upon completion of the course a student is awarded the academic title Bachelor of Music Pedagogy).

The Master programme (1 year, 2 semesters, 60 ECTS, upon completion of the course a student is awarded the academic title Master of Music Pedagogy).

II. Curriculum

The following information relates to teacher training within the study programme Music Pedagogy, University of Zagreb, Academy of Music. The Bachelor course lasts 4 years (8 semesters; 240 ECTS). 60 ECTS must be gained in each of the four years. The curriculum content is presented in table 1. The Master course lasts 1 year (2 semesters; 60 ECTS). The curriculum content is presented in table 2.

Subject field	Fields	Obligatory	Optional
Artistic subjects	Keyboard harmony, Conducting, Vocal technique, Score playing, Choir, Piano, Tamburitza	X
Artistic subjects	Tamburitza ensemble, Chamber music for percussion		X
Music theory and history	Solfeggio, Harmony , Polyphony, Arranging for ensembles, Music forms and styles, Instruments, History of music, History of Croat music	X
Music theory and history	Basis for composing , Music acoustics, Music aesthetics, Music information		X
Pedagogical subjects	Fundamentals of music pedagogy	X
Pedagogical subjects	· Module: Psychology of music teaching and learning, · Music didactics, Teaching methods of theoretical musical subjects, Pedagogical practice · Psychology of Music, Society and policy aspects of music, · Medicine (education) for music therapists, Theoretical basis for music theraphy, musical- therapeutic exercises		X
Other subjects	A foreign language, Introduction to the History of Art Thesis	X
Other subjects	A foreign language, Career planning, Sound as an art expression, History of film, History of dance		X

Table 1: Curriculum content the of the Bachelor course Music Pedagogy at the Academy of Music (University of Zagreb)

Subject field	fields	obligatory	optional
Artistic subjects	Tamburitza ensemble, Chamber music for percussion		X
Music theory and history	Music around the world, Introduction to the ethnomusicology	X
Music theory and history	Music acoustics, Music aesthetics, Solfeggio, Music for the film and theatre		X
Pedagogical subjects	Music pedagogy, Methodology of science researching	X
Pedagogical subjects	Society and policy aspects of music, Teaching methods of theoretical musical subjects		X
Other subjects	Thesis	X
Other subjects	Foreign language, Career planning, Sound as an art expression, History of film, History of dance		X

Table 2: Curriculum content of the Master course Music Pedagogy at the Academy of Music (University of Zagreb)

A breakdown of the curriculum (Bachelor and Master obligatory subjects together) is presented in graph 1:

The class teacher course (Master) last 5 years (10 semesters; 150 weeks). In each of the ten semesters students could acquire 25-35 credit points. The class teacher curriculum consists of a range of pedagogic subjects, special didactics and technical-theoretical subjects. Musical subjects as a part of the class teacher curriculum at University of Zadar are presented in table 3.

	Obligatory	Optional
Musical practicum I		X
Musical practicum I	X
Musical workshop I		X
Musical practicum II		X
Musical culture	X
Methods of musical culture I	X
Musical practicum II	X
Musical workshop II		X
Methods of musical culture II	X
Methods of musical culture III	X
Methods of musical culture IV	X

Table 3: Musical subjects in the class teacher curriculum (Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zadar)

A breakdown of the curriculum (musical obligatory and optional subjects together) is presented in graph 2:

Graph 2: Proportions of credit points between subject fields on the class teacher course (Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zadar)

III. Learning and Teaching Approaches

Traditional teaching and learning approaches (lectures, seminars, smaller group work, individual work, practical exercises) prevail in the music teacher training course (University of Zagreb, Academy of Music). Use of modern technologies is rare (just in some subjects). This situation will change very soon with the new Bologna programmes. The technological improvement in music production and reproduction, and especially computer programmes will be used in notation, scoring and transcribing of musical material. Practical training of future music teachers is incorporated within the pedagogical subject field as a part of the Music didactics.

Traditional and modern teaching and learning approaches are combined at the class teacher study programmes. The class teacher curriculum also includes ICT education (subject Informatics, Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zadar). Practical training is incorporated into the study programme of the class teachers.

IV. Assessment / Examination

Admission for Music teacher training programmes are based on secondary school certification and the results of an entrance examination. The entrance examination for the Academy of Music (University of Zagreb) includes a written test, harmony, solfeggio, music theory and piano playing.

Students’ progress is assessed in each year usually through examinations. The form of the exam and the assessing time differs in relation to the nature of the subject (there are written, aural and practical exams).

The right to enrol in the class teacher’s programme is given to applicants who have graduated from a relevant four-year secondary school programme. Classification and selection criteria for enrolling (a successfully completed previous education, type of completed education, success at the classification test, particular knowledge, skills or abilities) determines the decision by the College Board of Teachers (University of Rijeka; Faculty of Teacher Education). Study is finished with a final examination.

When the student has completed the course, they have the status of a trainee music teacher or class teacher. The traineeship lasts one year. Once the traineeship has been successfully completed, the prospective music teacher/class teacher takes a professional examination in front of the commission. Having passed the examination, the trainee is considered to be fully competent to work in the field of education and training.

V. Current and Future Challenges

The situation in the music teacher training programmes and class teacher programmes in Croatia indicates that some of the “old” programmes are expiring and new ones are emerging, in parallel. “Bologna” programmes are arising. The introduction of “modern” teaching and learning methods and use of the ICT is connected with these changes.

[1] Music Culture is a two-subject study programme, carried out in cooperation with the the Faculty of Philosophy.

I. Background / Organisation

II. Curriculum

III. Learning and Teaching Approaches

IV. Assessment / Examination

V. Current and Future Challenges