Graph 1: Proportions of credit points between general subject fields

 

 

Graph 2: Proportions of credit points between general subject fields

 

The class teacher course (Bachelor) lasts 4 years; 8 semesters; 120 weeks. In each of the four years, students must acquire 60 credit points. The class teacher curriculum consists of a range of pedagogic subjects and technical-theoretical subjects including special didactics. At the Faculty of Education (University of Ljubljana) teaching training includes the basic principles of the following subject areas: Slovene language and Literature, Natural Science and Craft, Social Studies, Mathematics, Music, Art and Sports. A classroom teacher must also possess knowledge of philosophy, pedagogy, psychology and sociology, as well as basic methods of research work. Musical subjects are presented in Table 3.

 

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

In total the undergraduate programme consists of 3165 core hours (240 ECTS) there are 240 core hours of musical subjects which means 7.6% of the total hours (45 ECTS) or 18.7% of the total ECTS.

In total, the undergraduate programme consists of 3225 core and optional hours (240 ECTS) there are 480 core and optional hours of musical subjects which means 14.9% of the total hours (45 ECTS) or 18,7% of the total ECTS. Those students who finish the choral-conducting course (an additional 60 hours among optional subjects) obtain a certificate of qualification for conducting choirs at the initial level of primary school.

 

Graph 3: Proportions of credit points between subject fields on the class teacher course

III. Learning and Teaching Approaches 

The Music teacher training course at the Academy of Music (University of Ljubljana) includes different teaching and learning approaches: lectures, seminars, workshops, smaller group work, individual work, music-pedagogy practise, self-directed study, portfolio and e-learning (just partly – we make first steps on this field).

Teaching skills are process developed throughout the four years. The theory and the first practical exercises for teaching music is the main domain of the subject Special music didactics. The first year students learn how to teach music to pre-school children and primary school pupils in the first three years of schooling. The second year is oriented towards the higher classes of the primary school: from the 4th class (9 year old pupils) to the 9th class (14 year old pupils). In the third year we focus on music schools – we prepare teachers for teaching music theory and solfeggio. The final year is oriented towards teaching and learning music in secondary schools (gymnasium). Students have connected pedagogical practice through all four years. They can develop their teaching skills through classroom observations, independent lesson execution and continuous practice.

Use of technology for teaching differs from one subject to the other. We have two years subject entitled Multimedia (music and computer science) which is focused on the use of new technologies in teaching and learning processes (Sibelius software). The differences in the equipment of the “partner-schools” for our pedagogical practice cause different approaches in using the teaching technologies by students. In general new technologies are used more as a teaching and studying tool.

In the class teacher educational programme (Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana) there are approximately a quarter of all the hours of lectures, practical classes and seminars allocated to pedagogical subjects and the other part for specialist theoretical subjects with their teaching methodologies. Students come into direct contact with pupils during classroom observations, by student-teaching and during teaching practice. Practical training is carried out continuously through all four years of the course, introducing students gradually to independent pedagogic work (from observing to assisting, guided and independent experience). In addition to this each student must carry out one hour of observing the teaching process and one hour of teaching within each special (including music) didactics class.

The class teacher curriculum also includes ICT education of future class teachers. We have the first attempts of creating own musical ICT environment for the primary school (Borota B., Brodnik A.: Musical Time in Play and Image Format, University of Primorska, Faculty of Education Koper). That said, there are few possibilities for students to learn about software like Finale, Sibelius, Cubase etc.

IV. Assessment / Examination

Candidates for the Music teacher training must pass an entrance exam. At the Academy of Music (University of Ljubljana) it includes:

1     a written test: first, the larger part of the test, includes tasks from fields of the harmony, counterpoint, music forms and music history. The second part is a short essay on different musical topics (30%);

2     playing the piano (25 %);

3     singing with an accompaniment (solfeggio is also included in this) (30%);

4     a pedagogical interview with the candidate (15%).

Candidates who are successful at secondary music schools (music theory programmes) must do just the 3rd and 4th part of the entrance exam. Candidates who successfully finish general secondary schools (gymnasium) and additional music education from the music schools must pass all parts of the entrance exam.

Students study progress is assessed in all four years mainly through examinations. The form of the exam and the assessing time differ in relation to the nature, aims and tasks within the subject (written exam, aural exam, practical exam, combined exam, teaching portfolio, diary, observed teaching).

Teaching competence is assessed by university teachers (moderators of teaching practice), school teachers - mentors (partly) and peers (partly). The criteria for assessment are developed inside the course separately for students in years 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The final examination at the end of the study contains of:

·      a final exam lecture at school (the student can choose the type of school),

·      written work and defence of it (the student can choose the theme/title of the work and mentor),

·      an aural exam – questions based on musical literature (students choose pieces from an extended list).

At the beginning of their time in school, the music teacher has the status of a trainee. Traineeship lasts for ten months. A teacher-mentor, an experienced music teacher, monitors the trainee and assesses him/her at the end of the traineeship. The report on trainees’ work is sent to the commission for professional examination. Once the traineeship has been successfully concluded the future music teacher takes a professional examination in front of the commission. After that examination the trainee is considered to be fully competent to work in the field of education and training.

Continuing professional development happens through programmes of knowledge improvement of professionals working in the field of education. In-service music teachers have the right to spend at least five working days per year attending improvement courses and to salary compensation due to their absence from work. Ljubljana Academy of Music is one of the institutions that offer such programmes, although these are not on an annual basis.

At the Faculty of Education, University of Maribor, it is only class teachers who have to pass the entrance exam to check their musical abilities. The absence of an entrance exam at the other two Slovenian Faculties of Education is a problem because some students have a low level of musical abilities. Further examinations through all four years of the study are carried out in similar ways as those mentioned in Music teacher training at Ljubljana. The final thesis can be also written on the musical area and defend on final graduate exam. The next stage is ten months of traineeship at a primary school and a professional examination. After that the class teacher is deemed fully competent for work with pupils.

V. Current and future challenges

Bologna reform

We are in the last stage of renewing the “Bologna” Music teacher training course. The impulse for the reform is political but the need for reform also exists inside the present Music teacher training programme.

Innovation the Bologna reform includes different levels of qualification for all of the teachers: Master’s degree. Future music teachers will study for five years to achieve this qualification. 

In the redesigned Music teacher training programme at the Academy of Music (University of Ljubljana) the weighting the fields (artistic/musical, music theory and music history, pedagogical/teaching) will be very similar. The changes will be:

·      the organisation of the course (two cycles: three years for the Bachelor’s degree + two years for the Master’s degree),

·      fusing subjects into modules,

·      a goal oriented curriculum,

·      exposing the competencies,

·      renewing teaching/learning methods and refreshing contents,

·      extended optional subjects,

·      possibilities for links between closely connected musical programmes,

·      more emphasis on students' individual work,

·      emphasis on student/teacher mobility,

·      emphasis on the use of ICT.

Class teacher programmes are in the same stage of being revised as a result of the Bologna process. The main concern is the need to check the musical abilities of students who are entering the programme.