RIME Conference 2009
6 International Research in Music Education conference
April 14-18, 2009
School of Education, University of Exeter
PRIME Symposium
Maria Argyriou
Can integration provide a useful framework for in-service Primary Music Teacher Education?
Keywords:
Primary school, integration, school curricula, innovative action, in-service training
Abstract:
Music education is changing very rapidly as a result of social and technological change. This raises a number of questions about what should be taught and learnt at school. Moreover, school curricula in many countries include the term “integration” combining theories and specialist methodologies.
Especially in Greece, after the latest directives of educational authorities (2008), music teachers are facing the proposed programmes of integrating music with other subjects with scepticism, since they themselves are being replaced by general education teachers (in primary schools first and second grade) and they are witnessing music education being “crashed” amongst other school subjects. Of course, the word `curriculum' suggests `a course to be run' and becomes a summary of knowledge to be passed on, established skills to be acquired and well-attested facts to be memorised. But this could be the reason why integrating music across the curriculum can provide vivid ways of thinking and express what words may not. As Veblen writes with an integrated perspective, the focus shifts from teacher-directed to student-centred and from imparting a static, order system of knowledge to teaching students how to use information.
Taking into account these important considerations, the presented study detects a crucial lack in today’s understanding of the role of musical integration teaching music educators. This paper based on research carried out in a sample of music teachers of and urban area in Greece (Piraeus) will present:
a. Alternative methods of training for integrated teaching taken from the field of innovative action, which is a distinct planning and implementation sector for integrated programmers at the Greek Ministry of National Education .
b. The views and assessment of music teachers regarding the future of Music as a school subject at primary schools as well as the quality of the training offered.
Maria Argyriou, PhD student, Department of Music Studies, Ionian University, Greece
CV:
Maria Argyriou is a state school music teacher. She holds a BA in Greek Cultural Studies from the School of Humanities of the Hellenic Open University. She is currently doing a doctoral degree in the Department of Music Studies at the Ionian University. Since 2004 she has been appointed in charge of Health Education in Piraeus focusing on innovative actions. She is chairperson of the Associaton of Music Teachers of Primary Education (EEMAPE). She is responsible for the pedagogical publications of EEMAPE as well as local and national journals for education, culture and health of the Greek Ministry of National Education. She actively participates in conferences and conventions in Greece and abroad as well as Life-long learning programmes as co-ordinator. Her works with educational materials for primary education have been published by Gutenberg, Fagotto and Diaplasi publishing houses in Greece.
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