Abstract

Background/purpose – Musical art has great potential for developing a child’s personality. Research around the world confirms that the inclusion of musical art stimuli has a positive impact on preschool children and brings multiple benefits. However, it needs to be led by a teacher who is competent pedagogically, but who is also equally competent artistically. The aim of the research was to examine the use of works of musical art in preschool education in Slovakia from the perspective of preschool teachers.

Materials/methods – Questioning was used to meet the survey aim. The research tool was a questionnaire constructed by the authors. In total, 366 kindergarten teachers responded to the questionnaire. A quantitative research design was employed in the study.

Results – From the results of the research, it is possible to state that there is a higher than average level of the current status of musical art used in preschool education. The opportunities for kindergarten teachers to acquire knowledge of musical art in their preservice training or other forms of education were found to be below average. The attitude of kindergarten teachers towards musical art can also be described as below average. Opportunities to gain expertise in musical art were shown to statistically, significantly, and positively predict kindergarten teachers’ attitudes toward musical art. It was also confirmed that the kindergarten teachers’ attitude towards musical art statistically, significantly, and positively predicts the use of works of musical art in preschool education.

Conclusion – The research findings point to the need to increase opportunities for kindergarten teachers to acquire professional knowledge in musical art. The results of the research may be a stimulus for further research, such as analysis of preschool teachers’ responses in terms of their age and pedagogical practice in order to estimate the development of the current state of using works of musical art in preschool education.

Keywords: music, musical art, preschool education, kindergarten.

Barret, J. S., Schachter, R. E., Gilbert, D., & Fuerst, M. (2022). Best practices for preschool music education: Supporting music-taking thought the day. Early Childhood Education Journal, 50(3), 385-397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01155-8

Bautista, A., & Ho, Y., L. (2021). Music and movement teacher professional development: An interview study with Hong Kong kindergarten teachers. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 43(6), 276-290. https://doi.org/10.1177/18369391211014759

Bautista, A., & Ho, Y. L. (2022). Music and movement in Hong Kong kindergartens: teachers’ preparation, perceived usefulness, confidence, and readiness. Revista Electronica Complutense de Investigacion en Educacion Musical – RECIEM, 19, 15-25. https://doi.org/10.7203/LEEME.49.24249

Bello, V. M., & Villodre, M. D. B. (2021). Expressive musical movement in the early childhood psychomotoricity classroom: Considerations of university students. Ensayos-revista de la Facultad ed Education de Albacete, 36(2), 60-76. https://doi.org/10.18239/ensayos.v36i2.2835

Blasco-Magraner, J. S., Bernabe-Valero, G., Marín-Liébana, P., & Moret-Tatay, C. (2021). Effects of the educational use of music on 3- to 12-year-old children’s emotional development: A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(7), Article 3668. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073668

Daniel, R., & K. A. Parkes. (2013). Motivations Impacting Upon Music Instrument Teachers’ Decisions to Teach and Perform in Higher Education. British Journal of Music Education, 30(3), 397-414. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265051713000193

Del Ben, L., & Hentschke, L. (2002). Educacao musical escolar: Uma investigacao a partir das concepcoes e acoes de três professoras de música [School music education: An investigation based on the conceptions and actions of three music teachers]. Revista da ABEM, Porto Alegre, 7, 49-57. http://abemeducacaomusical.com.br/revistas/revistaabem/index.php/revistaabem/article/view/431

Derevjaníková, A. (2009). Hudobná výchova v kontexte školských reforiem [Music education in the context of school reforms]. In J. Kancír, & V. Zeľová (Eds.), Príprava učiteľov v procese školských reforiem [Teacher training in the process of school reforms] (pp. 380-385). Prešov University.

Draves, T. J. (2021). Exploring music student teachers’ professional identities. Music Education Research, 23(1), 28-40. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2020.1832059

Duke, R. A., Flowers, P. J., & Wolfe, D. E. (1997). Children who study piano with excellent teachers. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 132, 51-84.

Ekizoglu, A., & Ekizoglu, N. (2009). Musical activities in pre-school institutions (case of Nicosia). Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences, 1, 302-303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2009.01.056

Georgieva, E. (2017). Effect of music on children`s nature and behaviour. How music can educate, but also destroy. Trakia Journal of Sciences, 15(4), 328-332. https://doi.org/10.15547/tjs.2017.04.010

Gripson, M. P., Lindqvist, A., & Ostern, T. P. (2022). “We put on the music and then the children dance” – Swedish preschool teachers’ dance educational experiences. Research in Dance Education, 23(3), 337-359. https://doi.org/10.1080/14647893.2021.1928622

Gustavsson, H. O., & Ehrlin, A. (2018). Music pedagogy as an aid to integration? El Sistema-inspired music activity in two Swedish preschools. Early Childhood Development and Care, 188(2), 183-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2016.1209197

Helvacı, A. (2015). The content of pre-school education program in Turkey towards music education. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 197, 2454-2458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.310

Hemming, G., & Westvall, E. M. (2010). Teaching music in our time: student music teachers’ reflections on music education, teacher education and becoming a teacher. Music Education Research. 12(4), 353-367. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2010.519380

Herzog, S., Susic, B. B., & Benic, M. Z. (2018). Pre-service early childhood and preschool education teachers’ self-assessment of competences in visual arts and music. Nova Prisutnost, 16(3), 579-593. https://doi.org/10.31192/np.16.3.10

Hui, Z. (2020). Construction of music curriculum system for preschool education from the perspective of vocational skills competition. In P. Amornpitoksuk (Ed.), 3rd International Conference on Education Technology and Information System (pp. 343-347). Prince of Songkla University. https://doi.org/10.23977/ETIS2020067

Kenny, A. (2017). Beginning a journey with music education: Voices from pre-service primary teachers. Music Education Research, 19(2), 111-122. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2015.1077801

Kollárová, D. (2016). Rozvíjanie emócií detí predškolského veku prostredníctvom estetických hier. [Developing Children’s Emotions Through the Aesthetic Plays]. Predškolská výchova [Preschool Education], 71(1), 7-14.

Kondracka-Szala, M., & Michalak, M. (2019). Popular music in the educational space of Polish preschools – the teachers’ perspective. International Journal of Music Education, 37(1), 22-42. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761418789969

Kovalchuk, V., Ageykina-Starchenko, T., Chorna, N., & Iskra, S. (2020). Formation of emotional intelligence of students – future music teachers and music supervisors of preschool institutions. In Proceedings of International Scientific Conference on Society, Integration, Education (pp. 454-464). Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Faculty of Education, Language and Design. https://doi.org/10.17770/sie2020vol1.4920

Lewis, J. (2020). How children listen: multimodality and its implications for K-12 music education and music teacher education. Music Education Research, 22(4), 373-387. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2020.1781804

Li, X. B. (2019). Research on preschool music education from the perspective of ecology. Ekoloji, 28(107), 2989-2996. http://www.ekolojidergisi.com/article/research-on-preschool-music-education-from-the-perspective-of-ecology-5935

Liduma, A. (2020). Unity of theory and practice in the promotion of preschool child’s musicality in the teacher’s and child’s collaboration. In International Scientific Conference on Society, Integration, Education (pp. 679-688). Rezekne Academy of Technologies, Faculty of Education, Language and Design. http://dx.doi.org/10.17770/sie2020vol3.5172

Lizacic, V., & Susic, B. B. (2020). Contribution of children’s self-organised musical activities to the lifelong learning of preschool teachers. Croatian Journal of Education, 22, 83-110. https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v22i0.3911

Muntean, L. (2019). Learning musical theory in initial teacher education for the preschool level. In E. Soare & C. Langa (Eds.), Edu World 8th International Conference, 67 (pp. 1823-1829). https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2019.08.03.224

Novakovic, S., Blaskovic, J., & Tomljenovic, Z. (2022). Educating students at teacher education faculties in art fields (visual art and music) in the online environment. In M. Ranieri, M. Pellegrini, L. Menichetti, A. Roffi, & D. Luzzi (Eds.), 27th ATEE Spring Conference: Social Justice, Media and Technology in Teacher Education (pp. 136-148). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20777-8_11

Özmenteş, S. (2010). Pre-school teachers’ implications about the rhythm applications in music lessons. Procedia Social and Behavioural Sciences, 9, 255-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.146

Pushkar, L., Lobova, O., Pavlushchenko, N., Parfilova, S., Vasko, O., & Butenko, V. (2022). Theatrical activity as a way of developing musical-choreographic competence in future preschool and primary school teachers. Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensionala, 14(3), 18-31. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/14.3/595

Rochovská, I., & Švábová. B. (2021). The use of the interpretation of works of art in pre-school education. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 79(6), 956-970. https://doi.org/10.33225/pec/21.79.956

Rochovská, I., & Švábová. B. (2022). Dramatic art and dramatic expression through creative drama methods in preschool education. AD ALTA: Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 12(1), 142-150. http://www.doi.org/10.33543/1201

Schon, D. A. (2000). Educando o profissional reflexivo: Um novo design para o ensino e a aprendizagem [Educating the reflective practitioner: A new design for teaching and learning] (R. Cataldo Costa, Trans.). Artes Médicas Sul.

Stramkale, L. (2018). Students’ perspectives on the implementation of musical activities in preschool education. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 9(2), 109-116. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs20182.109.116

Susic, B. B. (2018). Preschool teachers’ music competencies based on preschool education students’ self-assessment. Croatian Journal of Education, 20, 113-129. https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v20i0.3048

Susic, B. B., & Palic, M. M. (2022). Digital competences in the context of preschool music education. International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science Engineering and Education, 10(2), 77-87. https://doi.org/10.23947/2334-8496-2022-10-2-77-87

Swanwick, K. (2003). Ensinando música musicalmente [Teaching music musically]. Moderna.

Wolffenbüttel, C. (2019). Music Education Training for Teachers. Creative Education, 10, 2101-2110. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2019.1010152

Wong, J. N., Bautista, A., Ho, Y., L., & Kong, S. H. (2023). Preschool teachers’ music-specific professional development preferences: Does teaching experience matter? Research Studies in Music Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103X221139992

Yilmaz, H., Sakarya, G., & Zahal, O. (2021). Covid-19 and online music education: A qualitative study on the views of preschool teachers candidates. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 28, 283-299. https://doi.org/10.14689/enad.28.12

Znidrasic, J., Kafol, B. S., & Denac, O. (2021). Preschool teachers and musically gifted children in Slovene kindergartens. Metodical Review, 29(2), 221-245. https://doi.org/10.21464/mo.28.2.4

Zhang, Y. (2022). Music teaching practice of preschool major in normal universities based on mixed teaching mode. In F. Al-Turjman & J. Rasheed (Eds.), Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Forthcoming Networks and Sustainability in the IoT Era (Vol. 2, pp 362-369). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99581-2_53