published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is comprised of fifty-six ethnic groups that inherent diverse cultural traditions. The largest of these ethnic groups is the 汉［Han］and the remaining fifty-five ethnic groups are given the name 少数民族, [ethnic minority]. The Communist government describes China as a unified multinational country. On the one hand, Chinese scholars and national policies advocate presentation of cultural diversity in China’s education system; on the other hand, they emphasized that diverse ethnic minorities contribute to a single united Chinese nationality as a whole, which is given the term Chinese nationality--中华民族. The purpose of this study is to examine the K1–9 music textbooks—a series of texts titled simply 音乐 [Music]—designed by the Curricula and Textbooks Designing Centre at the Ministry of Education of the PRC. The study aims to understand how China’s government and scholars frequently represent China’s ethnic musical traditions by these widely used music textbooks in the mainland of the PRC. This central issues are addressed by the research question include: 1. How are ethnic musical traditions introduced to students in the textbooks? 2. How are musical and cultural differences between ethnic minorities and Han-Chinese represented in the textbooks? 3. Whose cultural values and ideologies are signified in the selected ethnic musical materials and subjects of the textbooks? This study applies the methodology of document analysis; research findings are discussed based on relevant theories of liberalism along with authenticity in cultural representation. The study concludes that Communist China is very concerned by ethnic separatism so that Chinese nationality (as a whole) and political unity of the country is enforced in education. The curriculum reflects the core value of socialism and patriotism. The ethnic music materials represented in those nationally used, government-designed textbooks enhance ethnic integration and cultural unity of the Chinese nationality as a whole. As a result, the textbook contents mostly reflect values of moral education emphasized in many national education policies, which address patriotism and national unity rather than authentically present ethnic music and cultures. / 2017-10-02T00:00:00Z

An important and unending responsibility of the music teacher is the competent evaluation of available basic text-series. It seems obvious that before any text-series, or any single book, is adopted for use in the public school music classes, a process of assessing the available series or single volumes should precede the final decision and purchase. Since a thorough search in music education literature has failed to reveal any set of formal rules of analysis, the writer has thought it possible to use those general principles recommended by two authoritative sources, The Psychology of School Music Teaching by Mursell and Glenn, and Music in the Grade Schools by Gehrkens in collaboration with personal ideas obtained from professional study of music teaching and experience as a music teacher.

University of Macau / Faculty of Education

The content of this Diploma Thesis is dedicated to the listening activities in Music lessons at primary schools. The Diploma Thesis summarizes the history of listening activities in Music lessons. It deals with the position of Musical education in Framework Educational Programme. The Diploma Thesis comprises the overview of all the most frequently used music textbooks for primary schools. The textbooks are sorted according to the publisher. The Diploma Thesis examines whether the music textbooks for primary schools include listening activities, which music pieces appear in the music textbooks, how the textbooks dispose with the music pieces and whether the textbooks provide enough amount of topics for a creative work with listening to music. The following part of the Diploma Thesis describes the general structure of a music lesson focused on listening to music. It deals with an integrative approach to teaching Music and curricular relationships. The Diploma Thesis offers a well-arranged division of listening activities to several groups according to various criteria. The aim of the division is to ease preparations for music lessons focused on listening activities and to ease the choice of a music piece. The research exposes preparations for twelve lessons focused on listening activities and a...