South African teacher education is confronted by educational problems of a vast magnitude and complexity. In view of students' needs, society's expectations and improvement of teaching, problems need to be critically investigated. In order for the subject didactics curriculum to meet these needs and demands, a critical analysis was done of the current music syllabus (1991) for teacher training colleges in Venda. Against the background of the structure and components of didactics, subject didactics in general and of music in particular, criteria were formulated for the analysis. As a result of the analysis deficiencies such as the lack of suitable aims and objectives, content with a Eurocentric emphasis disregarding African music, a lack of teaching methods which could be applied in the classroom, etc., were discovered. In conclusion, recommendations and guidelines were formulated in order to address these problems. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Holland's theory of vocational personalities and work environments incorporates four theoretical constructs (congruence, consistency, differentiation and identity) which attempt to explain sources in variability of achievement and satisfaction among employed adults and college students. This study sought to: (1) investigate the relationship of Holland's constructs to academic achievement and educational satisfaction of undergraduate music majors; (2) investigate differences in all variables according to gender and degree major. Data were collected from undergraduate music majors (N = 100) enrolled at the University of North Texas using the Vocational Preference Inventory. Mv Vocational Situation. and the Music Major Satisfaction Questionnaire. Reliability for the Music Major Satisfaction Questionnaire was estimated at .92 using Cronbach's coefficient alpha. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients indicated that: (1) congruence was significantly related to academic achievement and educational satisfaction; (2) identity was significantly related to academic achievement and educational satisfaction; (3) consistency was significantly related to academic achievement, but not to educational satisfaction; (4) differentiation was significantly related to academic achievement, but not to educational satisfaction. Multiple regression using a stepwise entry method indicated that: (1) the identity construct was the best predictor of educational satisfaction scores; (2) identity was the best predictor of academic achievement scores. The results of the study suggested: (1) it is unlikely that any single theory accounts for all dimensions of variability in achievement among college music majors. To arrive at a comprehensive model of achievement, it will be necessary to utilize constructs of several theories. Such a model should include Holland's constructs of identity, congruence, and possibly differentiation. (2) similarly, a comprehensive model of satisfaction should include Holland's constructs of identity and congruence. (3) Holland's classification system may distinguish among two traditionally held divisions of college music majors, performance majors and education majors. (4) music education majors and music performance majors differ on the social dimension of their vocational personalities.

South African teacher education is confronted by educational problems of a vast magnitude and complexity. In view of students' needs, society's expectations and improvement of teaching, problems need to be critically investigated. In order for the subject didactics curriculum to meet these needs and demands, a critical analysis was done of the current music syllabus (1991) for teacher training colleges in Venda. Against the background of the structure and components of didactics, subject didactics in general and of music in particular, criteria were formulated for the analysis. As a result of the analysis deficiencies such as the lack of suitable aims and objectives, content with a Eurocentric emphasis disregarding African music, a lack of teaching methods which could be applied in the classroom, etc., were discovered. In conclusion, recommendations and guidelines were formulated in order to address these problems. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)