No abstract

This paper describes the research conducted in the Republic of Croatia during the 2012/13 academic year. We have gathered opinions from experts, i.e. teaching methods teachers from seven faculties of teacher education, regarding the music teaching competencies necessary for primary education teachers teaching music in the first several grades of elementary school. We used the Delphi method in our research, i.e. in our sample survey among teaching methods teachers. The teachers also evaluated the competencies of their students and some elements of teacher education studies course syllabi and programmes. The sample survey among the teachers was implemented via email. The goal of the research was to determine if the programmes of the music courses at the teacher education studies are appropriate for the development of the competencies necessary for students of music education. Teaching methods teachers emphasized the need for more practical training, primarily regarding playing instruments and singing, and they pointed out that the course Teaching Methods in Music is the most important course for the training of future music teachers. Aside from that, they believe that more classes should be devoted to music courses, i.e. they propose to reorganise the contents of the courses by increasing the amount of practical classes and reducing the amount of theory classes. They also believe that it is necessary to introduce testing of musical ability at entrance exams for admission into the teacher education studies.

This is the first major research targeting a specific group of teachers, shaped with the idea of gathering empirical indicators of piano teachers’ job satisfaction. More than half of music schools’ piano teachers participated (N=253) from all the counties of the Republic of Croatia. The results have shown that piano teachers are moderately satisfied, that there are no differences when it comes to gender, nor with the type of school where they teach. Teachers with more years of experience are more satisfied with their work, similar to teachers who have advanced in their professional area. The results can contribute to improving teaching practice and effectiveness, with the further outcome being pupils achieving higher educational attainments.

The concept of intercultural education should be aimed at better understanding of ourselves and others, discovering similarities and differences, recognizing preconceptions, and cooperation in accomplishing our common goals. Intercultural education can be very useful in resolving the issues that arise when different groups live together. Also, intercultural education may benefit the process of getting to know and better understand other cultures and the development of successful communication between cultures. Music courses in grammar schools may contribute to students' intercultural education, because music is an area in which cultural competence can develop significantly. During the December of 2014, for the purposes of this paper, a research study was conducted in a Croatian general programme grammar school. The goal of the study was to determine the students' attitudes toward interculturalism, their attitudes on music courses with regard to interculturalism, and are there any differences in the attitudes and intercultural awareness between first grade students and fourth grade students at the grammar school. A survey questionnaire was used to conduct an anonymous survey among first and fourth grade students. The results of the study have shown that both the first and fourth grade students are aware that they are living in a multicultural environment, as well as that there are examples of certain forms of intolerance towards members of other cultures who share their living surroundings. When compared to fourth grade students, first grade students generally have more positive attitudes toward interculturalism. According to the students' opinions, music courses at the grammar school could be more focused on getting to know the music and musical traditions of the people from other continents. Complementing the syllabus with music from different cultures and from all the continents would contribute to the development of more positive students' attitudes toward interculturalism and help with the realization of goals set by the premise of intercultural education.

Učenicima osnovne škole nude se različite glazbene aktivnosti, kako u okviru školske ustanove (izvannastavne aktivnosti), tako i izvan nje (izvanškolske aktivnosti), a uključenost osnovnoškolaca u spomenute aktivnosti ovisi o raznolikim čimbenicima. U okviru ovoga rada provedeno je istraživanje koje se odvijalo tijekom 2018. godine i koje je obuhvatilo 510 ispitanika. Istraživanje je provedeno postupkom anketiranja na prigodnom uzorku u dvjema općeobrazovnim osnovnim školama Osječko-baranjske županije, tj. anketirani su učenici od četvrtog do osmog razreda jedne prigradske i jedne gradske škole. Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi u kojoj su mjeri izvannastavne i izvanškolske glazbene aktivnosti zastupljene među učenicima i utječu li lokacija škole, spol, razred učenika i (ne)bavljenje glazbom njihovih roditelja na pohađanje glazbenih aktivnosti. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su kako je polaženje tih aktivnosti podjednako zastupljeno kod učenika u predgrađu i gradu. Također, utvrđeno je kako spomenute aktivnosti pohađa znatno veći broj djevojčica u odnosu na dječake. Izvanškolske glazbene aktivnosti u većoj mjeri polaze učenici četvrtih, petih i šestih razreda, negoli sedmih i osmih. Ujedno, utvrđeno je kako učenici, čiji se roditelji bave glazbom, u značajnoj mjeri polaze glazbene aktivnosti. Sveukupno, rezultati ovog istraživanja pokazali su nedovoljnu zastupljenost izvannastavnih i izvanškolskih glazbenih aktivnosti među populacijiom učenika od čevrtog do osmog razreda osnovne škole. Brojnija ponuda glazbenih aktivnosti i snažnije animiranje učenika za uključivanje u iste nužni su jer su istraživanja pokazala brojne dobrobiti bavljenja glazbom, poput poboljšanja ponašanja, školskih postignuća, društvenih vještina, pamćenja, kreativnosti, kognitivnih vještina i cjelokupnoga osobnog razvoja.