Curriculum development for general comprehensive and also vocational schools needs consideration of the context, in which availability of non-formal and informal education (extracurricular activities=EA) plays an important role forming a meaningful whole with formal education. This pilot study attempted to find out what motivates students (aged 13–15) for participation and teachers organizing/supervising these activities. The methods used for data collection were questionnaires for students (n=258), focus groups of students (n=4), and interviews with teachers (n=8) which provided preliminary data for comprehension of the meaning of EA. The data were processed statistically and by content analysis. The results highlighted several important issues which should be considered when selecting and organizing the content for designing subject syllabi for formal learning specified in national curricula (NC) under changed learning environments, especially considering those created by ICT. Students mentioned the following factors: development of students’ self-awareness about ones abilities, acquisition of new knowledge a and skills, but also new friends and wider social contacts, new experience and satisfaction with creative work. The teachers mentioned students’ additional knowledge and skills they can use in their formal studies at school and engagement in activities widening their cultural horizons. EA can also provide material for decision-making for students’ potential choices for future education.

No abstract

<h1>Theoretical research on curriculum development and implementation has been a rich and highly diverse field of study in the second half of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st , including Estonia, but the selection of educational content for general comprehensive schools has not been a priority. Some reasons for difficulties with regard to making informed decisions about the selection of the content can be found in the constantly growing amount of new knowledge, global developments and in cultural differences within and between societies. The acknowledged political goal for organising general education for the majority of countries in Europe (and all over the world) has been the development of a cohesive and sustainable society, which can be built on acknowledged and accepted common values. Research on the potential of school subjects can contribute to that and open new vistas for development of national curricula.</h1>

International trends of globalisation, changing learning environments as well as particular socio-cultural contexts and educational policy making are constantly shaping selection of the content for national curricula (NC) of general comprehensive schools. Art subjects (music, literature and art education) have been compulsory elements in Estonian NC for a century already making a significant contribution to identity and personality development of all population. Traditionally, learning art subjects has been well supported by extra-curricular activities or hidden curriculum so far. Today, primarily due to changing cultures and new values, learning motivation and decline of reading and expressive skills of students have become an issue. A pilot research (students’ essays, n=367) was carried out in Estonian general comprehensive basic schools (level 3, students aged 13–16) in 2016 with the aim to specify how students perceive the role and meaning of art subjects in their life. The students’ interesting ideas and presented opinions deserve attention when designing syllabi in NCs as well as supportive learning environments for both formal and informal learning activities. Accordingly, an increasing role of art subjects in future curricula should be considered as integrative, balancing and enriching tools for socialization of each individual. Awareness of arts has the potential to contribute to cultural sensitivity and understanding – the meta-skills for future lifelong learning and sustainable developments.

Several factors, such as international trends of globalisation, technological innovation, changing learning environments as well as internal developments in socio-cultural contexts and educational policy-making are constantly shaping values of people and causing difficulties with specification of their identity building. Our study is based on comparative research carried out in Estonia and Finland in 2015-2018 (N = 217) with future music teachers, who were asked to write essays where they highlighted and explained meaningful for them cultural landmarks in their countries. The method used was hermeneutical analysis, as this allows to focus on the text produced according to the question asked as an expression of the respondents’ personal experiences and accepted values. The information presented in texts was analyzed at multiple levels and different viewpoints. Parallel analyses by authors were carried out in order to guarantee the validity of the overall results. Finally, the results were grouped, which allowed to draw preliminary conclusions what the common cultural landmarks were and why they have been accepted  and recognised  as meaningful and valuable by future music teachers both in Estonia and Finland and what their potential could be developing cultural cohesion in society.