Educational reform and the process of change in Canadian university music education programs

Abstract

This study examined the perceptions of music education students, professors, administrators and music teachers in the field with respect to the call for reform in Canadian music teacher training programs. The role that these various groups envision themselves having in this process was also investigated. Fifty-five subjects from the provinces of Quebec and Alberta responded to items on a written questionnaire. From within this subject pool, 19 subjects participated in a series of two interviews in order to gain further insight on various questionnaire items. Results demonstrated a moderate degree of similarity in responses from the stakeholder groups on numerous issues including the current status of music education programs, recommendations for future reform, and effective methods to enact such reforms. Results highlighted the need (a) to increase collaboration levels amongst all stakeholders involved in the process of music teacher training reform and (b) to better align the curriculum content of the university classroom with the needs of the teaching field. Implications for further practises are discussed