Creativity in primary education music curriculum in Türkiye

Creativity in music curicullum in Türkiye

Abstract

This study investigates the place of the musical creativity learning area, which is one of the four learning areas of the Music Curriculum in Turkey, in the music curriculum, the relationship between musical creativity outcomes and skills specific to the area, the scope of the musical creativity subject area, and the distribution of the subject areas covered according to grade levels. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research approaches, was used in the study. It was determined that the rate allocated to the musical creativity learning area in the curriculum needs to be low/insufficient. The outcomes related to the musical creativity learning area are mainly pertinent to “listening-singing, making music with rhythmic activities and expressing oneself through music” among the skills specific to the site. Musical creativity covers the activities of composing, music and dance/moving, dramatization, vocalization, listening to music, and using music technologies within the subject area. While music and dance/moving are included in all grades in primary and secondary school education, listening to music, vocalization, and accompaniment with rhythm instruments are primarily included in secondary school education. It was found out that the musical creativity subject areas and scope defined in the curriculum are at the level of “little creativeness.” It is thought that pre- and post-service training that follows the nature, practices, and development of musical creativity in creating a harmonious learning environment in schools is essential for musical creativity designs to have meaningful outputs in school.