Music education in the Republic of Croatia
(Music School)
Music education in Croatia, pointed out with their own educational system, is an integral part of the Croatian school system. In its duration and the traditional division is graded into primary, secondary and higher education.
Special entity makes the preschool music program which lasts two years. Education in the Primary Music School lasts six years, the Secondary four years, and higher education enrollments ending in four years with bachelor's studies (BA) or five years with an MA (MAG) at colleges or university departments of music.
Specific is the possibility of enrollment in the preparatory classes in which the six years of elementary music education is reduced to two years. The preparatory classes enroll students who wish to continue their education in music high school.
Students of primary music school are regular students in general education school, and it is often the case that students attend high schools simultaneously (gymnasium and music high school).
The music schools enrolling students with a strong musical ability and affinity for the art of music, students who want to learn to play a certain instrument and who want to develop and improve their musical skills. Particular attention is paid to a complete musical development in children and youth, promoting music through public activities and improvement of musical culture and art.
The need for our own educational system and in connection, with the need for a professional music education begins in early childhood, explains the complexities of specific musical skills such as literacy and playing music. That requires many years of work for students to achieve a level of conscious reading and playing musical text. That allows students to understand music in the way that they use written music in order to sing and play, or attend to decode the music, so they would be able to write it. Also, only with professional leading of teachers and students who have been practicing for many years, will achieve a high level of playing a particular instrument.

The goals and tasks of music education
The aim of the music education is to raise and educate professional musicians of different profiles and interests, reproductive and productive artists, quality teachers and transmitters of music art and musical values.
The tasks are:
-    To facilitate the acquisition of skills necessary for playing a musical instrument;
-    To facilitate the adoption of theoretical and practical musical knowledge, skills and habits;
-    To develop students' musical abilities: productive and reproductive;
-    To acquaint students with the Croatian and world cultural heritage;
-    To promote the musical arts through public activities (performances, concerts, festivals, competitions);
-    To foster musical culture and arts in the community where school is situated.
It is important that the entire educational process is carried out according to modern psychological, pedagogical and methodological knowledge, while respecting the individuality of each student. Student's progress is monitored and evaluated in the individual elements as a whole, with the intention of encouraging and guiding students in their latent and manifest abilities.

Organization of the primary music school
In the music education system, primary music school is the level in which students acquired the basis for the continuation of music education at secondary and higher level.
Enrollment in the school of music is performed by admission exams. The test assesses the ability of music hearing, music memory, rhythm and student has to reproduce the program he/she prepared.
Teaching in the School of Music can be individual and in groups. Individual is the teaching of instruments, while the group work embraces the teaching of music theory and music making. Compulsory courses in primary music school are music theory (2 times a week, 45 minutes), instrument (I-III grade 30 minutes IV-VI grade 45 minutes, twice a week), group music making (choir, orchestra and chamber music; over III grade, 60 minutes, twice a week). In VI grade piano class is obligatory for students who wish to continue their education in secondary school (1 hour per week, 35 minutes), while the theory of music is optional course (1 hour per week, 35 minutes).
In the primary music school the students can learn how to play the following instruments: piano, flute, block flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, trumpet, tuba, violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, tambura, mandolin, harp, accordion, percussion.

Organization of the preparatory classes
In the preparatory classes the focus is on playing instrument, music theory and group performances, in the first preparatory class, while the only difference is that in the second preparatory class the student starts playing the piano.

Organization of the secondary school of music
Enrollment in secondary school of music is performed on the basis of an enrollment test and graduation from the primary music school or preparatory program. Secondary music education lasts four years. Students enrolled in secondary school of music have the ability to overcome one or more programs, and may enroll in another high school.
During school students can acquire the following occupations:
1. musician-instrumentalist;
2.  musician-singer;
3. musician-a theoretical course;
4. builder and restorer of instruments.
Teaching is individual and in group. Individual is the teaching of instruments, while the group teaching includes theoretical subjects, academic subjects and a group playing.
In the Secondary School of Music students can play the following instruments: piano, harpsichord, flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, euphony, trombone, trumpet, tuba, violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, tambura, harp, harmonica, percussion and organ. The specific musical instrument is exercised by the student in I and II grade 2 hours a week for 45 minutes, and in III and IV grade 3 hours a week.
Compulsory courses include: solfeggio, harmony, polyphony, music history, musical forms, collective playing. The instrumentalists are represented by the following items: chamber music, piano, rehearsal; the theorists: conducting, playing and reading scores, with singers singing solo, chorus, chamber music, piano, rehearsal. The builder and restorer of instruments studies the construction of musical instruments, a knowledgement of materials and processing technology, the repair of musical instruments, musical acoustics. All students of the secondary music school must attend a group playing music (choir, orchestra or chamber music). They also learne general education courses.

Organization in music academies and universities
According to the new Croatian legislation, a Master degree must be obtained to become a general music teacher or a specialised music teacher/musitians. Institutions which carry out music teacher training in Croatia are:
•    University of Zagreb, Academy of Music, Department for Music Pedagogy
They offer two programmes: Music Pedagogy (4 years Bachelor and 1 year Master) and Music Culture (3 years Bachelor and 2 years Master). They lead to the qualification of primary school music teacher (from 5th to 8th grades, 11-14 years old pupils) and secondary school music teacher (15-18 years old pupils) and students can also qualify to teach in music schools (music theory, solfeggio). Graduates are also qualified to lead choirs and orchaestras.
The other way to acquire a qualification for the music teaching is to enter and finish the other Bachelor and Master programmes: music theory, musicology (a two subject study programme) or church music and within one of these to take a module with pedagogical subjects.
The following information relates to teacher training within the study programme Music Pedagogy, University of Zagreb, Academy of Music. The Bachelor course lasts 4 years (8 semesters; 240 ECTS). The curriculum content is presented in Table 1. The Master course lasts 1 year (2 semesters; 60 ECTS). The curriculum content is presented in Table 2.
•       University of Split, Academy of Arts, Department of Musical Art
The Music Pedagogy study programme includes a Bachelor’s degree (4 years, 240 ECTS, qualification awarded: Bachelor of Music in Music Education) and a Master degree (1 year, 60 ECTS, qualification awarded: Master of Music in Music Education). Graduates of the Music Culture study programme (4-year Bachelor and 1-year Master) are also qualified to teach music in the primary and secondary school.

•    Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek, Academy of Arts, Department of Music
•    Juraj Dobrila University in Pula, Department of Music
The Music Pedagogy study programmes run at both universities: The Bachelor programme (4 years, 8 semesters, 240 ECTS, upon completition of the course a student is awarded the academic title Bachelor of Music Pedagogy). The Master programme (1 year, 2 semesters, 60 ECTS, upon completion of the course a student is awarded the academic title Master of Music Pedagogy).
In the Department of Music in the University of Pula there is a study programme of accordion (4 years, 8 semesters, 240 ECTS, upon completition of the course a student is awarded the academic title Bachelor). The Master programme (1 year, 2 semesters, 60 ECTS), upon completion of the course a student is awarded the academic title Master. The new study of Singing and Piano will start in the academic year 2011/2012.
To qualify to teach music in the first classes of primary school (pupils aged 7-10) one must complete a class teaching programme (general teachers). It is carried out at Zagreb (University of Zagreb, Faculty of Teacher Education), Split (University of Split, Faculty of Philosophy), Rijeka (University of Rijeka; Faculty of Teacher Education), Osijek (University of Osijek, Faculty of Education), Zadar (University of Zadar; Department of Teachers' and Preschool-Teachers' Education). Class teaching programmes last 5 years (10 semesters, 300 ECTS, upon completion of the study, a student is awarded the academic title Master of Primary Education).
 

Graph1: Proportions of credit points between general subject fields

The class teacher course (Master) last 5 years (10 semesters; 150 weeks). In each of the ten semesters students could acquire 25-35 credit points. The class teacher curriculum consists of a range of pedagogic subjects, special didactics and technical-theoretical subjects. Musical subjects as a part of the class teacher curriculum at University of Zadar are presented in table 3.

Table 4: Musical subjects in the class teacher curriculum (Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zadar)

A breakdown of the curriculum (musical obligatory and optional subjects together) is presented in graph 2:

Traditional teaching and learning approaches (lectures, seminars, smaller group work, individual work, practical exercises) prevail in the music teacher training course (University of Zagreb, Academy of Music). Use of modern technologies is just in some subjects. In Zagreb, also in Pula you can choose as optional the course in which you study about technology in music. The technological improvement in music production and reproduction, and especially computer programmes will be used in notation, scoring and transcribing of musical material. In the University the teachers and students use auditory media (radio broadcasts, CD), audio-visual media (film, documentary and animated films) and multimedia (Power Point presentations with text, graphics and video clips), notation programme Sibelius, Finale and other like Audacity, Sony Sound Forge, Ableton.
Practical training of future music teachers is incorporated within the pedagogical subject field as a part of the Music didactics.
Traditional and modern teaching and learning approaches are combined at the class teacher study programmes. The class teacher curriculum also includes ICT education (subject Informatics, Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zadar, Pula, Rijeka, Split). Practical training is incorporated into the study programme of the class teachers.

Admission for Music teacher training programmes are based on secondary school certification and the results of an entrance examination. The entrance examination for the Academy of Music (University of Zagreb) includes a written test, harmony, solfeggio, music theory and piano playing.

Students’ progress is assessed in each year usually through examinations. The form of the exam and the assessing time differs in relation to the nature of the subject (there are written, aural and practical exams).

The right to enrol in the class teacher’s programme is given to applicants who have graduated from a relevant four-year secondary school programme. Classification and selection criteria for enrolling (a successfully completed previous education, type of completed education, success at the classification test, particular knowledge, skills or abilities) determines the decision by the College/university Board of Teachers (University of Rijeka; Faculty of Teacher Education). Study is finished with a final examination.

When the student has completed the course, they have the status of a trainee music teacher or class teacher. The traineeship lasts one year. Once the traineeship has been successfully completed, the prospective music teacher/class teacher takes a professional examination in front of the commission. Having passed the examination, the trainee is considered to be fully competent to work in the field of education and training.

The situation in the music teacher training programmes and class teacher programmes in Croatia indicates that some of the “old” programmes are expiring and new ones are emerging, in parallel. “Bologna” programmes are arising. The introduction of “modern” teaching and learning methods and use of the ICT is connected with these changes.

Education and Teacher Training Agency

Education and Teacher Training Agency is a public institution responsible for the provision of professional and advisory support in the area of general education in Croatia. There has been an institute for teacher support since 1874, and its role has changed through time. Its legal successor, the Institute of Education of the Republic of Croatia was founded in 2002 (OG 153/02) and was re-named and restructured as Education and Teacher Training Agency by the Act on Education and Teacher Training Agency (OG 85/06), enacted by the Croatian Parliament in 2006.

Scope of Work:

    providing professional and advisory assistance in education

    monitoring, improvement and development of education, from pre-school to high-school level, adult education, the education of Croatian citizens abroad and the education of foreign nationals in Croatia.

    participation in the preparation, development and implementation of the national curriculum

    providing assistance and guidelines to educational institutions, their principals, pre-school, primary and secondary-school teachers, and school-counsellors in relation to education

    organising and implementing in-service training of pre-school, primary and secondary-school teachers, school-counsellors and school principals

    license examinations for pre-school, primary and secondary-school teachers, and school-counsellors, in accordance with special regulations

    reviewing and giving opinion on programmes in pre-school education, primary and general secondary education, general education programmes in vocational schools and adult education, unless regulated differently by special regulations

    reviewing and giving opinion on general education programmes in the procedure of the certification of educational institutions

    monitoring the development and implementation of Croatian National Educational Standard as a part of the national curriculum

    lesson observation and teacher evaluation

    participating in the organisation and implementation of student competitions and annual reviews

    participating in the development and professional support to the implementation of national programmes

    information and documentation service and publishing

    participating in the systems of compulsory reporting on the implementation of ratified international conventions and recommendations related to education

    other activities in education, in accordance with the law and regulations adopted by the minister responsible for education.

 

THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF MUSIC PEDAGOGUES

 

The Department of Music, University Juraj Dobrila in Pula, Croatia, invites you to the Second International Symposium of Music Pedagogues that will be held from 23rd-24th September 2011 in Pula.

The intention of the symposium is to bring together music educators, researchers and practitioners in order to promote music-educational theory and practice throughout their researches, innovations and concrete proposals. Experts, scientists and teachers will be able to exchange ideas, learn and improve in musical pedagogy.

 

The topic of the symposium is: MUSIC TEACHING AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY: Opportunities and Restrictions

Areas:
1. General aspects of the use of educational technology in music teaching

-Education (music) software as an aid in learning and understanding of music

-Interactive music systems

2. Pedagogical aspects of the use of educational technology in music teaching

- Methods, procedures and techniques of learning music with the use of instructional technology

- Modern methods of musical communication and musical expression

- Personalized music learning

- The practical outcomes of the use of educational technology in music teaching
3. Sociological aspects of the use of educational technology in music teaching

- Youth and Media

-Music education, educational technology and the modern world
- Cultural and artistic value, and educational technology

 

The news of the symposium is the possibility of including a large number of teachers-practitioners who can describe and/or demonstrate their work in the form of workshops (always related to the theme of the symposium) and create a poster.

The registration fee is 70 € (attendance of all lectures and workshops, Proceedings, gala dinner). Travel and accommodation costs are not included.