Current and Future Challenges
It is important to note that music educationalists have mixed feelings about their music teacher training in Greece. These are mainly based on the fact that there is a huge gap between preparation and training for generalists and specialists. Generalists enter the course without necessarily any musical knowledge and their studies can offer only some understanding of music teaching and learning. On the other hand, although specialists might have some musical background, their music training might not be enough. It appears that they both lack skills: generalists have limited musical skills whilst specialists have limited pedagogical skills. Both groups feel unsupported during everyday practice.
Changes take place as a result of each university's policy to change its programme studies after a certain number of years. As a result, the organisation of Music teacher training courses has considered in a new way to include creativity, multiculturalism, enrichment of cultural awareness and cultural experiences. Teaching approaches appropriate for these perspectives which are student-led or group based follow current educational trends.
The time given to music in schools so far, has been limited to one hour per week. With the introduction of all-day schools, more hours are allocated to music although as an optional subject. Music teacher training courses need to respond to this by allowing their student teachers to spend more time on practical and experimental workshops in order to enrich their personal musical and teaching experiences with activities that might be used in school.
New books for teaching of music in primary schools, followed by CDs, CD‑ROMs and DVDs have been introduced for the first time in primary education. Other support material for the teaching of music in primary school is also under preparation. These new educational materials have been followed by seminars given to teachers and music teachers to help them familiarise themselves with new teaching materials and educational approaches.
One could say that such changes could be the result of new trends following the Bologna declaration. However, the Bologna declaration itself is still under discussion in Greece, although some of its initiatives seem to be in place, i.e. integrating the technological institutes within higher education. The Bologna declaration has seen a lot of criticism in Greece as a result of massive reforms that had to be made at the university system, including the foundation of private universities and reforms on the internal workings of universities. There is an ongoing debate in order to solve the legislative matters and establish a national system for quality assessment and assurance in higher education.
Since the Bologna declaration is still under discussion, it can only be said that at present it has influenced higher education through the increased mobility between students.