INOVATED PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOL TEACHERS' EDUCATION AND SELF-ASSESMENT OF THEIR MUSICAL COMPETENCES

Abstract

The process of educating preschool teachers in Serbia over the past decades has been carried out within the framework of three-year vocational programs. Ten years ago Teacher Education Faculties offered academic, four – year long studies for preschool teachers. Curricula and programs in all areas, including music, have been constantly modificated,  improved and adapted to the needs of practice. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference between self-assessment of musical competences – general and individual (instrument playing skills, knowledge of musical notation, as well as basic methodological steps in music activities) between educators who have just completed academic studies and those who already work at Serbian preschools an have mainly attended vocational studies. Our primary purpose was to ascertain whether the various innovations introduced within the curricula of musical subjects in the academic studies have positively influenced the teachers’ perception of their own musical competencies. The research has confirmed the impact of educational programs for music teachers on the self-assessment of their musical competencies and knowledge in this field. There was a statistically significant difference between the responses of the experimental and control groups in favor of experimental in all key areas: general self-assessment of music competences, self-assessment of specific skills – music-playing skill and music literacy, content selection criteria, methodological procedures.