Author(s)
Minna MÄKINEN & Antti JUVONEN
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine which courses and study modules increase the
willingness of classroom teacher students to teach music in their future work. We also
asked the students for development ideas to renew teacher education. The basic
population of the study were classroom teacher students from the Joensuu campus of the
University of Eastern Finland in 2020 (N = 86).
This study is a follow-up to an earlier study examining the impact of teacher education
curriculum reform on student attitudes towards music teaching (Mäkinen, 2020;
Mäkinen, Eronen & Juvonen, 2020). We searched for more detailed information about
studies, which students considered to be the most effective and strengthening of their selfesteem. The questionnaire included questions about the respondents’ gender, age and
hobby in music. 76% of them were women and 24% men. 36% had music as a hobby. About
32% of respondents had not been at all eager to teach music before they started their
teacher training.
The respondents were asked to choose study modules that they found useful from21 items,
varying from educational sciences to integrated arts and skills and including lecture
teaching and small group studies. Teaching practice periods and extracurricular activities
were also included. Small group lessons were the most popular. They included playing of
school instruments and the pedagogy of music education. The next most popular item was
instrument playing studies (piano or guitar). Encouraging feedback from educators and
fellow students was considered as important. The development ideas included a need to
increase special pedagogy and the number of hours of instrument studies. Many
respondents wished for as practical teaching and materials as possible.
Keywords: professional growth, music education, self-efficacy, teacher training