The construction of school curriculum and music education

• Main Author: Dundas, Katherine
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 1997
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/10447/; https://research.library.mun.ca/10447/1/Dundas_Katherine.pdf

The Newfoundland and Labrador Government is currently in the process of implementing a comprehensive plan for the restructuring of the province's educational system. This study is an investigation into the influences of educational reform policies on the construction of school curriculum in Newfoundland and Labrador. Specifically, it investigates the role of music education in the reorganized school system. – To examine and help further our understandings of the role of arts education in school curriculum, this study uses specific sites and examples from music education. It has attempted to achieve three things: -- 1. To create a sense of the reality of music education in terms of current policy and practice in the Newfoundland and Labrador education system -- 2. To create a sense of the intent and mind-set behind policies and practices associated with current educational reform -- 3. To create a sense of the reality of arts and music education as interpreted by various stakeholders within the educational system. -- Critical theory has provided a method of analysis into the issue of curriculum construction and the role of music education in the Newfoundland and Labrador education system. It has raised many questions regarding the complex issue of reform currently underway in the education system of this province. The use of critical theory in this investigation and analysis is important to the process of understanding the Newfoundland and Labrador education system. Specifically, it challenges accepted definitions and searches for new meanings into the issue of prioritizing curriculum. -- This study uses seven elements drawn from Harvey (1990) as a basis for critical analysis. These elements include abstract generalization, totality, essence, praxis, ideology, structure, and history. -- The research has revealed that as part of current educational reform, the shift in the province's educational paradigm to a focus on ''returning to the basics" in the school system puts the future of music and arts education at ...