Pedagogical Skills and Content

Knowledge on Musical
Instruments of MAPEH Teachers

KIMBERLY D. DURANA
(MAED- MAPEH)
 Rationale
Instrument lessons positively and negatively influences students. Students enjoyed the
opportunity to learn and relate to their teacher with the provision of a supportive and non-
threatening learning environment. The professional attributes of teachers such organization,
enthusiasm, encouragement, and patience are key components of the supportive learning
environment. Building respect and rapport with the instrument teacher motivates learner to try
harder in acquiring the skills. Students also drew inspiration from hearing their teachers
demonstrate on their instruments. It helps in terms of understanding how a piece should
sound, how the instrument should sound, useful as a practical application of verbal
instructions and valuable for time management – hearing what to play was quicker than
repeated verbal instructions. However, negative aspects of instrument lessons like issues
relating to prestige within the group and musical efficacy when students are place in a
comparative assessment situation in lessons. Comparison and competitive teaching practices,
and lack of variety in instructional practices were viewed by students as factors that
negatively impacts their motives to learn. It could result to students’ boredom and makes
them feel less competent and develops in them avoidance behavior (Lowe, Lummis, &
Morris, 2017).
 Rationale
Certainly, there is a vast array of reasons to believe the significance of the roles that
teachers need to play in providing quality Music education. The instructional abilities of
Music teachers play a significant determining factor in providing a quality learning
experience for the learners. Self-efficacy, knowledge and understanding are necessary to
teach music and boost their own creativity. However, very few elementary and secondary
teachers are adequately trained to teach music, especially the use of musical instruments,
thus, it is not surprising that the quality of musical learning experience is jeopardized.
Many newly qualified teachers consequently begin their career with inadequate
knowledge and pedagogical competencies to teach Music. The situation, therefore, was
never a surprise, some concerned teacher reported that they find music as difficult subject
to teach. Consequently, some generalist primary teachers have demonstrated negative
attitudes towards Music as a curriculum subject (Spruce; Daubney; Lamont, 2012). As a
result, they may not have a comprehensive view of the different ways that Music
education can be employed within the primary school (Fautley; Henley, 2010) cited by
Welch Graham & Henley Jennie, 2014.
 Rationale
Consequently, as the value of music education to student development is increasingly realized, it
becomes critical that teachers have the pedagogical content knowledge and practical skills to teach
music meaningfully. Lemon & Garvis (2013) demonstrates that teacher self-efficacy in the arts,
founded on knowledge and practical skills, influences the likelihood of engaging teaching and learning
in music. The strong relationship between music experiences promoting content knowledge, skills and
self-efficacy suggests teachers would benefit from increased positive engagement with music.
However, generalist teacher, teachers who are expected to teach all curricular subjects including music,
often have limited music knowledge and practical skills bring limited music experience. Although
generalist teachers will have previously acquired some specialist subject knowledge in their own
schooling and higher education, such as in language and mathematics, it is usually only a minority
who have had significant formal experience in the study of music during the period from adolescence
into early adulthood. Consequently, research studies consistently report that many teachers ‘lack
confidence’ in the teaching of music. Welch, & Henley (2014) suggests that this issue of teacher
confidence is often related to a self-perception of inadequate music subject knowledge, because that
which counts as ‘music’ knowledge is likely to be framed by teachers’ formal experiences of Western
classical music (particularly from learning to play a musical instrument), rather than formal (or more
likely, informal) experiences of other musical genres, such as jazz, rock or traditional music.
 Rationale
Like any other countries, the Department of Education in the Philippines continue to
find its way on producing quality education and provide a better educational system.
Hence, K-12 Curriculum was adopted from the international perspective which was
strengthened by the creation of Republic Act No. 10533 under Philippine Law, whereas
music is being taught with 40-minute allocation in the elementary beginning on 1st Grade
onwards as one of the components in MAPEH (Music, Arts, Health and Physical
Education). However, many were hesitant to accept change in the curricula for reasons
that: they lack (a) competencies to teach Music, and (b) knowledge to conduct an
assessment in Music. Certainly, these teachers find difficulty, particularly in teaching how
to play musical instruments. As a result, they conduct music lessons limited to rote
singing.
Teacher’s ability in teaching music in this study is not being questioned however the
researcher would like to know the pedagogical skills and content knowledge on musical
instruments of grade 8 MAPEH teachers despite of the challenge in teaching the subject.
 Methodology
Objective 1. What is the level of pedagogical skills on musical
instruments of MAPEH teachers?
Data Research Design Research Respondents/ Data Analysis
needed (Experimental/ Instrument participants Procedure
Descriptive/ (Questionnaire
Phenomenology) , interview)
Responses Descriptive-survey Questionnaire MAPEH 8 * Tally responses
on the Teachers in the through frequency
questionn province of distribution
aire Capiz *Calculate the
mean for each
item on the
questionnaire
         
 Methodology
Objective 2. What is the level of content knowledge on
musical instruments of MAPEH teachers?
Data Research Design Research Respondents/ Data Analysis
needed (Experimental/ Instrument participants Procedure
Descriptive/ (Questionnaire
Phenomenology) , interview)
Responses Descriptive-survey Questionnaire MAPEH 8 * Tally responses
on the Teachers in the through frequency
questionn province of distribution
aire Capiz *Calculate the
mean for each
item on the
questionnaire
         
 Methodology
Objective 3. Is there a significant difference in the
pedagogical skills and content knowledge on
musical instruments of MAPEH teachers?
Data Research Design Research Respondents/ Data Analysis
needed (Experimental/ Instrument participants Procedure
Descriptive/ (Questionnaire
Phenomenology) , interview)
Responses Descriptive-survey Questionnaire MAPEH 8 *Calculate the
on the Teachers in the significant
questionn province of difference using t-
aire Capiz test for
independent
sample
         
 Methodology
Objective 4. Is there a significant relationship in the
pedagogical skills and content knowledge on
musical instruments of MAPEH teachers?
Data Research Design Research Respondents/ Data Analysis
needed (Experimental/ Instrument participants Procedure
Descriptive/ (Questionnaire
Phenomenology) , interview)
Responses Descriptive-survey Questionnaire MAPEH 8 * *Calculate the
on the Teachers in the significant
questionn province of relationship using
aire Capiz Pearson
correlation

         
Research Instrument

Survey questionnaire