Abstract:
This thesis project is undertaken in order to expose and analyse the philosophies of music education of the New Zealand educational system at the primary level. Research is conducted and presented in the disciplines of philosophy, the philosophy of music, the philosophy of education and the philosophy of music education so that this analysis might be as conceptually broad and deep as possible. Information is also gathered from New Zealand governmental documents on the subject of music educational philosophy and previous surveys of New Zealand music education are explored. Current information is also gathered through the conducting of a survey of 1247 New Zealand schools. This thesis is a vehicle both for the presentation and analysis of data gathered through this survey of New Zealand primary, intermediate and middle school music education and for the presentation and philosophical analysis of the discipline of the philosophy of music education. Using data collected through the survey instrument, the de facto philosophies reported by music educators and principals as operating in New Zealand schools have been established. The data collection involves qualitative questioning regarding the philosophy of music education as well as quantitative questioning regarding philosophy, methods, curriculum and materials utilised. The responses are analysed, as are many other competing philosophical viewpoints for logical validity and empirical relevance. Efforts are also made to place them within the context of the history and philosophy of music education. The conclusions of this exposition and analysis are that there is a discernable philosophy of music education predominantly operating in New Zealand schools as demonstrated by teacher practice (the philosophy of music education de facto) and that this philosophy is in some ways inconsistent with the predominant philosophy of music education as articulated in New Zealand Ministry of Education documents (the philosophy of music education de jure). Based on its validity and efficacy, I recommend that a particular philosophy of music education bridging the two be developed and be adopted, both de jure and de facto, by New Zealand officials and educators.
