Department of Music and Education Research
History and activity
Department of Music and Education Research was founded in 1957 as Department of Musical Education and nowadays it forms a unit of the Institute of Choral Conducting, Musical Education, and Dalcroze Technique. Adam Rieger was its founder and the first head until 1979. In 1962 the name has been changed to Department of Musical Education. From 1980 to 1987 Prof. Dr Zofia Burowska was the head, and since then until now Prof. Dr Jerzy Kurcz holds that function.
For almost 30 years (until the creation of Department of Choral Studies), the Department of Musical Education was the only unit responsable for organizing research and artistic activity of the Faculty.
Among the most important issues were:
1. Actions towards modernisation of didactic process,
2. Research in the field of modernisation of the musical and normal schools’ education,
3. Training and further development of music teachers,
4. Cooperation in the research area with national and international institutions,
5. Individual artistic and research activity of the faculty members.
Department has initiated and participated in structural and curricular changes of didactics due to switching to the 5-years curicullum (1980-86), in opening a new specialization: Choral Conducting, Pedagogy (1986/7), and Church Music (1998), in elaborating didactic standards for a newly created major: Musical Education in the field of Musical Art at the undergraduate and graduate level (2001).
Among research problematics of the Department we find:
– efficacy of selected aural training methods in general primary schools, grades 1-3 (Z. Burowska, A. Wilk),
– verification of music didactics’ program, textbooks, and didactic facilities used in the 6th grade (J. Kurcz, A. Wilk),
– Musical Education Department’s alumni tracing project (Z. Burowska),
– increase of musical abilities in the aural training process (Z. Burowska, B. Noworol, A. Wilk),
– preparation grade of Primary Education’s alumni for music teaching in general elementary schools, grades 1-3 (A. Wilk),
– Polish folk music reception among primary and secondary schools’ students (E. Głowacka),
– importance of integration in music listening and creation by children (J. Kurcz),
– level of music teaching in general schools in Poland (Z.Burowska, J. Kurcz, M. Stachowska, A. Wilk),
– programs’ minima elaboration for musical education at diverse levels (Z. Burowska. J. Kurcz, A. Wilk),
– 92 musical auditions for grades 1-3, commissioned by the Polish Radio, and their broadcasting in the years 1985-88 (Z. Burowska, A. Cebulak, J. Kurcz, A. Wilk),
– preparation of the following music textbooks:
So-mi-la (Z. Burowska, B. Karpała, B. Noworol, A. Wilk),
La-ti-do (Z. Burowska, B. Karpała, J. Kurcz, A. Wilk),
Contemporary Systems of Musical Education (Z. Burowska),
Music Listening and Creation at School (Z. Burowska),
Introduction to Musical Culture (Z. Burowska),
Introduction to Guitar Playing (J. Dyląg),
Introduction to Keyboard Playing (J. Dyląg and others).
In terms of teachers’ education and development:
– Department’s members have cooperated at the creation process of a new major: Musical Education,
– creation of Department of Musical Education in Higher Pedagogical School (nowadays University) in Rzeszów (1984 – M. Kochaj, J. Kurcz, J. Zathey),
– in Teachers College in Nowy Sącz – mathematics and music majors (1990, J. Kurcz),
– in the State Higher Vocational School in Nowy Sącz – primary education with music (1998, J. Kurcz),
– cooperation with Wojewódzki Ośrodek Metodyczny (Teachers’ Training Center) in Kraków and Rzeszów, as well as with the Preschool and Primary School Pedagogy Department of Pedagogical Academy in Kraków,
– research in the frame of KBN’s (National Research Committee) project: Model of teachers’ training in fine arts and music majors (KBN PBZ-023-07). Project’s supervision: J. Kurcz,
– organization of seminars and workshops,
– organization of national and international conferences, such as:
Musical Education Problematics (1980),
Problems of Music Perception and Its Social and Cultural Determinant (1984),
The State of Research in Musical Education in Poland (1986),
Stanisław Wiechowicz – Birth Centenary and the 30th Death Anniversary (1993),
The Directions of Changes in Music Teachers’ Training System (1994),
Music Teachers’ Training in Poland – the Present State and the Perspectives (1998),
Multimedia in the Musical and Fine Arts’ Education (1998)
– Department’s publications:
Musical Education Problematics (1982),
Selection and Systematization of Vocal Material (1992)
Kraków’s Concept of Musical Education (1993),
Stanisław Wiechowicz In Memoriam (1996),
Musical Psycho-Didactics. Problematics’ Outline (1998),
Music Teachers’ Training – the Present State and the Perspectives (1999),
Musical Education in the General Schools (2000),
Department is constantly collaborating with:
– Preschool and Primary School Pedagogy Department of Pedagogical Academy in Kraków (internships, publications’ reviews, common initiatives for teachers’ development),
– I. J. Paderewski State General School in Kraków (internships and School’s music major students’ final examinations),
– Music Institute of Rzeszów University (lectures, conferences),
– Pedagogy Institute of State Higher Vocational School in Nowy Sącz (Preliminary Teaching with music major under the academic auspices),
– The Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków (cooperation at the creation of Church Music specialization),
– Archidiocese’s Committee for Music in Kraków,
– Musical Education Department of Pedagogical Faculty at the University in Presov (Slovakia) – common research projects and participation in CEPUS program,
– Musical Education Department of University in Zilina (Slovakia),
– Kodaly Pedagogical Institute of Music in Kecskemet (Hungary),
– Ministry of National Education and Sport
– Ministry of Culture,
– Association “Wspólnota Polska” (realization of Choral Conducting Study Center for Polish Diaspora Choirs’ Conductors, Koszalin),
– Cultural Animation Center of the Ministry of Culture and Music Academy in Bydgoszcz (realization of Postgraduate Choral Conducting Studies).
Department members:
– participate actively in national and international conferences,
– publish in various national and international periodicals,
– pursue artistic and concert activity,
– become jury members at national and international choir competitions,
– become tutors and reviewers of scholar theses as well as artistic and academic procedures,
– become experts of Ministry of National Education and Sport,
– participate in national and international Committees’ and Associations’ activities .