A CRITICAL APPRAISAL OF TECHNOLOGY-BASED MUSIC COURSES IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES FROM 1979 - 2014

SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: Music

CONTRIBUTORS:

Amaegbe, E. J.
Onwuekwe, A. I.

ABSTRACT:

Globally, educational technology is useful for improved teaching and learning. It has the ability to enhance the communication and relationship between teachers and students, especially when teachers effectively harness technology in the pedagogic process. Most departments of music in Nigerian universities have technology-based music courses, as shown in their departmental handbooks, only a few include core music technology in their curricula. The result is that many of the music graduates produced in Nigeria are not adequately prepared to function optimally in the technology-dependent workplace of today. This study is an appraisal of these courses (technology-based music courses) in four (4) Nigerian Universities offering music as a course of study. The study adopted the observational and survey method also known as “ex-post facto research design where data were collected from students and teachers, through questionnaires, observations, library research and the departmental handbooks. More data was drawn from the NCE programm of collage of education. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses were carried out to achieve the objectives of the study. In quantitative analysis, demographic data of the respondents are analyzed using frequencies and percentages (Pie and Bar Charts) while their responses were analysed using mean scores. The qualitative analysis involved comparing emerging themes from the study using collected data (raw data) and analysed data. The study revealed that there is a significant presence of technology-based music courses in the universities of study. However, not all the Universities of study had technology-based music instruction as a foundational course. More so, the staff student ratio is grossly inadequate. This research will add to a small but growing body of literature in music education. The study concluded that, the structure of one of the University of Study be adopted as a model to establish a unified and sustainable standard in the music curriculum as it concerns technology-based music courses.