The storyline approach as a didactic tool to promote efficacy beliefs of (student) teachers in creative music activities with young children

Abstract

The problem addressed by this research is the low levels of efficacy beliefs that beginning teachers and student teachers in early childhood education experience in facilitating creative music activities with young children aged 4–6 years old. This can lead to missed opportunities for children to develop their creativity and self-expression in an embodied, musical way. One solution to this issue is to utilize the storyline approach created by Bell and Harkness. This approach provides student teachers with the necessary tools to facilitate inductive and creative learning. With this approach, beginning teachers and student teachers can guide children’s learning energy and integrate subjects in a meaningful context. This research seeks to explore how the storyline approach can be used to enhance efficacy beliefs of beginning teachers and student teachers during creative, music activities. By doing so, this research aims to inform teacher education, and to improve the efficacy of student teachers when it comes to creative music making. In this research study, we focus on student teachers and beginning teachers from both the Music Teacher Departments (ODMs) and the Pedagogical Academy for Primary Education (iPABO) in Amsterdam and Leiden, the Netherlands.