Profiling an intermediate phase music educator in the context of the South African national curriculum and outcomes based education.

Abstract

The primary intention of this study is to develop a profile of the kind of educator that is needed for effective music education in the Intermediate Phase. Obviously, the primary framework necessary for such a study is the national curriculum with its Outcomes Based Education (OBE) underpinnings. From these outcomes, the principal criteria for determining the necessary qualities ofsuch a teacher may be derived. While the logic of this is straightforward, the process of translating outcomes into specific competencies is not Each outcome, be it one of the overarching and highly general Critical Outcomes or one ofthe more specific outcomes for the learning area, has to be 'unpacked' so that what it demands ofthe teacher may be comprehensively revealed and articulated. An attempt to profile a music educator in this context logically begins with these general competencies. They provide the basic template for developing profiles of educators in any and allleaming areas and sub-fields. Inferring specific teaching qualities and competencies in a specific learning area involves being informed by a broad and critical knowledge of pedagogical developments in the specific learning area that are consistent with OBE precepts. OBE, in various ways and to varying degrees, informs recent curricular developments in many countries and account must be taken of the more salient of these, in developing a profile for an Intermediate Phase music educator in South Africa. Thus, a crucial and important task for this study is to synthesize from current readings and dialogues, criteria according to which the intended profile can be credibly developed.