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Exploring approaches to aural training at South African universities
Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613915696857088 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Van der Westhuizen, Anja |
| author2 | Muller, Danell |
| author_browse | Muller, Danell Van der Westhuizen, Anja |
| author_facet | Muller, Danell Van der Westhuizen, Anja |
| author_sort | Van der Westhuizen, Anja |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131949 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:44.261Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131949 Exploring approaches to aural training at South African universities Van der Westhuizen, Anja Muller, Danell Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Music. Hearing -- Study and teaching Aural training -- Curricula -- South Africa Music -- Instruction and study Tonic sol-fa Ear training -- Study and teaching (Higher) Musical dictation -- Study and teaching (Higher) UCTD Thesis (MMus)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Aural Training is a compulsory subject for BMus students at most South African universities. The importance of the subject is widely undisputed. Extensive literature is available on philosophies and approaches to music education. Aural training’s place in this and the knowledge and skills needed for the subject are also widely researched. However, there is a lack of current research offering a broad perspective on the approaches to implementing the subject in South African universities. There is also a need for current student perspectives and the role of motivation in aural training. By investigating the approaches of lecturers of the subject, as well as the experiences of students and lecturers, trends and possible problem areas can be identified. To explore what a South African approach to aural training entails, it was determined what the experiences of students before enrolling for BMus and during their studies are regarding aural training. Through the setup of an online questionnaire, the background, motivation levels and skills of BMus students from five South African universities were explored. This was related to a contextual review of mainstream music education in South Africa. To explore current approaches to lecturing aural training at South African universities, interviews were conducted with the aural training lecturers from each of the five universities. The interviews shed light on lecturers’ experience, approaches and opinions regarding the subject. The data gathered in the quantitative survey and qualitative interviews formed part of the mixed methodology of this research. This design of the data collection procedures was largely informed by the setup of a theoretical framework based on the literature, which also informed the data discussion. It was found that most BMus students took music as a subject at school and completed examinations through external examination boards before their studies. However, even though aural training forms part of all these curricula, as discussed in the contextual review, most students’ teachers allocated little time to this. Lecturers identified aspects of aural training that students struggle with as a result. This includes thinking strategies, understanding pulse and conducting, identifying intervals, dictation, harmonic understanding, singing in tune and using sol-fa. Even though most students rated themselves as competent and motivated and agreed that aural training is important and beneficial to their education, lecturers pointed out that this is not the case for all students. The diversity of students’ skills and motivation levels are problems mentioned by lecturers. In terms of content for the subject, lecturers’ backgrounds influence their approaches and use of material. Lecturers are divided on the topics of several approaches to aural training, including the role of movement in the subject, as well as sol-fa. From the interviews, it became clear that no singular approach to lecturing aural training in South Africa is implemented. Lecturers call for further research on the importance of aural training in schools and a standard curriculum grounded in aural training practices, as well as renewal in approaches to tertiary aural training. Further research is also necessary to develop more culturally diverse curricula. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gehooropleiding is ’n verpligte vak vir BMus-studente aan die meeste Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite. Die belangrikheid daarvan is grootliks onbetwis. Uitgebreide literatuur rakende die filosofieë en benaderings tot musiekopvoeding is beskikbaar. Die plek van gehooropleiding, asook die kennis en vaardighede benodig vir die vak is wyd nagevors. Daar is egter ’n gebrek aan huidige navorsing wat ’n breë perspektief bied rakende die benaderings tot die implementering van die vak in Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite. Daar is ook ’n behoefte aan huidige perspektiewe van studente en die rol van motivering in gehooropleiding. Deur die benaderings van dosente van die vak te bestudeer, asook die ervarings van studente en dosente, kan neigings en moontlike probleemareas geïdentifiseer word. Om te verken wat ’n Suid-Afrikaanse benadering tot gehooropleiding behels, is die ervarings rakende gehooropleiding van studente voor hulle ingeskryf is vir BMus, asook tydens hul studies bepaal. Deur die opstel van ’n aanlyn vraelys, is die agtergrond, motiveringsvlakke en vaardighede van BMus-studente aan vyf Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite verken. Hierdie is verbind met ’n kontekstuele oorsig van hoofstroom musiekopvoeding in Suid-Afrika. Om huidige benaderings tot die onderrig van gehooropleiding by Suid Afrikaanse universiteite te verken, is onderhoude gevoer met die gehooropleiding dosente. Die onderhoude het lig gewerp op dosente se ervarings, benaderings en menings rakende die vakgebied. Die data wat in die kwantitatiewe vraelys en die kwalitatiewe onderhoude versamel is, het deel gevorm van die gemengde metodologie van hierdie navorsing. Die ontwerp van die data-versameling prosedures is grootliks ingelig deur die opstel van ’n teoretiese raamwerk gebasseer op die literatuur, wat ook die data bespreking ingelig het. Dit is bevind dat die meeste BMus-studente musiek as skoolvak geneem het en voor die aanvang van hul studies ook eksamens van eksterne eksamineringsrade afgelê het. Al vorm gehooropleiding deel van hierdie kurrikula, soos bespreek in die kontekstuele oorsig, het die meeste studente se onderwysers egter min tyd toegeken hieraan. Dosente het aspekte van gehooropleiding waarmee studente sukkel as gevolg hiervan geïdentifiseer. Hierdie sluit in die gebruik van denkstrategieë, die verstaan van pols en dirigeervaardighede, die identifisering van intervalle, diktee, harmoniese begrip, sang- intonasie en sol-fa. Al het die meeste studente hulself as vaardig en gemotiveerd gemerk, en het die meeste saamgestem dat gehooropleiding belangrik en tot voordeel van hul opvoeding is, het dosente uitgewys dat dit nie die geval is vir alle studente nie. Volgens dosente, is die diversiteit in studente se vaardighede en motiveringsvlakke problematies. In terme van die inhoud van die vak, het dosente se agtergronde hul benaderings en gebruik van materiaal beïnvloed. Dosente is verdeel oor die onderwerpe van verskeie benaderings tot gehooropleiding, insluitend die rol van beweging, asook sol-fa in die vak. Uit die onderhoude het dit duidelik geword dat daar geen enkele benadering tot die onderrig van gehooropleiding in Suid-Afrika geïmplementeer word nie. Dosente dui aan dat verdere navorsing nodig is rakende die belangrikheid van gehooropleiding in skole, ’n standaardkurrikulum gegrond op gehooropleidingpraktyke, asook ‘n hernuwing in benaderings tot tersiȇre gehooropleiding. Verdere navorsing word ook benodig om meer kultureeldiverse kurrikula te ontwikkel. Masters 2025-04-30T12:18:39Z 2025-04-30T12:18:39Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131949 Stellenbosch University xiv, 220 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Hearing -- Study and teaching Aural training -- Curricula -- South Africa Music -- Instruction and study Tonic sol-fa Ear training -- Study and teaching (Higher) Musical dictation -- Study and teaching (Higher) UCTD Van der Westhuizen, Anja Exploring approaches to aural training at South African universities |
| title | Exploring approaches to aural training at South African universities |
| title_full | Exploring approaches to aural training at South African universities |
| title_fullStr | Exploring approaches to aural training at South African universities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring approaches to aural training at South African universities |
| title_short | Exploring approaches to aural training at South African universities |
| title_sort | exploring approaches to aural training at south african universities |
| topic | Hearing -- Study and teaching Aural training -- Curricula -- South Africa Music -- Instruction and study Tonic sol-fa Ear training -- Study and teaching (Higher) Musical dictation -- Study and teaching (Higher) UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131949 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vanderwesthuizenanja exploringapproachestoauraltrainingatsouthafricanuniversities |