Knowledge, Music Education, and Equity
Finding Curricular Coherence for Musical Diversity
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17575529 |
|---|---|
| Authors | M Heather Carver (0000-0002-0786-6574, Stellenbosch University), Mandy Carver (Stellenbosch University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-09 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Music Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0255-7614 • E-ISSN: 1744-795X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/02557614261428882 |
| OpenAlex | W7135051067 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 12 |
Today, diversifying the music curriculum is considered a matter of social justice. Although including non-Western and contemporary genres in education is seen as an obvious move, in the context of South African scholar education, the introduction of alternative musical practices has resulted in a misalignment between the curricular conceptual framework and the values of the musical practice. Social realist theorists argue that conceptual knowledge is important because it allows knowledge to be transferred by students. But this is only possible if students can integrate abstract understanding with their empirical experiences, a process described by Maton as semantic waving. Using document analysis, a senior secondary African music curriculum from South Africa is examined for the potential it offers for such integration and application of knowledge. The analysis reveals the complexities of musical knowledge and its articulation in published curricula. It concludes that issues of equity are complicated by curricular structures which do not provide conceptual coherence, and thereby constrain knowledge-building opportunities
Curriculum · Music education · Music psychology · Musical · New Interfaces for Musical Expression · Diverse Music Education Insights · Educational Theory and Curriculum Studies · Religious Education and Schools
| Highly cited | No |
|---|