Towards decolonising the approaches of teaching and learning Indigenous African Music at a South African university: Insights from pre-service music teachers

Abstract

The teaching of Indigenous African Music (IAM) in institutions of higher learning has received considerable attention due to the need to decolonise the curriculum. It is crucial to cultivate future educators who have a profound understanding of IAM and are capable of actively participating in the teaching and learning of African music within educational institutions. This inquiry aims to reveal the impact of the approaches used in the teaching and learning of IAM at universities in South Africa from the perspective of pre-service music teachers. The study is underpinned by Paulo Freire’s praxial theory. Data were collected from twelve participants within an interpretive paradigm integrated into a qualitative methodology. The ethnographic study design was used due to its capacity to capture the lived experiences of the participants and to comprehend the meanings they attribute to their participation in IAM lessons. Thematic analysis of journal entries and semi-structured interviews was employed to generate the data. The results unveiled the advantages of utilising a wide range of models, delivery methods, and approaches such as Ubuntu pedagogy, discussion groups and dialogue, the instructor’s approach, peer coaching, and the development of positive attitudes towards the teaching and learning of IAM in higher education. It is recommended that pedagogical strategies that foster positive attitudes and elevate IAM in music teacher preparation programmes be implemented in institutions of higher learning through the use of the approaches that emerged in this study, in an effort to remove barriers related to the marginalisation and discrimination of the subject.