PRESERVICE TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS AND PERSPECTIVES ON EARLY CHILDHOOD MUSIC EDUCATION A Comparative Analysis of the United States and Korea

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare how early childhood preservice teachers in two different cultures (the United States and Korea) perceive their musical competence and what. their attitudes are toward classroom teachers' musical competence and music education ill early childhood education. Participants included 315 preservice teachers (156 from the United States and 159 from Korea) in early childhood education programs from Urban universities in the United States and Korea. A survey was Used to ascertain participants' (a) self-perceptions of their own musical competence, (b) perspectives oil classroom teachers' musical competence, and (c) perspectives toward early childhood music education. The results indicated that preservice teachers of early childhood education programs in the two countries have significant differences ill their perceptions and perspectives toward early childhood music education, even though there was a strong consensus oil the importance of music education for young children.