Music Education Practice Oriented Toward Core 
Competencies

Shan Guan

doi:10.70711/neet.v4i3.8945

Music Education Practice Oriented Toward Core Competencies

Shan Guan

Abstract

Core-competency reforms are reshaping curriculum goals from content coverage toward transferable abilities, dispositions, and values. In music education, this shift requires practice-centered designs that integrate creating, performing, listening, reflecting, and collaborating
while making learning outcomes observable and assessable. This mixed-methods study examined the impact of a 12-week core-competencyoriented music program (CCOMP-Music) implemented in two lower secondary schools (Grade 7). Using a quasi-experimental pretestposttest design (Experimental n = 62; Control n = 60), we measured students' music core competency (MCC) through a rubric-based performance
assessment and a learner self-report scale (combined into an MCC index, 0100). Quantitative analyses showed significantly greater gains for
the experimental group than the control group (mean gain = 7.50 vs. 2.75; Welch's t = 5.65, p <.001; Cohen's d = 1.02). Dimension-level improvements were strongest in collaboration/self-regulation and performance/expressive communication. Qualitative data (student focus groups
and teacher interviews) indicated that structured co-creation, iterative feedback cycles, and culturally situated repertoire supported student
agency, peer accountability, and reflective musical thinking. Findings suggest that competency-oriented music education can be operationalized through authentic tasks, transparent criteria, and feedback-rich pedagogy, aligning classroom practice with broader competency frameworks while preserving the artistic integrity of music learning.

Keywords

Core competencies; Music education; Competency-based curriculum; Mixed methods; Authentic assessment; Student agency

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.70711/neet.v4i3.8945

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