Ralf Sandberg:

Swedish music education in the looking-glass

This study discusses how conditions change in transition from a regulation-driven school system to a more goal-driven Swedish school. The main purpose is to survey how teachers interpret goals for schools' music education and how the intentions of the curriculum are realized in interplay with conditions in the cultural and environment of schools. The study tries a theory based evaluation model on empirical material which has been collected within the framework of the national evalution of Swedish compulsory school and concern music education in grades 2, 5, and 9. The evaluation reflect on fundamental reasons for certain practical problems and difficulties in music education which are exposed by the evalution. In some cases the results indicate considerable difficulties in music education: firstly, the problems associated with the conditions of the music subject itself and the working conditions of the teachers; secondly, problems connected with the varying pedagogical abilities of the teachers.