Identifying Factors for Integrating Math and Music Education at Primary Schools in Namibia Samuli Laato Romanus Shivoro Nicolas Pope Dept. of Future Technologies Faculty of Education Dept. of Future Technologies University of Turku University of Namibia University of Turku Turku, Finland Windhoek, Namibia Turku, Finland [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Frednard Gideon Erkki Sutinen Office of the PVC: Academic Affairs Dept. of Future Technologies University of Namibia University of Turku Windhoek, Namibia Turku, Finland [email protected] [email protected] Abstract— The Namibian school system puts little emphasis music performances is not easy [5]. To address the decline, on art subjects such as music and emphasizes STEM subjects scholars are proposing to combine music with other subjects instead. Despite heavy focus on math teaching at primary schools, like mathematics [6] or computational thinking [7]. many students are not learning. This study investigates how the Furthermore, as education is becoming more and more rich music oriented indigenous culture of Namibia can be ubiquitous due to the availability of the internet and its offered leveraged to assist in math education by teaching math via music. resources, perhaps it’s time for education to shift more First, previous findings from literature are discussed in the towards fostering intrinsic motivation towards learning, than Namibian context. Second, three focus groups (n=12, n=2 and teaching skills which can be evaluated via tests. n=3) are interviewed and consulted in order to find the potential The aim of this study is to explore the possibilities of benefits and barriers of starting to teach math and music leveraging the rich musical culture of Namibia to enhance together. The results indicate significant potential in cross- math education. To this end, opportunities arising from disciplinary math and music education for both learning and combining math and music education are explored. This is motivation. However, equally many barriers for implementing the done by first observing and analyzing the Namibian school new form of teaching were discovered. Currently the lack of context and then literature on combining math and music. This support from the national school curriculum and teachers is followed by an interview of three focus groups who were hesitation to adopt new teaching methods are the biggest regarded experts on education in Namibia. Thus, the research challenges. goal of the paper is to identify the potential benefits, barriers and challenges that integrating math and music education has Keywords—math, music, cross-disciplinary education, phenomenon-based learning, in the Namibian context. The manuscript ends with discussion and future work on the findings. I. INTRODUCTION II. PRIMARY EDUCATION IN NAMIBIA Several studies have demonstrated that achievements with a music hobby correlate with success at school and even The primary education in Namibia has improved since the academic success [1]. For example, it has been discovered that country claimed its independence in 1990. However, income students who have studied music for two years or more, score inequality is still a big issue in the country and has only on average better at math than their peers [2]. Another study slightly improved since independence [8]. The Namibian found that practicing and actively playing a musical context is unique in that there are public and private schools instrument had a positive impact on academic success, with very different learning environments. The public schools especially in language and arts, although there was a positive can have 40-50 students in the class and a single teacher correlation with math as well [3]. These kinds of statistical teaching them. With no school books or technology at their analyses have been criticized for not screening for factors such disposal, hard discipline is required for teaching to be as parents’ wealth and their investment in the education of effective. On the other hand, there are many private schools their children. Still, the discovered correlations suggest with fewer students per teacher and more diverse teaching practicing and playing music may have several benefits for materials and methods. Both public and private schools still students. In Namibia despite increased resources spent on follow the same national educational curriculum. mathematics education children still often consider math As Namibia is the home of several ethnic groups, schools uninteresting. Music can help enrich the way mathematics is are naturally multicultural. At least 10 different languages are learned. being taught at primary schools including English, Rumanyo, Despite the several benefits observed from learning music Rukwangali, Thimbukushu, Silozi, Oshindonga, at schools, a global decline in music education at all levels has Oshikwanyama, Otjiherero, Setswana and Afrikaans [9]. been reported due to a growing emphasis on standardized Some languages such as Subia and Oshimbalantu can also be evaluation, negative approach to music advocacy, fewer spoken in some schools, even though they are not official resources available and many educational reforms which lack languages. In order to unite the large multicultural country, the support for music [4]. Even if some reforms give more Namibian government has set English as the official language freedom for music educators to expand their teaching, the and instructed primary schools to switch all teaching to growing need to evaluate progress in all school subjects can English at the start of grade four. This sudden change in the become an issue, as objective evaluation of, for example, teaching language has been made easier by already having English classes and lessons during primary school years 1-3. XXX-X-XXXX-XXXX-X/XX/$XX.00 ©20XX IEEE However, reportedly the level of English that the primary biggest disrupting factors being the mobile phone and the school teachers can speak can vary greatly. Recently internet. Simply the change mobile phones have brought to Namibians have been looking at how to preserve the unique schools has had an enormous impact [15], but the learning culture and languages of their tribes, and for this end, learning they afford outside schools can be regarded as the real technologies have been suggested as a solution. unharnessed potential [16]. A. Math Education in Namibia The formal school education can teach students something The Namibian government made primary mathematics they would not learn on their own, and for many this is a major education compulsory to everyone at the beginning of 2012, justification for the industrialized school system. The main and it is now regarded as one of the most important school argument is why pay for schools if the same content can be subjects by the government. Before then, Namibia suffered learned at homes [17]. Thus, schools have focused on teaching from poor math results especially in the rural areas. This can students basic knowledge from a wide range of subjects, be seen at the university level where Namibians have including those that are not naturally interesting for the comparatively low enrollment rates in STEM subjects [10]. students. This has substantial benefits, as students learn basic As math is often seen as the most crucial part of STEM [11], skills regardless of their motivation to do so. Students can then most focus on primary level education has been directed later after primary school choose which subjects they want to towards it. Mathematics is currently taught in Namibia all the pursue for a possible future career, while having the informed way up to the university level where it an essential part of opinion on what each subject consists of. However, the danger many degrees offered both in University of Namibia (UNAM) here is that natural learning is neglected by relying too much and Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). on formal educational institutions such as schools. [9] To take advantage of natural learning and new emerging National math education in Namibia needs to take into learning opportunities, for example, Finland has gone to account the large number of ethnic groups and spoken introduce a few hours of compulsory phenomenon-based languages. For example, many groups such as those speaking teaching at primary schools in their school reform in 2016 Rumanyo, Rukwangali, Thimbukushu and Oshikwanyama [18], [19]. The idea behind phenomenon-based teaching is to naturally use base 5 number system aka quinary numeral tie education into real life phenomena, scaffolding students’ system as the standard, instead of a base 10 system. In the ability to apply what they have learned in practice and quinary numeral system, for example, the digits 12 refer to the fostering an intrinsic motivation to learn more. In this case number 7. As the notation is the same as in a base 10 system music is ideal because it can be integrated into teaching other but the meaning different, this can cause problems for subjects. According to the pedagogical principle of educators and ethnic groups in understanding each other. constructivism, students can absorb new learning content Perhaps because of this, currently all primary schools have better when it relates to a phenomenon they are familiar with moved towards teaching the base 10 system. [9] [19]. Despite the theoretical benefits of phenomenon-based learning, it cannot be fully harnessed unless proper teaching B. Music Education in Namibia materials