THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON MUSIC EDUCATION IN UKRAINE

• Published in: Fontes Artis Musicae 2023-07, Vol.70 (3), p.244-262
• Main Authors: Bondarenko, Andrii, Humeniuk, Tetiana, Romanenko, Anastasiia, Makarenko, Lidiia, Lysenko, Liubov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communication; COVID-19; Distance learning; Internet; Music education; Music in education; Pandemics; Social networks; Stress; Students; Teachers
• ISSN: 0015-6191; 2471-156X; 2471-156X
• DOI: 10.1353/fam.2023.a909191

This article investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on music education in Ukraine. In March 2020, Ukrainian authorities proclaimed a national lockdown like the ones in most other European countries. Restrictions included prohibition for students to attend lessons at schools or universities that would make any classroom musical activities illegal. Relevant legal acts have been collected in this article. To avoid closure, most of music education institutions provided a distance form of education. However, remote methods did not appear to be a worthy substitute for in-person lessons, especially in such disciplines as ensemble playing or singing. This article reveals the main disadvantages of distance music education, the most important of which is a signal delay during remote communication via the Internet. A survey of teachers in Ukrainian music schools about their experience under lockdown restrictions was conducted. The survey shows that many teachers regard distance education as much harder and less effective. Moreover, most teachers feel that students lose motivation to learn and practice music. This result does not significantly differ in rural areas from that of large cities and does not depend on teachers’ attitudes to COVID-19 prevention methods, and as such, indicates an objective nature of fact. Undesirable consequences of the measures taken during the pandemic arise as a key discussion of whether the restrictions are of benefit or harm. Cet article étudie l’impact de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur l’éducation musicale en Ukraine. En mars 2020, les autorités ukrainiennes ont proclamé un confinement national comme dans la plupart des autres pays européens. Les restrictions comprenaient l’interdiction pour les étudiants de suivre des cours dans les écoles ou les universités, ce qui rendait illégales toutes les activités musicales en classe. Les actes juridiques correspondant ont été rassemblés dans cet article. Pour éviter la fermeture, la plupart des établissements d’enseignement musical ont proposé une forme d’enseignement a distance. Toutefois, les méthodes a distance n’ont pas semblé etre un substitut valable aux cours en personne, en particulier dans des disciplines telles que le jeu d’ensemble ou le chant. Cet article révele les principaux inconvénients de l’enseignement musical a distance, dont le plus important est le délai de réponse lors de la communication a distance via Internet. Une enquete a été menée aupres d’enseignants d’école