ABSTRACT

A great number of educators in the world believe that they should lead future generations to understand their native cultural heritage which has developed throughout a history of their nation and to see the cultures in cosmopolitan perspective, respecting ones from the other countries. The purpose of this project was to examine the problems regarding to the traditional music and fine arts which commonly exist in two countries, Korea and Japan, and then to find the way appropriate to solve the problems through music and fine arts education. Ten participators, music and fine arts educators from Korea and Japan, reviwed related literature, discussed, and investigated(answeres: 144Korean teachers and 105 Japaneses)to identify: (1) are there any differences between educators` opinions on the traditional arts education in their own country? (2) how have been their traditional arts and culture transmitted from generation to generation? (3) What do educators think of current musical contents, curricular, textbooks, and teaching techniques concerning with traditional arts education? The main conclusions from the investigation are as follows: first, music and fine arts educators from Korea and Japan commonly recognize the significance of transmitting their traditional music, fine arts, and play, particularly in a time of rapid change. However, there are somewhat differences between their approachs. While Korean theachers strongly define that traditional arts should be tought, Japanese teachers expect the playing and interesting-centered spontaneous approach to local materials. Second, in both countries, educators and local governers currently take the tasks of transmitting traditional arts and cultrue, because the connection between generations became gradually thin. The educators hope, however, that craftsmen from each local should take those tasks. Third, educators in two countries estimate themselves that in general, school teachers lack of performing skills of traditional musical instruments and lack of ability for teaching appreciation of works. They want to have a broad perspective in order to explain the meanings of works of their traditional music. But, interestingly there are a few differences between teachers` opinions in two countries on the teaching ability of traditional fine art appreciation. While thirtysix percent of Korean answerers hope that they can systematically explain works of their traditional fine arts and crafts, fifteen percent of Japaneses answerers want to explain cultural assets of their region, seventeen percent of Korean answeres expect to do it. Ten participators of this project agreed to the conclusion that although a few differences between opinions on definitions and educators` role for traditional arts and crafts exist among educators in two countries, their educational practice has something common in many aspects and needs simillar studies in a more detail manner.