This study aims to analyze the research trends of master's theses in music education on Creative Gugak(Korean Traditional Music) Children's Songs, published by graduate schools of education in Korea from 2000 to 2024. By systematically organizing the ...
This study aims to analyze the research trends of master's theses in music education on Creative Gugak(Korean Traditional Music) Children's Songs, published by graduate schools of education in Korea from 2000 to 2024. By systematically organizing the academic achievements in this field, this research seeks to suggest future directions and contribute to the advancement of related studies.
To achieve this objective, a total of 35 master's theses were selected for final analysis, retrieved from major domestic academic databases such as the Research Information Sharing Service (RISS). The analysis was conducted based on four criteria: (1) annual trends, (2) research subjects, (3) research methods, and (4) research topics. First, the 'annual analysis' identified changes in the number of studies published each year and within five-year intervals. Second, the 'analysis of research subjects' classified whether the focus was on human subjects (preschoolers, elementary students) or on literature (musical pieces), and for human subjects, their specific age and grade distributions were examined. Third, the 'analysis of research methods' categorized studies into four types: literature research, developmental research, experimental research, and mixed-methods research. Lastly, the 'analysis of research topics' was divided into five categories: musical analysis, song development, teaching methods, effects of application, and others, with further analysis presented in tables and graphs where necessary.
The analysis revealed that research was most active between 2005 and 2009 with 13 published theses, followed by a decline, and has recently shown a trend of resurgence. In terms of research subjects, literature research analyzing the musical pieces themselves (63%) was more prevalent than studies involving human subjects (37%). Studies on human subjects were concentrated on 5-year-old preschoolers and upper-grade elementary students, with a notable absence of research targeting lower-grade (1-3) elementary students, indicating a significant research gap. Regarding research methods, developmental research proposing teaching and learning materials (42.86%) and literature research that analyzes existing literature (45.71%) constituted approximately 89% of the total. Experimental research, which empirically verifies educational effects, accounted for only 8.57%, and mixed-methods research for 2.86%. The primary research topics were 'teaching methods' (42.86%) and 'musical analysis' (37.14%), followed by 'effects of application' (8.57%), 'others' (8.57%), and 'song development' (2.86%). A sub-analysis of musical analysis studies showed that the majority (61%) focused on award-winning songs from competitions hosted by the National Gugak Center. For teaching methods, the main focuses were on musical elements (27%) or play-based activities (27%).
Based on these findings, the following suggestions are proposed for the field of music education research. First, there is a need to conduct more studies targeting lower-grade elementary school students to fill the existing research gap. Second, a more diverse and flexible selection of research methods should be employed, including experimental research for empirical verification. Third, research should expand beyond simple analysis to include the development of educationally valuable Creative Gugak Children's Songs. Fourth, a broader approach is required concerning the scope of songs selected for research and the variety of teaching methods explored. Fifth, given the scarcity of research on Creative Gugak Children's Songs compared to the broader field of music education, more active investigation in this area is imperative.
This study holds academic significance by presenting these research trends, thereby providing subsequent researchers with meaningful foundational data essential for the utilization and advancement of Creative Gugak Children's Songs in music education.