Guidelines for the Development of Jazz Music Education Management in Thailand’s Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study 1) the conditions and problems of jazz education management in higher education institutions in Thailand, and 2) the guidelines for developing jazz music education management in higher education institutions in Thailand.  Qualitative research methods were employed by collecting data from documents, interviews, observations, and focus group discussions. The findings are as follows: Regarding the conditions of jazz music education management in Thailand’s higher education institutions, in terms of curriculum, the course offered is a four-year Bachelor of Music Program in Jazz Studies; in terms of instruction, there were qualified instructors with expertise in professional jazz, and the educational system allows students to gain knowledge and experience to the fullest extent from the faculty members and external experts; regarding educational resources, enough budgets are allocated for the purchase of educational equipment, and quality instruments and music rooms were provided; regarding measurement and evaluation, there was a measurement and evaluation system that complies with the undergraduate learning benchmarks, teaching strategies were evaluated, and student achievement was assessed according to standard criteria. Meanwhile, the problems were that some courses focused too much on classical music, learners still lacked good basic skills for jazz, the budget for organizing skills-enhancing activities was insufficient, and individual differences made group assessment difficult. Guidelines for the development of jazz music education management in Thailand’s higher education institutions. Jazz music personnel should be prepared to study the history of jazz music and understand its essence. It should be encouraged that learning content be determined, starting from the listening-memorizing-understanding-application. The inspiration and space for jazz music should be promoted in all dimensions of society, and linkages between other types of music and jazz music should be established. Jazz music should be developed based on the area, history, society, and culture of each locality. There should be an integration of what exists in society in education management personnel and agencies in the public and private sectors. As well as other related parties providing cooperation, the jazz music curriculum should be developed in accordance with the undergraduate education framework, national policy and strategy, manpower development policy of the country, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and visions and missions of each university.