Examining the play and music course in special education

This study aims to examine the functionality of the "Play and Music" course within the undergraduate program of Special Education Teaching based on the opinions of both students and instructors. A mixed-method research design was adopted for the purposes of data collection and data analysis in this study. The study group consisted of third- and fourth-year students enrolled in special education departments across education faculties in Türkiye, as well as instructors who teach the "Play and Music" course in these departments. A total of 306 students from 10 different universities and instructors from 6 different universities participated in the study. Quantitative data were collected using the Functionality of the Play and Music Course Scale, while qualitative data were obtained through a semi-structured interview form which was prepared for instructors. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, and qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. Findings indicate that most students had not received prior formal music education, did not play an instrument, and lacked knowledge of musical notation. Many of the students reported that they are uncertain about their musical competencies. Nevertheless, the majority of the students stated that they felt competent in addressing instructional challenges which are related to music, teaching music in special education contexts, and recognizing the musical skills and needs of their students. In terms of variables, statistically significant differences emerged based on students' knowledge of musical notation, instrument playing status (in the first dimension only), and prior music education (in the first, second, and fourth dimensions). No significant difference was found based on gender. The instructors, on the other hand, mostly reported that they had not graduated from a music-related department and they considered the course duration insufficient. They stated that the course content partially aligned with students' level and was aligned with the professional competencies which are required in the field of special education. They mostly used direct instruction, question–answer, discussion, and presentation as teaching methods, and benefited from external resources such as foreign-language materials, books on Play and Music, websites, videos, and guest speakers. The instructors recommended that the course should be taught by specialists in the field, that more teaching materials should be made available, that theoretical and practical components should be presented separately, that the course should be placed in the final year of the program, and that appropriate methods, techniques, and approaches should be selected in accordance with the course content.