HARMONIA : Journal of Arts Research and Education 15 (2) (2015), 144-151 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/harmonia DOI: 10.15294/harmonia.v15i2.4691 p-ISSN 1411-5115 e-ISSN 2355-3820 MUSIC AS AN INTEGRATED EDUCATION TOOL FOR PRESCHOOL STUDENTS Wadiyo Music Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, Semarang State University Jl. Sekaran Campus Gunungpati Semarang, Indonesia, 50229 E-mail: wadiyosemarang@gmail.com Received: November 19, 2015. Revised: November 29, 2015. Accepted: December 4, 2015 Abstract This article intends to uncover a concept of developing tradition-art groups in West Sumatra, which is considered that they have been left behind by modern-art groups in terms of packing aspect, presentation, and technical skills. Hence, this article reveals intervention of the academi- cian in developing and providing support in the forms of improving skills and knowledge of the artists and art groups. The support includes improving skills and knowledge of expressing arts through giving packing techniques and arranging art performance, orientated toward edu- cational and social extension actions. The knowledge may consist of techniques for developing movements, dance music, costumes, and make-up affecting skills of arranging and packing per- formance arts that can be divested in art industries. The method used in this investigation was games that aimed to cope with boredom and improve new awareness of concepts of how to pack performance arts. In addition, the case study was employed to solve problems faced by partners in the field. Moreover, practices about how to pack the arts were critical to be done through brain- storming, discussing, and lecturing. Keywords: education message song; singing; integrative; children; preschool How to Cite: Wadiyo, W. (2015). Music As An Integrated Education Tool for Preschool Students. Harmonia: Journal of Arts Research and Education, 15(2), 144-151. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/harmonia.v15i2.4691 INTRODUCTION Kindergarten curriculum brings out the art indicator to be used as an education tool that is beneficial for the development of the student. In music field, its applica- tion can be done through playing music instruments and singing activity. Art edu- cation is one of the education medium to enhance children positive personality (Tar- wiyah, 2004). Ideally, the actual art edu- cation must be implemented and taught since children were in childhood age since that was the time when a person’s perso- nality began to take shape (Carr dan Leh- rer, 2004). Art education is given at school, not only to develop the personality of a child but also to help multi intelligence of children to occur (Wardani, 2006). Mer- ritt research in ‘Simfoni Otak’ (The Brain Symphony) book (2003) about the corre- lation between music and intelligence ex- plains that music is useful in stimulating the child’s IQ, EQ and SQ. Further, accord- ing to her, music which is advantageous to stimulate the interest of IQ, EQ and SQ would be more appropriate if it is played from early age, around 0 to 8 years. During the period, the talents that will be useful for children’s future will begin to form. In relation the fact, it seems to be appropri- ate if children in preschool or kindergarten age are introduced to music. 144 Wadiyo, Music As An Integrated Education Tool for Preschool Students 145 Every form of music can be used in stimulating children in doing activities re- lated to gross and fine motor movements. Generally, the implication of learning mu- sic at public school, especially at preschool or kindergarten level, can be seen after it is integrated with other fields or subjects in accordance with the theme of learning that is taught by teachers during the learn- ing process. Here, the discussed problem is about how the implementation of learn- ing the art of music is in the context of in- tegrative learning in preschool education, especially kindergarten. Art education that places integra- tive arts as an educational tool in public schools, including in preschool or kinder- garten, seems to be always implement the approach appreciation and creation or vice versa. Before understanding what is meant by appreciation and creation, one must first understand what is meant by message in art education. According to Melalatoa (1989), message here is the content of an artwork. For children, the ability in under- standing the content or message of an art work might be different from one to anoth- er. It is based on the comprehension and condition of each child as an individual. What is meant by appreciation here is assessment giver for the work of art. In order to be able to obtain it, one needs to undergo several stages. Among the stages are: introduction of text and context, un- derstanding contain of the text and con- text, interpretation or comprehension, and evaluation or assessment from efficiency side for each appreciators (Bahari, 2008). What is meant by creation is new product or product that is considered to be different from others (Csikszentmihalyi in Stenberg, ed., 1999; Soehardjo, 2012). The education of creation and appreciation is believed to be able to make students to produce or create and feel their experiences. If it is de- veloped seriously, it will influence the de- velopment of students’ thinking process in other fields (Pautz in Sumaryanto, 2002). In short, through the education of creation and appreciation, it will not only develop the students’ ability in making or creating an artwork, but also bring good impact for students’ general intelligent. Triana (2005) argues that educa- tion of creation at school should be done through students’ activities. Here, students are required to perform the activity of arts. Meanwhile, education of appreciation is done through the activity of responding the arts. Art activity focuses on students on which they are asked to practice the art by exploring ideas and feelings. The ide- as and feelings are being associated with their selves and their environment. At this stage, students’ sense of sensitivity and imagination are being trained by doing ex- periments in the form of organizing the el- ements of arts. The students work by using chosen materials, voices, mediums, and spaces, on which a series of stimulus mate- rials and works employed both individu- ally and in groups. Students present their work to their friends in school and out of school. Based on Surya (2003) school can choose the way to implement the art activi- ties, while students are the one who will explore the themes, ideas, and feelings by using a set of disciplines of each field of art in various combinations. A considerable number of those activities may involve the creation of music (music accompaniment) by teachers, for example, music used to accompany students’ play or dance as an integrated art form among different types or mediums. Rohidi (1999) delivers that respond- ing art is a form of appreciation education that is usually learned by students by giv- ing responses to the artworks. Students are stimulated to identify and explain the main characteristic of art that being presented by their selves or being presented by oth- ers. In this context, it can be the students’ friends. The art can be relatively simple as long as it is based on the knowledge of the children. Students can use their own art language or express their selves by doing art activity or singing. Here, students are taught by some of the different ways of ex- pressing art and communicating ideas and feelings of an artwork that being displayed or the song that being sung. The outcome 146 HARMONIA : Journal of Arts Research and Education 15 (2) (2015): 144-151 will be that students are able to identify and explain some of the characteristics of art that being displayed, or in another word, appreciate it. Those ways will help to guide students to be a more creative and appreciative person towards all phenom- ena that they may face. METHOD This research was studied by imple- menting approach from the perspective of music and education. Research method implemented here was qualitative inter- pretative in relation with developmental research. Research location, research ob- ject, data collection technique, validity of technical data, and data analysis technique will be respectively described, as follows: Location of the Study This study is located in Semarang, including both the city and regency area. There are two schools in the city of Sema- rang becoming subject of the study. There are State Kindergarten of Pembina Kota Semarang and Kindergarten Tirta Dharma Kota Semarang, whereas from Semarang regency, there are Christian Kindergarten of Ungaran and Kindergarten Ihyaqul Qu- lub. Object of the Study Object of this research is closely relat- ed to the problem that becomes the main focus of this research that is about the im- plementation of music learning by teach- ers in integrative context of pre-school level, especially kindergarten. Data Collection Technique Data was collected by using observa- tion technique, interview, and documenta- tion study. Observation was conducted by fully observing the classroom. The obser- vation focuses on how teacher uses music or song in the implementation of teaching and learning process. What kind of music or song used by teacher, how the teacher uses it, and the way (how) teacher explains the message to the students become the main focus of this observation. The interview was also conducted here. Teachers were interviewed about the use of songs in their classrooms and the way they select it. In addition, the rea- son behind the process of song selection as well as the expected outcome had by teachers after teaching by using songs also became the main content of the interview. Other than this was a question related to songs which were frequently sung by teachers. This was considered to be impor- tant for the answers derived from this par- ticular question could be used to find out the kinds of message that was emphasized more by teachers. Further, documentation study tech- nique was also applied here in order to find out the availability of songs had by the schools, especially for the songs which were frequently used in integrative teach- ing during the teaching and learning pro- cess. What were seen by documentation study were the written songs by teachers as well as songs in the form of tape or com- pact disk which had been already owned by the school. Data Validation Technique In validating the data, triangula- tion was employed to see whether there was a pattern resulted from observation conducted by researcher regarding to the teaching and learning process in the actual classroom. It also used to see the similarity and difference in using the song as media in teaching integrated themes for students from one school to another. Later, after all data from different teachers, headmasters, and school was able to be compiled, it was then analyzed and validated (checked) in order for the compatibility and triangula- tion form from many sources to be seen. Data Analysis Technique The data obtained from the study was analyzed by developing previous the- ory by Nasution (1996); Bogdan & Biklen (2007); and Miles & Huberman that had been translated into bahasa Indonesia by Rohidi (1992), that is interactive analysis. In interactive analysis, an analysis will be Wadiyo, Music As An Integrated Education Tool for Preschool Students 147 started from data collection, continued by data reduction, data display, and finally conclusion or verification. The process also involved checking and rechecking the source of data while adding or eliminating the relevant data. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Based on the data analysis that had been done by researcher, the results of the study were able to be obtained. Follow- ing the procedures of presenting research results of qualitative method, results of the study here would be followed up by discussion in order to be able to analyze the results deeper. Here, even if the ini- tial planning of this research was for both developmental and qualitative research, however, in this paper, parts of results and discussion will focus more on the quali- tative part. Thus, the following would be the results and discussion to answer the research question in this study about how the implementation of music learning in integrated learning context in preschool level especially Kindergarten that was done by the teacher is. The development of music teach- ing materials for the curriculum that be- ing used for preschool students, especially Kindergarten is open for interpretation. However, although the curriculum is open for interpretation, the curriculum itself has considered character education and de- velopment of national identity. It is also significantly implemented in preschool education in this context Kindergarten education. Regarding to the development of art teaching material in preschool education level, especially Kindergarten, the curricu- lum has been understandable. According to Tarwiyah (2004), Kindergarten curricu- lum which points out the indicator of art, emphasized on how the art can be used as an educational tool which is useful for the student’s development. It is not used to force students to be able in doing art. In its application during the learning process, music can be taught through singing and playing music instrumentals, but, the main focus in during the learning is not on the music itself, but more to the educational messages that is delivered through the music or song. All of the teaching materials that developed today are contained in the Ma- trix or Annual Program of Kindergarten. That art is taught by interpreting the ma- trix which is divided into Developmental scope, Achievement Level Developments, indicators, themes, and Estimated Time of Week. Developmental scope is composed of religious values and morals, which con- sists of the physical gross motor, fine motor, and physical health. Additionally, within the scope of development, there is cogni- tive that consists of general knowledge and science, the concept of shapes, colors, sizes, and patterns. In this developmental scope, there are also the concepts of num- bers, symbols, and letters. There is also a scope associated with the development of language. There are some languages that consist of language acceptance, language expression, and literacy. Another aspect other than those already mentioned earlier is all scope under social developments. According to Carr and Lehrer (2004) it is actually ideal that arts education must be instilled since childhood because here is the time when a person’s personality be- gins to take shape. What is done and de- veloped in learning process for children in preschool level in this context is Kinder- garten, on which art is used as education media, has been regarded as something ap- propriate. Education of art which is given at school also meant to help the students’ multi intelligent (Wardani, 2006). Multi intelligence of art as proposed by Wardani has been proven through the result of research conducted by Merritt (2003). Merritt’s study shows that music helps children in stimulating much intel- ligence. In regard to that interest, it will be more appropriate if music is being listened since the early age. The basic thinking of curriculum for the preschool level also ex- plains that music in any forms can be used to stimulate the children to do an activity 148 HARMONIA : Journal of Arts Research and Education 15 (2) (2015): 144-151 that is associated with gross and fine mo- tor movement. In the actual implementation, the learning process of art in public school especially for preschool or Kindergarten level has been integrated with other fields in accordance with the learning theme that should be delivered by the teacher during the learning process. Based on a research- er’s study in kindergartens that became the sample of this research, theories stated by experts had been implemented. By singing, students were not only invited to sing, but also to analyze what was contained as an educational message inside the song or art taught at the classroom. The analysis was given both verbally and non-verbally by teachers to be understood by the students. In matrix or kindergarten annual program is explained the level of achie- vement of the development. The scopes of development related to religion values and morals describes the level of achieve- ment development that comprises some aspects, i.e. knowing God through religi- on, imitating worship movement, praying before and after doing something, kno- wing good/polite behavior, familiarizing themselves in well behavior, and greeting and returning the greetings. The aspects above were taught by using songs and also applied through verbal or nonverbal lan- guage. This is why making art, music, and song as an integrated tool in kindergarten education is important. Art or music or song is integrated in learning process to achieve various pur- poses that are in line with the curriculum. The real implementation of art education through appreciation and creation appro- ach has been in line with the expectation of Bahari (2008) and Soehardjo (2012). Students felt the song with expression in accordance with the message of the songs that were sung, like happy, amazed, and sometimes proud. Creative of students could also be seen when they were singing the song while doing movements that re- lated to the content or the message of the songs. This is one form of responding art in appreciation and creation context as being stated by Pautz (in Sumaryanto, 2002); Ro- hidi (1999); Triana (2005). It is so real that through the expres- sion of art done by students, the message of the song delivered to the students is proven. Similar to what is explained by Melalatoa (1989), through the message of art, everything that is inside of the art will be accepted easily and happily by its appreciators. Every child as an individual should not always be the same in accep- ting the message cognized (Altenbernd and Lewis, 1970). All of those things de- pend on the background and condition of each child that naturally one and others are probably different. In addition to what has been propo- sed, in learning curriculum for children in preschool education, especially in this context is Kindergarten, it states about physic development scopes that correlated with gross motor. There are some aspects of the achievement level of development, those are: (1) imitating the movement of animal, trees blowing in the wind, flying plane, and etc, (2) imitating hang move- ment (clinging), (3) doing jump, slide, and coordinated run, (4) throwing something directionally, (5) catching something ac- curately, (6) doing anticipated movement, (7) kicking something directionally, and (8) utilizing the playing tool outside of the class. Physic development scope instead of the gross motor is fine motor. In achieve- ment of development scope of fine motor, there are (1) making vertical, horizontal, curved, oblique, and circle lines, (2) co- pying the shape, (3) coordinating eyes and hands to do a complicated movement, (4) doing manipulated movement to create a shape by using all kinds of media, and (5) expressing their shelves by making art work using all kinds of media. In the sco- pe of physical development in relation to gross and fine motor, through singing and expressing using song as stated by Csiks- zentmihalyi in Stenberg (1999) and Surya (2003), as a form of creativity, children are also being stimulated by the teacher by gi- ving the freedom to the students to express Wadiyo, Music As An Integrated Education Tool for Preschool Students 149 the song. Each child is expressing songs with their own ways. Some of them are laughing, funny, screaming, holding their friends, or even by hitting their friends in joking context, and many other ways that have been done by the students regarding their expression in understanding and fee- ling the song that they are sung. Beside of the scope of fine motor de- velopment, there is the scope of the deve- lopment of physical health. The level of the developmental achievement is correlated with three physical healthy, those are: (1) it has suitability between age and weight, (2) it has suitability between age and height, and (3) it has suitability between weight and height. It is clear that generally all as- pects related to physic is just gross motor, fine motor, and physical healthy. The follo- wing in physical development with achie- vement level is continued by cognitive as- pect. Gardner (1997) explained that “music may be a privileged organizer of cognitive processes, especially among young peop- le” (p. 9). Scope of cognitive aspect develop- ment as has been stated on the front is divided into three aspects, those are; (a) general knowledge aspect and science, (b) concept of shape, colour, size and pattern, (c) concept of numbers, symbols, and let- ters. General cognitive aspect and science, the development of achievement results is to: (1) know the thing based on its functi- on like a knife to slice, (2) uses things as a symbolic game like chair as a car, (3) un- derstand about symptom causation related to their selves, (4) know the simple con- cept of daily life drizzle, rain, dark, light, twilight, and etc, (5) create something in accordance with his own idea. It is also supported by Fortner (1997) who suggests that science teaching can be made more re- levant through integration teaching, while Yasso (1991) encourages integration to inc- rease intrinsic motivation for science. The achievement of development le- vel of aspects of concept of shape, colour, size, and pattern, are to: (1) clarify things based on its shape or colour or pattern, (2) classify objects into similar groups or groups in pairs, (3) know people in AB-AB and ABC-ABC patterns, and (4) under- stand sort objects based on five variations in the size or colour. The others development scope about this is regarding to the concept of num- bers, symbols, and letters in which at the achievement level of development covers: (1) knowing the concept of many and few, (2) numbering many things from one to ten, (3) knowing the concept of numbers, (4) knowing symbols of numbers, and (5) knowing the symbols of letters. The next is language development scope, in which it is connected with accep- ting language, expressing language, and literacy. Accepting language in achieve- ment of development level covers: (1) re- peating the simple sentence, (2) answering simple questions, (3) expressing feeling by using the adjective (naughty, stingy, kind, brave, good, ugly, and etc), (4) mentioning the words known, (5) expressing opinions with others, (6) stating the reason for so- mething to be desired or disapproval, and (7) retelling the story or fairy tale that ever heard. Still in scope of language develop- ment side, it is correlated with literacy. Le- vel of literacy development achievement covers: (1) showing independent beha- viour in choosing an activity, (2) sharing, helping, and help a friend, (3) showing the enthusiasm in playing competitively in a positive way, (4) controlling the fee- ling, (5) obeying the rules of the game, (6) showing the self confidence, (7) protecting their selves from the environment, and (8) respecting other people. Johnson and Johnson 1975 argued that a truly coopera- tive behavior occurs when there is (1) per- sonal incentive to achieve; (2) positive in- terdependence so that each individual has a different but integral role in the group; and (3) a common goal. Making music provides a positive example of all these principles of cooperative learning. When music is studied and played to represent an idea, concept, or historical period, it can also provide a common goal for academic objectives. 150 HARMONIA : Journal of Arts Research and Education 15 (2) (2015): 144-151 In matrix or this annual program, es- sentially related to the scope of the devel- opment described at the level of achieve- ment of development and explained to be carried out with the written indicator as guidance to be developed in the teaching learning process. Started from the develop- ment scope that explained using its basic indicators, all of those things are using the expected theme and time in a week dur- ing the learning practice. The theme that determined in annual learning program is about me, my environment, my need, ani- mal, plant, recreation, my homeland, and universe. It is not stated implicitly in the ma- trix or annual programs about a name of learning material, but the teacher should be able to translate by their selves in the practice of the daily learning process. Based on the matrix or annual program, the teacher can select about what and how the learning practice should be conducted. For the learning field in its relation to art, the teacher could be selected from what is contained in the matrix/ program, espe- cially from indicators point that should be run by the teacher. Based on many indicators that should and must be run by teachers, it can be stated at one point that related to the art learning process, especially music that sometimes should be integrated with other material, like indicators of singing simple religion song. This is included in the achievement of development about know God through religion that they believed in scope of re- ligion values and morals development. Kilpatrick (1994-95) suggested that music should be sung or played together, chan- nel the emotions toward hope and caring, and tell a morally satisfying story. Active participation is not meant to substitute for recitals or concerts, but is to bring students and teachers together in the cooperative and constructive act of making music as an integrated part of the regular classroom. Another indicator that included in the matrix or annual program that should be done by teachers in teaching learning process is as the example indicator of mov- ing heads, hands, foot while following the rhythm of the music or rhythms. It shows that music and dance material is lessons that cannot be separated. Still in the same indicator point, there is also something that same. It is about express their selves freely according to the rhythm of music. This indicator is included in the series of achievement of development level in uti- lizing playing tool outside of the class in physic development scope related to the gross motor. Making sound using all kinds of tools as an indicator that should be done in the learning process related to self ex- pression by working in the arts using all media in physical development scope and also related to the fine motor. Another in- dicator that related to this is make a simple music instrument like to make “krincin- gan” of bottle caps, playing music using simple and sober musical instrument, and clapping with two patterns to create pat- terns. Burton (2001) suggests a number of benefits of integration, including applying basic skills to real-life situations, raising standards, enhancing teacher creativity, developing less teacher isolation and pro- viding a more positive classroom climate. According to Barrett (2001), national music standards dealing with ‘understanding re- lationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts’, and ‘un- derstanding music in relation to history and culture’ embrace the concept of qual- ity integration for students to develop a deeper understanding of subjects through their interaction with each other. Music is also integrated through de- velopment scope in expressing language in achievement of development level us- ing feeling by adjective with the indicator in singing a full children’s song, fabricate or create poetic based on the ability of chil- dren, and utter words of songs. Those indi- cators are the only indicators that correlat- ed with arts, especially music material that contained in the matrix/ annual program of Kindergarten. Besides, it is blended with other materials, the practice of its learning process on the idea of the appreciation and Wadiyo, Music As An Integrated Education Tool for Preschool Students 151 creation process is melting in its contextual learning and integration. CONCLUSION The model of the development of art teaching materials in Kindergarten is referring to the theme that relates to chil- dren’s life and their environment. Music material, once used as the main subjects of integrative and other materials to instill the knowledge and example of behavior as well as aesthetic educational tool in con- junction with the scope of development and the level of achievement of develop- ment as outlined in the matrix / annual program. For example, scope of development that given music is religion development scope especially on the level of the devel- opment of religion values and morals that done by singing song that contained re- ligion. 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