CONSTRUCTING OF TEACHING GUIDEBOOK OF THE NORTHERN SHAANXI FOLK SONGS AT NINGXIA ETHNIC VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Abstract

Rooted in the rich tapestry of Asian cultural identity, folk music plays an essential role in preserving regional heritage, religious symbolism, and social values. In China, Northern Shaanxi folk songs represent not only musical expression but also the historical memory and spiritual resilience of the local communities, often intertwined with rituals, ancestral worship, and the daily lives of the working class. In this cultural context, this study aims to preserve and revitalize the heritage of Northern Shaanxi folk songs through the development and implementation of a targeted teaching guidebook at Ningxia Ethnic Vocational and Technical College in the People’s Republic of China. The research was guided by four objectives: (1) to study Northern Shaanxi folk songs through insights from key informants; (2) to construct a dedicated teaching guidebook for students and educators; (3) to experiment with the use of the guidebook among first-year students majoring in vocal music; and (4) to evaluate the effectiveness of this guidebook in enhancing teaching and learning outcomes. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study combined qualitative data from expert interviews with quantitative performance assessments. Three renowned folk singers and cultural experts—Professor Zhang Yanling, Associate Professor Zhou Min, and Associate Professor Yong Xiaowei—provided in-depth perspectives on pedagogical and cultural aspects of Northern Shaanxi folk music. Based on this input, researchers developed a structured teaching guide, which was validated by experts and applied in an experimental classroom setting. The sample included 20 first-year students selected via cluster random sampling from a population of 100 vocal music majors. Quantitative evaluation revealed that students taught using the guidebook demonstrated significant improvements in vocal technique, emotional expression, and cultural understanding compared to those who did not receive the intervention. The results confirm that the guidebook is an effective tool for cultivating musical skills and cultural literacy, offering a practical reference model for other institutions aiming to integrate regional folk traditions into modern music education.