RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Supporting Comprehensive Musicianship Through Laptop Computer-Based Composing in Rehearsal Rick Dammers Rowan University/ University of Illinois ATMI 2006

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Overview Rationale Study Design Findings Implications Questions Rationale

Study DesignFindingsImplications Comprehensive Musicianship Broad concerns –Grout (1966) –Typically, a person studying music is engaged in perfecting his skills at manipulating some kind of instrument for the purpose of producing musical sounds… But really it is as if one were to say, I am studying English literature, when in fact he is cultivating his voice so as to pronounce words and sentences in as pleasing a manner as possible. (p.132) –Grout, D. (1966). The divorce of music and learning. In B.C. Kowall (Ed.), Perspectives in music education: Source book III. (pp ). Washington D. C.: Music Educators National Conference. Rationale

Study DesignFindingsImplications Comprehensive Musicianship Personal discovery student-centered active learning Multiple modes composition analysis performance Gestalt psychology music is approached as a totality explorative and creative enterprise not a mechanistic or an atomistic process Willoughby, D. (1990). Comprehensive Musicianship. The Quarterly, 1(3), Rationale

Study DesignFindingsImplications Comprehensive Musicianship Impact –Ideals/ educational theory National Standards –Largely unrealized in practice Rationale

Study DesignFindingsImplications Obstacles Efficiency –Paper and pencil –Lack of immediate sound feedback –Large class sizes –Performance orientation Tradition –Performance emphasis –We teach as we were taught Rationale

Study DesignFindingsImplications Whats changed? Ubiquitous Computing (in the band room) Laptops Wireless Networks Headphones Free notation software Rationale

Study DesignFindingsImplications Technology as Change Agent Efficient composing –Immediate sound feedback –Simple interfaces Changes students relationship to music Removes real time demands Work with the whole Students make the musical decisions Divergent thinking Realize aims of Comprehensive Musicianship Rationale

Study DesignFindingsImplications The Study Composition Project –Eighth grade band –In rehearsal –Laptops Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Composition Problem Compose a melody –Model piece The Cowboys (Williams/Bocook) Specific concepts –ABACBA Form –Tonal Form (Eflat- Bflat-F- Eflat Major) –Dotted Eighth-Sixteenth Small Ensemble Option –Harmony Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications The Band Middle School –Affluent Midwestern suburb –Available laptops and wireless network Experienced director –28 years 50 students –N=24 Classroom management challenge Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Composition Problem Two Introductory Presentations –Cowboys/ Williams Overview Full band –Project and Notepad Instructions Subjects only Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Rehearsal Composing Procedures Equipment –10 iBook laptops –Headphones –Finale NotePad Four groups –6-7 students –Seated in back corner –Once per week –14 weeks (11 weeks) Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Research Questions Student Compositions Enabling Skills and Conditions Student Experiences and Beliefs Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Student Compositions 1. To what extent do students compositions provide evidence of musical craftsmanship? 2. To what extent do students compositions provide evidence of creativity? 3. To what extent do students compositions provide evidence of conceptual understanding? 4. How are the ratings of craftsmanship, creativity, and conceptual understanding related? Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Enabling Skills and Conditions 5. To what extent do students revise their compositions? 6. Do students performance skills provide them with enabling skills that allow them to successfully complete the assignment? 7. Do students other prior musical experiences provide them with enabling skills that to allow them to successfully complete the assignment? 8. Are the enabling conditions in the band rehearsal context conducive for successful composing? Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Students Experiences and Beliefs 9. To what extent do students enjoy the composition process? 10. Do students believe that they can compose successfully? 11. Do students believe that composing affects their performance ability? Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Data Collection Compositions –Early and final drafts –Three rating scales Field Observations Director Interview Performance Ranking Student Surveys Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Rating Scales Craftsmanship –Exam the extent to which students have written phrases in their piece that connect to the larger structural form. Are their phrases cohesive and the piece musical? –0 (unstructured) to 8 (cohesive) Creativity –Amabiles consensual assessment –In relationship to the other compositions in the study: –0 (least creative) to 8 (most creative) Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Rating Scales Conceptual understanding –Sub-scales –0 (not evident) to 8 (clear) Form ABACBA Form Tonal Center Cowboys Harmonic Form Dotted Eight-Sixteenth –not present (0) or present (8) Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Judges Three middle school band directors Refined scale through pilot study Concurrently viewed and listened to compositions –Random order –Independently rated High level of inter-judge reliability Study Design

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Inter-judge Reliability Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Craftsmanship To what extent do students compositions provide evidence of musical craftsmanship? Moderate level of craftsmanship –0 (unstructured) to 8 (cohesive) –M=3.62 (s= 2.02) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Craftsmanship Findings StudentsStudents Rating

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Creativity To what extent do students compositions provide evidence of creativity? –Moderate level of creativity –M=3.62 (s=2.20) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Creativity Findings StudentsStudents Rating

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Conceptual Understanding To what extent do students compositions provide evidence of conceptual understanding? Low level of conceptual understanding –M=2.67 (s=1.92) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Conceptual Understanding Findings StudentsStudents Rating

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Scale Relationship How are the ratings of craftsmanship, creativity, and conceptual understanding related? Highly correlated –Craftsmanship and creativity Similar scores –Conceptual understanding Lower scores Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Scale Relationship Ratings Correlations ScaleCraftsmanshipCreativityConceptual Understanding Craftsmanship1.954**.817** Creativity-1.855** Conceptual Understanding --1 Note: Final compositions (N=23). ** p<0.01, two-tailed. Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Gender No significant differences –Mann Whitney U Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Examples Example #1 –Craftsmanship (0) –Creativity (0) –Conceptual understanding (.07) Form (.33) ABACBA (0) Tonal center (0) Cowboys tonal form (0) Dotted eighth-sixteenth (0) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Examples Example # 2 –Craftsmanship (2.67) –Creativity (3.67) –Conceptual understanding (3.33) Form (5.67) ABACBA (4) Tonal center (3) Cowboys tonal form (4) Dotted-eighth sixteenth (0) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Examples Example #3 –Craftsmanship (8) –Creativity (7.67) –Conceptual understanding (6) Form (7.67) ABACBA (3) Tonal center (7.67) Cowboys tonal form (3.67) Dotted eighth-sixteenth (8) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Enabling Skills & Conditions Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Revision 5. To what extent do students revise their compositions? Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Revision High level of self-reported revision –Final survey I changed or revised parts of my composition after I first entered the notes. Likert Scale (0= Disagree to 5= Agree) M=3.71 (s=1.45) (n=21) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Revision Low level of observed revision Early vs. final draft observations –Addition of new material 65% –Complete replacement of existing material 25% –Revision of existing material 10% – (n=20) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Revision Students tended to revise –within a composing session –not material from prior sessions Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Performance Skills Do students performance skills provide them with enabling skills that allow them to successfully complete the assignment? Director ranking & composition ratings Moderate correlation Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Performance Skills Correlation –Spearman Rho p<.01 Performance ranking and: –Craftsmanship r=.524 –Creativity r=..584 –Conceptual Understanding r=.608 Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Performance Skills Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Outside Musical Experience Do students other prior musical experiences provide them with enabling skills that allow them to successfully complete the assignment? Outside musical activities –Pre-survey responses –High, medium, low No significant differences in composition ratings –Kruskal-Wallis Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Rehearsal Conditions Are the enabling conditions in the band rehearsal context conducive for successful composing? Positive observations –High level of composer engagement More engaged than performing students –Rehearsal continued unimpeded While I was playing in rehearsal, I found it distracting to have other students composing. M=.33 (s=.58) –No behavior issues observed Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Rehearsal Conditions Challenges –Rehearsal Sound While composing, I was distracted by the sound of the band rehearsing –M= 4.52 (s=.602). I was able to hear the computer play back my piece, met with a lower response –M=2.10 (s=1.41) Hands over headphones –Disconnect with rehearsal Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Student Experience To what extent do students enjoy the composition process? Positive responses Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Student Experience To what extent do students enjoy the composition process? Pre-survey –I think I will enjoy composing in band –M=4.17 (s=.857). Post-survey -I enjoyed composing in band –M=3.29 (s=1.64) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Student Experience Do students believe that they can compose successfully? Pre-survey I think that I will be proud of my composition M=3.5 (s=1.10) Final survey I am proud of my composition M=2.56 (s=1.58). Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Student Experience Do students believe that composing affects their performance ability? Final Survey The composition project helped me become a better player M=1.62 (s=1.32) Findings

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Implications for Practice Feasible –High level of engagement –Does not disrupt rehearsal Modest compositional ability – Long term composition sequence Wide range of ability Differentiation Implications

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Implications for Practice Structure large group instruction –Connect performance and composition Conceptual focus in rehearsal –Play student compositions –Support revision Feedback mechanisms Weak transfer of learning –Supports need for composition activities Implications

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Further Research Experimental Research –Improved transfer? –Improved conceptual understanding? Pre-service teacher attitudes Implications

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Summary Laptop-based composing –Feasible –Needed –Realize aims of Comprehensive Musicianship Students –Wide range of composing ability –Typically not skilled composers –Positive attitude toward composing Implications

RationaleStudy DesignFindingsImplications Questions/ Comments