Computer-based composition in the primary school: An investigation of children's “creative” responses using the CD RomDance eJay

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate computer-based music composition using the CD Rom Dance eJay. The research questions addressed the extent to which participants adopted different strategies during the composition process, how the strategies were potentially different due to prior experience of formal instrumental music tuition (FIMT), and how the process data showed evidence of creative thinking skills in music. The design subscribed to a within-methods approach within a qualitative research paradigm which was undertaken as a small scale exploratory study with children in the primary age of schooling (aged 10–11 years). The methodology is developed from Richardson and Whitaker (1996), Hickey (1997), Seddon and O'Neill (2001, 2003) and Burnard (2000), to include critical incident charting, the digital recording of ‘onscreen manipulations’ and retrospective verbal protocols. The results report that within the one identified vertical composing strategy which all the participants used, creativity occurred within all the composing responses regardless of the participants’ musical backgrounds and their prior experience of FIMT An evaluation of the research tool demonstrates its efficacy to identify not only when and how creative thinking skills occur in the process of composition, but also what informed the decision making process. Creativity is defined in terms of divergent thinking skills and problem solving skills and the extent to which each participant generated their own problems and “creative” solutions. The implications for music education are discussed.