Effect of a Sound Exploration Program on Children's Creative Thinking in Music

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a sound exploration program on children's creative thinking in music. A random sample of 66 students was selected from 12 urban elementary schools in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, where a sound exploration program was introduced. Subjects were first grade participants, second grade participants, and second grade non-participants. Webster's Measure of Creative Thinking in Music was used in this posttest-only study. Results showed significant differences for the three groups in Musical Flexibility, Musical Originality, and Musical Syntax, but not in Musical Extensiveness. First and second grade participants received higher mean scores in these three musical creativity factors than second grade non-participants. Results of this study suggest that first and second graders may become more ready to fulfil the potential for music creativity after participating in a non-traditional sound exploration program.