Abstract
AbstractThis pilot study analysed the learning strategies of advanced students and professional electroacoustic composers engaged in creating new musical pieces through online collaboration. The participants were divided into three groups and interacted in a virtual setting using synchronous (chat and Skype) and asynchronous tools (forum, compositional software) to perform the compositional activities. A multiple case study design was used to describe and interpret the actions of the participants. Forum discussions, Skype dialogues and e-mail exchanges were examined to explore the participants’ interactions and understand their actions during the online activities. Individual semi-structured interviews focusing on the processes and working approaches were conducted. The following themes were considered for the analysis of the collaborative compositional activity: working approach, relational model, leadership, organisation and compositional process. The participants effectively completed the compositional activities on the online platform, and based on the results, the following phases emerged as: (a) context definition; (b) planning/organising; (c) experimenting/generating musical ideas; (d) constructing and (e) evaluating. The findings are discussed regarding the educational implications of developing didactic activities based on collaborative composition.
Highlights
Music education is challenged by technological developments, which have radically changed the methods of operating in the musical field, affecting all levels from production to fruition (Ruokonen et al, 2017)
Summary of the theoretical background An analysis of previous studies highlighted the importance of the social dimension of collaborative composition in music education, revealing that the management of interpersonal relationships plays a central role in defining strategies, objectives and stages
While interventions in the musical piece are based on the direct application of compositional strategies, verbal interactions are focused on sharing and negotiating the different stages of the musical task (Biasutti, 2018)
Summary
Music education is challenged by technological developments, which have radically changed the methods of operating in the musical field, affecting all levels from production to fruition (Ruokonen et al, 2017). It is important to connect school activities with real-life experiences and define effective learning strategies for using the latest technologies in music education. Devices such as computers, tablets and mobiles phones are widely accessible and have become easy tools for music making (Tobias, 2017), allowing all people – including those without a specific musical background – to generate music (Partti & Westerlund, 2013). The multifaceted uses of technological devices make them a flexible resource for teachers when designing music education activities. Collaborative music tasks may take advantage of the use of technological and multimedia tools: technology has been innovative in the music composition world and led to new ways of thinking about music, amplifying musical creativity. Collaborative music composition activities may enhance the expression of divergent thinking skills through collective effort (McCarthy et al, 2005)
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