Supporting Comprehensive Musicianship Through Laptop Computer-Based Composing in Rehearsal

1. Supporting Comprehensive Musicianship Through Laptop Computer-Based Composing in Rehearsal Rick DammersRowan University/ University of Illinois ATMI 2006

2. Overview Rationale Study Design Findings Implications Questions

3. 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. 131-138). Washington D. C.: Music Educators National Conference.

4. 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), 39-44.

5. Comprehensive Musicianship Impact Ideals/ educational theory National Standards Largely unrealized in practice

6. Obstacles Efficiency Paper and pencil Lack of immediate sound feedback Large class sizes Performance orientation Tradition Performance emphasis We teach as we were taught Focus on composing Focus on composing

7. What�s changed? Ubiquitous Computing (in the band room) Laptops Wireless Networks Headphones Free notation software

8. 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

9. The Study Composition Project Eighth grade band In rehearsal Laptops

10. 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

11. The Band Middle School Affluent Midwestern suburb Available laptops and wireless network Experienced director 28 years 50 students N=24 �Classroom management challenge�

12. Composition Problem Two Introductory Presentations Cowboys/ Williams Overview Full band Project and Notepad Instructions Subjects only

13. 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)

14. Research Questions Student Compositions Enabling Skills and Conditions Student Experiences and Beliefs

15. 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?

16. 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?

17. 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?

18. Data Collection Compositions Early and final drafts Three rating scales Field Observations Director Interview Performance Ranking Student Surveys

19. 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 Amabile�s consensual assessment In relationship to the other compositions in the study: 0 (least creative) to 8 (most creative)

20. 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)

21. 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

22. Inter-judge Reliability

23. 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)

24. Craftsmanship

25. Creativity To what extent do students� compositions provide evidence of creativity? Moderate level of creativity M=3.62 (s=2.20)

26. Creativity

27. Conceptual Understanding To what extent do students� compositions provide evidence of conceptual understanding? Low level of conceptual understanding M=2.67 (s=1.92)

28. Conceptual Understanding

29. Scale Relationship How are the ratings of craftsmanship, creativity, and conceptual understanding related? Highly correlated Craftsmanship and creativity Similar scores Conceptual understanding Lower scores

30. Scale Relationship Ratings Correlations

31. Gender No significant differences Mann Whitney U

32. 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)

33. 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)

34. 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)

35. Enabling Skills & Conditions

36. Revision 5. To what extent do students revise their compositions?

37. 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)

38. 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)

39. Revision Students tended to revise within a composing session not material from prior sessions

40. 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 p<.01 level. The correlation to Conceptual Understanding was highest at r=.608, followed by Creativity with r=.584 and Craftsmanship at r=.524.p<.01 level. The correlation to Conceptual Understanding was highest at r=.608, followed by Creativity with r=.584 and Craftsmanship at r=.524.

41. Performance Skills Correlation Spearman Rho p<.01 Performance ranking and: Craftsmanship r=.524 Creativity r=..584 Conceptual Understanding r=.608 p<.01 level. The correlation to Conceptual Understanding was highest at r=.608, followed by Creativity with r=.584 and Craftsmanship at r=.524.p<.01 level. The correlation to Conceptual Understanding was highest at r=.608, followed by Creativity with r=.584 and Craftsmanship at r=.524.

42. Performance Skills

43. 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

44. 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

45. 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

46. Student Experience

47. Student Experience

48. Student Experience

49. Student Experience

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

51. 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

52. Further Research Experimental Research Improved transfer? Improved conceptual understanding? Pre-service teacher attitudes

53. 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

54. Questions/ Comments