creative application: an alternative signature pedagogy for teaching and learning in music...

Creative Application: An Creative Application: An Alternative Signature Pedagogy Alternative Signature Pedagogy

for Teaching and Learning in for Teaching and Learning in Music AppreciationMusic Appreciation

Lois Veenhoven Guderian, PhD ( [email protected] )Department of Music

© 2013, Lois V. Guderian

Teaching and Learning in MusicTeaching and Learning in Music

“The process of skill learning and the act of musical creation are closely connected, even in some sense identical.”

(Loane, 1984, p 205)

Background: SoTL Background: SoTL Researcher’s Interest for ProjectResearcher’s Interest for ProjectLife-long passion to find effective ways in helping my fellow humankind to develop musical skills and understanding that will enable them to engage in meaningful music making and musical experience.

Posit based on practice and research:

Meaningful music making can take many forms and is possible at many levels of skill and understanding.

Researcher’s Background Researcher’s Background Interest continuedInterest continued

Researcher’s Background Researcher’s Background Interest continuedInterest continued

Over the past 20 years, development of a pedagogy that appears to be effective in teaching and learning in general music classes K-undergraduate level (developing the pedagogy for 11 years in higher education).

SoTL Background & Question SoTL Background & Question

Teaching experience and data from previous studies indicate that the pedagogy is effective in teaching and learning. How effective is the pedagogy from the student’s point of view?

SoTL QuestionsSoTL Questions

• If given voice, which learning strategies and activities do students view as their preferred favorite(s), and which activities do they perceive as most useful to their learning?

• What can I learn from their responses?

Purpose of this Study #1Purpose of this Study #1

To inform understanding as to effective instructional practices in teaching and learning in general education music appreciation courses by examining the effects of a signature pedagogy – creative application, inclusive of supportive practices, on the development of conceptual and perceptual understanding in music.

Purpose of this Study #2Purpose of this Study #2

To inform understanding as to effective instructional practices in teaching and learning in general education music appreciation courses by giving students voice as to preference in instructional practices and perceived effectiveness of instructional practices on their learning.

Research Question #1Research Question #1

In an undergraduate introduction to music appreciation class, is there a significant difference in scores on a measure of students’ informed listening skills and understanding in music between one course section of students who have experienced a particular instructional intervention – the embedding of composition assignments related to and reinforcing of course content and instruction – versus another section of students who received the same course content and instruction without the intervention?

Research Question #2 & #3Research Question #2 & #3

In an undergraduate introduction to music appreciation class where a variety of student-centered and teacher-directed instructional practices are employed to nurture student learning, (2) which practices are students’ preferred class learning activities? (3) Which practices are perceived by the students to have the most effect on their learning?

Data Gathering Dependent Data Gathering Dependent Measurement for Question #1Measurement for Question #1

• Researcher-devised identical pretest and posttest to assess students’ understanding in musical concepts that are part of course content

Data Gathering Instruments for Data Gathering Instruments for Research Questions #2 & #3Research Questions #2 & #3

Researcher-custom-designed post-study questionnaire

Additional Data Gathering Instrument

Researcher-devised music education background information and music preference pre-study survey

DefinitionsDefinitions

Creative applicationNurturing students understanding and ability to think in the discipline of music, and to make musical decisions for creative music making by providing students with opportunities to apply what they are learning in creative ways through music composition assignments related to and reinforcing of course content.


Music Learning

Demonstrated understanding in course content and concepts as obtained from discussion and assessment measures


Musical Understanding

Demonstrated perception in informed listening to music and the ability to apply course content to improvising, composing and hands on music making activities

Background: Changing TrendsBackground: Changing Trends

Boyer (1990) prophetically anticipated the need for change in 21st teaching and learning in higher education noting the need for integration of teaching and scholarship across subjects and contexts that would relate to life outside of the campus community (p.75).

Changing Trends continuedChanging Trends continued

According to Hanstedt (2012), some see general education classes as having potential to empower students with creative and integrative skills (p. x11).


As applied to music education Montano (2009-2010) reiterated Boyer’s ideas of pressing need for change within higher education to “engaged” institutions where teaching and learning was dedicated to the public good (p.59).


“Challenges from accelerating social, economic, and political complexities and increasing racial and ethinic diversity call for change in higher education (p.59). “Support of the public good should include pedagogies of service learning, problem based learning and collaborative learning that support the public good.”


Advocates of critical pedagogy in music teaching and learning express urgency for change – one that resists the views of Western classical music trainings for musicians applied to general music education, to one that incorporates diverse styles for study (Martignetti & all, 2013).

Music Education for the Public Music Education for the Public Good of StudentsGood of Students

Posit: Students in large general education music appreciation classes are the public. Not only do they need to gain education through pedagogies and learning content that will allow them to better function in society and serve the public good outside of themselves, they need to experience pedagogies that are for their own “public” good.

Change?Change?

• If change is necessary in higher education general education music classes, what changes are needed? What should be the goals and desired student outcomes, course content and pedagogical strategies that will help professors and students to transform their teaching and learning in music?

SoTL StudySoTL Study

In regard to music teaching and learning in higher education general education music appreciation classes, this study addressed several of the aforementioned questions: matters of goals and SLOs, course content, instructional practices and assessments, and targeted practices for 21st century learning.

Background: Traditional Model of Background: Traditional Model of Music AppreciationMusic Appreciation

General Education classes in music appreciation have traditionally been taught under a lecture model of teaching and learning: For the most part, a broad survey course of Western music styles.

Traditional Goals of Music Traditional Goals of Music AppreciationAppreciation

Learn to identify and “appreciate” Western music styles

To develop informed listening skills in music, that is, perceptual abilities in music listening

Traditional Goals continuedTraditional Goals continued

• Development of students’ understanding in music concepts and the “elements” of music according to Western tradition

• Development in awareness of the historical and musical evolution of Western music styles with some inclusion of non-Western.

• Pop, film,

Traditional Model Student Traditional Model Student Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes

Students will…Demonstrate ability to identify and provide definitions for terms and symbols that are part of the academic language of the discipline (music) via multiple choice and short answer tests

Demonstrate perceptual understanding and critical thinking in music through written descriptions following listening experiences

Traditional Model Student Traditional Model Student Learning Outcomes continuedLearning Outcomes continued

• Demonstrate ability to identify musical examples from various styles via identification and short answer tests

• Demonstrate ability to identify musical characteristics from various styles of music via multiple choice and short answer tests

Traditional Model Student Traditional Model Student Learning Outcomes continuedLearning Outcomes continued

• Demonstrate knowledge of historical and cultural trends per musical style

• Demonstrate understanding in conceptual music learning as applied to perceptual experiences in music listening through short answer or multiple choice assessments

Traditional Model Pedagogy Traditional Model Pedagogy and Practicesand Practices

• Teacher-directed learning

• Lecture

• Students as passive listeners, observers, viewers

• Individual learning

• Primarily learning about music: not in music

Traditional Model Assignments Traditional Model Assignments and Assessmentsand Assessments

Reading and listening/viewing assignments (textbook CDs or downloads; Youtube and other)

Live examples in class (provided by professor or guests)

Concert going

Essays/papers on listening experiences

Multiple choice and identification tests

Written descriptions, comparisons and reflections

New Model(s) GoalsNew Model(s) Goals

Retain goals from traditional model and add…•Development of creative and critical thinking skills in music through creative problem solving •Development of social skills through communication and collaboration •Development of ability to see connections across musical styles and disciplines

New Model Goals continuedNew Model Goals continued

• Develop global awareness and diversity through study of a variety of music styles from within and outside of Western styles

• Development of creative and musical consciousness – the awareness of ones creative and musical potential

• Develop understanding in the purposes and meaning of music to man

Student Learning Outcomes: Student Learning Outcomes: New Model AdditionsNew Model Additions

Diversity and Global CitizenshipThrough examination of music from multiple styles under multiple instructional practices, students demonstrate understanding of their own and other local and global views through a variety of written and oral formative assessments in paired, whole and small group discussion; small group written-oral presentation)

Student Learning Outcomes: Student Learning Outcomes: New Model AdditionsNew Model Additions

Critical Thinking/Problem Solving •Students in demonstrate perceptual and conceptual understanding in music through gathering, identifying, and analyzing information to answer specific questions (large and small group research, discussion, written and oral small group presentation and composing)

Student Learning Outcomes: Student Learning Outcomes: New ModelNew Model

Creative ExpressionStudents demonstrate creative thinking and expression through individual and small group composing, sharing performances of products, and reflection/explanation of product and via whole and small group class activities and assessments in descriptive writing, oral discussion and presentation, gesture/movement (to portray sound); graphics, symbol (music notation) and technology assisted notation


CommunicationStudents demonstrate conceptual and perceptual understanding of musical phenomena as it unfolds in real time across a variety of musical examples from ethnic, world, and various social- cultural styles through writing, speaking, reading and listening in various groupings: individual, paired, small and large groups.


Interdisciplinary ConnectionsStudents demonstrate the ability to connect knowledge across historical and cultural contexts and various disciplines through individual, paired, whole and small group discussion on readings and research; written comparison charts; creative writing in music and literature; creative expression across artistic symbol systems; formative written descriptions; written comparisons.

New Model Practices: Balance between New Model Practices: Balance between Student-Centered and Teacher-Directed Student-Centered and Teacher-Directed

T&LT&L• Individual, paired, small group and large group

learning• Student-centered ”best” practices• Learning community environment• Sequential learning based on schema theory• Student choice in some of course content• Differentiated teaching• Creative application

Practices for New Model Based Practices for New Model Based on…on…

A Learning Communities approach to teaching and learningLearning communities evolved as a result of research in cognitive science and psychology (Bransford et. Al, 2000) with roots in the theories and work of John Dewey (1900/1990; 1916/1967); Jean Piaget (Myers, 2004, p.143-150); and Lev Vygotsky (1934/1986)


Learning community pedagogy (many models in existence): Students experience a variety of student-centered and teacher-directed learning experiences with opportunities for constructing knowledge. Hallmarks are comprehensive integrative curriculum, collaborative and cooperative teaching and learning practices with distribution of authority and extended learning in and outside of the classroom via technology.


Learning Communities: resources cited for previous slide

Bransford et al, 2000; Brown & Campione, 1996; Oakes, 1995; Resnick and Rusk, 1996; Scardamilia & Bereiter, 1993)

Practices for New Model Based Practices for New Model Based on…continuedon…continued

Learning Communities approach based on the following ideas •Learning is socially and culturally situated•Schema theory •Learning is dependent on what individuals have already learned•Zones of proximal development •Recent research on the brain and human learning (Bransford et al., 2000)

Pedagogies for New Model Pedagogies for New Model Based on…continuedBased on…continued

Sequentially Ordered Learning

Based on the idea that learning is dependent on prior learning (schema theory)

Curriculum is designed in such a way that students are consistently building on the complexity of learning experiences based on what they have learned. Again, Dewey, Piaget and Vygotsky, Bruner (2006) and for music ed, Boardman (1988).


Differentiated teaching and learning

Teaching and learning practices designed to serve all students’ needs based on students’ interests, backgrounds, and learning profiles and styles (Smutny and Fremd, 2004; Tomlinson, 1999)


New pedagogies and practices such as “best practices for 21st century teaching and learning (P21, 2002); best practices for effective instruction (Rosenshine, 2012); signature pedagogies in higher education (Gurung & Chick & Haynie, 2009); backward design (Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2008) to name a few; state and national standards for education and music education

Pedagogy for New Model Based Pedagogy for New Model Based on…continuedon…continued

Creative Application – the author’s signature pedagogy as given in Research Question #1.Creative Application is a pedagogy designed to help students to think in music and to make musical decisions in the way that composers make musical decisions. The pedagogy includes student-centered and teacher-directed learning in music based on the aforementioned underlying theories and practices: learning communities approach and environment; sequential learning; differentiated learning; best practices for 21st century learning in life skills.

More Considerations and Research More Considerations and Research Regarding New Model Goals and Regarding New Model Goals and

PracticesPracticesResearch, especially brain research regarding human cognition and music

Students’ learning in regard to building contexts for developing understanding in styles that are unfamiliar to them

More Considerations More Considerations

• Social tensions from identification of musical styles with particular socioeconomic, sociocultural and ethnic populations

• Technology

New Goals Include Outgrowths: New Goals Include Outgrowths:

Development in Understandings in…Development in Understandings in…..• Understanding as to the value of music

and the arts to humans: meaning making through sound as a symbol system

• Learning about music and learning in music

New Goals Outgrowths continued New Goals Outgrowths continued Developing Understandings that…Developing Understandings that…

• Music making is a global human activity, social

• Music serves multiple purposes resulting from multiple culturally situated perspectives.

New Goals Outgrowths continuedNew Goals Outgrowths continuedDevelopment in Understandings Development in Understandings

surrounding surrounding • Human musical and creative potential

• Listening to music as focused, interactive, participatory activity

• Learning in music involves cognitive, affective and kinesthetic participation

New Model Includes Hands On Activities New Model Includes Hands On Activities to Learn to Think in the Disciplineto Learn to Think in the Discipline

Through application of learning, students develop skills and understandings for problem solving, experiencing music, academic language and thinking processes as cultural tools for thinking and doing in the discipline

Transition from Traditional to Transition from Traditional to New ModelNew Model

• Can the traditional model of general education music appreciation with the aforementioned goals meet students’ needs as articulated in current understandings in teaching and learning?

SoTL Questions SoTL Questions

What kinds of student-centered pedagogical approaches hold potential to engage students in meaningful learning for achieving course goals and that results in further development of skills and understanding in music and how students view their own musicianship?

Posits Based on Practice and Posits Based on Practice and Research Research

• Context building and meaning making are important to human learning including:

• Connection-making to music students have experienced previously in informal and formal learning.

• Numerous student-centered experiences to reinforce principles and concepts in balance with teacher-guided inquiry and some teacher–directed instruction

Posits Based on Practice and Posits Based on Practice and ResearchResearch

In order to build skills and understanding….

Whole and small group “hands on” applied experiences – some that do and those that do not require applied creative thinking, choice, or problem solving – are important to teaching and learning in music

Learning Strategies Used for this Learning Strategies Used for this Study Based on …Study Based on …

Principles of sequentially ordered curriculum:•Necessary to build on former knowledge and to gradually increase levels of complexity•Important ot make constant references to and tie in to musical examples already studied

Learning Strategies Used for this Learning Strategies Used for this Study Based on…Study Based on…

Making connections: principles and concepts are examined across musical styles through a variety of styles from Western, ethnic, pop, rock and world musics

22 Learning Activities, Instructional 22 Learning Activities, Instructional Strategies and Formative Assessments Strategies and Formative Assessments

Developed for this StudyDeveloped for this StudyFormative, ongoing in daily paired, small and large groups configurations

Specific assignments developed for summative assessments including open-ended composition assignment– frameworks as launching pads for creative work. Product is evidence of work. Assessment and evaluation rubric.

Three additional Areas of Literature Three additional Areas of Literature Reviewed for this studyReviewed for this study

1. Literature surrounding educational theory and practice; human creativity; creative thinking; music teaching and learning in comprehensive and integrated curriculum; music composition and improvisation; and instructional strategies to develop creative thinking in music, musical skills and understanding

Additional Areas of Literature Additional Areas of Literature reviewed for this studyreviewed for this study

• 2. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Literature including the effects on student learning when student-centered practices are employed in higher education classes

Additional Areas of Literature Additional Areas of Literature reviewed for this studyreviewed for this study

3. Literature surrounding the use of social-psychological interventions in education

SoTL StudySoTL Study

Creative Application: An Alternative Signature Pedagogy for Teaching and Learning in Music Appreciation

Review of Purpose #1 for StudyReview of Purpose #1 for Study

To examine the effects of a student-centered pedagogical practice, creative application, on the development of students’ listening skills and understanding in music, in higher education, general education classes in music appreciation.

Creative ApplicationCreative Application

The embedding of music improvisation and composition assignments, related to and reinforcing of course content. Students are given opportunities to apply what they are learning by way of open-ended assignments that require creative and critical thinking and problem solving Guderian (2003, 2008, 2009, 2012)

Posit from Research and Posit from Research and PracticePractice

Giving students opportunities to apply what they are learning in creative ways (creative application) reinforces and often clarifies their understandings of course content, musical concepts, and strengthens their development of skills and understanding experienced through instruction and music making activities in the classroom.


Creative application assignments in improvisation and composition engage students in the problem solving processes of creative and critical thinking that involve students’ personal expression and choice. Students learn from the process.


Creative application assignments facilitate teachers’ ability to differentiate instruction according to students’ individual needs during the process, and resulting products provide teachers with information on where students are in their learning.


Creative work in music engages students in a personal way that has an impact on how they view their own musicianship. Group improvising and composing can yield social benefits, shared understandings and meanings.


Learning environment is more interesting to students when assignments are carried out in a variety of whole and small group, paired and individual groupings dependent on particular assignments and students’ choice.


Assignment frameworks for creative application require careful design. Criteria should align with course studies and learning activities, however open-ended to require creative thinking and problem solving of substance in order to complete a product.


Creative application should be an outgrowth of the curriculum. Instructors must still detirmine the what, why, when and how of their curriculum and course content.

Review of Purpose #2 for StudyReview of Purpose #2 for Study

To examine the effectiveness of student-centered approaches to teaching and learning in undergraduate general education classes in music appreciation, from the students’ view.

Design and Methodology: Design and Methodology: Data Gathering InstrumentsData Gathering Instruments

• Background and Preference Survey

• Pretest and Postest – assessed understandings in concepts and music from course content

• Questionnaire – Preferred Class Activity &

Perceived Instructional Practice Most Useful for Student Learning

Materials for Creative Materials for Creative ApplicationApplication

• In this study, students used a variety of percussion instruments, melody bells and technology for creative sound exploration, experimentation and problem solving to fulfill creative application assignments.

• Computer programs• Plain and music staff paper• Charts for composing

SubjectsSubjects

• N= 80 undergraduate students in 2 classes of music appreciation

• Fall Semester = 39

• Spring Semester = 41

• Contribution of data an option

• Ex Group: 37 contributed data

• Control Group: 41 contributed data favorite; instructional strategies mixed

Review of Research Question #1Review of Research Question #1

• In an undergraduate introduction to music appreciation class, is there a difference in scores on a measure of students’ informed listening skills and understanding in music between one course section of students who have experienced a particular pedagogy, creative application – the embedding of improvisation and composition assignments related to and reinforcing of course content and instruction – versus another section of students who received the same course content and instruction without the aforementioned pedagogy?

Review of Research Question #2Review of Research Question #2

In an undergraduate general education music appreciation class where a variety of student-centered instructional practices are employed to nurture student learning, which practices are perceived by the students as most useful to their learning in music; what are their preferences regarding the student-centered instructional practices?

MethodMethod• Immediately prior to the 2012-2013 academic year, the fall and spring

sections of Music Appreciation were randomly assigned to 1) Experimental Group and 2) Control Group

• Students in both groups received the same course content under a variety of 22 teaching and learning practices

• The curriculum content and supporting teaching materials were identical for the two groups.

• Delivery of instruction on concepts and skills was the same

Difference in Method between the 2 Difference in Method between the 2 Groups Groups

The experimental group received opportunities for creative application of what they were learning: 5 applied composition assignments in various aspects of course studies: small group problem solving.

Difference in Method between Difference in Method between the 2 Groups the 2 Groups

The control group received the same course content, amount of time and strategies of instruction as the experimental group however reinforced learning in the same manner as they had learned it: by repeated “listenings” to examples with teacher-generated explanation and inquiry for whole group and small group discussion and additional activities from the 22 experienced by both groups.

Data CollectionData Collection

At the onset of the study, the first two days of class, data were collected from the students during their regular class time. The students completed a a music education background and style preference survey and a pretest to assess students’ understandings in the conceptual learning in music that was part of course content.

Data CollectionData Collection

To gain insight into students’ views regarding preferences in instructional strategies/activities and perceived usefulness of the various practices they had experienced in class, at the end of the study, students completed a researcher-devised questionnaire on 1) their most preferred instructional strategy or activity as experienced in the course

Data Collection Questionnaire Data Collection Questionnaire continuedcontinued

• and 2) from a listing of the 22 instructional strategies and activities experienced throughout the semester, rated the top five deemed as most useful to their learning.

Recording and Statistical Recording and Statistical Treatment of DataTreatment of Data

Students’ survey and questionnaire responses on music education background, music style listening preference, instructional strategy/activity preference and top 6 ratings for strategies most useful to student learning were recorded per student, compiled in number frequencies, tabulated and organized into same group responses.

Results of the Pre-Study SurveyResults of the Pre-Study Survey

Results on the pre-study survey revealed that music education backgrounds of the two groups were similar: control having more background education than the experimental. From 31 style responses, preferred listening style of music at the onset of the study was Country Music in both groups. Rock and Hip Hop styles also received higher number response. Results follow. Display Tables of detailed data not available here in PP format.

Results of Pre-test Survey continued Results of Pre-test Survey continued Listening Preference: Top 6 listedListening Preference: Top 6 listed

• Country music: Exp. Grp = 18; Ctr. Grp = 22• Hip Hop: Exp. Grp=16; Ctr. Grp=4• Rock: Exp. Grp=12; Ctr. Grp=12• Classical: Exp. Grp.=11; Ctr. Grp.=11• Alternative: Exp. Grp.=10; Ctr. Grp=7• Pop: Exp. Grp.=12; Ctr.=7• All styles: Exp. Grp.=9; Ctr.=8

Prior Formal Music Education Experience in Prior Formal Music Education Experience in Addition to School General Music ProgramsAddition to School General Music Programs

None: Exp Grp. 8; Ctr. Grp. 6

Private instr: Exp. Grp. 21; Ctr. 32

Chorus: Exp. Grp. 3+yrs=3; Ctr. Grp. 3+yrs=11

Band: Exp. Grp. 3+yrs=10; Ctr. Grp. 3+yrs =11

Orchestra: Exp. Grp. Yrs=1; Ctr. Grp. Yrs=4

Post-Study Questionnaire Post-Study Questionnaire QuestionsQuestions

• Did you have a favorite activity that was part of music class activities during the study?

• If so, what was that activity and why was it your favorite? • Did you have a least favorite activity that was part of

music class activities during the study? • If so, what was that activity and why was it your least

favorite? • Which instructional measures did you find most useful

and beneficial to your learning style? Using numbers, rank the top 5 most useful from the following teaching and learning practices in the order of most useful (#1)

Results of Post Study Results of Post Study QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

Preferred instructional strategy/activity (students wrote in their responses and comments)•Experimental Group: 25 from 36 responses = “hands on creative music making with instruments”•Control Group: 13 from 36 = “group presentation”

Questionnaire continuedQuestionnaire continued

Students were also asked to give a reason for their choice of favorite or least favorite activity. A presentation of the data is available in the full research report. Typical comments for most preferred are given below.

“I enjoyed creating my own songs because I enjoy creative work. (similar kinds of responses in both groups). The Control Group also composed after the posttest to assess student learning in course content. It was the second most preferred activity in the control group even with the limited number of experiences)


More comments on the preferred activity, the “why”“The group presentations. We got to apply what we were learning.” (Exp. Gr).

“Group work. It was easy to study in groups.” (C grp)

Questionnaire continuedQuestionnaire continuedLeast Preferred Instructional Least Preferred Instructional

Strategy/ActivityStrategy/ActivityLeast preferred instructional strategy/activity (student generated responses not from a list)•Experimental Group: 17 from 36 responded, “no least preferred activity” Remaining responses varied.•Control Group: 22 from 36 responded, “no least preferred activity” Remaining responses varied.


Students were also asked to give a reason for their choice of favorite or least favorite activity. A presentation of the data is available in the full research report. Typical comments for least preferred are given below.•No least favorite. “I thought everything pertained to the learning. It all seemed helpful.” (similar comments in both)•Yes! Group Test! It was hard to get the facts across (both)•Yes! The Renaissance Dance we had to dance (C grp)

Quest. Cont. Top 6 Strategies/Activities Quest. Cont. Top 6 Strategies/Activities Rated as most useful to Student Learning Rated as most useful to Student Learning from List of 22: Experimental Group #1 = from List of 22: Experimental Group #1 =

best best Students were asked to rank their top 5 course learning strategies/activities perceived as most useful to their learning with #1 representing most useful. Number counts were tabulated to point system

#1 = 5 pts; #2 = 4 pts; #3= 3 pts; #4=2pts; #5 = 1 pt.

Continued: Experimental Group Responses to Continued: Experimental Group Responses to Perceived Most Useful Instructional Perceived Most Useful Instructional

Strategies/Activities to Their LearningStrategies/Activities to Their Learning

1. “Teacher-directed explanation of musical phenomena as it enfolds in real time during the listening to music examples in class” (74 points)

2. “Whole group discussions on listening examples with repeated listening to answer whole group questions regarding the music” (63 points)

3. “Listening assignments with electronic links – optional group or individual studies” (62 points)

Experimental Group: Most Useful Experimental Group: Most Useful Learning Activities ContinuedLearning Activities Continued

4.” Live musical examples played on the piano as/or demonstrated by the professor” (57 points)

4. “Live concert attendance with comparison paper assignment follow up” (57 points)

5. “All-student participation in hands on musical activities to clarify musical concepts” (56 points)

6. “Teacher-directed explanations of form and style in music and the many musical concepts that are a part of “musical elements” (45 points)

Control Group Responses to Perceived Control Group Responses to Perceived Most Useful Instructional Most Useful Instructional

Strategies/Activities to Their LearningStrategies/Activities to Their Learning1.” Listening assignments with electronic links – optional group or individual studies” (70 points)

2.” End of term Group Presentation” (69 points)

3.” Small group discussions after listening to listening examples in class” (65 points)

4. “Whole group discussions on listening examples with repeated listening to answer whole group questions regarding the music” (53 points)

Control Group: Perceived Most Control Group: Perceived Most Useful Learning Activities ContinuedUseful Learning Activities Continued

5. “Teacher-directed explanation of musical phenomena as it enfolds in real time during the listening to musical examples in class” (45 points)

6. “Live musical examples played or demonstrated by the professor” (35 points)

6.” Paired discussion after listening to music examples in class, then whole group discussion” (35 points)

Recording and Statistical Recording and Statistical Treatment of DataTreatment of Data

In order to answer research question #1, means and standard deviations of the pre and posttest scores were calculated and compared for gains within and across groups. Students’ raw scores were compared for individual gains.

Data Collection ProcedureData Collection Procedure

The researcher administered, graded the tests, recorded the pre and posttest scores, and completed the statistical treatment

Results for Research Question #1Results for Research Question #1

• Results indicated that there was not a significant difference between the two groups on the measure of conceptual and perceptual understanding of course content in music, however students in the experimental group scored higher on both dependent measures and the within group gain was higher than in the control group. The scores reflect a mixture of abilities as would be expected from a heterogeneous grouping of students however there are some limitations to the results.

Statistical Analysis and Limitations Statistical Analysis and Limitations Independent and Correlated t Test Comparisons

Mean scores of students’ scores on the two tests were calculated and subjected to an independent t test in order to determine whether or not there was a significant difference in learning gains. A correlated t test for within group significance was not possible due to the limitations of this study. A few students in the experimental group misunderstood the data collection procedure. They understood anonymity of data presentation per student identification to mean that they should not include their name on the pretest. Therefore, whole group mean, median and mode results were possible however individual gains were only possible for the control group students and the majority, not all of the experimental group students.

Statistical Analysis and LimitationsStatistical Analysis and Limitations

Another limitation effected data collection, statistical treatment and the results. Student attendance had a bearing on the learning gains especially in the case of 1 student per group who missed so many classes that there was little to no gain on the posttest. Including the data of these students effected the mean scores and standard deviation and the measurement was not purely one of learning: it included an attendance factor. Raw scores were the best indication of student learning gains where attendance was not a factor.

Statistical Analysis and LimitationsStatistical Analysis and Limitations

Yet another limitation of the study effected what was measured. A small number of students in the control group had poor attendance due to major snowstorms that made travel to the university impossible for some and on two days, the university closed. Thus, in the control group, the amount of instructional time was effected and students’ exposure to the various instructional practices was effected. A redesign of the method to more control is necessary for a better indication of the effects of the treatment on student learning.

Results for Research Questions Results for Research Questions #2 and #3#2 and #3

Results for Research Questions #2 and #3 provided earlier under Results of the Posttest Questionnaire.

Interpretation of the ResultsInterpretation of the Results

Results indicated that learning gains between the two groups were similar. The experimental group’s gain in learning was not significantly more than the control group thus suggesting that a variety of instructional strategies, including creative application, are effective to student learning. An examination of raw scores was a better indication of student learning since attendance was a factor on individual gains in learning.


• Student-centered group learning activities designed to provide students with application of learning, creative problem solving and choice in the way they demonstrate their learning were listed as the most preferred activities by the majority of students in each group. Creative music making in small groups ranked highest in the experimental group – 25 responses as the #1 preferred activity; in the control group, the group project was the #1 most preferred learning activity – 13 responses.


Results from the Post-Study Questionnaire on students’ perceived usefulness in instructional practices suggests the importance of balance in student-centered and teacher-directed teaching and learning practices; the importance of differentiated learning activities to accommodate all students’ backgrounds, interests, learning styles and profiles. From the 22 instructional practices listed, each one receive at least 2 votes rated by students as one of the top 5.


Although due to the limitations of this study, this study did not provide a fully valid indication of the effects of creative application on student learning, student responses on the Post-Study Questionnaire indicate a majority in preference for hands on creative-music-making learning activities general education music classes.


Even in the control group students whodue to the design of the study had limited composing experiences – after the completion of the posttest, 12 students indicated creative music making as the preferred activity. The most preferred activity in the control group – the group presentation - received only 1 more response: 13 total.


Results from the Post-Study Questionnaire indicate that students regard both student –centered and teacher-directed learning practices as useful to their learning thus again indicating the importance of balance in both kinds of instructional strategies and activities and differentiated learning practices.

Conclusion and ReflectionConclusion and Reflection

It was very difficult to run a controlled study in a large higher education class. Factors like attendance can limited the statistical treatment of data, effect the results, and limit and a true picture of the results. Outlier data effects the mean and standard deviation and a realistic picture of the majority of the students data.

This study reinforced most professors’ claims that attendance is an important factor in student learning as demonstrated at times by, poor attendance in the control group due to snowstorms and the attendance record of student outliers.


It was surprising to the researcher to see how many students value professor-directed teaching and learning as well as student-centered teaching and learning there again pointing to the importance of balance in practices.

Conclusion Conclusion

The findings of this study and the findings of the work of many researchers reviewed for this study support the inclusion of creative application on student learned. Not only did the majority of students in the experimental group respond that it was the preferred activity of class studies, even with limited exposure to creative application, students in the control group listed it as second second to highest preferred activity. The activity was rated in the top five as perceived most useful to student learning in the experimental group. Thus , the pedagogy appears to benefit students’ learning and experience in music appreciation. Repeated studies that include mixed methods would give a clearer picture of the effects of the pedagogy on student learning.

Conclusion and ReflectionConclusion and ReflectionProviding students with opportunities to apply their learning in music through creative problem solving experiences in improvisation and composition and the materials and methods that support such work have been targeted as areas that need research. How to provide students with these opportunities in ways that support their achievement in higher education general education courses’ student learning outcomes is an important issue in higher education music education. More research is needed.


• Regardless of the limitations of the experimental portion of this SoTL project, this study reinforced my belief in the effects of creative work on overall learning in music and the idea that students need balance in student-centered and teacher-directed learning under current conceptions of “best practices”; a learning community approach to the classroom environment, and differentiated teaching and learning instructional strategies and activities in order to reach all learners – with creative application as an important one to that end.

creative application: an alternative signature pedagogy for teaching and learning in music...

Documents

meaningful music

student learning

guderian slide

music appreciation class

department of music

students voice

general music classes

process of skill learning