Creative thinking processes in Creative thinking processes in adolescent computer-based adolescent computer-based composition: An analysis of composition: An analysis of strategies adopted and the strategies adopted and the influence of instrumental music influence of instrumental music trainingtraining

Presenter: Jenny TsengPresenter: Jenny Tseng

Professor: Ming-Puu ChenProfessor: Ming-Puu Chen

Date: September 15, 2008Date: September 15, 2008

Seddon, F. A. & O'Neill, S. A. (2003). Creative thinking processes in adolescent computer-based composition: An analysis of strategies adopted and the influence of instrumental music training. Music Education Research, 5(2), 125-137.

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Introduction (1/2)Introduction (1/2)

It is important to take into account the relationship between— the musical skill of the participant the levels of novelty and difficulty of the

task Two different uses of music technology

Supplementary use: Adolescents with prior experience of formal instrumental music tuition (FIMT) employed their instrumental skills and used the technology to record their compositions.

Integral use: Adolescents without FIMT explored and reacted to the possibilities made available by the computer.

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Introduction (2/2)Introduction (2/2)

Composition task An open-ended A problem-finding context Aural rather than notational skills

Surveillance effects was reduced by revealing the complete composition process without presenting any teaching of composition material that might have influenced the process or product of composition.

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Research Questions

What composition strategies do adolescents adopt when engaging with a computer-based composition task?;

To what extent do adolescents adopt different strategies during the composition process?;

To what extent do adolescents adopt different composition strategies according to their prior experience of FIMT?

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MethodMethodParticipantsParticipants

Forty-eight adolescents 13–14 years old A secondary school in the Northwest of

England Were selected by the Head of Music

Among 48 adolescents, 25 adolescents 12 females and 13 males Two and four years’ prior experience of

FIMT Among 48 adolescents, 23 adolescents

12 females and 11 males No prior experience of FIMT

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MethodMethodProcedure Procedure (1/2)(1/2)

Two scripted 30-minute training sessions were scripted to control for variations in

training focused on how to use the composition

program did not provide any instruction in the

compositional process No musical examples were given that could

have implied ‘correct models’ to copy.

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MethodMethodProcedure Procedure (2/2)(2/2)

Composition sessions Three individual 30-minute sessions on

three consecutive days All on-screen manipulations of the

program were recorded to videotape through a video-card installed in the computer.

Midi files were saved using different name references for each participant at the end of each composition session

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MethodMethodData AnalysisData Analysis

The analysis of the videotapes was used for the qualitative analysis of text. grounded theory constant comparative method

Immersion Categorization Phenomenological reduction Triangulation Interpretation

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Results (1/3)Results (1/3)

Twelve composition strategies Meta-approaches A, B and C

Types of ‘creative behavior’ Based upon—

The relative amounts of time spent in each of these composition activities

Rules of inclusion formulated for the meta-approaches

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Results (2/3)Results (2/3)

Meta-approach A Crafting Focus on rehearsal and construction activities Relatively little exploration

Meta-approach B Expressing Focus on exploratory activities with the rehearsal

activities Develop ideas

Meta-approach C Immersing Focused almost exclusively on the exploratory

activities Little or no engagement with rehearsal or construction

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Results (3/3)Results (3/3)

Two of the meta-approaches “Expressing” and “Immersing” were characterized by higher levels of exploratory behavior than the meta-approach “Crafting”.

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Discussion (1/5)Discussion (1/5)

The aim of this study was to investigate potential differences in composition strategies adopted by adolescents with and without prior experience of FIMT when engaging in a computer-based composition task.

The results indicate that— there are a number of different strategies

adolescents adopt these strategies are part of three meta-

approaches used

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Discussion (2/5)Discussion (2/5)

The findings also revealed differences between the meta-approaches adopted by adolescents based on their prior experience of FIMT.

The results support to previous studies that reported individuals with prior experience of FIMT tended to experiment less with the facilities made available by the computer than individuals without prior experience of FIMT

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Discussion (3/5)Discussion (3/5)

Possible interpretations Children with prior experience of instrumental

tuition adhering to musical parameters associated with traditional notions of musical form and structure.

Instrumental tuition influences the composition process as a result of the participant’s self-image as “a musician”.

Instrumental tuition gives participants additional musical skills, which enables them to develop musical ideas away from the computer.

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Discussion (4/5)Discussion (4/5)

Possible interpretations - continued Their musical training limited their choices

because they felt they could only operate within the parameters of their instrumental skills.

Untrained individuals because they had no instrumental skills, did not make this connection between instrumental skills and composition so they started with more potential compositional options that they were prepared to explore through the possibilities made available by the technology.

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Discussion (5/5)Discussion (5/5)

Future research Further investigate whether or not

intensive instrumental training of a classical conservatoire nature influences composition strategies and outcomes

Explore participants’ perceptions in more detail