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FinalProposal:CreativityinMusicEducation

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CreativityinMusicEducation

MUSC 630 – Research in Music Education - Dr. Taryn K. Raschdorf Partial Research Proposal

Lynne German May 2017

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Abstract

Thepurposeofthisqualitativestudyistoexplorewaystodevelopand

encouragegreaterlevelsofcreativityinthemusicclassroom,andtoinvestigatethe

waysthatmusicteachersarecurrentlyusingtheirowncreativityforteaching;to

discoverthetoolstheyareusing,orcouldbeusing,tostimulatestudentcreativity,

intheirclassroomcurriculumandlessonplans;andtoexplorethewaysthatthose

teachersbelievecreativityismakingadifferenceintheirstudents’learning,

emphasizingthevalueofcreativityforthelearner.Musicteacherswhoare

successfullyandregularlyusingcreativityintheirclassroomswillthenbe

encouragedtoserveasmodelsforothers.

IntroductionandNatureoftheProblem

Musiceducators,bythenatureoftheircraftandsubjectmatter,shouldbe

someofthemostcreativeteachersinourschools.Yet,musicteachersareoften

distractedbythebusinessofmusiceducation,lobbyingforstudentenrollmentin

theirclassesandansweringthecalltoproducedatacomparabletotheircore

teachercolleagues,ratherthanfeelingfreetoprovidetheaestheticeducationfor

whichmusicwasonceappreciated.Stresshinderscreativity,andthepressureto

pleaseparentsandadministratorsbyholdingmultiplestageperformancesduring

theyear,andtoproducestudentswhoperformwellonwrittenandperformance

tests,whilearrangingfieldtripsandholdingfundraisers,oftenwithminimalparent

support,inadditiontoattendingamultitudeofrequiredmeetingsandtraining


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sessions,candriveeventhebestteacherstothedefaultmodeofmerelypresenting

factsandteachingvoiceorinstrumentalpartsforthenextconcert,almostbyrote.

Attendingasessionorreadingabookoncreativitymayhelpteacherswithashort-

termsolution,butlong-termassistancecouldbebestachievedifteachersare

mentoredandgiventheopportunitytowatchotherteacherswhohavemade

creativityawayoflifeintheirclassrooms.Teacherswhoarealreadysuccessfully

employingcreativetechnicsintheirclassroomsneedtobeidentifiedand

encouragedtoserveashelpfulmodelsforotherteacherswhocouldbenefitfrom

theircreativethinking,planning,andactivitiesinthemusicclassroom.Boostingthe

levelofcreativeworkbeyondourmusicclassroomscouldbeanoutcomebeyond

thisresearch,andcouldproduceawin-winscenarioforthestudents,themusic

educators,andhopefully,fortheschooladministration,aswell.

Thescopeofthestudybeginswithcurrentlyavailableinformationabout

creativityfromresearchers,psychologists,businessleaders,andmusiceducators,

andwouldultimatelyincludedatagainedfromasurveyfromandinterviewswith

currentK-12musiceducatorswhowouldbewillingtosharethecreativeideasand

activitiestheycurrentlyuseintheircurriculumandlessonplanning.Research

resultswillbepresentedinaformatthatincludesaspectsofthecreativeteachers’

thoughtprocessesastheyplanlessonsfortheirclasses;thesuccessfulcreative

classroomactivitiesandideastheyhaveusedandcanmodelforothers;thetools

theyregularlyusetohelpstudentsgrowintheircreativethinkingandapplications

intheclassroom;andthedifferencestheyseeinstudentlearningwhentheyuse

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creativitywiththeirstudents.Theunderlyingintendedoutcomeistohelpmusic

educatorsbecomemoreintentionalascreativeforcesinourschoolstohelp

studentsembarkintogreatercreativityasalifestyle,beginningwiththeirmusic

classes.Thelimitationsofthisstudyarethesmallnumberofparticipantsthatcan

beaddressedandinterviewedinsuchalargepopulationofmusicteachers,andthe

somewhatsubjectivetopicofcreativityitself.

ResearchQuestions

Thecontextofthisstudyisintendedtoanswerfourpracticalquestions:

1)Whatarethecharacteristicsofcreativebehaviorsthatcanbeusedtodevelop

creativityinthemusicclassroom?2)Whoiscurrentlymodelingcreativityin

multiplewaysintoday’smusicclassrooms,andofthoseteachers,whoiswillingto

serveasmodelsforotherteachers?3)Inourcurrenttest-drivencurriculums,how

aremusiceducatorsmaintainingtheirowncreativeedgeintheclassroom?4)How

domusiceducatorsinspirecreativityintheirstudents,whosecreativeedgeisoften

temperedbythefearoffailuretheyexperienceintheSOLtestingmentality?

Withinthecontextofthesequestions,thelarger,centralquestionis,howdoes

teachercreativity,anddevelopingstudentcreativity,makeadifferencein,oradd

valueto,studentlearningintheclassroom?

ResearchReview

Researchoncreativityismulti-facetedinitsscopeandapplication.

Supportingsourcescanbecategorizedaccordingtothefollowingcontent


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applicationsoruses:thedefinitionofcreativity;currentattitudes,andhowto

developnewattitudesandactivitiestostimulatecreativity;creativityasseenin

businesspractices;creativity’simpactonstudentsandsociety;ideasfor“chance”

creativeactivitiesintheclassroom;andcreativity’seffectonthepsychologyof

musicalperformance.

Definitions:

Thedefinitionsforcreativityhavenotseemedtochangemuchovertheyears,

andinmanyways,mostteachersusecreativityeverydayastheyadapttheirlesson

planstomeettheneedsoftheirstudents.AbramoandReynoldsbringthisidea

homeastheynotethathighlycreativeteachersdemonstrateanimmediate

responsivenesstostudents,leadingtocreativeinterventioninthelearningprocess,

andtheycontinuallymaintainanattentivenesstostudentlearningoverthelesson

plan.Creativeteachersshareawillingnesstoabandonthelessonplantoachieve

positiveresultsduringthechild’slearningprocess.Flexibility,ratherthanclosure,

isthegoalforacreativeclassroomteacher.Ainsworthreducestheseemingly

complexideaofcreativitytosimplymakinginformeddecisions.Hisresearch

included16-year-oldstudentswithlowintelligencewhowouldhavebeenschool

drop-outs.Hewasabletointerveneinthesestudents’liveswithhispilotprogram,

initiatingandtestingamusiccreativityclasshehopedtoseepermanentlyaddedto

theschoolcurriculum.Heusedtunesandtonalmemorytodevelopstudent

listeningskillsandtoleadthestudentsinstepstowardthoughtfulchoices.Byrge

andHansenemphasizethatcreativitycanbelearned,agreeingthatnooneshouldbe

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labeledaslackingcreativity.Likeanyotherskill,creativitymustbemodeledand

practicedintheclassroom.Canfieldremindseducatorsthatcreativityisaprocess

andnotaresult;ifinculcatedproperlyintheclassroom,creativityisanintegralpart

ofstudentlearning,whetheritisactuallyrecognizedornot.Websterreminds

educatorsthatstudentslearnbydoing,andthecreativeprocessisasimportantas

theproduct.Hisdefinitionofcreativityisdemonstratedwhenteachersgive

studentsactivitiesthatrequireproblem-solvingskills,assigningthemwithtasks

requiringbothconvergentanddivergentthinkingskillsastheyprogressthrough

thecreativestagesofnoveltyandexperimentation,untilfinally,ausefulproductis

attained.

AttitudesandPotentialActivities

Researchershavenotedanimportantconnectionbetweenteacherattitudes

towardcreativityandtheiropennessorwillingnesstotrynewthingsinthe

classroom.Dlouhycreatedasurveyforundergraduatestudentstotake,hopingthe

surveywoulddrivetheuniversity’scourseofferings.Herecognizedthatstudent

attitudesaffectedtheirflexibleandinnovativethinking,anaspectofcreativity,

whichfurtheraffectedtheirabilitytosucceedintheiradvancedstudies.Sincethis

typeofcreativityisimportanttothecollegestudent’ssuccess,hehopescollegeswill

usehissurveytoidentifystudentneedsandtobuildstudentcreativitybyoffering

creativitycoursesormasterclassesattheuniversity.KokotsakiandStavrou

completedanotherstudysurveyingtheattitudesandinsecuritiesofpre-service

educatorsasitpertainedtoclassroomcreativity.Theirresultsshowedthatstudent

teachersseecreativityasaby-product,ratherthanagoal,ofeducation,and


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sometimesavoidattemptingcreativeideasintheclassroomforfearoffailure,

havingneverexperiencedandpracticedcreativityundertheirownteachers.Kraft’s

researchisimportantandhighlyrelevant,asitencouragesteacherswhomight

otherwisefeelfearfulofnot“having”thegiftofcreativitytoreadjusttheir

understandingandtogivethemselvestimeandspacetodiscovertheirown

creativity.HisfindingsrevealthatcreativityisnotrelatedtoIQlevels,nordoesit

requireinnategiftedness,butasotherresearchhasshown,itisaqualityof

divergentthinkingthatcanbemodeledandtaught.Hisresearchalsosuggeststhat

theattitudesandenvironmentofbothteacherandstudentcanbeoptimizedtoopen

doorstowardmorecreativework.Thefirststeptowardthisgoalistoremove

barriersandpreconceptionsaboutcreativity,especiallytheideathatcreativity

requiresthegeniuscapacitiesofonlyafew.Attemptstomeasurethe“creativity

quotient”bysuchresearchersasGuilfordhaveendedinfailure;attemptslikehis

leavetoomuchtothediscretionofthetester.Creativityismoreeasilydetermined

byidentifyingkeycharacteristicsthatareexhibitedinthosewhoexcelindivergent

thinking.Recognizingthesecharacteristicsistantamounttoateacher’s

understandingofhowtorecognizeandencouragecreativityinstudents.Thesekey

characteristicsofcreativityare:

*Ideationalfluency:howmanyideasorsolutionsonecandeviseinresponse

toasingleword;

*Varietyandflexibility:thenumberanddiversityofsolutionsonecanfindto

asingleproblem;

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*Originality:theabilitytoreachsolutionsothersdonotsee;

*Elaboration:theabilitytoformulateanideaandthentomoveitforward

intoaconcretesolution;

*Problemsensitivity:theabilitytosizedownaproblem,finditscentral

challenge,andtounderstanditsdifficulties;

*Redefinition:Theabilitytoseeaknownprobleminacompletelydifferent

manner.

Thisresearchcouldbeincorporatedintothelessonplansofmusicdirectors

innumerousways.Musiceducatorsaresometimeschidedforteachingthemusicof

deadcomposers,andtherecanbesomecredencetothatcharge,ifthatbecomesa

limitationoftheclass.Imagine,however,amusiclessoninwhich,nomatterwhat

thegenreofthemusic,musicdirectorscouldbefreed(forthepurposeofrehearsal)

awayfromarutofmodelingonlyhowthemusic“should”sound,andcouldallow

theircreativestudentstosuggestdivergentideasfortherestoftheclass,notasa

merecreativeexercise,buttobringnewunderstandingandinsighttothemusic.

Admittedly,forperformance,thereisgenerallyasingleprimarywaythatmusic

fromaparticulargenreorstylisticperiodshouldsoundorbeperformed.However,

limitingthescopeofthechoralreadingandlearningsessionstotherulesfor

performanceonlyencouragesandconfirmsconvergentthinking,forwhichthere

canbeonlyonesolution.Incontrast,teacherscouldopenuptheclassroomto

divergentthinkingbychallengingstudentstoexplorethemany“what-ifs”thatthe

originalcomposerhimselforherselfaddressedinthecompositionprocess.For


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instance,considerquestionsthatateachercouldasktheclassaboutagivenpieceof

repertoire,inthisinstance,GrahamandLoveland’ssong,“YouRaiseMeUp”:

*Whatbigideascometomindwhenyousingtheword“hunger”in

(Ideationalfluency);

*Inhowmanywayswouldthepiecebedifferentifitendedonthe

subdominantchord?(Varietyandflexibility);

*Wouldthispiecebemorepowerfulwithchoreography?Ifso,whatmotions

wouldyouusefortheword,“strong”,andwhatmotionswouldleaduptothatword?

(Originality)

*Ifwecreatedadronewiththebassesandtenorsinsteadofapiano

introductiontorepresenthumanfrailtiesanddailystrugglesinthissong,inwhich

measureswouldyourepeatthedrone,andhowcouldyouuseitattheendofthe

piecetorestateyouridea?(Elaboration);

*Whatisthemostdifficulttaskwehavetomasterinthispiece?Howwillwe

bestmeetthatchallenge?(Problemsensitivity);

*InBradleyKnight’sarrangementofthispiece,youlikedthealternateending

betterthanthefirst.Isyourreasonbecauseofthesoundofthefinalchordinthe

firstversion,withsopranosonthehighAbandallthepartsinmultipledivisi,orisit

becauseyoupreferthemoreintimatealternateendingforthemessageofthispiece?

(Redefinition)

Reroutingthinkingisthebeginningofcreativity.Kraftsuggeststhatour

creativityisgraduallysuppressed,fromthetimewearechildrenwhocanturna

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blanketandyardstickintoamedievalfortress,tothetimewebecomeadolescents

whoarefearfulofsharingoriginalideas.Testsduringtheschoolyearsandthenjob

placementsafterthattakeprecedenceoveroriginalideasandimagination,andthe

leftbraingraduallybeginstoovershadowtherightbrain.Creativityinvolvesthe

entirebrain,allowingtheleftbraintotakeinandprocessstatedideas,andtheright

braintodevelopandthenfilterideasintofurtheroradditionalusefulness.The

opennessofbothsidesofthebrain,workingintandem,isthebestuseofour

energiesforproblemsolving.

Whenopenpossibilitiesareintroducedtotheclass,theprocessof

experimentationcomestotheforefrontfirstandthenlaterleadstodeterminations

ofusefulnessfortheemergingideas.Divergentthinkinginanexerciseinthemusic

classroomisnotalwaysintendedtobecomeafinaldestiny,butsimplyan

experimentthatleadstogreatermusicalunderstanding.Amusicdirectormightask

theclass,“Whatifthecomposerbeganthispiecewithmeasure33,stoppedfivebars

beforethecurrentendofthepiece,andinsteadofusingtheendingwritten,finished

thesongwiththepianointroduction?”Theend-resultofthisexperimentwould

mostlikelynotbeagreatnewwaytoorganizeandperformthepiece,butitcanlead

toarenewedappreciationfromthestudentsthatthecomposerhadmanychoices,

andthatheorshedidnot,infact,makethechoicesusedforthatexperiment.

Discussionscouldthenfollowastowhythecomposermadethechoicesasheorshe

didinthepiece.Workingthroughsuchaprocessofdivergentthinking,ifonlyfora

fewminutesduringarehearsal,canopenupstudents’understandingtoperformthe

piecewithadeeperunderstandingofthecomposer’sintentionsandtobegintheir


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owncuriosityandsetofquestions,leadingtomoredivergentthinkingpractices

throughoutrehearsalsessions.Anyteachercanrunexperimentslikethistodevelop

divergentthinkinginstudents,leadingthemseethattherecouldbemorethanone

correctanswer(ornot);thecomposersimplychosetoselectoneofmanyavailable

options.Inaddition,Kraft’sresearchobservedthatpeoplewithdementiahavethe

abilitytosuddenlybecomequitecreative.Nolongerafraidofoutcomesorofwhat

peoplethink,theyhavearrivedatanuninhibitedplacewheretheyareabletofreely

processnewoptionswithouthesitation.Artistswithdementiahavebeenknownto

producemoredramaticworks;thosewhohaveneverhadalessonincomposition

canevensometimescomposemusicontheirown.VincentVanGogh,inthelasttwo

yearsbeforehisdeath(1888-1890)producedmanyofhismostfamouspieces.

Thesefactslendcredencetothebeliefthatthegreatestincapacityforcreativityis

notalackofability,butratherthefearoffailureorof“notdoingitright.”Kraftalso

notesthatcreativebreakthroughsarenotachievedwithoutconvergentthinking.

Creativepeopleactuallybecomemorecreativewhentheyarealreadygroundedina

solidsetofknowledge,orfacts,aboutatopic.Creativepeopleoftenconnectideas

thatothersmightdismissashavingnocommondenominator.Still,toconnectthe

ideas,thecreativepersonneedstopossesssomepreviousworkingknowledgeof

theideaathand.Ontheotherhand,toomuchspecializedknowledgecanactually

standinthewayofunconventional,creativealternativesolutionstoanygiven

problem.Mathematicianscanbehinderedinthecreativearena,sincetheyare

usuallyinthepracticeofholdingtoabsolutesolutions,whichmayhinderthemfrom

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consideringnewpathways.Patiencewithoddexperiments,throughthebumpsof

trialanderror,isrequiredforthemessyandunpredictablecreativeprocess.

Finally,creativepeoplecanseeideasandsolutionswhileengagedin

unrelatedactivities.Archimedessteppedintothebathtubwhenhebecameawareof

thetheoryoffluiddisplacement.Throughamindsetofopenness,curiosity,and

attention,thecreativepersonfindsunrelatedactivitiesleadingthemtonewideas,

ortothesolutionsofproblemsthattheirbrainshavebeenworkingoninthe

background.Allworkandnoplaycaninhibitorcorruptcreativity.

TheTorranceTestofCreativeThinkingpresentssubjectswithshapesand

requeststhattheyusethemorcombinethemtoformapictureorpartialpicture.

Trainingandencouragementcanbringanyonetobetterresultsinatestsuchasthis.

Teachersdesiringtodevelopmorecreativityintheirstudentscouldincorporate

briefactivitieslikethisintheirclassroomlessons.Amusicteachercouldusethis

idea,substitutingpicturesfortheshapesintheoriginaltest,whichcouldbeusedto

representsongs.Theycouldalsopresentsectionsofsongsandaskthestudentsto

combinetheminuniqueways.Thisisanotheropportunityfortheprocessof

divergentthinkingthatmayrarelyconcludewithausableproduct;butapracticeof

suchdivergentthinkinginstudentswillleadthemtotheabilitythinkmore

creatively,andultimately,atsomepoint,toreachafinalproductwiththeirown

creativeideas.Ifwedismisstheinitialcreativeprocessasuselessbecauseitmay

failtoproduceaproduct,creativethinkingwillceasetobeencouragedand

practiced.


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TheBusinessModel

Researchconfirmsthatmanynewteachers’attitudestendtolimitcreativity

tocertainactivities,suchascomposingasongorpaintingapicture.Lehrerisagood

sourceforteachersashemovesawayfromthisfaultyidea,andseekstounderstand

andencouragecreativityfromthebusinessperspective.Followingthepracticesof

highlycreativecompanies,hedebunkscurrenttrendssuchasbrainstorming,and

recommendsdaydreaming,changingpartners,andusingthecolorbluetodouble

creativity.Hisresearchinthebusinessdomaincanhelpmusicteacherstrynew

ideastostimulatemusicalcreativity,andavoidthepitfallsoflimitingcreativityto

specificactivitiessuchascomposingorimprovising.

Impact

ResearchersfromtheUnitedKingdomhavebeenlookingfortheimpactthat

creativityhasonstudentsaftergraduation;duringtheearlypartofthiscentury,the

Britishwantedtheireducationalsystemtobeimpactfulontheirsociety.J.T.

Humphreysdelvesintothecultural,political,social,andeconomicsportionsof

societythatheseespositivelyimpactedbystudentswholearntobecreativeduring

theirschoolyears.Withthisunderstanding,developingcreativityinstudents

becomesmuchbolderandmoresignificantthansimplyprovidingadditional

activitieswithinaclassroom;teacherswhohelpstudentsdeveloptheircreativity

areactuallypositivelyimpactingthesocietythatwillbeformedbytheirgraduating

students.

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“Chance”CreativeActivities

Brown’spieceishelpfulforteacherswishingtobegincreativemusical

activitiesintheclassroom.Hesuggeststhatgroupsworkbetterthanindividualsfor

stimulatingcreativity,andhealsooutlinesacoupleofno-failcreativeactivities,

basedondeterminingfactors.Inoneactivity,heusestherollingofdiceortheuseof

acalculatortodeterminewhichmusicalphraseisnext;asthephrasesarethen

linkedtogether,apieceiscreatedthroughchancephrasing.Challissuggestsdigital

activitieswithspecializedtoolsforstudentswithvisualimpairmentstoencourage

creativityuninhibitedbytheirimpairment.Feinsteinoffersabroader

understandingofcreativeactivitiesintheclassroom,beginningwitha“field”that

participantsjoin.Theparticipantsofeachfieldarethentaskedtosolveparticular

problemstogether.Eachactivityreliesonmodeling,alongwithanagreementthat

increativedevelopment,successisnotguaranteed,sofailureisnottobefeared.

Fieldmembersworkthroughaprocessofrespondingtoideastogeneratenew

combinationsoffeasibilities.A.Humphreysremindshisreadersthatcreativitycan

belostiftheteacheronlyteachesoldliteraturetostudents;varietyisneededto

stimulatecuriosity.Javorepurportsthatthe“non-formal”classroomisasuccessful

catalystforcreativity.Thisclassroomsettingisstudent-oriented,withcurriculum

arisingasthestudentsarepresentedwithshort-termexperiences,towhichthey

respondwithmind,body,andspirit.Shepromotesrelationshipsandpositive

growthasbothapre-requisiteandalsoasaby-productofcreativityinlearning.

Odenaismorespecific,andrecommendssongwritingactivitiesintheclassroom

throughtheuseofdigitalimagery,videogames,andotheronlinesites.Shealso


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considersmusictherapyasacreativemusicactivity.Shegivesexamplesof

Brazilianadolescentcompositionactivitiestostimulatecreativeideasinthe

participants.

Psychology

Ofhighimportancetomusicdirectorsisthedatathatresearchershave

uncoveredrelatingcreativitytothepsychologyofsuccessfulmusicperformances.

AnandCarrnotetwoimportantcomponentsthatteachersneedtoknowabout

creativityintheclassroomandinperformance.First,personalityandIQtendto

predictdivergentthinkinganddomain-specificknowledgeinthestudent.Secondly,

motivationisthepredictorforcreativeexpertperformance.Theunmotivated

studentlearnsthedifficultpiecebutissoondonewithit;thecreativityrequiredfor

thehighestlevelofmusicalityinperformancecanonlyarisewithhigherstudent

motivation.Thus,withoutcreativityandmotivation,studentsmaybestuckwith

less-thanstellarperformances,andmaynotreachtheirmusicalpotential.Roher’s

workisabookreviewofParncutt&McPherson’sbook,discussinghowandwhy

peoplelearncognitive,affective,andpsychomotorskillsatvariouslevels.Included

inthisresearchistheconnectionbetweenthestudent’spersonalandenvironmental

factorsandstudentcreativity,animportantconnectionformusicteachersin

diverse,culturalclassrooms.Subskillsofmusicperformanceandmusicalpotential

arealsoaddressed.Musicteacherswhoworkwithdisadvantagedstudents

understandthatanunderlyingpsychologyleadingtoperformancefailuremayarise

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inthesestudents.Releasingcreativitymayhelpthesestudentsforgettheir

inhibitionsandleadthemtomoremotivationandahigherperformancelevel.

Tanprovidesinvaluableresearchfindingsandideasforboostingmusical

creativityinmusiceducators.InthePrefacetoTan’sbook(p.xxi),ThomasB.Ward.

reiteratestheconceptthatabasiclevelofknowledgeandintellectualunderstanding

isrequiredinthestudentbeforecreativitycanfinditsfullpotential.He

summarizes:“Thus,inthebiggerpicture,developingengaginglessonsmight

contributetoachild’sappreciation,orevenloveofatopic,modelingcreative

thinkingstylescouldconceivablyboostthedevelopmentofsimilarstylesofin

children,andprovidingatolerantclassroomatmospheremightencourageeven

studentswithrisk-aversepersonalitiestocomeoutabitmore,butpotentiallymore

progresscanbemadebyeducatorsbyafocusonthecomponentsofknowledgeand

intellectualskills.”

FurtherResearchNeeded

Mostresearchersandeducatorsfromthe1950’stothepresentagreeon

whatcreativityis,andhowimportanttheprocessis,overtheproduct.Allseemto

agreethatcreativitymustbemodeled,taught,andpracticed.Mostagreethatthe

climateofthelearningspacemustincludefreedomtomakemistakes,sothat

creativitycanbenurturedandgrowwithoutfearoffailure.Atleastoneresearcher

hasextrapolateditsimportanceineducationtoincludethewayscreativestudents

impacttheirsocietyaftergraduation.Afewresearchersandeducatorshavemade

generalconnectionstotheuseofcreativityintheclassroom,andsomehave


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addressedandsuggestedmorespecificcreativeactivitiestouse.Morerecently,

researchandarticlesareabitmoredifficulttofind,althoughgeneraleducationsites

arebringingtotheforefrontspecificcreativeactivitiesrelatedtocoresubjectsthat

requireSOLtesting.Sincethebasicdefinitionandoutworkingofcreativityisnot

subjecttochange,furtherstudyofcreativityitselfmaynotbewarranted.However,

associetycontinuestochangeatarapidpace,methodologiesforusingand

developingcreativethinkinginlearnersarealwayschanging.Creativeeducators

andbusinesspeoplecouldhelpimmenselybypublishingtheirfindingsasthey

discovernewandbetterwaystodevelopcreativityintheirclassroomsorintheir

developmentteamsintheworkplace.Teacherswhoarecurrentlymodelinghighly

creativethinkingandactivitiesintheirclassroomscanbeinterviewedandstagedas

modelsforothers.Studentscanbeinterviewedandfollowedinlongitudinalstudies

todeterminehowtheircreativityisinspiredandnurturedtohigherlevelsof

thinkingandproblemsolvingintheclassrooms,andlater,howtheiradeptnessat

creativityassistedthemaftergraduation.Researchcanbedonetocomparestudent

achievement(allotherthingsbeingasequalaspossible)betweenthosewho

participatedinhighlycreativeversusmoderatelycreativeclassroomsettings.The

purposeofthisresearchprojectistobeginwiththecurrentunderstandingabout

creativityingeneral;tofindmusicteacherswhoaresuccessfullyandregularly

developingcreativityintheirstudents;andtoencouragethoseteacherstoserveas

modelsforotherteachers,toarousehigherlevelsofintentionalcreativethinking

andlessonplanninginmusicteachers.

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Procedures:PreliminaryMethodology

DataCollection:CreateaSample

1. ApplyforpermissionfromODUtodistributethesurvey

questionnaire.

2. ContactMerryBethHall,EditorofVMEANotesMagazine,asking

forpermissiontoadvertiseaninvitationtoteacherstoparticipate

[email protected]

3. ContactVirginiaDistrictIImusicteachers,askingthemto

participateinthesurvey.

4. Respondentswillbeaskedtoanswerviaemail.

5. Oncecontactshavebeenmade,respondentswillbeemailedthe

questionnairebelow,andwillbeaskedpermissiontobecalled

laterforaphoneinterview,reviewingandclarifyingtheiranswers

tothequestions.Atleastthreeandnomorethantwelve

respondentswillbeconsideredfortheactualresearchproject.

Respondentswillbeaskedforpermissiontotapetheinterview,for

laterreference,andwillbeaskedforpermissiontobequotedinthe

finalstatements.Respondentswillbeaskediftheywouldbe

willingtovideotapeandsubmitacreativeactivityintheir

classroomsand/orpresentasessionwithmeforaVMEA


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conferenceduringwhichtheywouldpresentthatactivitytothe

conferenceattendees,allowingthemtobecomeparticipants.

SurveyandInterviewQuestions:

1. Howlonghaveyoubeenteachingmusic?

2. Whatfactorscontributedtoyourdecisiontobeamusicteacher?

3. Howdidyoudeterminethegradelevel(s)youwantedtoteach?

4. Whatisyourphilosophyforteachingmusic?

5. Howwouldyoudefinecreativityinmusiceducation?

6. Asyoucreateyourlessonplans,howdoyouincludecreativityinyour

goalsandactivities?

7. Whatspecificstrategiesdoyoucommonlyusetofostercreativity?

8. Describetwoofyourbest,ormostsuccessful,applicationsofcreativityin

yourmusicclassroom.

9. Pleaseselectwhichoftheseyoucurrentlyemployinyourclassroomas

creativecomponentstoyourlessons(checkallthatapply):

a. multipleadaptationsforspeciallearners;

b. theuseofmultiplewaystopresentideasinmusictheory,reading,or

musicianship;

c. specificgamesoractivitiestospawncreativity,suchas,butnot

limitedtocomposing,improvising,creativegames;

d. creativestudentgroupsessionsforproblemsolving;

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e. givingstudentsopportunitiestocreatealternateintroductionsor

endingstosongsintheirrepertoire;

f. askingstudentstocreatealternatestoriesorlyricstosongsintheir

repertoirethatallowthemusictocometolifeforthemduring

rehearsal;

g. dressinginhistoriccostumeorengaginginstory-tellingthatopensup

creativityinstudents’awarenessofmusichistory;

h. assigningstudentspresentationsforamusichistoryortheorylesson

thatrequirecreativity.

10. Thinkyourcomfortlevelwithcreativityinyourclassroom.Wouldyoube

willingtoserveasamodelforothermusicteachers,demonstratingtheideas

thataremostsuccessfulforyou?

11. Consideryournormalthoughtprocessingasyouplanacreativelessonor

presentationforyourclass.Listquestionsthatyouseektoanswerasyou

plan.

12. Listideasthatyouhaveusedtohelpstudentsovercomefearor

apprehensionsothattheycanoperatewithmorefreedomandcreativityin

yourclassroom.Includeyourmostsuccessfulmeansofestablishinganopen,

warm,andforgiving(failureisanOKpartoftheprocess)classroomclimate.

13. Describeanactivitythatyouwoulduseorhaveusedtoincorporateeachof

thesecognitive/creativeprocesseswithyourstudents:

a. Ideationalfluency:howmanyideasorsolutionsonecandevisein

responsetoasingleword;


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b. Varietyandflexibility:thenumberanddiversityofsolutionsonecan

findtoasingleproblem;

c. Originality:theabilitytoreachsolutionsothersdonotsee;

d. Elaboration:theabilitytoformulateanideaandthentomoveit

forwardintoaconcretesolution;

e. Problemsensitivity:theabilitytosizedownaproblem,findits

centralchallenge,andtounderstanditsdifficulties.

f. Redefinition:Theabilitytoseeaknownprobleminacompletely

differentmanner.

14. Howhastheuseofcreativitymadeadifference,oraddedvalue,inyour

classroom?

DataAssessmentandDiscussion:

1. Surveyresultsfromtheteacherquestionnaireandinterviewswillbe

tabulatedintocategories,beginningwiththethoughtprocessesofthe

teachers,followedbytheideastheyusetodevelopthesepreviouslylisted

creativecharacteristicbehaviorsintheirstudents:

a. *Ideationalfluency:howmanyideasorsolutionsonecandevisein

responsetoasingleword;

b. *Varietyandflexibility:thenumberanddiversityofsolutionsonecan

findtoasingleproblem;

22

c. *Originality:theabilitytoreachsolutionsothersdonotsee;

d. *Elaboration:theabilitytoformulateanideaandthentomoveit

forwardintoaconcretesolution;

e. *Problemsensitivity:theabilitytosizedownaproblem,findits

centralchallenge,andtounderstanditsdifficulties;

f. *Redefinition:Theabilitytoseeaknownprobleminacompletely

differentmanner.

2. Comparisonswillbemadebetweentheapparentleveloffreedomand

creativityoftheteacherandhisorherphilosophyofteachingmusic(answer

toquestion#4)anddefinitionofcreativity(answertoquestion#5)toseeif

thereisanyobviouscorrelation.

3. Thecentralquestionwillbeaskedbothatthebeginningandattheendof

eachinterview,andwillbeincludedintheresults:“Howhascreativitymade

adifferenceforyourstudentsinyourclassroom,oraddedvaluetostudent

learning?”Thisquestionwillbeofultimateimportance.Thehypothesisis

thattheuseofcreativityinmusicteachers’classroomsmakesabig

differenceinthestudents’achievementsandmotivation,bothinsideand

outsidethemusicclassroom.

Conclusion:

Thesurveyandinterviewresultsanddiscussionfromthesamplingof

teachersshouldreinforceavaluelevelforcreativityintheclassroom;developa

constituencyofteacherswhowouldbewillingtodemonstrateandmodelcreativity

intheclassroomforothers;andprovideanencouragementformusicteachersto


23

morefully,intentionally,andconfidentlyengageincreativeactivitiesintheir

classroomsthatcanhelpdevelopdivergentthinking,enhancingtheirstudents’

learninginandoutsideofthemusicclassroom.

24

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