Creative Application: An
Alternative Signature Pedagogy
for Teaching and Learning in
Music Appreciation
Lois Veenhoven Guderian, PhD ( lguderia@uwsuper.edu )
Department of Music
© 2013, Lois V. Guderian
Teaching 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
Researcher’s Interest for Project
Life-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.
Researcher’s Background
Interest continued
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
Interest 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
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 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 #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 #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 #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 & #3
In an undergraduate introduction to music appreciation
class where a variety of student-centered and teacherdirected 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
Measurement 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
Research 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
Definitions
Creative application
Nurturing 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.
Definitions
Music Learning
Demonstrated understanding in course
content and concepts as obtained from
discussion and assessment measures
Definitions
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 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 continued
According to Hanstedt (2012), some see
general education classes as having
potential to empower students with creative
and integrative skills (p. x11).
Changing Trends continued
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).
Changing Trends continued
“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.”
Changing Trends continued
In music education, Woodford (2005)
emphasized the need for recognition within
the music education profession that music
education be for the public good.
Changing Trends continued
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
Good 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?
• 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 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
Music 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
Appreciation
Learn to identify and “appreciate” Western
music styles
To develop informed listening skills in music,
that is, perceptual abilities in music listening
Traditional 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 nonWestern.
• Pop, film,
Traditional Model Student
Learning 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
Learning 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
Learning 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
and Practices
• Teacher-directed learning
• Lecture
• Students as passive listeners, observers,
viewers
• Individual learning
• Primarily learning about music: not in
music
Traditional Model Assignments
and 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) 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 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:
New Model Additions
Diversity and Global Citizenship
Through 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 writtenoral presentation)
Student Learning Outcomes:
New 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:
New Model
Creative Expression
Students 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
Student Learning Outcomes:
New Model
Communication
Students 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.
Student Learning Outcomes:
New Model
Interdisciplinary Connections
Students 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
Student-Centered and Teacher-Directed
T&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
on…
A Learning Communities approach to
teaching and learning
Learning 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)
Practices for New Model Based
on…
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.
Practices for New Model Based
on…
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
on…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
Based 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).
Pedagogies for New Model
Based on…continued
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)
Pedagogies for New Model
Based on…continued
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
on…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 studentcentered 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
Regarding New Model Goals and
Practices
Research, 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
• Social tensions from identification of
musical styles with particular
socioeconomic, sociocultural and ethnic
populations
• Technology
New Goals Include Outgrowths:
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
Developing Understandings that…
• Music making is a global human activity,
social
• Music serves multiple purposes resulting
from multiple culturally situated
perspectives.
New Goals Outgrowths continued
Development in Understandings
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
to 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
New 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
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
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
Research
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
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
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
Strategies and Formative Assessments
Developed for this Study
Formative, 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
Reviewed 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
reviewed 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
reviewed for this study
3. Literature surrounding the use of socialpsychological interventions in education
SoTL Study
Creative Application: An Alternative
Signature Pedagogy for Teaching and
Learning in Music Appreciation
Review of Purpose #1 for Study
To examine the effects of a studentcentered 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 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 openended assignments that require creative and
critical thinking and problem solving
Guderian (2003, 2008, 2009, 2012)
Posit from Research and
Practice
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.
Posit from Research and
Practice
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.
Posit from Research and
Practice
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.
Posit from Research and
Practice
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.
Posit from Research and
Practice
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.
Creative Application
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
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 Study
To examine the effectiveness of studentcentered approaches to teaching and learning
in undergraduate general education classes in
music appreciation, from the students’ view.
Design and Methodology:
Data 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
Application
• 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
Subjects
• 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 #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 #2
In an undergraduate general education music
appreciation class where a variety of studentcentered 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?
Method
• 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
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
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 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 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
continued
• 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
Treatment 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 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
Listening 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
Addition 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
Questions
• 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
Questionnaire
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 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)
Questionnaire continued
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 continued
Least Preferred Instructional
Strategy/Activity
Least 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.
Questionnaire 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 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
Rated as most useful to Student Learning
from List of 22: Experimental Group #1 =
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
Perceived Most Useful Instructional
Strategies/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
Learning 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
Most Useful Instructional
Strategies/Activities to Their Learning
1.” 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
Useful 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
Treatment 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 Procedure
The researcher administered, graded
the tests, recorded the pre and posttest
scores, and completed the statistical
treatment
Results 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
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 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 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
#2 and #3
Results for Research Questions #2 and #3
provided earlier under Results of the
Posttest Questionnaire.
Interpretation 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.
Interpretation of the Results
• 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.
Interpretation of the Results
Results from the Post-Study Questionnaire on students’
perceived usefulness in instructional practices suggests the
importance of balance in student-centered and teacherdirected 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.
Interpretation of the Results
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.
Interpretation of the Results
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.
Interpretation of the Results
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 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.
Conclusion and Reflection
It was surprising to the researcher to see
how many students value professordirected teaching and learning as well as
student-centered teaching and learning
there again pointing to the importance of
balance in practices.
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 Reflection
Providing 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.
Conclusion and Reflection
• 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.