Musical exploration using ICT in the middle and secondary school classroom

Type: journal article

Authors: Christopher J. Ward

Abstract
In this article, I explore musical creativity through Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This article aims to show that secondary school pupils can compose freely using ICT in the classroom, easing and ‘democratizing’ the creative process, enabling a high standard for all, regardless of formal musical training. The fieldwork project was conducted across one secondary school (Years 9–13, ages 14–18) and one middle school (Years 5–8, ages 9–13) in Windsor, UK from November 2002 to December 2003. There were opportunities in the music classrooms of both schools to develop creative ideas based around tonalities of the last 40 years in spite of the fact that creativity in a non-tonal medium was well established in the professional field. I intended to show that pupils were more inventive and motivated in the music classroom when given opportunities to: (1) use ICT as an integral part of the creative process; (2) explore new sounds in a non-fixed-tonal environment; and (3) promote motivation through learning by relevant and interesting lesson content, enthusiastic delivery and an informal class atmosphere.

URL: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0255761409102323

Associated tags
metadata ▸ material ▸ Wavelab
metadata ▸ material ▸ Cubase
metadata ▸ contribution ▸ Evaluation
metadata ▸ year ▸ 2009
technological dimension ▸ applications ▸ Desktop
technological dimension ▸ input technologies ▸ Mouse, keyboard
technological dimension ▸ input technologies ▸ MIDI
technological dimension ▸ system outputs ▸ Audio
musical dimension ▸ activities ▸ Creating
pedagogical dimension ▸ learning theories ▸ Constructivism
pedagogical dimension ▸ users ▸ Pre-school, primary
pedagogical dimension ▸ users ▸ Secondary
pedagogical dimension ▸ venues ▸ Classroom