CASE STUDY 1 - REPORT
This first case study investigates how creative activities in a beginner clarinet curriculum cultivate a sense of ownership among students aged 9-10. Criteria for ownership reflect on the student's engagement, autonomy, collaboration, pride in work, and self-expression. Drawing from data I have collected during this initial research stage (student profiles, observations in both regular classes and three creative activities, student focus group interviews, and teacher interviews), this report explores the evolution of the students' ownership based on the previously mentioned criteria.
Observations and Findings
Regular Class (baseline for observations)
In the regular class, students were introduced to foundational clarinet techniques, such as embouchure, note fingering (G, A, F#), and repertoire. During this class, students began to explore their instruments independently, and any positive reactions to progress indicated a collective sense of pride. However, collaboration was limited, and self-expression was constrained to technical exercises. This highlighted the need for more interactive and creative approaches to cultivate ownership among clarinet students.
Creative Activity 1: Students were asked to interpret paintings by creating sounds for the elements: Lights, shapes, and atmosphere. This task encouraged them to make decisions and articulate their choices through musical concepts as sound properties. Enthusiasm was evident as students personally connected with the artwork, proudly referring to their creations as "my idea." For example, Student A described their sound as "soft and long because the sun is round and gentle," demonstrating the connection between artistic and musical interpretations (see Figure 4).
Figure 4:
Case Study 1 - Example Results from Creative Activity 1 : The two images below represent examples of the creative outcomes from Creative Activity 1 in Case Study 1. Specifically, students drew two selected elements from paintings used in the activity, which inspired them to create their own sounds. As the activity required students to generate one or more sounds incorporating the properties of pitch, duration, and dynamics, they annotated their drawings with the chosen pitch or pitches, whether the sound was intended to be long or short, and some ideas about dynamics. The result is a proper, creative musical score produced by the students.
Creative Activity 2: This activity connected rhythms to physical movements. Group compositions and embodied tasks stimulated engagement and self-expression. However, leadership roles presented challenges, as some students struggled to synchronize movements and rhythms. Despite these difficulties, students showed pride in their efforts.
Creative Activity 3: The final activity involved paired composition, combining repertoire’s pitches and rhythms to create melodies. Students showed autonomy by negotiating ideas and providing feedback without assistance. Collaboration reached the highest indicator “always” as pairs reached the highest level of engagement, autonomy, and pride having students celebrate successes with high-fives and hugs. Self-expression was evident as students identified themselves as composers, taking ownership of their creations. Lastly, during this activity a pair of students started overlapping more notes creating the concept of chords and harmony unprompted.
Figure 5:
Case Study 1 – Example Results from Creative Activity 3. The two images below represent examples of the creative outcomes from Creative Activity 3 in Case Study 1. In this activity, students created a sequence of learned sounds for a collaborative composition. Some students unconsciously overlapped two pitches without prompting, later becoming aware of the resulting chords and harmonies.
- Engagement: Creative tasks increased focus and enthusiasm, particularly during collaborative and compositional activities. Student A demonstrated a high level of engagement during both the regular clarinet class and the three creative activity sessions. Student B transitioned from independent exploration to active participation in activities which included exploratory elements. Students C and D showed improvements in focus, especially during paired and collaborative tasks.
- Autonomy: During creative tasks, decision-making opportunities empowered students' ideas and self-expression. All students showed a personal investment by creating sounds of elements (e.g. images or movements) that resonate with them. Specifically, Students A and B deepened their autonomy, and Students C and D showed significant growth.
- Collaboration: All students expressed their enthusiasm for collaborating in pairs, and it was observed that collaboration became a key concept of ownership throughout the three activities. During the collaborative and creative processes, students showed a high level of engagement. Through peer negotiation and feedback, they worked without assistance.
- Self-Assessment: By asking to learn more note fingering on the clarinet, students understood where they were in the learning process and gained motivation in learning addictional tools.
- Pride: By celebrating their achievements, it was clear that students had gained deep satisfaction during the creative activities.
- Self-Image and Expression: Students' participation in creative tasks contributed to their connection with their instruments and themselves as young musicians.
Students’ Progress
Student A: Proactive and collaborative from the start, Student A thrived in group compositions, often guiding discussions and contributing creatively.
Student B: Initially more distracted, Student B became increasingly focused and engaged during creative activities. He/she expressed a desire to compose their songs, saying, "I want to be able to play my songs," showing growth in ownership and self-expression.
Student C: Reserved at first, Student C gained confidence and became more engaged during collaborative activities, celebrating group successes and growing more confident in group settings.
Student D: Initially shy, Student D flourished in later activities, particularly in paired tasks, where he/she felt supported by peers.
Teacher's Interview
Clarinet teacher, Ettore, expressed that the activities were well-aligned with the project’s overarching goals, particularly in fostering playful and creative learning experiences. He highlighted the effectiveness of using imagery and storytelling to explore musical concepts such as dynamics and timbre, and how creative activities facilitated students' ability to naturally engage with their instruments without worrying about clarinet technique.
As the coordinator of the Orkest in de Klas project, Rosanne commended the alignment of the activities with the initiative’s objectives. She acknowledged the challenges posed by reduced lesson time. Still, she praised the efficient and creative approach, remarking, “You used your time in a very economical way and well planned and prepared.” Rosanne also observed a notable outcome: clarinet students, thanks to the creative activities, were able to engage with music more deeply and extensively compared to their peers learning other instruments.
Key Insights
- Interactive and Collaborative Tasks: Activities that combined creativity and cooperation facilitated creative processes, thus fostering higher levels of ownership.
- Rethinking Leadership Opportunities: While students were given the option to conduct their peers using creative movements, this aspect proved less engaging. Many found it difficult to focus on their own playing while responding to a student conductor. Future iterations could introduce simpler leadership tasks or scaffold conducting roles more gradually to maintain musical focus and comfort.
- Clear Instructions: Unclear instructions impacted focus; structured guidance was essential for success.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The creative activities showed enhancement in ownership of beginner clarinet students. By providing opportunities for engagement, autonomy, collaboration, and self-expression, these tasks empowered students to take pride in their learning and develop as independent musicians.
In further research, the recommendations are:
- Prioritize Collaboration: Design more paired and group activities to sustain high engagement and levels of pride.
- Facilitate Creative Process: Divide pairs and/or groups to equilibrate curious/explorative students who may help classmates’ creative learning process.
- Gradual Leadership Integration: Scaffold leadership roles to build confidence and ensure inclusiveness.
- Enhance Instruction Clarity: Provide explicit, step-by-step guidelines to minimize confusion and maximize focus.
By integrating these strategies into the curriculum, educators can cultivate ownership, inspiring beginner clarinet students to take an active role in their musical journey.