An evaluation study of computer-based compositions by children with and without prior experience of formal instrumental music tuition

The aim of this study was to evaluate computer-based compositions by children with and without prior experience of formal instrumental music tuition (FIMT). Three different evaluations were employed involving music specialist and non-specialist teachers, the children themselves, and expert ratings of melodic and rhythmic repetition and development. Participants were 32 children (aged 10 years) who had a minimum of two years of FIMT (n=16) or no prior experience of FIMT (n=16). Both groups were invited to compose a "piece" that "sounded good to them" using a specially designed computer-based composition programme. Results indicated that specialists and non-specialists did not differentiate between children with or without FIMT in their ratings of overall achievement. However, a factor analysis of the teachers' ratings of 15 specific characteristics revealed one factor for the non-specialists and three factors for the specialists. Specialist teachers' ratings of factor two, which was interpreted as "technical complexity", indicated higher ratings for the children with FIMT than those without FIMT. Children with FIMT gave higher self-evaluations for "how good their composition sounded" than children without FIMT. Ratings of musical parameters revealed a greater use of melodic and rhythmic development by children with FIMT. Implications for music education and proposals for future empirical work are discussed

Creating an information-rich learning environment to enhance design student learning: challenges and approaches

The use of technology with engineering design students is well established, with shared workspaces being particularly supportive of the collaborative design process. This paper reports on a study where a design knowledge framework involving three learning loops was used to analyse the effectiveness of shared workspaces and digital repositories in supporting design education. The issues discussed include the relationship between knowledge and information structures, the importance of integrating information literacy support, and the need for different systems within the learning environment to support formal and informal storage of resources. These issues are explored within the context of experiences of working in a multidisciplinary team with different approaches, research methodologies, and discourses