Running head: DIGITAL MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR ELEMENTARY 1

Digital Music Composition for Upper Elementary Students

W Kelly Bomar

Kennesaw State University

December 2022

Dr. James Chiavacci

June 2021
Running head: DIGITAL MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR ELEMENTARY 1

Capstone Project Proposal

Setting and Context

The setting for this proposed project is eight elementary schools in Catoosa County in the

Northwest corner of Georgia. The county seat is Ringgold, and it located approximately sixteen

miles from downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. As of the 2020-2021 school year, the county

enrolls 10,554 students in Pre-K through twelfth grade. The district has several Title I schools;

the overall percentage of free and reduced lunch eligibility (this includes the three middle

schools and three high schools) is 41.8%. The demographic make-up of the whole district is

92.6% White, 1.3% Black, 3.5% Hispanic, 0.6% Asian, and 2.1% two or more races. 16.5%

receive special education services and 1.2% English language learners (Georgia Department of

Education, 2021b). The district includes; eight elementary schools, two primary schools, three

middles schools, three high schools, a performance learning center, and an online academy.

The district employees approximately 800 classroom teachers, each elementary school

and primary school has a principal, an assistant principal, and an academic coach; each middle

and high school has a principal and 3 assistant principals, and an academic coach. Our district

also follows the model of Professional Learning Communities (PLC), and our district is a model

PLC district with Solution Tree. The district is a one-to-one technology district. Each student

first grade through twelfth grade has a Chromebook, and each Kindergartener has an iPad. In

regard to music education, each elementary and primary school has a full-time music teacher.

Each middle and high school has a full-time band teacher and choral teacher. The district is a

charter system in Georgia and every school is governed by a Local School Governance Team.

For my project, I will be promoting the use of our one-to-one technology and music

composition. All the elementary schools in the district use an online curriculum called “Quaver’s
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Marvelous World of Music” and embedded in this curriculum/software is a digital music

composition tool. This integration and utilization will align with ISTE standard 3c, and allow

students to “curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to

create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections of conclusions”

(International Society for Technology in Education, 2021). I will ensure all the elementary music

teachers are familiar with the composition resources in the Quaver curriculum and will create a

common assessment for all students in upper elementary to complete.

Statement of Problem, Need and Rationale

Problem Statement

The problem or need that prompted this intervention/project proposal is the need for

teachers to be familiar with the composition resources in the Quaver curriculum in order to make

sure ensure elementary students learn how to compose music through the use of online

compositional tools. Wiggins (2015) states that “Composing is a form of thinking in music, and

opportunities to think in music are essential to music learning” (p.78). Composition in the music

classroom is important, and it has become a vital and integral part since the adoption of the

National Standards for music in 1995 (Strand, 2006). The Georgia Standards of Excellence in

music (adopted in 2018), divide the standards into the three categories of creating, performing,

and responding. Under creatingWith regards to creating, students are expected to improvise

melodies, accompaniments, and rhythmic phrases, as well as compose and arrange music within

specified guidelines (Georgia Department of Education, 2018). While the integration of

technology is not explicit in the standards, utilizing technology is the most feasible, accessible,

and successful method to meet these goals.

Connection to Research
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Music technology mediated music teaching can provide an effective pedagogy in music

education (Kim, 2013). In a 2013 study in S. Korea, Kim examined 16 students in the fifth and

sixth grade and developed a music mediated classroom. One design principle of the study

utilized music technology, which students can use to create a piece of music in the class (Kim,

2013). Kim (2013) found that “opportunities for creating music can be improved through the use

of technology in music education.” Furthermore, self-motivated engagement in the music class

and students’ perception of music in general was were enhanced when digital technology was

used in the learning approach (Kim, 2013).

Online composition tools allow students to do things never thought possible. Record

companies are no longer the exclusive avenue for music production or distribution, and music

software and the web have created new ways to record and sell music to fans (Abeles &

Custodero, 2010). Music technology tools can also lower barriers many typical students have

when composing, such as knowledge of notation and performance skills (Reese & Hickey,

1999).

Proposed Intervention/Solution

I will create a unit on composition , utilizing online tools and show that all the music

teachers in my district how they can access and use this unit. Teachers will be shown how to use

the Quaver curriculum to compose a piece of music with an original melody. conduct the lesson

through Google Classroom. Teachers will develop a Google site where students can share their

works and listen to works of other students in the county. This will also allow the students to

evaluate the work of other students to further assess their comprehension of composition

elements.
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All the elementary schools in my district use an online curriculum call called Quaver’s

Marvelous World of Music. In this program are several composition tools that could be utilized

for this project. Students would be able to create music using the program, andprogram and

record themselves to singsinging or play playing an instrument. Given that this program is

already one that our students are familiar with,, and its accessibility to students of all

backgrounds, it makes Quaver is the most logicala great choice.

Connection to Research

Biasutti (2018), used synchronous and asynchronous tools to create composition tasks in

a virtual environment between three band members. The project also expanded on previous

research and found that linking new, informal contexts with more traditional, formal methods

could help create a more learner-centered approach in the music classroom (Biasutti, 2018).

Among the finding, Biasutti (2018) concluded that applications and tools for virtual music

interactions in composition open up new horizons in music creativity, and “Investigating new

forms of music learning induced by Web 2.0 tools can disclose different music education

practices and provide stimuli for innovating teaching methods” (p. 475).

In their textbook, Critical Issues in Music Education, Abeles & Custodero (2010) make

the observation that technology in the music classroom can afford students and teachers the

chance for more student-centered learning and alternative assessment options. They also studied

how technology may affect creativity in the classroom:

Technology in the music classroom, when facilitated with sufficient teacher training and

appropriate curricular integration, has the potential for having a very positive impact on

the music education the students receive. Research suggest that the pedagogical impact

on a teacher who uses the technology effectively can also be very positive, creating
DIGITAL MUSIC COMPOSTION FOR ELEMENTARY 5

opportunities for students and teachers to explore their creativity in ways difficult to

achieve without technology. (p. 237).

Technology assisted composition tasks may improve the frequency teachers utilize this

skill and standard. Strand (2006) found that out of 339 respondents, only 5.9% reported using

composition often, 39.8% as sometimes, 19% as rarely, 23% as very rarely, and 11.5% as never.

The respondents even confirmed the importance of composition; 71.9% said the reason they

utilize composition is that “children learn more through composing”, and 65.4% said they use it

to enrich other learning (Strand, 2006). Many teachers responded that they use composition as

skill building, similar to the way a language teacher would use writing to develop grammar skills

(Strand, 2006). Notably, the second most common reason given as to why more teachers didn’t

include composition in their classroom, lack of access to technology was the second most

common reason at 28.2% (Strand, 2006).

Wendzich & Andrews (2021) conducted a multi-year, multi-site research project to

commission composers to collaborate with teachers and students to write educational music. All

of the participants used technology during this study. The researchers stated that through

collaboration, students will gain an understanding of the compositional process: creative

thinking, decision-making, visualization, listening, and writing skill (Wendzich & Andrews,

2021). Again, all of these skills are nurtured through the use of technology enhanced

composition.

The program used for this technology enhanced composition, should be flexible for all

learners. Kratus (1989) found that younger students spent more time on exploration while

composing, this may be true of older students with special needs. Since my project will focus on

older elementary students, Kratus’s findings would cause me to look for a program that allows
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plenty of space for exploration for accessibility, but ample tools to develop their songs with

repetition and contrast. The programs on Quaver allow accessibility for all learners, including

ability to enrich for students that achieve at high levels.

Project Objectives

The overall goal of this project is to ensure all the elementary music teachers are familiar

with the composition resources in the Quaver curriculum. When this is complete, fifth grade

student participation in composition using online tools will increase. The following objectives

will help meet this goal:

1. 100% of music teachers will utilize Google Classroom in their classroom instruction

by May 2022.1.

2. 100% of music teachers will utilize Google Sites to curate the compositions by May

2022..

3. 100% of music teachers will be able to use the Quaver curriculum to compose a piece

of music with an original melody by May 2022.

PSC Standards

The Georgia PSC Instructional Technology Standards addressed within thus capstone

project are listed below.

 1.1 Shared Vision: Candidates facilitate the development and implementation of a shared

vision for the use of technology in teaching, learning, and leadership. (ISTE 1a)

 2.1 Content Standards & Students Technology Standards: Candidates model and facilitate

the design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences aligned with

student content standards and student technology standards. (ISTE 2a)

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 2.4 Higher Order Thinking Skills: Candidates model and facilitate the effective use of

digital tools and resources to support and enhance higher order thinking skills; processes;

and mental habits of mind. (ISTE 2d)

 3.1 Classroom Management & Collaborative Learning: Candidates model and facilitate

effective classroom management and collaborative learning strategies to maximize

teacher and student use of digital tools and resources. (ISTE 3a)

 3.2 Managing Digital Tools and Resources: Candidates effectively manage digital tools

and resources within the context of student learning experiences. (ISTE 3b)

Project Description

For my capstone project, I will teach music teachers how to create a composition unit for

fifth grade general music students. I will provide resources through a website I create to guide,

supplement, and direct the unit. The website will also allow a repository for teachers to publish

work of the student evaluations. I will also provide resources to encourage and promote teachers

to integrate this and other units with Google Classroom, since we are a Google district.

All elements of the unit will align with the terminology as described in the Georgia

Standards of Excellence for music in fifth grade. This will include composition and evaluation of

musical works. Integrating the music standards with technology and the PSC technology

standards will improve teacher outcomes, and result in more creative learning.

Table 1

Project Activities Tables

Project item/activity Project objective(s) Deliverable(s)

DIGITAL MUSIC COMPOSTION FOR ELEMENTARY 8

Conduct needs assessment  100% of Elementary  Survey on Google

survey to determine the music teachers will fill Forms
current level of proficiency out the survey
with Google classroom,
Quaver composition tools,
and Google Sites

Conduct a professional  80% of elementary  Electronic sign-in

development time for school music teachers sheet and meeting
teachers to learn how to use will attend virtual PD recording
Quaver composition tools, either live or review of
Google Classroom, and the recording
website

Create a unit on music  All 5th grade elementary  Unit of study on

composition for 5th grade music teachers will Google Sites
students that aligns with the teach the unit in Spring  Peer evaluation
Georgia Performance 2021 repository on Google
Standards ESGM5.CR.2.b. site
and ESGM5.RE.2.b.

Conduct needs assessment  100% of Elementary  Survey on Google

survey to determine the music teachers will fill Forms
current level of proficiency out the survey
with Google classroom,
Quaver composition tools,
and Google Sites
Evaluation Plan

The evaluation plan for the proposed project will mostly consist of the feedback from the

teachers after the unit has been taught, and it will include three basic elements. First, teachers

will identify strengths and weaknesses of the unit lessons to determine the value of the lesson

design and implementation. This first evaluation will be done before roll out of the unit. Second,

teachersTeachers will offer feedback on the quality of work the lessons produce. This will be

based on observations of the uploaded songs and the website. LastThird, we will assess what

percentage of students completed and uploaded work, and completed the peer evaluations.

Project Timeline
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Table 2

Project Timeline

Month Project item/activity, or evaluation item Hours

January 2022 Create a survey to determine teacher ability with 3
Google Classroom, Sites, and Quaver composition
tools

Gather resources for professional development course 15

for teachers

Gather resources for lesson for teachers to present to 15

students

February 2022 Begin to design Google Site website to host the lesson 15

Continue website and lesson design 20

Email teachers survey and collect and evaluate results 2.5

March 2022 Email teachers and confirm a date for professional .5

development class

Plan for professional development class for teachers 5

April 2022 Usability test on my own students 6

Edit lesson and website based on usability test results 5

Host teacher professional development class 3

Monitor Google Site portfolio as students upload their 5

work

Create final evaluation survey 3

May 2022 Project evaluation 10

Total Hours: 108

Note: Month = the month during which activity or item will take place. Project Item/Activity, or
Evaluation Item = statement to describe what learners or evaluation plan will do to meet the
objective. Hours = hours necessary to create and implement, or evaluate content.
DIGITAL MUSIC COMPOSTION FOR ELEMENTARY 10

Resources Needed

In order to complete this Capstone Project, the following resources will be needed:

 Internet access

 Electronic device

I will develop the following resources to complete the project successfully:

 Google Site website to host the lesson, as well as a repository for written evaluations by

students

 Materials for teacher for lesson

 Professional Development class to cover Google Classroom, Google Sites, and Quaver

composition tools needed

I will ask students in my class to participate in the usability test

 One fifth grade class

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References

Abeles, H. F. & Custodero, L. A. (2010). Critical issues in music education: Contemporary

theory and practice. Oxford University Press.

Biasutti, M. (2018). Strategies adopted during collaborative online music composition.

International Journal of Music Education, 36(3), 473–490.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761417741520

Georgia Department of Education. (2021). 2019 CCRPI Scoring by Component 04.05.20.

https://www.gadoe.org/CCRPI/Documents/2019/2019%20CCRPI%20Scoring%20by

%20Component_04_01_20.xls

Georgia Department of Education. (2021). 2020 Georgia Charter Systems Annual Report.

https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/Charter-Schools/Documents/

2020%20Charter%20Systems%20Annual%20Report%20-%20FINAL.pdf?

csf=1&e=AD3ncv

Georgia Department of Education. (2018). K-12 music Georgia standards of excellence. Music –

Fine Arts Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE).

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Documents/K-12-Music-Georgia-

Standards.pdf

International Society for Technology in Education. (2021). ISTE Standards for Students.

https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-students

Kim, E. (2013). Music technology-mediated teaching and learning approach for music education:

A case study from an elementary school in South Korea. International Journal of Music

Education, 31(4), 413–427. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761413493369

DIGITAL MUSIC COMPOSTION FOR ELEMENTARY 12

Kratus, J. (1989). A Time Analysis of the Compositional Processes Used by Children Ages 7 to

11. Journal of Research in Music Education, 37(1), 5–20.

https://doi.org/10.2307/3344949

Reese, S., & Hickey, M. (1999). Internet-Based Music Composition and Music Teacher

Education. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 9(1), 25–32.

https://doi.org/10.1177/105708379900900105

Strand, K. (2006). Survey of Indiana Music Teachers on Using Composition in the Classroom.

Journal of Research in Music Education, 54(2), 154–167.

https://doi.org/10.1177/002242940605400206

Wendzich, T., & Andrews, B. W. (2021). Through the looking glass: A researcher’s perspectives

on a collaborative music composition project. International Journal of Music

Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/02557614211027248

Wiggins, J. (2015). Teaching for musical understanding (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.