The aesthetics, creativity and craftsmanship of fourth graders’ compositions

Fourth-grade students (N=36) engaged in a twenty-hour computer-aided composition curriculum using the computer software Impromptu. Analysis of the compositions used Hickey’s general assessment rubric for composition that specifically targets the composition’s creativity, craftsmanship and aesthetic appeal. Compositions were evaluated on a scale of 1–4 (1 meaning ‘Needs Work’ and 4 meaning ‘Terrific!’), and a repeated-measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to measure changes at the beginning, middle and end of the study. Findings indicate that students do not simply tinker with their composition but pay attention to how their song is put together over time, which is a trait seen in professional composers as well. However, this may be a result of the pedagogical approaches used during the curriculum. Limitations and implications are discussed.