Creative development in large ensemble school music courses for students in grades 9-12: an action research study

Abstract

Large ensemble secondary school music programs (e.g., concert band) have traditionally prioritized performance preparation and technical accuracy, often leaving limited space for students’ creative development. Responding to Manitoba’s Grades 9–12 Music Curriculum Framework—where Creating is positioned as an essential, integrated learning area alongside Making, Responding, and Connecting—this teacher action research study examined how creative music learning can be meaningfully enacted and assessed within a large ensemble context. Guided by pragmatism and a cyclical look–think–act action research approach, a five month pedagogical innovation (September 2024–January 2025) was implemented in a culturally diverse Manitoba high school concert band program. Students engaged in open ended creative music projects (e.g., original compositions, arrangements, soundtracks, or musical settings) with flexible criteria to accommodate varied musical backgrounds and tools, including digital notation and production technologies. Creative learning growth was assessed through Manitoba’s process oriented signposts of Breadth, Depth, and Transformation (BDT), emphasizing engagement in ideation, experimentation, revision, and sharing. Qualitative data from student journals, student questionnaires, teacher field notes, and audio transcripts were analyzed through iterative coding and thematic analysis. Findings indicate that: (a) empowering student voice and autonomy increased engagement, motivation, and ownership, (b) open ended pedagogy supported deeper experimentation, reflection, and peer feedback, and (c) scaffolded support—particularly technological and logistical guidance—built students’ capacity to persist through creative and technical challenges. Across the project, students reported growth in musical identity, confidence, expressive intent, and resilience, while the teacher’s role shifted toward facilitator/co learner, evidencing reciprocal growth. This study offers practical, equity oriented strategies for integrating and assessing creative work in Grades 9–12 large ensemble courses, including open task design with scaffolds, co constructed assessment criteria, and BDT aligned formative feedback practices.