Can creative musical and mathematical thinking be developed among first and second graders?

Abstract

Background

Multidisciplinary education and creative thinking are significant components of 21st-century skills. However, limited research exists on the impact of multidisciplinary STEAM initiatives on creativity in primary schools, particularly in the first and second grades.

Aims

This study investigates the development of creative thinking in math and music among first- and second-grade students through an integrated study program.

Sample

The study involved 206 students.

Methods

Four classes (two first-grade and second-grade classes) participated in the intervention group (MusiMath, n = 106) and four peer classes served as a control group (n = 100). All students received 3 MusiMath lessons and were assessed for baseline; the intervention groups had an additional 7 MusiMath lessons, and all students were assessed at lessons 6 and 9. The MusiMath program integrates music and mathematics with a focus on creative thinking. All students engaged in open-ended tasks linking musical properties to mathematical patterns and symmetry, which were analyzed for fluency, flexibility, and originality.

Results

The study’s three assessments revealed that students in the intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in flexibility in their musical creative thinking, although originality declined over time in both groups, possibly due to increased familiarity with the creativity tasks. In mathematics, second graders in the intervention group showed the most notable gains in both fluency and flexibility. While their level of originality remained stable, the control group exhibited a consistent decline in originality across timepoints.

Conclusions

The study demonstrates the possibility of employing a multidisciplinary approach to develop creative thinking within both subject areas of the elementary school curriculum.