Utilizing music technology as a model for creativity development in K-12 education

Many students are highly engaged, motivated, and intellectually stimulated by music outside of the classroom. In 2012, the US ranked 17th among developed countries in education. A major commonality in nations outperforming the US is a deeper focus on the arts. We argue it necessary to find new ways to engage students in music education. In this initial work, we demonstrate that teaching with music technology provides an affordable point of entry for non-trained music students to express their musical sensibilities. Computer-based tools have become the standard for the music industry. We posit that music technology classes serve as an excellent environment for creative development, offering self-awareness of one's creative process, experiential flow learning, and creative thinking skills.