Exploring turn-taking in children’s interaction with a new music technology.

Abstract

This study investigates empirically 4-8-year-old children’s interaction with a novel technology for music improvisation called the MIROR Impro. The technology is designed to ‘respond’ in a varied but stylistically consistent manner to the child’s playing. Looking at this interaction from a pedagogical point of view, informed by a socio-cultural perspective, we analyse (i) the basic turn-taking rationale of the technology; (ii) what characterises the turn-taking between child, technology and/or another child or an adult; and (iii) if and how the responses from the technology scaffold the child’s musical playing. The results show that while some children discover the turn-taking nature of the technology’s responses, some children need help in noticing this feature. The changing nature of interaction and turn-taking when the child plays the keyboard alone or with a peer or adult is also clarified. The children do not necessarily orientate themselves towards the rationale ‘inscribed’ in the technology, instead being focused on achieving other musical goals, e.g., playing a melody rather than improvising. The findings are discussed in terms of a more dialogical notion of musical development than traditionally conceived and the importance of the child’s previous musical experiences in relation to his or her activities with the new musical technology.

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