# Unleashing Creative Synergies: A Mixed-Method Case Study in Music Education Classrooms
## 2 Methods  
Considering the research objectives that guide this study, a comprehensive research design has been developed to facilitate the iterative processes of (de)construction within the theoretical/technical dimension and the various elements (musical work) that emerge from empirical research. The design incorporates the principles of totality, recursion, and transformability. Totality involves perceiving the musical work as an open, dynamic, and interconnected system. Recursion permits forecasting the dialogic correlation amid its constituents, whereas transformability concentrates on cultivating the aforesaid correlation. A mixed-methods approach was adopted to ensure comprehensive analysis, synthesizing, and generating data [27; 28; 29; 30; 31]. This approach combines both qualitative and quantitative methods, leveraging the respective strengths and weaknesses of each. The integration and triangulation of data from multiple sources increase the validity and reliability of the findings. While mixed-method methodologies originated in psychology, they have gained traction in educational research, forming their own distinct approach within the field [27; 28; 29; 31]. [PERSON] [29] highlights terms such as multimethod, integrating, and synthesis, which have been used to describe this approach; furthermore, the approach has evolved to become a recognizable and distinct method of inquiry within educational research. To gather data and address the research questions, instruments and a measurement tool were designed: (i) pre-questionnaire (17-item survey designed to measure prior experiences in music composition and programming) (Section S1 in Supplementary Material); (ii) post-questionnaire (40-item survey designed to measure participants' attitudes about programming music with Sonic Pi and EarSketch across three key construct areas: pleasure, significance, and self-confidence-participants indicate their responses on a 7-point Likert-type scale (1 = very untrue of what I believe; 7 = very true of what I believe)) (Section S2 in Supplementary Material); (iii) semi-structured interviews of music teachers (background information, music composition and programming experience, teaching approaches, integration of the technology, student engagement, professional development, and future perspectives) (Section S3 in Supplementary Material); (iv) class observations; (v) class activities/tasks and student reflections (learner workbook); and (vi) a scoring/measurement tool in the form of a rubric for all final music compositions based on the rating scales of [PERSON] (consider the presence of musical characteristics, such as rhythm, texture, timbre, harmony, and expression, and also the imaginative use of some of these characteristics) [1] and the CT dimensions (Computational Concepts, Practices, and Perspectives) of [PERSON] and [PERSON] and [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] [15; 32]. The questionnaires and interviews for this study were conducted by the researcher. In order to gather data and insights on the subject of interest, the researcher personally administered the questionnaires and conducted one-on-one interviews with the participants. This hands-on approach ensured that the data collection process was consistent and allowed for direct interaction with the respondents, fostering a deeper understanding of their perspectives and experiences. The researcher took care to maintain a structured and unbiased approach throughout the survey and interview process to ensure the reliability and validity of the gathered information. The methodological approach employed in this study centers around a case study of creative musical experiences conducted in three music education classrooms (2 nd Cycle of Basic Education) of a public school in the northern region of Portugal during the academic year 2022-2023. There were 71 participants (68 students and 3 music teachers), with agesbetween 10 and 12. In terms of gender, there were 32 female and 36 male students, along with 3 male music teachers.