Creativity in virtual spaces: Communication modes employed during collaborative online music composition

Using a sociocultural theory of creativity as a framework, the current study aims to analyzethe communication modes employed by adult musicians during the collaborative onlinecomposition of a new music piece and to define how creativity was expressed and sup-ported. The study task was an authentic activity for the participants, who interacted ina virtual environment using synchronous and asynchronous tools to develop a project.The study employed a qualitative case study approach that involved video observation ofthe participants’ interactions during the online activities and individual semi-structuredinterviews. The findings showed that collaborative creativity involved musical and socialpractices. Furthermore, collaboration, identity and meta- cognition were considered crit-ical in supporting participation and interest. The mediational role of the technologicalcontext and how it reshaped thinking strategies and collaborative strategies were ana-lyzed. The participants demonstrated awareness of the potentialities of the online toolsand the achievement of consciousness about the performed task. The results are discussed in relation to the framework of the sociocultural research on collaborative creativity, andimplications for education are considered.