Beyond Music Achievement: Fostering Music Creativity through Orff Pedagogical Approach-Based Instructional Materials in Rural Chinese Primary Schools

The growing emphasis on competency-based music education has highlighted the need for instructional approaches that cultivate both musical competence and creativity, particularly in rural primary schools where learner-centered pedagogies and curriculum-aligned teaching resources remain limited. This study examined the effectiveness of Orff Pedagogical Approach-Based Instructional Materials in enhancing music achievement and music creativity among Grade Five students in rural Chinese primary schools. A quantitative quasi-experimental post-test-only non-equivalent control group design was employed involving 80 students, comprising 40 students in the experimental group and 40 students in the control group. The experimental group participated in a 14-week instructional programme using the Orff Pedagogical Approach-Based Instructional Materials, while the control group received conventional music instruction based on the national curriculum. Data were collected using the Music Achievement Test (MAT) and the Music Creativity Test (MCT) and analyzed using independent-samples t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, Pearson product–moment correlation, and supplementary analyses. The findings indicated that the experimental group obtained a higher mean music achievement score than the control group; however, the difference was not statistically significant, t (78) = 1.474, p = .145. In contrast, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher performance in music creativity, particularly in the domains of Rhythm Creation (p < .001) and Melody Creation, t (78) = 2.713, p = .008. No significant relationship was found between music achievement and music creativity, r = .032, p = .777, suggesting that these constructs developed independently. The findings provide empirical evidence that curriculum-aligned Orff Pedagogical Approach-Based Instructional Materials effectively foster students' music creativity while maintaining comparable levels of music achievement. The study contributes to the localization of Orff pedagogy within China's competency-based music curriculum and offers practical implications for music teachers, curriculum developers, and policymakers seeking to promote creativity-oriented music education in rural primary schools.