The Effect of Instrumental Music Instruction on the Standardized Mathematics Assessment Achievement of Elementary School Students in Grades 3 through 5

1
The Effect of Instrumental Music Instruction on
the Standardized Mathematics Assessment
Achievement of Elementary School Students in
Grades 3 through 5

• Goucher College
• Graduate Programs in Education
• Kristina Gillmeister

2
Background

• National crisis in mathematics achievement
• A call for greater devotion to fundamentals
• National cuts in music and art programs

3
Statement of Hypothesis

• The research hypothesis was that students who
  received instrumental music instruction were
  predicted to have a higher level of mathematics
  achievement as measured by their performance on
  the Maryland School Assessments (MSA) than those
  who did not receive instrumental music
  instruction.

4
Statement of Hypothesis

• Within Grade Comparisons
• Total Music Instruction Comparisons
• Null hypotheses were created to test the
  statistical significance of each comparison where
  it was stated that there would be no difference
  in scores between the groups being compared.

5
Literature Review

• Relationships between mathematics and music
• Biological
• Skill Sets
• Academic

6
Methods

• Design
• Causal-Comparative
• Within grade comparisons
• Total music instruction comparison
• Variables
• Independent participation in and years of
  instrumental music instruction
• Dependent mathematics achievement on the
  Maryland School Assessments (MSA) in mathematics
• Control students with no music
• Experimental students with 1 years music

7
Methods

• Participants
• 240 5th grade students
• 3 schools in Northern Anne Arundel County
• Variety of school characteristics
• Instrument
• MSA in mathematics

8
Methods

• Procedure
• Identify students
• Gather test and demographic data
• Statistical analysis of data for two comparisons
• Determine significance of comparisons

9
Results

• Within Grade Comparisons

10
Results

• Within Grade Comparisons

11
Results

• Total Music Instruction Comparisons

12
Results

• Total Music Instruction Comparisons

13
Discussion

• Research hypothesis was supported
• Within Grade Comparisons
• Null hypothesis rejected in many cases
• Mean score higher in all cases
• Greatest significance in grades 3 and 5
• Total Music Instruction Comparison
• Null hypothesis rejected in many cases
• Mean score increased as number of years of music
  instruction increased in all cases
• Greatest significance with 3 years

14
Discussion

• Threats to Validity
• Self-selection
• Accessible population
• Future Work
• Larger sample (number of students and sets of
  classes) with random assignment
• Disaggregated data by No Child Left Behind
  subgroups

15
Discussion

• Implications
• Weakens arguments against instrumental music
  programs
• Fewer cuts in programs where skill sets apply
  across disciplines
• Maintain Americas status as leader and innovator
  in mathematics

16
Questions and Acknowledgements

• Dr. Adam Milam, Ms. Bess Rose
• Amy Cohn, Deborah Derrickson, Christopher Lerch,
  Mary Ferguson and the Division of Accountability,
  Assessment and Research from Anne Arundel County
  Public Schools
• Professors and fellow students in the Goucher
  Graduate Programs in Education
• My husband, Michael, my family and friends