The Relationship Between Music Participation and Mathematics
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Liberty University Digital Commons THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC PARTICIPATION AND MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS by Joshua Robert Boyd Liberty University A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University March, 2013 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC PARTICIPATION AND MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS by Joshua Robert Boyd A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA March, 2013 APPROVED BY: Dr. Leonard Parker, Ed.D., Committee Chair Dr. Joan Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., Committee Member Dr. Laurie Barron, Ed.D., Committee Member Scott B. Watson, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Advanced Programs ii THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC PARTICIPATION AND MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ABSTRACT Joshua Boyd. (under the direction of Dr. Leonard W. Parker) School of Education, Liberty University, March, 2013. A comparative analysis was used to study the results from a descriptive survey of selected middle school students in Grades 6, 7, and 8. Student responses to the survey tool was used to compare multiple variables of music participation and duration of various musical activities, such as singing and performing on instruments, to the mathematics results from Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (Georgia Department of Education, 2011. The results were analyzed with the use of the Pearson r correlation coefficient. The intensity of relationships was assessed with analysis of variance (ANOVA). A final t-test of means was conducted to compare the mathematics achievement of students, who reported that they participated in musical activities vs. students, who reported no participation in musical activities. It was found that there was a positive correlation between students’ participation in music and their achievement in mathematics. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the variables of participation in vocal music and brass music, respectively, and mathematics achievement. The greatest correlation was between years of vocal music participation and mathematics achievement. The results from the ANOVA indicated that, when students participated in music for 3 years or more, there was a significant increase in mathematics scores. A final t-test of means indicated that there was no significant difference in the means of iii mathematics scores between students who had participated in musical activities in comparison to students who did not participate in musical activities. Descriptors: Relationship, Music, Music Participation, Academic Achievement, Mathematics Achievement, Musical Intelligence, Economically Disadvantaged iv DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my bride, Rachael Boyd. She supported me and worked hard behind the scenes to allow me the freedom to complete my work. She helped me every step of the way through ideas, encouragement, and undying love. The Bible in the book of Proverbs describes her best: An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. (Proverbs 30:10-12) v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would also like to thank Dr. Leonard Parker, Dr. Joan Fitzpatrick, and Dr. Laurie Barron for serving as my dissertation committee and mentors through the dissertation process. Their wealth of knowledge, never ending prayers, and unwavering support served to guide and encourage me. I am blessed to come from a great family that loves and supports each other, My father is a minister, my mother an educator, my brother a Chef, and my sister a counselor, and all have carried me at some point in this process. In a world that is constantly redefining family, I am thankful to be a part of a traditional family, one where God, country, and family come first. The Bible has a great passage that reminds me of my family: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (I Corinthians 13:13) vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii Dedication ........................................................................................................................................v Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ...................................................................................................................................x List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1 Background ................................................................................................................................2 Problem Statement .....................................................................................................................4 Purpose Statement ......................................................................................................................5 Research Questions ....................................................................................................................6 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................................6 Definitions..................................................................................................................................8 Chapter Summary ....................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................13 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................13 Background ..............................................................................................................................14 Music Participation ..................................................................................................................25 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................26 Music Participation and Mathematics ......................................................................................51 Chapter Summary ....................................................................................................................54 vii CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................57 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................57 Research Design .......................................................................................................................57 Participants ...............................................................................................................................60 Setting ......................................................................................................................................60 Instrumentation ........................................................................................................................61 Procedures ................................................................................................................................63 Data Analysis ...........................................................................................................................65 Chapter Summary ....................................................................................................................66 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS OF DATA ANALYSIS .......................................................................68 Overview ..................................................................................................................................68 Results ......................................................................................................................................68 Chapter Summary ....................................................................................................................87 CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION ........................................................................89 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................89 Restatement of the Problem .....................................................................................................89 Review of the Methodology .....................................................................................................90 Summary of the Findings .........................................................................................................92 Discussion of the Findings .......................................................................................................96 Unanticipated Findings ..........................................................................................................100