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

Background

• National crisis in mathematics achievement

• A call for greater devotion to fundamentals

• National cuts in music and art programs

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.

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.

Literature Review

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

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

Methods

• Participants– 240 5th grade students– 3 schools in Northern Anne Arundel

County– Variety of school characteristics

• Instrument – MSA in mathematics

Methods

• Procedure– Identify students– Gather test and demographic data– Statistical analysis of data for two

comparisons– Determine significance of comparisons

Results• Within Grade Comparisons

Scale Score by Grade

3rd 4th 5th400

420

440

460

No MusicMusic

*** * ***

A.

Test Year

MS

A S

core

Results• Within Grade Comparisons

Algebra/Patterns Subscore by Grade

3rd 4th 5th400

420

440

460

480

500

No MusicMusic

*** ns **

B.

Test Grade

MS

A S

core

Geometry/Measurement Subscore by Grade

3rd 4th 5th400

420

440

460

480

500

No MusicMusic

* * ***

C.

Test Year

MSA

Sco

re

Statistics/Probability Subscore by Grade

3rd 4th 5th400

420

440

460

480

500

** ns ***

MusicNo Music

D.

Test Grade

MSA

Sco

re

Number Concepts/Computation Subscore by Grade

3rd 4th 5th400

420

440

460

480

500

n.d.

ns **

No MusicMusic

E.

Test Grade

MSA

Sco

re

Process of Mathematics Subscore by Grade

3rd 4th 5th400

420

440

460

480

500

** * ***

No MusicMusic

F.

Test Grade

MSA

Sco

re

Results

• Total Music Instruction Comparisons5th Grade Scale Score

400

410

420

430

440

450

ns

*

***

A.

Instrumental Music Instruction

MS

A S

co

re

Results

• Total Music Instruction Comparisons5th Grade Algebra/Patterns Subscore

400

410

420

430

440

450

ns

ns*

B.

Instrumental Music Instruction

MS

A S

co

re5th Grade Geometry/Measurement Subscore

400

410

420

430

440

450

ns

ns

***

C.

Instrumental Music Instruction

MS

A S

core

5th Grade Statistics/Probability Subscore

400

410

420

430

440

450

ns

*

***

D.

Instrumental Music Instruction

MS

A S

core

5th Grade Number Concepts/Computation Subscore

400

410

420

430

440

450

nsns

***

E.

Instrumental Music Instruction

MS

A S

core

5th Grade Process of Mathematics Subscore

400

410

420

430

440

450

ns

*

***

F.

Instrumental Music Instruction

MS

A S

core

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

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

Discussion

• Implications– Weakens arguments against

instrumental music programs– Fewer cuts in programs where skill sets

apply across disciplines– Maintain America’s status as leader

and innovator in mathematics

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