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
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