PhilDallmayr’sblog

Here is a project we are currently doing at my school.

Let’s Look At Europe!

By Philip Dallmayr

Research projects done in the classroom can be dull, boring tasks that require little effort and provide no opportunity for independent learning and inquiry. Here at Jackson Intermediate Center, we are trying a new approach to the research project that is geared to stimulate young learners into asking questions and creating projects that engage the mind. Here is a synopsis of the 6^th grade research project.

The project is entitled “Lets’ Look at Europe!” and is a cross-curricular effort designed to meet both the Indiana Academic Standards (p1) and the American Association of School Librarians  (AASL) information literacy standards as well. Mr. Dallmayr the media specialist who designed the basic components of the project initiated the effort as a way to make the library an integral part of the learning process. (p2) Planning the project began in early August and was completed in late October, and was a lengthy process because as Carolyn Brodie states, “Collaborators need time to plan, but unless there is flexible scheduling, this time is sometimes difficult, almost impossible to schedule.) (Brodie 28) The collaboration (kw1) between the media specialist, the classroom teacher, the computer coordinator, the art teacher, the music teacher, and the home economics teacher was critical to getting the project off of the ground. (p3) The lesson plan (kw 2) that was eventually completed included all the educators input and detailed each person’s role and responsibility.

The project involves both cooperative learning (kw3) and independent learning. (p8) During the project small groups of students work together to help complete a group project while also working on a self-chosen independent topic to study. The wide variety of activities in the project assures that all learning styles are met and allow students in the groups to contribute equally. (p7)

 The project is designed to take two and one half weeks, and began November 12^th.  Before the actual project began, the classroom teacher covered basic information like what defines a country, the different types of government, what natural resources and produced goods are, what the gross domestic product of a country is, and how to take notes and use organizers such as web or an outline. (kw4)  This pre-project planning efficiently prepared the students to begin the project in earnest.

Once the project officially began, the classroom teacher had the students choose from Spain, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, and Greece and make a list numbering the countries in order of interest from highest to lowest. This example of providing students with choice in a project empowers the students and grants them ownership over their own learning. The teacher then broke the students into groups of four based upon their country preference and did the first of a series of three K-W-L organizers with each group. This activity helps students focus on the project and will be done again after five days and again after ten days. Once in groups, each student received a list of tasks to be completed by the group and individually. The tasks included: a written report, a historic time-line, art projects including maps and a flag, a tourism brochure, a food item to share with the class, a song from the country to play for the class, a playground game to explain and play with the class, an independent topic to study individually and a media presentation (to be shown one a day on the school’s tv station) consisting of either a 10 minute iMovie with downloaded songs for a soundtrack, a 25-50 slide powerpoint presentation replete with narration and music or a 10 minute live presentation. The use of this type of technology (kw6) “extends the communication and interaction…leading to meaningful learning experiences.” (Callison 561)

The project is a guided project, in that students are given a specific task to complete. However, there is much freedom for students to choose how to present the information. For example, although the time-line must consist of at least 10 dates, students can be creative on how to frame the time-line and could do a cartoon strip, a poem, a powerpoint presentation, combine a series of historical illustrations, make a color coded flow chart etc. rather than just having to do a pencil and paper time-line. Similarly, each part of the project has room for students to make their own input and ask their own questions. Even in the report, which has a set of topics to research, students write their own questions (kw6) for each subtopic to explore. In this type of inquiry, “learning is active, shared, and based upon pursuit of student-generated questions”. (Stripling 5)

The students work on all parts of the project simultaneously. (p4) The librarian functions as a facilitator, (kw7) assisting students as they look for information to answer their own questions.

While in the library students use country books, encyclopedias, government pamphlets, almanacs and websites to find (p5): the information needed for the written report, the timeline, the tourism brochure, recipes for the cooking project and songs to download on the new library iPods. (p6) These nonfiction (kw8) sources are the backbone of the project. The groups decide who should find each part of the project, then work together to assemble the project. The librarian reminds students how to paraphrase, quote directly, and make citations so that plagiarism (kw 9) is avoided. Students take notes from each source for each report, timeline, brochure, and print/hand copy recipes. Students also look for topics for their independent study, such as the running of the bulls, the Berlin Airlift, the Eiffel Tower, ancient Greek myths, etc. They take this information back to the classroom where the teacher helps them assemble the notes, create an outline and begin working on the reports, timelines, natural resources and industrial maps and other parts of the project. They also begin to communicate with their electronic pen pal exchanging basic information and asking/answering questions about the country.

During the same day, students are working in the computer lab to find tourism websites, download pictures and music and work on independent study topics.  The computer coordinator has students work through a webquest (kw10) to help them find information quickly and efficiently, and also goes over ways to choose other websites that are of a high academic quality by using, “A Checklist for Evaluating Online Educational Materials”. (Branch 2-5) While in music class, students are introduced to traditional and/or classical music from each of the 6 countries. The music teacher defines the music genre and composer for each piece played. He also shows instruments unique to the country and suggests possible songs/groups to use in the media presentation. In home economics, the teacher helps students compile possible recipes to use, talks about foods from each of the countries and helps students prepare lists of ingredients for the food they will make.

In the art room, the art teacher is doing something special. She is helping students complete some special maps. On map, in particular is the topographical map of the country. Using black line masters of the countries, students will complete three dimensional maps that can be put together like a jig saw puzzle to show the physical features of Western Europe. The maps made of clay, show the rivers and lakes, the mountains and valleys, and the shoreline of each country.

This picture, showing a city, is an example of the map that students will be making. The art teacher also will help students design their tourism brochure (which will persuade people to visit the country by showing fun, exciting things to do see, hear, and eat) and color and label a 12” x 18” national flag for each country using the information students obtained in the library.

During the entire project, each instructor will be taking photographs of the students as they work to complete each task. The groups will then make a presentation to their class highlighting what they learned, sharing the food, music, and playground game for their country. They will share their tourism brochure and try to convince students to come visit the country and afterwards students will vote for which country they would most like to travel to.  Groups doing iMovies may shoot short clips of the presentation for the movie. Parents will be encouraged to attend the event. Individually, students will explain what they investigated for their side project and what they learned about.

After each of the parts of the project are completed, the media specialist, the computer coordinator and the classroom teacher will work “hand in hand” (Dickinson 1) to assist students to create either the iMovie, the powerpoint presentation or the live performance that will help demonstrate their learning. (p9) Pictures of the groups taken by the teachers will be used for the projects. Groups will work in both the library, the computer labs and the classroom on this media presentation, with the classroom teacher working on the live performance, the media specialist working on iMovies and the computer coordinator working on powerpoints. All three professionals will check the progress of each group no matter what project they decide to do. Sharing the presentations, live on the school television program during announcements will show that such collaborative cross-curricular projects are a vital tool to make learning meaningful for students and really connect to the students lives and can be done throughout the school. (p10)

Using a rubric for the five major parts of the project, the report, the time-line, the art projects, the brochure and the media/live presentations is how teachers will do the assessment for the project. However, students will get to be a part of the assessment too by scoring their own and each other’s presentations on a scale from one to ten. In this way students will feel as though they had a voice during the entire scope of the project, from start to finish.

This project, the first attempt in our school at large scale collaboration is an exciting event. I am sure that all involved will gain valuable experience and learn to work better with students and other teachers. Hopefully, students will both enjoy the project and make learning personal; connecting what they know to their own lives. Having students ask questions during information inquiry is an important step in the right direction for our school to take.

Indiana Academic Standards covered:

Social Studies

6.1.18 Create and compare timelines that identify major people, events and developments in the history of individual countries that comprise Europe and the Americas

6.1.23 Form research questions and use a variety of information resources to obtain, evaluate and present data on people, cultures and developments in Europe and the Americas

6.2.1 Identify and compare major forms of historical and contemporary governments in Europe and the Americas

6.3.1 Identify and locate on maps the countries and capitals of Europe and the Americas

6.3.3 Describe and compare major physical characteristics of regions in Europe and the Americas

6.3.4 Describe and compare major cultural characteristics of regions in Europe and the Americas

6.3.12 Compare the distribution of resources in European countries and the Western Hemisphere

Sources cited:

Branch, Robert M., Kim, Dohun, and Koenecke, Lynne. Evaluating Online Educational Materials for Use in Instruction.

www.libraryinstruction.com/evaluating.html ERIC 2003.

Brodie, Carolyn S. Collaboration Practices. School Library Media Activities Monthly/Volume XXIII, Number 2/October 2007

Callison, Daniel. Technology. The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy, Libraries Unlimited, Westport, CN. 2006.

Dickinson, Gail When Does Collaboration Start? School Library Media Activities Monthly/Volume XXIII, Number 2/October 2006

Stripling Barbara K. Inquiry-Based Learning. Curriculum Connections Through the Library, Libraries Unlimited, Westport CN. 2003

Footnotes:

Learning and Teaching Principles of School Library Media Programs

P1-The library media program is essential to learning and teaching and must be fully integrated into the curriculum.

P2-The information literacy standards for student learning are integral to the content and objectives of the school’s curriculum.

P3-The library media program models and promotes collaborative planning and curriculum development.

P4-The library media program models and promotes creative, effective and collaborative teaching.

P5-Access to the full range of information resources and services through the library media program is fundamental to learning.

P6-The library media program supports the learning of all students and engages in reading, viewing, and listening for understanding and enjoyment.

P7-The library media program supports the learning of all students and other members of the learning community who have diverse learning abilities, styles, and needs.

P8-The library media program fosters individual and collaborative inquiry.

P9-The library media program integrates the uses of technology for learning and teaching.

P10-The library media program is an essential link to the larger learning community.

Key Words

K1-Collaboration. Professionals working together as equals to teach students.

K2-Lesson Plan. A document that shows how a lesson will be taught.

K3-Cooperative Learning. Defined as students working together using multiple resources to complete an assignment.

K4- Organizers. The tools and techniques students use to identify and classify connections between concepts.

K5- Technology. How computers and other electronic devices are used in the instruction and presentation of assignments.

K6-Questioning- The ability to ask pertinent questions that are meaningful to the person asking them.

K7-Facilitator- Someone who aids students to find their own solutions to problems or tasks.

K8- Nonfiction-  Is literature or other information that consists of factual information, rather than made up information.

K9-Plariarism- A student who tries copying or stealing someone else’s ideas, words or property and claiming it to be original.

K10-WebQuests- Is a collection of websites or other electronic sources that all relate to a similar topic, used for research.

Web sites:

Penpals-

www.epals.com

www.penpalsonline.com

www.interpals.net

Music Downloads-

www.download.com

www.kazaa.net

Maps-

www.worldatlas.com

Playground Games-

Culture Quest World Tour

www.ipl.org/youth/cquest/europe/

Encyclopedia-

www.worldbookonline.com

Recipes-

www.lkwdpl.org/lhs/foreignfoods

Hi all. Just in case you don’t know, to use powerpoint, simply click on the link. From there, go to the top of the page and click slide show, then click view show.  I know that on the second screen there is a typo. It should read, “I wanted to do something with music.” If you do not have powerpoint, I am not sure that you can open my final project. Also, I used a Mac for the powerpoint, but it should open on a PC.

s574project1lastfinaldallmayr2

Hi all.

I decided to take the information that I had learned about music and learning and do a little experiment in the library.  This is my weaving of my inquiry. I realize that I haven’t done my blogs in the W’s sections like some people have. I hope that I covered the W’s in the actual blogs, that was my intention.

To see what effect music has on students, I formulated an experiment in which I would do the same basic library-literacy lessons with 5th grade students and play music while doing so. There are six 5th grade classes and I broke the experiment down thusly: one group listened to classical, one group to muzak, one group to new age, one group to classic rock and roll, one group to hip hop, and one group heard no music while I presented the lessons. I know that I lack the control of an actual scientific experiment, but I wanted to see for myself what music can and cannot do.  The lessons spanned a four week period, and consisted of the following: week one we discussed how to preview a book and what students liked and disliked about books and reading, week two we analyzed and discussed genres, week three we analyzed and discussed favorite authors and titles. I also did a book talk each week. On the fourth week we summarized what we had learned and students wrote a brief one page essay detailing the topics we analyzed. There were questions that students were required to answer for the essay. I also asked them to write about their impressions of the library. Then the teachers and I sat down and read the essays.

The results were interesting. The classes that listened to classical music and new age music wrote the longest in-depth essays. They included many details and mentioned the book talk books but had only somewhat favorable impressions of the library.  The classes that listened to  no music and rock and roll wrote shorter essays but did include details and examples but had good impressions of the library. The group that listened to muzak wrote short essays and included very few details and had an slightly unfavorable impression of the library, and the group that listened to hip hop wrote very short essays with little or no details but had  very favorable impressions of the library.

What do I conclude from this? Obviously, the group that listened to hip hop paid the least attention to me and focused more on the music. I could tell as I was teaching the lessons that this was the case, and the results confirmed my suspicions.  Students were singing/rapping along with the songs and enjoying themselves. The results mirrored the research about not having music with words or a strong, fast beat.

I also conclude that classical/new age music seems to have some effect on learning.  Students seemed to be more focused on the task at hand and had more recollection of details. The results were very similar for both groups.  I am not sure why the no music class and the rock and roll class produced similar results. According to research the fast beat of rock and roll and the singing should have detracted from the lessons. It seemed to have less effect than I had predicted. Why muzak did not produced better results is also a mystery. Perhaps students picked up on my dislike for the music and transferred my feelings to them.

These results of the experiment are in no way scientific. I do not have sufficient evidence to extrapolate the results or make any concrete conclusions. The experiment was mostly to satiate my own curiosity.  It was fun to put some of my findings into action though.  I look forward to sharing my final project with you tomorrow.

Hi all…

I just concluded my email interview with my Aunt Gertrude which was an interesting experience. It is hard to conduct an interview via email, especially when you are on different time zones and both people are very busy. We emailed each other over the course of 4 days this week.

Again, my German is not very good and neither is her English, but here is what I discovered. First I asked her about the scientific study that was done about music and learning for her school system. She informed me that researchers at the Ludwig-Maximilians Universitat, Munchen conduced the research. They conducted the experiment over a two year period from 1988-1990. The researchers used two schools in Bamberg Germany for the experiment. The experiment consisted of playing different music in certain classrooms which whose students were observed unseen. The researchers used types of classical music and tracked the students test scores in the classes where music was played and also in classes where no music was played.  The students were tracked for both years. One group of students had music played in the class every period. One group had music played during the first half of the school day, and one class had no music playing.  The class with no music playing acted as the “control” group. The groups were comparable in size, gender percentages, and previous test scores.  The scientists did realize that there were factors that they could not control, like teacher style/methodology, students leaving the area, and individual differences among students. However the results were clear. The group that had music played continuously had an average test score of 92%, the group that had music played only half the time averaged a score of 88%, while the group that had no music playing averaged 85%. Thus, there seems to be a correlation between the music and test scores. Additionally, both groups that had music playing increased their test scores an average of 3-5% over the two previous years of schooling. The group that had no music playing remained consistent around the 85% mark. The tests were standardized and consisted of language arts and math only.  The music used was classical and consisted of works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach.

I inquired if there were set pieces of music chosen or a variety of works from each composer. She replied that the report did not clarify this.  The report did list the recordings that were used, but not if the whole recordings were used or only parts, and some were listed as the complete works of… while others were were listed as colections of works by… I cannot clarify which exact pieces were used.

I asked her to ellaborate on her comment that the music of Bach produced the greatest increases because, as she said, it is “mathematically perfect”.  She replied that it is “common knowledge” that the music of Bach is the most balanced and formulaic. I gather from this that it is her opinion rather than a quantifiable statement, since the experiment did not isolate a class that only heard Bach.  Not being an expert on classical music I cannot analyze the works of Bach and share her conclusion.

I next inquired about the validity of the experiment since it was limited in scope and duration and did not include non-classical music. She thought the experiment was valid because it was conducted over two years, had a control component, and tracked the same students. She thought it would be “of no use to include music that was not classical” in the experiment since, “Clearly, only this type of music would bring about a  positive response”. Again opinion and not fact.

When I asked her if she personally witnessed the effect of the music played, she stated that teachers were “nearly unanimous” in their feelings about the music being played, and that, “before we started playing music in the class (and library) behavior was less good and students (more) unfocused”.  It is hard to pin down a generalization like that. She did tell me that students seemed to be in a better mood when entering the building now that the music was being played and that they “seem used to it now, and have come to expect it” to be played.

Maybe I should have tried to interview one of the scientists who conducted the experiment to get a more accurate representation of the findings. However, since my aunt informed me of the research I thought interviewing her would be sufficient. I am not sure if I was correct in this, since my aunt is so accustomed to the music being played and is so obviously biased in favor of it.  On the other hand, I did learn that the test scores did increase and that educators are passionate about music in schools and libraries.

My next blog will detail my experiment in the library with music and will summarize my inquiry. I will also try to weave everything that I learned into a tapestry for you to try and make your own conclusions about.

Hi everyone. Again thanks for the comments. I got into my blog this time without even having to log in. This is a little frustrating and goofy.  Oh well…

There are several genres of music not to use in the library. ANY music with a fast beat that makes you want to get up and move around should be avoided. After all, we usually want students sitting while learning. Sorry all you kinesthetic learners out there. Also, the volume of the music should be kept audible but low. You don’twant students having to try to talk over the music or be distracted by it. I have been experimenting with the volume in my library, with mixed results. When I see kids trying to tune the music out, I usually turn it down.  It is a tricky balance trying to get the music heard but not listened to. The “subliminal” volume level that many articles recommend is elusive.

 Music with words/singing/rapping/speaking should not be used. Studies show that when students are focusing on what is being said in the song, they pay less attention to what they are studying. So unfortunately, some of my favorite types of music are out. No rock and roll, no rap, no country/western, no disco–pretty much no music kids actually listen to. I know that there are some students who actually listen to classical or new age music for fun, but I bet it is less than 3% of all kids aged 6-18. I am trying to find an actual percentage, but so far no luck.  Since classical music is not well known or appreciated by most kids, you will get some complaints about the music. Expect them. Be patient, the more times a group comes in the fewer the complaints you will get. I am tracking the complaints by class, grade level, and age to see if there is a correlation between these factors. I don’t have a large enough data pool to extrapolate yet. It is too bad that I cant keep this blog going on longer than the 22nd. Maybe I will and can let you know what I discover.

I have been interviewing my Aunt Gertrude who works in a school library outside of Andechs  to try and find out more about the classical music research and usage in her school district. It is slow because her English is not so good and my German is nicht so gut either.

My next blog will talk about the interview and also my experiments in my library. I have been using classical, new wave, and (I know I told you not to use these in this very blog, but…) rock and rap to try and see for myself what effects the music has on learning, mood, and behavior. It has been VERY interesting, but you will have to read my next blog to find out more….

Hi everyone. I haven’t been able to access my own blog recently. Every time I tried I had to reset my password, which was rejected, then I would have to do it again. Finally found one that actually works.

Thanks for the great comments and questions, I will answer the questions in my next blog later today.

The next area I wish to address is what types of music can be used in the library to stimulate the Mozart effect. I have done a lot of research in this area and have found that there are three types of music commonly used in libraries: classical, muzak, and new age.  I have also found that there are types of music, or at least common factors in music, that detract from the Mozart effect. First let me discuss the types recommended…

Classical music is most frequently used in libraries and schools. Classical music stimulates the cerebral cortex most effectively and builds the most synaptic bridges. I have some images of pet-scans and cat scans of brains that show increases in synaptic-dendritic connections after classical music is listened to that I will try to post. I have paper copies of them, but no scanner. I am sure, however, that I can find them on line a little later.

Not all classical music should be used in libraries. Research shows that classical music that, as Don Cambell describes it in the article, “How music affects your child’s brain”, is “slow, melodic, and gently rhythmic” is best for learning. Large orchestral pieces such as the 1812 Overture, or the William Tell Overture may not be as suitable for library use, as the quick-paced rhythm may be distracting to listeners. You do not want the the students to “listen” to the music per se, but rather have it act in an almost subliminal way, calming the students, soothing and relaxing them, so that they may better focus on the task at hand.  To this end, small concertos, quartets, and trios may be best. Also, classical guitar music is also very good.  A school system in Munich, Germany plays the works of Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss, Brahms etc. all day through the intercom citing a scientific study that they conducted which claims that test scores have risen almost 7% since they introduced the music in 1991. I have contacted my aunt, who is a librarian there, about the study and she emailed me the results, albeit in German, which I am attempting to translate, to see what the study entailed. I will be interviewing her this week to get her perspective on this, and will relate this later in the week. Interestingly, she claims that the music of Bach is the most effective because it is “mathematically perfect” in nature. I will ask her to clarify this statement during the interview.

Studies find that Muzak is also a genre of music highly conducive to learning and mood. Muzak, for those who aren’t familiar with it, is also known as “elevator music”.  This bland, soft music has been proven to calm listeners and stimulate beta wave production. I find it to be annoying and hard to listen to. However, researchers from the TrainingZone foundation swear by it. Yet the research they cite seems to be mostly with stores and shopping centers rather than schools.

The third type of music that builds the Mozart effect is new age music. This is the music most commonly used in meditation and relaxation programs. Many teachers use this type of music at the beginning of the day, or during transitions between activities to calm students and get them focused. While many educators claim that this music is beneficial, the research is less clear. Lisa Chipongian, in a series of articles for brainConnectinon on the Mozart effect and brain functioning does see a correlation between new age music and mood, but cannot find enough scientific proof that there is a correlation between new age music and learning stating, “brain patterns do seem to change when this (new age) music is played, but the changes occur in the frontal lobes, rather than the cortex”, which seems to suggest that area of the brain responsible for learning is not altered when the music is played. I will attempt to clarify the relationship between this music and learning as I continue to research.

My next blog, which I will do after church, will deal with the aspects of music and genres which negatively affect learning.

Hi again all. Thanks for the responses to my blog. I did not realize I had to approve them before they would appear.

Anyhow, last time I described my project–how music played in the library effects mood, behavior, and learning. Today I will attempt to relate my research findings on whether or not music does promote learning. I say attempt, because I will admit that I am not a scientist or an expert on what goes on in the brain. Many of the articles I read were very technical in nature and I have done my best to decipher the often cryptic, at least to me, results and findings.

First, does music promote learning? I would say that there is ample research to back up that premise. I read journals from Psychology Today, Biology, Brain Connection and many websites that highlight experiments conducted to find out what actually happens inside the brain of a person while they hear music. What happens, in a nutshell, is that when the ear detects music and transfers the sound to the brain via auditory nerves, the beta wave(s) of the brain increase in frequency and duration. This increase stimulates the growth of dendritic and synaptic connections which enhances memory and spatial coordination. When dendrites and synapes increase in number and connection sites people can recall what they are learning at a faster rate and for a longer time. This is known as the “Mozart Effect”.  The Mozart effect helps the brain organize neural impluses in the cerebral cortex which, again helps in recall and retention of sensory inputs. Simply put, if you listen to music you will be able to remember things easier and for longer than if you do not listen to music.

How long you will remember is debatable.  Experiments have produced mixed results. For example Feyza Sancar, in an article in Biology magazine entitled, “Music and the Brain: Processing and Responding: a General Overview, analyzed a myriad of data from multiple experiments with music and learning and discovered that some experiments concluded that the Mozart effect is temporary, lasting as little as 15 minutes after the music had ended, while other experiments found that when synaptic bridges were built, the effect can benefit a person for a lifetime. Laurence O’Donnell in an article for Brain and Mind magazine entitled “Music and the Brain” suggests that results vary from individual to individual and that the number and length of times a person is exposed to music is plays a major role in determining results. All of the research, at least, categorizes music as a positive stimulant to learning. I am satisfied that music and learning are related in some positive way.

In my next blog, I will discuss the findings on music, mood, and behavior. I will also begin to note the genres of music that seem to stimulate learning.

Till next time, listen to some music and increase your synaptic bridges!

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