Honors Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this action research project is to determine if background music can be used to improve student test scores using the Mozart Effect. The participants were twenty-eight juniors and seniors from two Algebra II classes at Sylvania Southview High School. Each student in the study was given a control quiz, taken with no background music, followed by the experimental quiz, taken with classical music, specifically Mozart’s “Sonata for Two Pianos in D, K. 448”, playing in the background. The mean average of the students’ first quiz was 2.7% higher than the mean average of the second quiz taken while classical music was played. Statements were collected through a post-quiz survey, where several students said the classical music helped them relax and concentrate, but a similar number of students said it did the opposite, distracting them and making it harder for them to take the quiz. There was no evidence of the Mozart Effect taking place for the entirety of the class. However, there were several factors which may have changed the results, including students having a break between the quizzes, the volume of the music, and motivational fatigue.

Major

Integrated Mathematics Education

First Advisor

Jeffrey Burkett

First Advisor Department

Educational Foundations and Inquiry

Second Advisor

Kristi Borcherdt

Second Advisor Department

College of Intervention Services

Publication Date

Spring 4-23-2019

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