Quantitative Methodology
Original Study:
Davidson, C. and Powell, L. (1986) The effects of easy-listening background music on
the on-task-performance of fifth grade children. Journal of educational research.
v80 n1 p29-33 Sep-Oct 1986.
Statement of Purpose/Research Question
The purpose and research question of the original study was to find if the playing of easy-listening music would yield changes as far as on-task performance of elementary school-aged children.
Replication and Extension
The researcher, a first grade teacher, sought to replicate this study, and to further extend it as an action research project. Thus, some aspects of the original study were altered. For example, the fifth grade participants were replaced with their younger peers. In addition, the dependent variable was changed from “on-task-performance” to “frequency of breaks in instruction.” The independent variable also changed, in the type of music being played.
Research Design
This quasi-experimental action research project used a one-group pre-test/post-test design. It studied the changes in behavior as the playing of classical music was introduced during the students' mathematics rotation time, where the teacher met with a small group of approximately seven members, while two other groups of approximately the same size were left with math book pages and center activities to complete. After fifteen minutes, the groups rotated, so that each group had a chance to receive direct instruction from the teacher.
Sample
For this study, the sample consisted of one first grade class in an urban community in the mid-Atlantic region of the country. The ethnic breakdown of the school is described in Table 1.1. Sixty-two and four tenths percent of students attending this school received Free and Reduced Meal Services (FARMS). Six and nine tenths percent of students received Special Education services.
Table 1.1 Ethnic Breakdown of the School
Method of Sampling
A convenience sample of one first-grade classroom was used for the purposes of this study. Each student was either six or seven years old. The students served as their own controls for the purpose of this study.
This group consisted of ten girls and eleven boys. One student had an individualized education plan (IEP) for speech services. Approximately 60% of students were eligible for free and reduced lunch services. All students were African American.
Instrumentation
The instrument used in this study to collect data was the ABCD Tally, developed by Kagan (1994). The ABCD Tally was a 4X5 matrix with 20 squares, separated into four areas of interest (aggression, breaking the rules, confrontation, and disengagement), with spaces for recording for five different days. Use of the ABCD Tally, required that each time that the teacher had to stop the lesson to handle a disciplinary concern, she made a tally mark in the appropriate box on the sheet. After the data collection time was complete, the tally sheets were analyzed for frequency and type of each occurrence.
Procedures
Students were monitored to establish a pre-treatment level for behavior during math rotation time (Stage A). Incidents of class disruption were marked on the ABCD Tally.
Once the pre-treatment data was analyzed, students were introduced to the playing of Baroque music from Bach (Stage B). Table 1.2 describes the songs that composed the playlist, in detail. The music was played at a level between 30 and 40 decibels, as measured by a sound meter, during math rotation time. Class disruptions were marked down on the ABCD Tally. This stage continued for three school days.
The intervention was then removed for three more school days, to see if students' behavior would return to pre-treatment levels. Class disruptions were again marked on the ABCD Tally.
Table 1.2 Playlist of Selected Songs from Bach
A. “Magnificat”
B. “Et Exultavit”
C. “Quia Respexit”
D. “Omnes Generationes”
E. “Quia Fecit Mihi Magna”
F. “Et Misericordia”
G. “Fecit Potentem”
H. “Desposuit Potentes”
I. “Esurientes”
(Sample) Results
Daily results of the number of given infractions, outlined in the ABCD Tally, are displayed below, in Table 1.3, and a statistical analysis is displayed in Table 1.4.
Table 1.3
Pre-Treatment During Treatment Post-Treatment
| | 4/18 | 4/19 | 4/20 | 5/2 | 5/3 | 5/4 | 5/16 | 5/17 | 5/18 |
| Aggression | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Breaking the Rules | 10 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| Confrontation | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Disengagement | 8 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
Table 1.4 Statistical Analysis
Pre During Post
| | Mean | Median | Mode | Range | Mean | Median | Mode | Range | Mean | Median | Mode | Range |
| Aggression | 5.333 | 5 | N/A | 3 | 2.333 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4.333 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Breaking the Rules | 10.000 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 4.000 | 4 | N/A | 4 | 9.000 | 10 | 10 | 3 |
| Confrontation | 2.333 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1.667 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2.333 | 2 | N/A | 3 |
| Disengagement | 7.667 | 8 | N/A | 4 | 3.000 | 3 | N/A | 2 | 7.333 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
Proposed Preliminary Data Analysis (Sample)
A t test was used to analyze the scores of the students based on data collected prior to the introduction of the treatment, during the treatment, and post-treatment, in the four categories of aggression, breaking the rules, confrontation, and disengagement. The p-values are listed in Table 1.5, listed below.
Table 1.5 P-value results
| | Pre-Treatment vs. During Treatment | During Treatment vs. Post-Treatment | Average P-Value |
| Aggression | 0.0161 | 0.0132 | 0.0147 |
| Breaking the Rules | 0.0065 | 0.0307 | 0.0157 |
| Confrontation | 0.4216 | 0.7247 | 0.5732 |
| Disengagement | 0.0314 | 0.0406 | 0.0360 |
The results of the data suggest that there is a relationship between the playing of classical music and aggression amongst students. The t test results indicated a statistically significant difference between the average number of aggressive acts in Stage 1 and those in Stage 2 (t = 4.00, p < .05). The mean for Stage 1 (pre-intervention) was 5.00, while the mean of Stage 2 (intervention) was only 2.33. Likewise, the t test results were indicated to have statistically significant difference between Stages 2 and 3 (t = 4.243, p < .05). In this case, the mean for Stage 3 (post-intervention) was 4.33.
Likewise, the results of the t-test for the "Breaking the Rules” data indicated a statistically significant difference between the average number of incidents which broke the rules in Stage 1 and those in Stage 2 (t = 5.1962, p < .05). The mean for Stage 1 was 10.00, while the mean of Stage 2 was only 4.00. In addition, the t test results indicated a statistically significant difference between Stages 2 and 3 (t = 3.2733, p < .05). In this case, the mean for Stage 3 was 9.0.
According to the data, the t test results did not indicate a statistically significant difference between Stages 1 and 2 (t = 0.894, p > .10), nor Stages 2 and 3 (t = 0.603, p >.10). The mean for Stage 1 was 2.330, while the mean of Stage 2 was 1.670. The mean for Stage 3 was 2.330.
Finally, the t test results indicated a statistically significant difference between Stages 1 and 2 (t = 3.250, p < .05), and Stages 2 and 3 (t = 2.982, p <.05). The mean for Stage 1 was 7.330, while the mean of Stage 2 was 3.000. The mean for Stage 3 was 7.330.
References
Davidson, C. and Powell, L. (1986) The effects of easy-listening background music on the on-task- performance of fifth grade children. Journal of educational research. v80 n1 p29-33 Sep-Oct 1986.
Kagan, Spencer. (1994). Cooperative learning. San Clemente, CA: Resources for Teachers; www.KaganOnline.com/.
