“Music plays an important role to get work done at the aNewSpring office and we like it!”
Ger’s Learning Notes #11
Music and learning
I can image you sometimes put your headphones on when you need to get work done. Or perhaps you see your kids study with those chunky headphones on their heads. Music plays an important role to get work done at the aNewSpring office and we like it! Can we discover the link between music and learning in this edition of the learning notes?
Lyrics of different songs can spark new energy. For a while, every time I heard Alain Clark sing ‘push my button’ in his song Blow me away, I felt I small jolt of energy. There are some intriguing sources to explore around the link between music and learning. How about the Mozart effect and the Vivaldi effect? Some lyrics can inspire us as learning professionals or help us focus, like a song by Joss Stone song does for me (included in the notes).
Also, since summer has officially arrived at the northern hemisphere and summer holiday will start soon, there is an item on learning Spanish through music. That’s why I say: “Disfruta la musica - hasta pronto!”
(1) Five powerful ways music can improve your memory
By Takelessons
What’s it about?
This popular blog post explores the relationship between music and memory. It provides five reasons to listen to memory boosting music. It also contains a list of relevant songs (videos included).
Why read it?
- This post is a nice and easy introduction to music and learning.
- There are links included to other (original) resources – it’s good to check them out, too.
- It has a list of songs embedded (video’s) with explanations of the situations where to use what.
- My advice: combine this popular note with the second note for a more scientific background.
Where to find it?
Five powerful ways music can improve your memory – by Takelessons blog
(2) Music and learning: integrating music in the classroom
by Chris Boyd Brewer
What’s it about?
This is a more fundamental resource. The article is reprinted from the book Music and Learning by Chris Brewer, 1995. It includes methods of integrating music in the curriculum and suggestions on what music to use are included.
Why read it?
- I believe it is an intriguing idea to include music into learning design to create more effective and more inspiring learning journeys.
- To do a sound check (pun intended) related to the theory of what is effective for different situations so you can make well informed and effective learning design choices.
- It is a very well structured overview – maybe not so attractive to read but keep it in your toolkit and review the relevant parts when applicable.
Where to find it?
Music and learning: integrating music in the classroom – by Chris Boyd Brewer
(3) Right to be wrong
song by Joss Stone
What’s it about?
I love the song, and above all, I love the lyrics. The title says it all – the right to be wrong: it reminds us of degrees of freedom to be able to learn.
Why read it?
- First of all: because it is a beautiful song!
- The lyrics contain some important messages for learning professionals. No matter if you are a learning designer or you facilitate learning as a trainer or moderator: it is all about the learner and you need to give the learner ‘space’ to find and follow her/his own learning path.
- That might help learning professionals to prevent for ‘over structuring’.
- I used this song often when learning to play drums – it has some very nice riffs!
Where to find it?
(4) Learn to speak Spanish (3 songs)
by Qlipo
What’s it about?
There are quite some resources available on the internet to learn a language via songs. This one is on Spanish with three video clips of Spanish songs.
Why watch it?
- Because it’s fun and you want to learn some Spanish!
- I hope it will inspire you: experience how simple it can be to use music to learn something new.
- Use it to think about how you could include music into your learning design (and let me know how you did it!).
Where to find it?
Ger Driesen
Loves to connect people, ideas and inspiration in the global learning community.
On the wish-list to learn: Forging (yes, as forging steel)
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