Name:Vashti Kamassah

School/Affiliation:University of Toronto, University of Toronto Mississauga

Co-Authors:Vashti E. Kamassah1, Anna M. Czepiel2, Christina M Vanden Bosch der Nederlanden2

Virtual or In-person:Virtual

Abstract:

Research has highlighted the impact of music on memory, for example, musical cues can aid retrieval, leading to improvements in learning outcomes. Additionally, empirical studies showed specialized songs tailored to educational contexts prove beneficial for children. Previous findings from our online (N = 64) and in-person (N = 34) adult math learning studies showed that participants could grasp both verbatim and application-based knowledge across both speech and song modalities effectively. Building on our previous findings on the intelligibility of song lyrics, our upcoming study compares learning of undergraduate-level statistics in speech, song, and a song-text (lyric video with plain white background) conditions. We also aim to investigate the impact of familiar melodies on learning by utilizing a parody of Harry Styles' "As It Was”. Additionally, as the lesson will be on z-scores (a topic more relevant to our participants), the impact of lesson relevancy with original lyrics will be investigated. We are also adding a between-subjects factor of pre-post delay, in the hopes that a delay in recall may follow previous literature and result in the song yielding better recall than speech. We anticipate the incorporation of familiar melodies and the lyric video format will enhance the retention of information, especially with a delayed testing condition introduced to assess long-term retention. This research will contribute to the understanding of effective non-traditional educational tools and highlight the potential of music in enhancing the learning experience for adults.