Can iPods Help Some Students Raise Their Grades

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Can iPods Help Some Students Raise Their Grades?
By Sandy Jackson
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How Do Students Get Better Grades?

• Maintain Focus
• Complete Assignments
• Better Memory Recall
• Reduce Anxiety and Boredom

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Left Brained vs. Right Brained

• Traditional Learning Style
• used in most classrooms
• Verbal Analytic Logical Sequential
  Systematic Symbolic Linear Factual Abstract
  Digital Rational

• Non-traditional Learning Style
• Nonverbal Synthetic Intuitive Random Casual
  Concrete Holistic Visual Sensory Spatial
  Emotional almost all ADHD/ADD learners

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Teacher Survey

• 40 faculty members of Simon Kenton High School,
  Independence, KY
• 85 agreed music can help some students focus and
  do better on schoolwork

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Student Survey

• 150 students of Simon Kenton High School
• 60 own an iPod or MP3 player
• 65 listen to music while doing homework
• 19 diagnosed with ADD or ADHD
• 68 of ADHD/ADD students listen to music while
  doing homework

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Study in Journal of Learning Disabilities

• Boys with ADHD were given math problems in 3
  different testing situations silence, TV news
  background, favorite music background.
• 23 more accuracy with TV news than silent
  background
• 33 more accuracy when tested with their favorite
  music playing than with silence.

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How Can iPods Help?

• Music can help right-brained and ADHD/ADD
  learners focus, complete tasks, recall
  information and reduce stress
• Allows for personal music choice
• Allows for co-existence of both learning styles
  in same classroom

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And More Ways

• Portable hard drive
• Podcasting
• Audio recorders
• iTunes U used by some colleges and universities
• 2005, Duke University gave a free iPod to every
  incoming freshmen

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How To Decide What Is Best?

• All children are different and unique! Most
  studies are inconclusive due to all the variables
  of each child.
• Educators, parents, and children must find out
  what works best for each individual student and
  permit access to those tools.

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Neuropsychologist, Dr. Stixrud says

• There is no fixed rule for what works bestFor
  some kids, music functions like white noise,
  drowning out distractions. For others, it can
  have an emotionally soothing qualityespecially
  if the thought of school increases anxietyor it
  may even help some tolerate boredom associated
  with their work. And those with ADD, who are
  constantly seeking stimulation, some distraction
  may be what they need to concentrate on their
  studies. If listening to music makes doing
  homework more enjoyable for kids, then its
  probably a good thing on the whole.

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The End!