VOICES 2017

Since ancient times songs have been used for teaching and learning. We often think of melody as providing a mnemonic device for recalling information, but songs have the ability to engage students in learning at a much more conceptual level. Dissertation research completed in 2011 shows that especially for middle school students, songs that are rich in content can be used to build conceptual understanding through prolonged engagement, vocabulary building, providing alternative explanations and stimulating the brain through multiple neural networks. Especially for today's learners who are digital natives and always wired with earbuds and an MP3 player, science songs are a great way to stimulate learning if implemented appropriately and with some simple guidelines. In this session I will share research and strategies and for using science content songs for learning.

Using song in teaching is not a new idea. Songs have been used quite extensively in a variety of arenas, most notable in language acquisition. There is some empirical evidence to support the efficacy of using song in learning a new language. Furthermore, there is some theoretical support for the use of song in teaching. While the theories do not directly advocate for song, the use of song is consistent with the frameworks. This presentation will explore the educational theories that support the use of song in teaching in general, and specifically in STEM education. The questions explored are: When is it appropriate to use song in teaching? What learning goals are better served by the use of song in teaching/learning? Additionally, the limited research showing the impact of using song in STEM related fields will be discussed.

We posit that a key factor in how effective songs are in students' motivation, engagement, and learning is how interactive the song experience is for students. We articulate and tour a continuum of interactivity, illustrated with examples that are grounded in the context of core learning objectives in mathematics and statistics for students in high school or college, but applicable to virtually any subject matter. Our current NSF-funded Project SMILES (Student Made Interactive Learning with Educational Songs for introductory statistics), loosely inspired by the Mad Libs^TM phrasal word template game, has high interactivity by having students supply pre-song inputs (contextual examples or conceptual connections) that prime them to learn from the ensuing song -- a song which is readily played back to them with their inputs! I will discuss an example from Project SMILES, whose effectiveness is being assessed this year by randomized experiments coordinated by my fellow grant PIs Dennis Pearl and John Weber. The big picture tour (which incorporates audience polling questions!) will be followed by lively discussion tailored to VOICES attendees' interests. We also share references and resources for exploration beyond this session.

Sing a Song of Science is an OSU University Honors Colloquium class I teach that encourages and teaches students the value of music in science education. In addition, it provides a road map for students to write songs of their own using the strategies employed in writing the Metabolic Melodies.

Songs are an effective, powerful tool for teaching facts and concepts in most any field of knowledge. As a college instructor, I have come up with some handy mnemonic songs for remembering the spectral classes of stars, or the names and accomplishments of famous astronomers. As a planetarium director, I use songs that are geared for all ages and levels of understanding, like, "There are Plenty of Stars in the Sky," or, "Ode to Planet #9." Recently I have been branching out into other sciences, with, "Mycologenia Dreaming," "Fungi Isn't Fun," "DNA", "Jocelyn Found a Radio Star," and "The Entymologist's Farewell." Don't get me wrong, I'm not much of a tune-maker. But I can make up new song lyrics on most any topic, and I try to use tunes that are well-known and sing-able, and ideally, in the public domain. The one song I've published so far on YouTube is "Universe Calling!" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gav1BbXYeZ0). In this presentation, I'll introduce some of my work, and provide guidelines for how to write your own STEM-related songs.

We discuss the features of good song parodies in general and further focus on educational ones. Pitfalls to avoid are also emphasized. The speaker's area of expertise is mathematics, but the experiences and examples presented here can be transferred to any subject area.

In my ATM S 111: Global Warming class, I sing a song each class about the scientific topic we're covering. Our repertoire has been built up over the last 7 years, with contributions by me, fellow professors, and students. I'll discuss successes, failures, and future plans, and will sing a few examples as well.

Parody songwriting presents a number of constraints on performers which may impact student learning. I will discuss my use of annotations, written notes external to the lyrics but presented alongside lyrics, to bypass some of these constraints. Annotations can clarify concepts, provide definitions and point students to important ideas. I will present evidence that students enjoy this innovation and go through some advantages and disadvantages (with examples). I will also discuss some special challenges for educators (like myself) who cannot play a musical instrument.

There is a very extensive collection of music videos from all over the world available in www.youtube.com. Some of them were, unwittingly I think, made so that they are excellent illustrations of a physical law. As an example we have the case of Newton's Second Law using the Atwood Machine, illustrated in the video of a song "The Logger" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA5RGI3zn20). I will illustrate the presentation with two or three more videos and summarise what, in my opinion, are basic characteristic of the videos that can be used, (by teachers, to make physics more interesting and captivating to students): 1) Clearly related to the concept being discussed in class, 2) simplicity, 3) Free of gender, race, and religious bias, etc. Then I will make available a very extensive list of videos and their related topic of physics illustrated in them.

This presentation focuses on the qualities and quantity of song usage to enhance student learning and depth of understanding. As an AP Statistics teacher, I incorporate over 45 songs into my curriculum to enhance and reinforce everyday learning. This, in turn, has allowed my students to get past basic knowledge and focus on enrichment. I will take you through my song-making process and show you the various ways that my students are able to access the songs. Use of iMovie, YouTube, and Google Sound Cloud will be touched upon. Finally, past students will participate and give testimony as to how the songs in their AP Statistics class enhanced their learning experience.

We are a group of high school math teachers (and college math professors) that encourage the use of song to teach math concepts. We are specifically passionate about supporting girls in STEM classes and careers. We have made 4 videos now, and some are really gaining attention on YouTube. In our presentation, we will discuss how the songs we choose help facilitate math learning and promote excitement in math class.

Have you always wanted to use music to teach your content, but you’ve been afraid to try it because you weren’t sure you could “write a song” or because you don’t see yourself as being “musical”? Well, never fear! The process is a lot simpler than you would think, and in this short workshop, Willy Wood, co-author of The Rock ‘N’ Roll Classroom, and poet Brod Bagert will walk you through a simple step-by-step process that will have you creating content-embedded songs for your classroom in no time. You know your content, and you know hundreds or even thousands of tunes (though you’ve probably never thought about it). All you have to do is learn how to put these two things that you already know together. Come and find out how!

Science songs can often be seen in a one-dimensional way, i.e. "It's a song about genetics/ dinosaurs/space" or "It's a cool way to teach science" but science songs have different strengths and play to different needs in the listener. Some songs present factual statements that could be used as rhythm or rhyme based mnemonics; like jingles. Some songs portray an idea in a way that can help a listener to get a deeper understanding of it for example, a song about the roles scientists play in society or a song about a misunderstood concept (such as climate change or evolution). Then there are songs that are really just a bit of fun, that don't really tell us much about science but are still appealing to a science interested public, e.g. Tom Lehrer's "The Elements." In each instance it would potentially help educators to know what type of story is being told so they can more easily incorporate the increasing number of science songs becoming available. This may require a kind of classification system and/or a directory that also includes details about particular content within a song. This will also be touched upon within this presentation.

Music can be used as a tool to complement other pedagogical approaches used in environmental education. The arts, including music, can experientially evoke emotion, spark dialogue, encourage innovative thinking, present diverse perspectives, cope with ambiguity and non-linearity, and influence the development of cultural norms. To explore some of the parameters of using music as an environmental education and advocacy tool, we interviewed musicians who contributed songs to the David Suzuki Foundation Playlist for the Planet about their experiences presenting environment-related music and advocating for environmental causes in their particular performing contexts. Their songs touched on scientific topics as well as values and social issues. Many interviewees, such as Bruce Cockburn, were full-time touring musicians; some, like Remy Rodden, were both environmental educators and performers. The results of our non-probabilistic study showed multivalent themes emerging around maintaining musical authenticity in both artistic output and off-stage pro-environmental behaviour, balancing environmental messaging with other components in a show, and the roles of time, place, and audiences. In an entertainment context, music fans can be turned off by messaging that seems contrived, preachy, or overwhelming. The efficacy of a musical pro-environmental message can be influenced by perceptions of its sincerity, relevance, and artistic quality.

The presentation will report on a project based at Oxford University to write songs aimed at helping 5 researchers to create songs that they can use in the public engagement work. The presentation will outline the methodology used, will discuss the benefits for the researchers, and challenges faced in involving researchers in the song writing process.

Why do people sing about science? Science songs can be used as educational tool, but sometimes a science song has a different purpose. Singing about science can generate a sense of community, to build a connection with other scientists and science fans. In 2011, scientists widely shared a YouTube video of the Zheng lab at Baylor College of Medicine performing a science-themed parody of a Lady Gaga song. It was popular not just for the impressive performance and the well-known melody, but because it described familiar situations for anyone working in a biomedical lab. This sense of community building through STEM music is a bit like "filk" – a style of music originating at science fiction conventions, where fans create songs about their favourite sci-fi and fantasy universes. To what extent science songs and filk music overlap is a matter of debate, but comparing the filk and science songs communities may give us a better sense of the cultural role of science music.

The Metabolic Melodies are a collection of over 100 song lyrics set to tunes of popular music. Topics covered by the songs span a wide swath of biochemistry and are used to teach the subject to non-major students at Oregon State University. Discussion will focus on the genesis of the musical ideas and how the songs help to cut through barriers and facilitate student learning.

Throughout nearly a score of years teaching AP calculus and college calculus, I have composed a number of songs to introduce, summarize, and solidify concepts. Not only do songs help pedagogically, they create an atmosphere of joy and excitement in the classroom. I will not only share songs that cover major topics in calculus, we will also discuss the fill in the blank method along with ways you can have students compose songs "live." Be prepared to sing along!

I'd like to propose a project and rubric I used as an end of the year assessment in my 11th grade chemistry class. I had students choose a topic, and write and record a song, instead of taking an exam. They seemed to have fun completing the project and I think it went well. I am seeking input on anything – but specifically a better rubric to grade students, and also music technology that is easy to use, high quality, and accessible to all. Thanks!

STEM instructors brave enough to use music in their classrooms have typically played songs or music videos while the students watch passively. At this conference we will be seeing a host of ways in which educational music can be made into a more active experience for students. In this presentation we will highlight one way, namely, STEM karaoke. STEM karaoke has been feasible for some time, but is greatly facilitated by the use of a free or low-cost subscription to Noteflight. After Greg shows examples of how he helps become active singers of STEM content, John will provide a quick tour of Noteflight's features and answer questions. Free trial Noteflight memberships will be made available to all conference participants!

In this presentation, we consider how in an ongoing 18-month critical ethnography of a literacy-and-songwriting class the spur toward change enacted as youth’s multiliteracy practices galvanizes collective action emphasizing considerations of reciprocity as relational (Fisher, 2007). In attending to ways in which youth enacting multiliteracy practices in an after- school literacy-and-songwriting class at the Renaissance Community Music School compose their city, and therefore embolden spaces/places and time, youth’s literacy activities reflect acts of reciprocity both “enabling and enhancing, at other times constraining and oppressing” (Soja, 2004, p. ix). Moreover these moments appeal to a recognition of what is restricted and a re-envisioning of what is possible is negotiated and built upon by youth’s rendering of social and spatial forces (Compton-Lilly, 2014). As Soja (2004) commented, “If our spaces and places, our human geographies, are socially constructed [...] this means that they can be socially changed, made into something better than they were through collective action” (p. x). Youth’s multiliteracy activities as enacted reciprocal acts asserts a building up of particular spaces and places (Kinloch, 2010). Thus our exploration of navigating how youth make and remake imagined worlds and lived experiences through words and music invites new understandings of well-known locations.

In the 21st century classroom students don't just want to hear you talk for 20+ minutes. You may feel like you're being informative or that it's necessary, but for the learners not so much. Our society has created a generation of people with such short attention spans. People are more receptive to music, dance and videos. Combine those together and you get engagement and 21st century learning. Learn how to put your STEM lesson in an effective song format which will allow the song do the teaching. As the educator you will just have to facilitate, monitor and assess. If a mini-lecture does take place the learner has the song to reflect back to. However making a general song is not effective. You must study the culture, know your content and assess using your own material.

This video poster shares a walk-through talk-aloud demo of an interactive song, starting with the pre-song prompts the user responds to that yield inserted words in the completed song, roughly in the style of the Mad Libs word template game. Some of the student inputs involve making conceptual connections while others involve providing context or examples. With the support of our NSF-funded Project SMILES (Student Made Interactive Learning with Educational Songs for introductory statistics, as mentioned in the VOICES presentation by our fellow SMILES PI Larry Lesser), some two dozen interactive songs and a computer auto-grading interface were created and the effectiveness of the innovation for reducing college students' statistics anxiety and increasing their learning is currently being assessed with randomized experiments. We will touch on challenges and tradeoffs we have had to negotiate (with the help of Penn State's Bob Carey and University of Texas at El Paso's Dominic Dousa and Steve Haddad) in terms of aesthetics, pedagogy, and technology. We will also provide data from our spring and summer 2017 pilot tests on the student reactions to the innovation and we welcome your constructive feedback as well!

I wrote a rap song about the intersection of science and faith -- as an added verse to “When the Saints Go Marching In” -- which I first performed with a street band at the March for Science in Lansing, MI.  In a nutshell, the song argues that science requires faith, just like religion, and that the facts of science are often revised/updated, so dogma (in any direction) is dangerous. I'm not sure exactly what to do with the song ... add a beat? update the lyrics? make a music video? move on with my life to other projects? Also, I am curious about how people respond to the song. Are both sides of the philosophical divide slightly offended ... as intended?  This would be a useful venue for feedback on all these matters. Thanks for your consideration.

It's easy for instructors who enjoy singing to use songs in their classes. But the vast majority of instructors are unwilling to sing in class. Are there good ways for them to use the power of songs for STEM teaching? We'll discuss your ideas and your experiences that might apply to this group.

Lynda Williams, a.k.a. The Physics Chanteuse, will share songs and stories about her career as a science entertainer and producing and performing science songs for clients such as PBS, NPR, AAS, APS, AGU, AAAS, and other scientific organizations, featuring favorite songs such as "Annie Jump Cannon," "Freaky Wave," "The Lovon," "Nuclear Winter," and "Forensic Entomology." Check out her blog at http://lyndalovon.blogspot.com/2014/09/lynda-williams-brief-resume.html.

Join music & science songwriters/performers Joseph LeDoux and Jim & Kathy Ocean for a wide-ranging conversation about science songwriting, interfacing with educators and opportunities for community outreach using performance and events as a "Trojan Horse" to inspire and inform.  10-minute introductions (LeDoux, then Les Oceans) will be followed by Q&A between the presenters and Q&A with the audience.

I am one of many scientists who are also musicians. I'm the rhythm guitar player, song writer, and singer in The Amygdaloids, and also in the acoustic duo So We Are. Both groups play original songs that I put together, some about mind and brain and mental disorders. The latter are inspired by research that I have done, or general ideas in the brain and cognitive sciences, and the philosophy of mind. In the past decade I've recorded six albums with songs with titles like these on them: An Emotional Brain, Mind Over Matter, My Mind's Eye, Theory of My Mind, Anxious, and Only a Dream. In part I do this as way to spread ideas about mind and brain in a fun way. But also simply because I love doing it. I don't study music and the brain – I do it.

We live in an increasingly intimidating and overwhelming world. The sheer volume of information, the speed of technological change coupled with swirling world events laid bare under the spotlight of an ever-more-connected world leave many searching for handrails. It's an even more poignant situation for students coming of age at this moment in time. While science serves as an agent of escalating change, it also contains within itself living seeds of perennial mystery, awe and wonder. Getting in touch with the underlying mystery is revitalizing and has the power to ground us in our humanity and individual/collective human potential. It can awaken a sense of purpose and offer clarity amid the noise and confusion of creative chaos. Educators who use music in their STEM curriculum can STEAM ahead, incorporating Art as an agent to catapult students away from just the rote facts to actually feeling how it involves them now and in the future. Awakening passion and care leads to an engaged citizenry. This presentation will explore ways to utilize STEM songs to not only transmit scientific facts, but to awaken hope, imagination and curiosity in these challenging times.

After brief self-introductions of panelists (abstracts below), this panel will consist mostly of a moderated discussion of questions from the moderator and the audience.

After 12 years, 1 musical, and over 60 songs, Marc of icanhasmath / Matheatre shares his insights about STEM songwriting and theatrical integration. Focusing on: What information does a STEM song carry. An examination of techniques to carry that information. And how do you expand Songwriting into Theatre / Performance?

Capturing the Imagination with Science Songs: Classroom Applications. Science songs can be useful in scaffolding a dynamic and creative curriculum at all levels of science education. An effective way to capture the imagination of students and energize the classroom, songs are good for the brain, and can promote deeper thinking and a better understanding of content. This session offers practical advice on writing and performing science songs for use in class and considers how to apply them effectively with students. Topics will include levels of engagement, collaborative student song writing projects, learning modalities, so-called "zombie learning theories," earworms, and five "secrets" of successful science songwriting. Even though the presentation is online, you WILL be expected to sing along.

We humans love songs because they move us emotionally. Yet this dimension of the art form is often overlooked in songs meant to teach. There’s no reason a "teaching song" can't also inspire and entertain! This session will encourage you to reach beyond the facts with your lyrics. We'll take your suggested song topics and and play with focus and angle to bring out the narrative and emotional possibilities. You’ll see how the see resulting song ideas deliver far more impact than "just the facts."

After brief self-introductions of panelists (abstracts below), this panel will consist mostly of a moderated discussion of questions from the moderator and the audience.

I've made science raps music videos on YouTube for classes ranging from undergrad to elementary. And yet I'm trying to get out of the way. Students really ought to be the creators and the stars. We all know that person creating the song learns so much much more than someone passively listening. In this session, I'll run through many of my experiments to get students more involved in the process of creation, from writing their own verse to finishing the rhyme to making their own videos.

Adding music to STEM instruction could provide the dual benefits of (1) making STEM content more accessible and (2) enhancing students' engagement in the learning process. Here we explore the extent to which music-oriented high school students achieve these two benefits when they participate in "Songwriting To Learn," a possible variation on the Writing To Learn (WTL) model of instruction. We analysed 81 artist statements, collected over 12 years at an annual science fair, in which students described their music compositions and the compositions' connections to science. Rather than simply reporting scientific facts in song lyrics, these students used an impressive variety of musical elements (Genre, Instruments, Lyrics, and Structure [i.e., chords, dynamics, melody, rhythm]) as metaphors or symbols for science-related elements (Scientific Topic, Conveying Information, Affect, Personal story, Scientific story). Many students demonstrated a sophisticated attention to musical details and nuances, consistent with their frequent self-identification as musicians and/or music fans. Moreover, in composing and performing songs, these students fulfilled some key criteria by which scientific identities are developed, including the forging of personal connections to science. These students may use their practice-linked identities in the domain of music to express their growing understanding in the domain of science.

It has been a little over 4 years since 4SW was founded at Northwest High School in Germantown Maryland. Since then, the club has produced over 30 music videos, and more than 60 songs. At this point, club members are capable of consistently producing music videos in a single afternoon session. Their works have earned them invitations to the White House (the old one), the National Aquarium, the MAEOE Conference in Baltimore, and numerous film festivals. This workshop will delve briefly into the story of how 4SW was founded. Then we will go into an in-depth description of how we produce our science music videos. The final part of this workshop will be devoted to explaining the process for starting a club like 4SW. We are hoping to create a broader community of science songwriting clubs, and the best way is to teach others how we started. Here, we will also explain the various hurdles that we had to overcome in growing the club's skill sets, membership numbers, identity, and healthy culture. We are also prepared to share our fundraising techniques as well as our experiences with outreach.

Since 2012 I have used music as a pedagogical method in ecology classes. I began by writing and performing songs based on class materials including concepts, habitats, and species' biology and posting these videos on the web. This led to production of an ecology/evolution CD entitled Natural Voices (www.garygrossman.net/natural-voices/). Questionnaire results indicated that the music videos significantly improved attitudes towards class and studying. I transformed this exercise into one involving active learning by having students make their own karaoke video. Students had to write the lyrics and sing/rap them but could use video and music from the web for their videos. I have used the videos in five undergraduate and one graduate class and evaluated effectiveness via 10-14 question, Likert-scale questionnaires and triangulation interviews. Undergraduate classes were dominated by non-science majors in their first or second year. Simple analyses for all classes indicated there were significantly more positive responses than negative responses to various aspects of the exercise. Students showed little preference for the different aspects of the exercise (writing lyrics, singing, research, video production, etc.). The karaoke exercise had a strong positive impact on student's perceptions and performance in class.

EarSketch is an online learning platform to teach Computer Science through music composition. It is a website which contains a full curriculum to introduce computer science, with Python and JavaScript, a code editor, a sound library, and sharing tools. When students code, they place sounds from the library in a Digital Audio Workstation, and they can add rhythms and effects. The samples were composed by Jay Z's sound engineer Young Guru and sound designer Richard Devine. This allows students to compose music in popular genres such as Hip Hop or dubstep. Research has shown increased student engagement after using EarSketch, particularly for female and minority students.

Data sonification is the representation of data with sound. It can be the first step in data-driven music composition and song-writing, or can be used in information processing. In this workshop I'll introduce the concept of data sonification, show examples of how we have used it to create engaging music and infosonics about climate science, and give a short tutorial on how to sonify a simple dataset using python and garage band.

Songs are developed to help students understand and retain introductory concepts in computing, as well as to complement more standard activities such as group work, programming labs, and lectures. These songs are reinterpretations of existing, popular ones, hopefully already familiar. Students are encouraged to contribute to the lyrics, and more recently the music itself. This particular presentation will involve a basic overview of the project, performance of two songs, and (hopefully) audience contributions on the fly with suggestions on appropriate future concepts to consider for new songs, perhaps even new areas of STEM. This work is part of the larger CS Unplugged project (http://csunplugged.org) using low- and no-tech approaches to engage students with concepts in computing.

This session will familiarize participants with the research that supports K-12 arts integration/STEAM literature, as well as why it's fundamental to higher education. The session will also offer thoughts on advantages and limitations of music, relative to the other arts, for learning STEM.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has launched a study on the mutual integration of the arts and humanities with science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine in higher education. This study is examining the evidence behind the assertion that mutually integrative educational programs lead to improved educational and career outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students. This session will offer information about the rationale for this study, background on the study process, and will seek public input on the study from those symposium participants with an interest in, and experience with, integration in higher education.