Blame It on the Boogie: Does Listening to Personal Music Devices Within the Classroom Hinder Adolescent Students’ Ability to Be Mindful Learners?

Abstract

Before I began teaching, I saw no problem with students listening to music while studying, but I began to question this when I found it difficult to gain my students’ attention in one practicum. I accordingly decided to do some research on the issue through reading and observing Year 8 to 12 students in a Visual Arts class for a week. I found that less than a third of Year 8 students were listening to music during class, but that the numbers jumped to over two-thirds for most of the higher years of schooling. While listening to music may help students concentrate on individual tasks, it can also interfere with interacting with the teacher and other students, so I ended up feeling that a compromise needs to be made. Students need to learn when it is appropriate to listen to personal music devices in the classroom and when they should not in order to maintain an engaging, interactive and mindful classroom environment.