Step 7// Conducting our study

Preparation

Before we started, we had to make sure we had all of the materials prepared. We needed:

Pre-tests [labelled with the group code]
Lists of groups
Scripts [what exactly we were going to say]
Study sheet
Enlarged study sheet for explaining
Post-tests [labelled with the group code]
Questionnaires [labelled with the group code]

For the tests and study material it was a class effort. We all pitched in some were sorting all the study material others were labelling the test and some were sorting the classes into random groups.

On the day of the test we gathered 5th and 4th class in the halla, then we split them into their randomized groups with 5th class and 4th class in every group. We made sure to give very clear instructions. The participants then followed their leader in order to start the study. We gave each lead administrator a script which we had put together as a class to ensure that each group got the same instructions, to make it fair. Each group had different circumstances to study under, a control group with silence, a group with classical music and headphones, a group with classical music and speakers, a group with pop and headphones & a group with speakers and pop.

Each group had 7 minutes of a pretest before they had studied to prove they didn't know the answers. Then they had 15 minutes to study with the music for their group. After that they had 7 minutes to complete their post-test.

We used two playlists: a Pop inspired playlist for the Pop group, and ‘Peaceful Piano’ for the Classical group.

Overall it worked pretty well!

Problems we encountered while conducting the study:

Overall, our research went smoothly enough but there were some difficulties along the way. For example, on Spotify, ads popped up every once in a while, but more than anything, that probably made our study more realistic because the ads would of popped up if the children decided to use this method of studying at home themselves.
We also encountered difficulties during the tests because of lack of material, such as Pritt Stick, pencils etc, therefore, slowing down the tests and not making it as efficient as we would of liked. Even still, in our opinion, the test went great and we learnt a lot from it.
We did not come across many mishaps while we were running the test but it was mainly when we were reading the questionnaires that we gave them at the end of the test. Some people wrote that it was easy at the top of the page and then wrote that it was very challenging at the bottom of the page! People also said that they found it ‘sort of’ difficult and that they ‘kinda’ learned something from it!

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