Is Memorization the Name of the Game? Undergraduates' Perceptions of the Usefulness of Physiology Songs

The possible benefits of using music to enhance learning of STEM content are numerous, diverse, and largely unproven. We sought to determine which (if any) of these possible benefits are commonly experienced by undergraduate students and are thus especially worthy of further investigation. Four hundred ninety-three students in nine physiology courses at two midsized American universities rated the usefulness of short instructor-penned mathematical physiology songs and explained in their own words why each song would or would not be a useful study aid. The students collectively perceived the usefulness of each song to depend on both academic factors (e.g., the lyrics' clarity or relevance to the course) and aesthetic values (e.g., the appeal of the rhythm or the quality of the singing). Most strikingly, although students' free responses were brief (median length: 18 words in study "phase 1", 16 words in study "phase 2"), nearly one-half of them (1,039 of 2,191) concerned memory, suggesting that many students see educational songs primarily as mnemonic devices. A second major theme of students' comments concerned the conciseness and information density of the songs. Though all 10 songs were brief, lasting 17-54 s, students seemed to prefer shorter songs (perhaps better called "jingles"). This first-of-its-kind data set on student perceptions of educational songs should inform the creation and usage of such songs, as well as further research on their possible value.