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Lizzy Buie

Professor Malcolm Campbell

UWRT 1104

14 February 2019

Topic Proposal: Insert an engaging Title here

Introduction/Overview

I will be examining how music effects the brain, specific to learning, as well as how it

can positively impact children with learning disabilities. While it is well known throughout

society that music can help raise levels of dopamine and serotonin (“feel good” hormones in the

brain), to elevate mood, music also has the power to impact learning by forming new neural

connections, called neuroplasticity’s. Ashford University wrote an article about how music aids

in the development of the brain. In the article, the writers stated that learning an instrument

improves auditory processing, learning, and memory. This is key information to know as a

society, because knowing this we can implement music in the schools to provide brain

strengthening to those who suffer from learning disabilities.

When I started thinking about topics, I knew I wanted to do something on music and

learning. As I was brain storming, I did a basic search in google of, “how does music effect the

brain”. This gave me good foundation in knowledge, on the power music has chemically in the

brain. Moving through the research process, I began to narrow my topic ideas down to: how

music can affect mood/mental health, impacts on learning, and the use of it in recovery. But I

came across an article that changed everything. The article was titled, “The Influence of

Background Music on Learning…”, it illustrated so beautifully how music chemically and

physically works in the brain, in regard to, learning. Two other articles that I found helpful were
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“The Fascinating Ways That Music Affects Your Mood and Mind” (magazine article), and “How

Does Music Affect Your Brain”, (written by Ashford University). After that initial google search,

I then decided to go to the library resource page, to utilize more in-depth publications. I found a

really good peer reviewed article, that again provided me with a good background. This process,

through searching on google and the library website, led me to a more focused understanding of

my topic.

What I really liked about the article, “The Influence of Background Music on Learning”,

was not only how it spoke to the positive side, but it also posed potential problems with the use

of music and learning. In my opinion, I think it is always good to find opposing sides in the very

beginning of research, so you know what to address in the paper itself. Finding other sides also

validates that it is a strong topic with different views.

Although there is much debate about this, because it can have negative effects on focus,

specifically to children who struggle with ADHD, “This man is nuts,” says Chancellor James

Hardin. “I’m not sure how he got a job here, but rest assured, I’ll look into it tomorrow or

Friday.”

Initial Inquiry Question(s)

 Does music positively affect the brain, during learning?

My Interest in this Topic

I am interested in this topic because I have played the piano since first grade, and it is a

part of my everyday life. I also have learning disabilities, so I can empathize with other kids that

have them, because I know how hard it can be to sit in a classroom and learn with a huge class.

In high school, as a part of a two-year research project and paper, I studied about the positive

effect’s music has on Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients. I chose to do that at the time because I
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worked in a retirement home, and just like now I loved music, and I wanted to combine two

things that I enjoyed. Although my topic for this assignment is very different from the one in

high school, I want to go deeper with what music does. I already know how music helps with

memory, and I hope to learn how it can be used in classrooms for learning purposes.

Next Steps
To find more research for my topic, I will continue to explore the different resources the

library has to offer. For example, I am going to use the chat center on the library’s website, to

talk to a librarian about my topic. I will also be visiting multiple education sites, and websites

that talks about how music can change the brain. I want to also find more journal sources,

because I have used them for past papers, and I found that they were very reliable.