Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Katherine Garlough
Abstract
The local problem addressed in this study was that students at a community college are experiencing stress levels that may impede their ability to learn. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine student perceptions of self-selected music listening as a strategy for learning under stress. The theory of emotional intelligence by Goleman was the conceptual framework that informed this study. The research questions focused on student perceptions of how music listening affects their ability to decrease stress while learning and increase learning effectiveness. The methodology for this study was a basic qualitative design. Eight students between ages 18 and 24 responded to semi-structured questions via Zoom. To be included in the study, students had to be enrolled at the college but not in any music classes. Three overarching themes were identified through in vivo coding. Traditional-age community college students use music listening to modulate physically, emotionally, and mentally and mitigate stress in order to learn. The resulting project was a three-day faculty development seminar aimed at informing faculty of the problem of student stress and how students use music listening to mitigate stress while learning and increase learning effectiveness. The study serves as an agent for positive social change by investigating student perceptions of music listening, learning, and stress to inform programming involving increasing retention and student success.
Recommended Citation
Gulyas, MaryAnn H., "Community College Students’ Perceptions About Listening to Music to Cope with Stress" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 13396.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/13396
