Advisor

• Dr. Min Liu

Degree

• Masters

Abstract

This study examined an interactive educational computer program containing instructional lessons set to the music of Charlotte Diamond?s popular children?s song ?Oh I Want To Be A Dog?. The five stanzas of the song were illustrated with animation and integrated with interactive educational modules. The goal of the instruction was to teach kindergarten students vocabulary words that describe dogs and their actions. The sample group for the pilot testing was consisted of eight students from a large Southwestern Elementary school. Students were divided into two groups, one that viewed the program with the music and the other viewed the program without the music. All the students were tested on the featured vocabulary words displayed on the monitor during each of the five stanzas of the song. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a computer program that employs music in conjunction with interactive activities to teach vocabulary words to kindergarten age students. Results from the study indicate that music and interactivity found in a computer program has the potential to enhance vocabulary learning for young children. Both groups tested reported to have enjoyed the program, however the group exposed to the music reported to have learned more vocabulary words than the non-music group participants.