Exploring challenges around integrating music and mathematics for fraction understanding: A task-design experiment

Abstract

This article shares a task-design experiment of integrating music and mathematics for teaching fractions at a primary school level. This is in response to low achievement levels of mathematics in South Africa, and the challenges around teaching fractions. The focus in this article is the task-design process of the integrated music and mathematics lessons, to answer the research question, “What obstacles did I face in the task-design experiment of integrating music and mathematics and how did I resolve them?”. The findings exemplify the task-design experiment process through two obstacle-resolution cycles relating to limitations of musical notation and alignment of mathematical and musical linear representations. Data comprises of Zoom meeting recordings by the three task-designers, including the author. Key findings and implications include the importance of careful selection of key representations, maintaining fidelity of both subjects, designing practical tasks for classroom implementation, and the need for time for careful planning by a team. The hope is that this task-design experiment may resonate with other teachers, task-designers and researchers who may trial integrating arts with mathematics.