![]() One of the changes was to give the students research problems in the beginning of the course that were used throughout the course and which they should be able to solve at the end of the course. The theoretical framework to motivate teaching method changes was taken from the statistics education literature together with the ideas of student-centered learning and Kolb's learning circle. To achieve this goal, several changes were made in the course. Further, we wish to make students become more interested in statistics and to help them see the importance of using statistics in psychology research. The aim was to revise a statistics course in order to get the students motivated to learn statistics and to integrate statistics more throughout a psychology course. New syllabus documents even highlight this connection (e.g., Boa rd of Studies, New South Wales When it comes to the written recording of both of the disciplines, t he use of clefs, quavers, stave and bar lines are the internationally-recognised symbols fo r music, whereas, for mathematics it is numbers, signs of equality/inequality and algebraic notation (Smith, 1993). Mathematical qualities are also inherent in other aspects of music, such as rhythm, tempo and melody. For example, Nisbet (1990) noted that music and mathematics were theoretically connected in areas such as harmony, with evidence of this dating from the time of Pytha goras. (Garland & Kahn, 1995, p.5) To many, mathematics and music are logically connected. The interconnectedness o f math and music pulsates with a rhythm and harmony of its own. Mathematics is also universal, crosses cultural, historical, and intellectual boundaries, and is reflected in music. Music is universal, crosses cultural, historical, a nd intellectual boundaries, and is grounded in mathematics. The study extends our knowledge concerning teachers' beliefs and practices and broa dens our understanding of issues surrounding subject integration. This paper presents the results of a case study that was designed to explore the knowled ge, beliefs and practices of primary school teachers who integrate mathematics and music. Teaching via an integrated approach is regarded as beneficial to students because connections are drawn between content areas so as t o help them develop greater understanding of concepts inherent across disciplin es. ![]() The relationship outside the school setting involving mathematicians and musicians was also noted and recommended as an area for further research. Teachers and school authorities were challenged to equip their schools with different kinds of musical instruments and learning materials in order to improve performance in mathematics. Teachers believed that such relationship is more pronounced at primary school level where the structured and integrated approach was recommended in order to improve pupils’ performance in the two subjects. It was found that there is a moderate positive correlation at school level but low positive correlation at college level. Using SPSS 11.5, mathematics and music marks of a total of 64 judgmentally selected primary and secondary pupils from 4 of the 9 schools, and 36 teachers’ college students were used to investigate the math-music relationship by way of correlations. Using the survey design, questionnaires were administered to 10 teachers to tap their perceptions and suggestions while 4 teachers were interviewed. The sample in this study included 14 qualified teachers in 9 schools and 1 teachers’ college, 64 pupils and 36 college students all in Gweru Urban district. The recommendations of this paper are supported by literature and by the study findings. This paper argues for the use of the integration teaching approach at school level and encourages further investigation of the math-music relationship in and outside of school settings. Previous research and this study have shown that mathematics and music are related in various known (and possibly unknown) ways so much that not putting the relationship to good use in and out of school could only be to our disadvantage. Mathematics and music are school subjects that are also useful and important as languages of communication in daily life situations. There is strong research evidence that children perform better in mathematics if music is incorporated in it and vice versa.
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