How Do You Learn Music? Research Project Explores Our Ability to Retain Information

Psychology major Branden Abushanab and Professor Anthony Bishara conducted a study to determine if the order of practicing music impacts retention. They considered two practice orders: fixed-order in which a person practices a particular task before switching to the next task and random-order in which a person randomly alternates two or more tasks. The purpose of this project was to determine whether fixed-order or random-order practice leads to better memory retention for piano playing and whether or not participants' judgment of learning during acquisition accurately predicts their retention 2 days later.

More than 30 teams of College of Charleston students and faculty mentors conducted research this past summer as part of the Summer Undergraduate Research with Faculty (SURF) grant program. Teams investigated everything from pollution effects on the Lowcountry ecosystem to the revitalization of arts and finding an anti-cancer agent for prostate cancer.

Every summer, the College awards up to $6,500 to SURF grant recipients, and the student is expected to work 40 hours a week for 10 weeks. The culmination of the research is participation in the college-wide "Celebration of Summer Engagement", which will is held annually in August. They are also required to submit a written project summary for public dissemination and are encouraged to submit results to regional, national and international publications.

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