Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the implementation of a Hip-Hop Based Education (HHBE) Unit on fifth-grade students’ math achievements and math attitudes. This was a mixed-methods study with an explanatory sequential design. The quantitative data about student math achievements were collected using a pretest and posttest created from a county test bank and the quantitative data about student math attitudes were collected using a pre-survey and post-survey (The Math and Me Survey). Both the pretest and pre-survey were given to 113 fifth-grade student participants at a high-minority, low-income school in North Central Georgia before the implementation of the HHBE unit. After the HHBE math unit was implemented by the six participating fifth-grade teachers for four weeks, the participating students were given the posttest and post-survey. Qualitative data were collected through 452 weekly student essays and through interviews with five of the six participating teachers. The results indicated that HHBE can be a useful strategy to increase student math achievements in a high-minority, low-income school. Although student attitudes did not significantly increase based on the results from the pre-survey to post-survey, student comments on the perceptions essays showed that a majority of students did perceive that their math attitudes increased during the implementation of the HHBE unit. Teachers also expressed that the HHBE unit created a positive engagement for most students. The results of the study also provided evidence that student gender does not significantly affect the changes in student math achievements and attitudes. Finally, the results of the study provided evidence that the use of specifically designed activities, such as rap songs and “creating the raps,” are useful and culturally relevant strategies.
Keywords: Hip-Hop Based Education, Urban Education, Music Education, Math Education, Culturally Responsive Teaching, Rap Songs in Education