The Effects of Preferred Background Music on Finnish Vocabulary Learning
RESEARCH NOTIFICATION
“THE EFFECTS OF PREFERRED BACKGROUND MUSIC ON FINNISH VOCABULARY LEARNING”
1. Name of the study and invitation to participate in research
Do you love music? Are you interested in learning Finnish as a foreign language? Would you like to contribute to advancing our scientific understanding of how listening to your preferred background music influences your Finnish vocabulary learning?
If you have answered yes, we are pleased to invite you to participate in the study “The Effects of Preferred Background Music on Finnish Vocabulary Learning”. The study investigates the impact of self-selected background music on Finnish vocabulary learning. This study is an integral part of a master’s thesis that proposes and investigates how self-chosen background music influences Finnish learning as a foreign language by examining its effects on learners’ performance, cognitive load, self-efficacy, and self-reported arousal and valence. The ultimate goal is to study ways to foster and optimise the learning of foreign language vocabulary, thereby supporting a cornerstone of the foreign language learning process.
This research notification describes the study and related participation. The accompanying Privacy Notice provides information on the processing of your personal data.
Participation in each study requires being an adult (18 years or older) whose mother tongue is not Finnish and who is not fluent in Finnish (yet). The study will involve about 40 participants. The study takes about 30–60 minutes. In the study, new Finnish words are waiting for you to learn them.
2. Voluntariness
Participation in this study is voluntary. You can refuse to participate in the study, stop participating, or cancel your previously given consent, without stating any reason for this, and at any time during the study. No questions asked. This will have no negative consequences for you (except for missing the opportunity to learn new Finnish words).
If you stop participating in the study or if you cancel your consent, the personal data, samples and other information collected on you up to that point will be used as part of the research material as far as it is necessary to ensure relevant research outcomes.
3. Progress of the study
The study will take place in a room where participants will be seated at a table equipped with a computer and headphones, as the study will be conducted using the Gorilla Experiment Platform, an online environment.
Before the study, participants will be asked to create a playlist of their 10 preferred songs for studying on Spotify and to share that link.
Participants will be provided a link to the Gorilla online environment. There, participants will be asked: 1) some demographic information (such as age, gender, native language(s), field(s) of study or educational background, and duration of learning and proficiency in the Finnish language); 2) and preferred background music questionnaire (frequency of music listening, belief of music, help of music, types of music). Furthermore, in each condition (with music and without music conditions), participants will share their perception of mental effort (cognitive load) for each block of some Finnish words learned and remembered; their self-confidence (known in psychology as self-efficacy) in their capacity to learn each block of some Finnish words; and self-reported arousal and valence (known in psychology as energy and emotion induced by background music), before and after each block of the Finnish words. After the main task, participants will rate a post-task questionnaire where they will rate how they felt during the task they just completed.
4. Possible benefits from the study
As a token of appreciation, participants will get a chocolate bar. In addition, this is a meaningful task for learning Finnish vocabulary. By the end of the task, participants are expected to have learned 40 new Finnish words. We also hope that the task has a motivating effect on participants to continue learning Finnish.
The results of this study will translate into recommendations for practical Finnish vocabulary learning strategies. This could be beneficial for providers of language courses, for example, from the Movi language centre of the University of Jyväskylä, and for designers of mobile and computer-assisted language learning.
The research will also advance the theory of the cognitive-affective processes involved in language learning and the effect of different factors on vocabulary learning outcomes. From a methodological perspective, this research will enhance the use of preferred background music in understanding learning processes.
5. Possible risks, harm, and inconvenience caused by the study, as well as preparing for these
This research involves learning Finnish vocabulary while listening to their preferred music (computer headphones) using an online learning platform on a computer. As a result, participants may experience both positive and negative emotions that are related to the learning process, for example, enjoyment of learning when recalling new words, but also confusion and frustration when they are unable to recall new words. Just as it happens when learning anything else.
By wearing headphones when listening to music, participants may feel a little discomfort in their ears, for example, when wearing the headphones for more than 30 minutes.
The participants are asked to provide a list of their 10 preferred songs via Webropol before the experiment session, or to create a Spotify list with their 10 preferred songs for studying, and to share the link. No other preparation, except the preferred songs, is required for the experiments. Participants are only expected to come eager to learn some new Finnish words.
Moreover, to abide by the copyright laws for licensed music, all music will be played by the online streaming music service Spotify (or similar; e.g., YouTube Music) throughout the experiment session. The researcher or the participants will not download, store, or share any music without the permission of the music owners. There will be only lists of selected songs’ names and artists saved for the convenience of the experiment session preparation.
6. Informing about research results and research outcomes
The data collected in the study will be used in the completion of a Master’s Thesis and may also contribute to future doctoral research or related scientific publications. The findings may also be presented at national and international scientific conferences, in university seminars, and potentially in events open to the general public with the aim of sharing findings about the effects of music on language learning.
The study will therefore yield meaningful results such as a Master’s Thesis, possible future research publications, and conference/seminar presentations. Research results will be published whenever possible and feasible as open-access articles.
Participants will receive a summary of their vocabulary learning outcomes at the end of the experiment for personal interest and feedback.
Following principles of open science, the anonymised research data may be made publicly available for scientific use after the results are published. Anonymised data means that before publishing the data, any record or files connecting their pseudonymised data to their identity will be permanently deleted. Only non-identifiable, pseudonym-free data will be accessible for reuse.
8. Insurance coverage for research subjects
The University of Jyväskylä has insurance for its activities and research subjects.
The set of insurance includes malpractice insurance, operational liability insurance, and optional insurance against accidents. During the research activities, the subjects are covered by the insurance for accidents, damages and injuries inflicted by an external cause. The accident insurance is valid during measurements and on trips integrally connected to them.
9. Contact persons for further information
Name: Tran Ngoc, Vy
Phone Number: +358 41 740 8445 Email Address: ngoc.vy.tran@student.jyu.fi
Role: Thesis Researcher
Name: Pijeira Díaz, Héctor
Phone Number: +358 50 575 2429 Email Address: hector.j.pijeira-diaz@jyu.fi
Role: Thesis Supervisor
PRIVACY NOTICE
You are participating in scientific research. This privacy notice informs you about the processing of your personal data as part of the research. You have a legal right to receive this information under the European Union and Finnish legislation.
1. Data Controller(s) in the study “The Effects of Preferred Background Music on Finnish Vocabulary Learning”
The Data Controller is responsible for the lawful processing of personal data in this research. The Data Controller of this research is: the University of Jyväskylä (JYU), Seminaarinkatu 15, P.O. Box 35, 40014 University of Jyväskylä. Business ID 0245894-7. Data Protection Officer: tietosuoja@jyu.fi, + 358 40 805 3297.
Responsible leader or team of the research
Name: Pijeira Díaz, Héctor
Title: Assistant Professor; Thesis Supervisor (TS) of this study
Phone Number: +358 50 575 2429
Email Address: hector.j.pijeira-diaz@jyu.fi
Work address: University of Jyväskylä (JYU), Seminaarinkatu 15, P.O. Box 35, 40014 Jyväskylä
Visiting address: Ruusupuisto Building; Alvar Aallon katu 9, 40600 Jyväskylä, Finland. Office: RUU D421.
Name: Tran Ngoc, Vy
Title: Master’s student, Master’s program in Educational Sciences (EDUMA) of the University of Jyväskylä
Phone Number: +358 417408445
Email Address: ngoc.vy.tran@student.jyu.fi
Team members who process personal data in this research: The above-mentioned team on the study.
2. Processor(s) of personal data
Processor of personal data refers to somebody processing personal data on behalf of the Data Controller and according to the Data Controller’s instructions. A Data Processing Agreement must be signed with the processor of personal data. In this research, personal data are processed by:
a. Webropol
b. Gorilla Experiment Builder
Right to restriction of processing (GDPR, Article 18)
During research, the Data Controller can also use other processors of personal data who cannot be named beforehand. Necessary agreements are always signed with the processors, and their eligibility for the processing of personal data in terms of information security is assessed before signing the agreement. The data subject will be informed separately about the use of another processor if the change is significant from the data subject’s point of view.
To ensure the accuracy of research data, the Data Controller may submit data for processing (primarily without direct identification data) to a so-called research reviewer or verifier for a defined period when necessary. These reviewers or verifiers work under the supervision of research staff, and data processing agreements are signed with them.
3. Other disclosure of personal data during research
Your personal data will be handled by as few as possible of the data processors. The data will be pseudonymised as soon as possible in the research process.
If a reward or cost reimbursement is paid to the research subject, the payer discloses statutory information to the Incomes Register Unit for the Incomes Register without being hindered by confidentiality provisions and other restrictions on access to information (Act on the income information system 53/2018).
4. Personal data to be processed in “The Effects of Preferred Background Music on Finnish Vocabulary Learning” study.
Your personal data will be processed for the research purpose described in the information letter.
In this research, we will collect the following personal data: name, gender, age, estimated Finnish language level, native language(s), educational background, email address, and phone number. This data is necessary to contextualise and analyse the role of different factors on Finnish vocabulary learning outcomes. The contact data (phone and email) are necessary to schedule your participation in the experiment, remind music playlists of preferred songs, and/or contact you for possible updates (e.g., changes of timing or location).
This research does not involve the processing of personal data of special categories such as ethnicity, beliefs, politics, health status (condition or risks), sexual orientation or sex life.
This privacy notice has been made available to data subjects at the recruitment phase in electronic and/or printed form. Data subjects are also able to access it at the beginning of the experiment on the Gorilla Experiment Platform.
5. The lawful basis for processing personal data in scientific research
☒Scientific research serving a public interest (GDPR, Article 6.1e, special personal data categories 9.2j)
6. Transfer of personal data outside the EU/EEA area
In this research, your personal data will not be transferred outside the EU/EEA area.
7. Protection for personal data
Processing of personal data in this research is based on an appropriate research plan and the study has a designated person in charge. The personal data collected and saved for this research will include only such data that is necessary for the research purpose.
Preventing identification
☒ The data is not analysed with direct identification data.
The personal data processed in this research will be protected using:
☒ user ID ☒password
The JYU shared network folders (i.e., NextCloud and/or OneDrive) will be used for data storage. Thereby, the content is automatically backed up by the university’s digital services.
Agreements with research assistants and/or processors of personal data /Joint Data Controllers
☒ Yes
8. PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA AFTER THE RESEARCH HAS ENDED
☒ Anonymised data might be published, attending to open science practices.
9. Rights of the data subject
Right to access your personal data (GDPR, Article 15)
You have the right to get to know whether and which personal data of yours are processed. If you wish, you can also request a copy of your personal data to be processed.
Right to rectification (GDPR, Article 16)
If there are any inaccuracies or errors in your personal data to be processed, you are entitled to request that these be rectified or supplemented.
Right to erasure (GDPR, Article 17)
You have the right to demand, in some cases, that your personal data be erased. However, the right of erasure is not applicable if the erasure would prevent or greatly hinder reaching the goal of processing in scientific research.
Right to restriction of processing (GDPR, Article 18)
You have the right to restrict the processing of your personal data in some cases, like when you challenge the correctness of your personal data.
Deviating from the rights
In some individual cases, it is possible to deviate from the described rights on the grounds stipulated in the GDPR and the Data Protection Act insofar as the rights would prevent or greatly hinder reaching the goals of scientific or historical research or statistical purposes. The need for deviating from the rights is always assessed case-specifically. It is also possible to deviate from the rights if the data subject cannot, or cannot any longer, be identified.
Profiling and automatised decision-making
In this research, your personal data will not be used for any automatic decision-making. In this research, the purpose of the processing of personal data is not to assess your personal qualities, i.e. profiling, but personal data and qualities are considered from the perspective of broader scientific research.
Implementing the data subject rights
If you have any questions about your data subject rights, you can contact the University’s Data Protection Officer. All requests concerning the implementation of data subject rights are submitted to the JYU Registry Office. Registry Office and Archives, P.O. Box 35 (C), 40014 University of Jyväskylä, tel. 040 805 3472, email: kirjaamo@jyu.fi. Visiting address: Seminaarinkatu 15, Building C (University Main Building, 1st floor), Room C 140.
Reporting an actual or suspected information security breach to JYU https://help.jyu.fi/jp
You have to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, especially with a locally relevant one in terms of your permanent place of residence or work, if you regard that the processing of personal data violates the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679. In Finland, the supervisory authority is the Data Protection Ombudsman.
Updated contact information of the Office of Data Protection Ombudsman: https://tietosuoja.fi/etusivu
CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
“The Effects of Preferred Background Music on Finnish Vocabulary Learning”
I understand that participation in the study is voluntary and that I can pause or stop taking part in the study at any time without giving a reason, and without negative consequences for me. The research materials collected about me up to the point of pausing or stopping may still be used in the study.
By giving my consent, I accept that data and materials will be collected from me as described in the information sheet.
Yes ☐ No ☐
I confirm that I will not participate in face-to-face data collection if I have flu symptoms, fever, am recovering from illness or am feeling otherwise unwell.
Yes ☐
I confirm that I have received the information sheet about the content of the study, how it will be conducted, and what it means on my part, as well as the privacy notice. I have also had the opportunity to ask the researchers further questions. I have therefore been adequately informed about the content of the study, how it will be conducted, and what it means for me, as well as about the processing of my personal data which is processed on the basis of public interest as set out in the law.
I have had sufficient time to consider my participation in the study. I have not been pressured or tempted to take part in the research.
Yes ☐
____________________________________________________________________________ Signature of the participant Name (in block letters) Date
Contact details:__________________________________ For more information contact:
Tran Ngoc Vy, ngoc.vy.tran@student.jyu.fi or
Thesis supervisor: Héctor Pijeira Díaz, hector.j.pijeira-diaz@jyu.fi
