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Creating a Stimulating Learning Environment 175
minute. Finally, if you want to really energize participants and get them moving, use
music that has 70–140 beats per minute.
As a trainer, you can add music to the background to break the awkward silence that
sometimes exists as participants enter the room or return from breaks. You can also use
such music to signal the end of one event and the beginning of another. This works
because the abrupt silence that occurs when the music is turned off attracts attention.
Nonverbally, you are signaling that something is about to happen or that it is time to
begin.
Music can definitely assist in setting the tone for a session, and if used correctly,
can actually contribute to the theme. For example, in a class on time management, I
recorded an hour of songs with time in the title (e.g., “Time won’t let me” by the Out-
siders, “Time has come today” by the Chambers Brothers, and “Time in a bottle” by Jim
Croce). I played the songs as learners arrived and during breaks; in my opening remarks
I commented about how time influences every aspect of our lives, including our music.
In another session on motivation, I ran in from the back of the room with the theme of
the movie “Rocky” blaring away. Once in front of the class, I turn off the music and in
animated fashion welcomed everyone with a loud “GOOD MORNING! ARE YOU
READY TO LEARN SOME TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE YOUR WORKLIFE?” I then get
everyone to stand up, and lead them through a fast-paced stretching or other fun activ-
ity. That leads to small group brainstorming activity into what gets people pumped up
in today’s workplace. We review their ideas and get into the program content.
When selecting music for your programs, do not forget that each participant has
preferences related to music type (e.g., rock, rap, new age, and country), format (e.g.,
instrumental versus vocal), and volume level. Also, recognize that some people will enjoy
the music and others will complain about it. Experiment to find a happy medium and
ask for participant input. You may even want to discuss the issues mentioned in this sec-
tion related to music and learning at the beginning of the session. Depending on how
much music you plan to use, build in small competitions in which the winner gets to
assume the role of the disc jockey who selects the next phase of music you will play dur-
ing breaks or whenever. This is a fun way to involve participants and give them some
control while relieving you of the task of making selections.
Lenn Millbower points out the need for cultural awareness by explaining the role of
music in different parts of the world. “Music fulfills different needs in diverse locations
around the world, and we are all prisoners of our cultural assumptions. Individuals,
even professional musicians, have a difficult time appreciating the nuances of music
outside their heritage. Erroneous music placement based on mistaken cultural assump-
tions is a potential source of embarrassment when training with music. You must know
the cultural assumptions and expectations of your audience before selecting material.” 20
The key to selecting the right type of music is to consider the organizational culture,
topic, geographic location, and cultural background of learners. For example, although
upbeat country and western music might play well as break music for a session being
taught in Texas or other parts of the western United States, it might not be well received
in major cities of the northeastern part of the country or in other countries. Similarly,