{"id":126457,"date":"2021-05-04T15:09:31","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T13:09:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=126457"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:25:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:25:36","slug":"lecturer-matthias-wieser-creates-a-collaborative-spotify-playlist-during-his-lecture-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2021\/05\/04\/lecturer-matthias-wieser-creates-a-collaborative-spotify-playlist-during-his-lecture-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Lecturer Matthias Wieser creates a collaborative Spotify playlist during his lecture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Matthias Wieser teaches the \u2018Stress and anxiety\u2019 course at Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences. He\u2019s a music lover and he uses music as a way of creating a sense of community among his students.<\/p>\n

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\u201cLast year, my lecture started just when the first lockdown was announced. So that gave me no more than a weekend to convert my lectures into an online format. What was funny \u2013 at least I can laugh about it now \u2013 was that the course was about stress and anxiety, so I experienced first-hand what the lectures were about.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a year later and my lectures for this course are still online, but I\u2019ve decided to do them live. Recording lectures is no fun for students and the same goes for me. Even though we\u2019re still using Zoom, I have more interaction now that my lectures are live, and I can see students\u2019 reactions to my lame jokes. My next course starts in November and I\u2019m really hoping we\u2019re back on the campus by then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018If I\u2019m talking about anxiety disorders in the classroom, I\u2019ll show clips from a popular Netflix series about someone who has an anxiety disorder\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Connecting with student experiences<\/h2>
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\u201cIn my lectures, I always try to find a way to connect with things students identify with. If I\u2019m talking about anxiety disorders in the classroom, I\u2019ll show clips from a popular Netflix series about someone who has an anxiety disorder. I hope that using this approach makes my lectures more appealing and the topics more recognisable for the students.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven before COVID-19 I was aware that the subject matter covered in my lectures could be distressing. Some students realised they had the symptoms being described, so that\u2019s something I try to keep in mind. Before the pandemic I would always say: \u2018You know where to find me. Let me know if I can help you with anything, my door is always open.\u2019 As we all know, you can\u2019t say that during a pandemic. So in my lectures, I incorporate a lot of information about where to find professional help, both here at the university and outside of the university.<\/p>\n

Spotify playlist<\/h2>

\u201cI think students really appreciate that I\u2019m doing more than just transferring knowledge. I also show an interest in their personal situation. During the online lectures, I try to create a sense of community using Spotify. Every week I ask students to add a song to the collaborative playlist that fits in with what we\u2019re talking about. For example, if we\u2019re discussing panic attacks, they look for songs about how you deal with a panic attack.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor every lecture, I play the collaborative playlist on Zoom 10 minutes before we start or during the break. Even though it\u2019s just a playlist, the feeling of creating a compilation together with your classmates forges a bond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018I live alone so it feels like all the days blur together. Sometimes you don\u2019t even know what day it is\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Concerts and festivals<\/h2>

\u201cI also sometimes worked in the weekends or evenings before COVID-19, but now it\u2019s gotten worse. I live alone so it feels like all the days blur together. Sometimes you don\u2019t even know what day it is. That\u2019s why I enjoy going to the campus on Mondays for the livestream.<\/p>\n

\u201cI miss my social life the most. I\u2019m a serious music fan and normally I used to go to concerts all the time. The last music event I attended was Grauzone, a festival in The Hague. I\u2019m really looking forward to being on the festival grounds again and enjoying the performances of amazing musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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