Abstract:
In a higher education landscape in which many universities are exploring the online delivery of units and courses, the challenges of designing online experiences that enable students to learn in a genuinely active and participatory manner should be a matter of priority. Yet in the area of Arts education, an intrinsically constructivist domain, there has been little research about ways in which to achieve this and therefore the boundary between online pedagogy and Arts education is only just being explored. Part of an ongoing three year research project into a fully online pre-service teacher music education unit in one university, this paper presents the results of an analysis of survey data collected from students who completed the 2010 iteration of the unit. Current literature in the area of e-learning in tertiary education is presented along with a summary of survey data from student participants, and selected data in relation to the use of video in the unit are analysed and discussed in depth. This project uses multiple methods of data collection (survey and semi- structured interviews) and data have been analysed through the use of inductive category construction (Hatch, 2002; Miles & Huberman, 1984; Sarantakos, 2005). In this paper data from two survey items are presented and analysed in depth: student use of lecturer demonstration videos and of videos of past students completing tasks. Data in relation to lecturer demonstration videos have revealed complex relationships between the use of videos in an active and participatory way, the construction of deep understandings of core concepts and also in the support of a diversity of learning styles in particular those who regard themselves as 'visual' learners. Data regarding the use of videos of past students completing tasks revealed similar relationships however connections between these and the professional context were also evident. Further investigation of the design of participatory learning opportunities in online delivery shall flow from this research.