1. Moving Practical Music Instruction into a Web-based Course Environment by Alan Anderson and Allan Ellis School of Social Sciences Southern Cross University Australia AUSWEB04

2. Overview 1.A proprietary course management system, Blackboard™, used to develop a Web-based course environment for a group of music students (drums performance major) at SCU. 2.First real attempt at SCU to provide Web-based support for learning practical music skills. 3.Assisted by recent advances in desktop video technology & SCU broadband network. 4.This paper reports findings arising from the development and implementation of the unit Practical Music Studies OnLine (PMSOL)

3. 3 Practical Music Studies Online (PMSOL) in a Blackboard™ course shell Previous research cycles (Anderson & Ellis, 2001; 2002; 2003) - Students of various instruments reported video files enhanced learning The present study helped explore how the course shell’s self-contained facilities for teachers & students to communicate & upload media could further enhance the desktop video assisted learning experience.

4. 4 First attempt at Web-based support for learning practical music skills at SCU Why not attempted previously? Traditional emphasis on one-on-one tuition underlying some doubt about the idea of practical music teaching via Web. Technical constraints, some real, some not as limiting (pedagogically) as anticipated Various technical strategies for integration of video files were subsequently explored

5. 5 Practical Music Studies Online External Links Page (to video files)

6. 6 Web or CD-ROM and DVD? Options to embed hyperlinks to: 1.DVD and/or Video CD-ROMs 2.Files on server that can be quickly refined and uploaded in response to student feedback? A combination seems ideal with only final, refined versions of Frequently Asked for Videos (Anderson & Ellis 2002) being distributed in large numbers on CD-ROM and DVD During this study we found the Web-based environment worked well as a lab for video resource works-in-progress Stakeholder participation central to continuous improvement

7. 7 Extracts of student discussion and critique in forum

8. 8 Main Findings Supports previous research, that desktop video can enhance learning, especially inter-lesson practice Bb course shell makes for convenient compartmentalisation of video files and supporting documents and music notation Some evidence that self-contained features - student Web page templates & forums helped foster a community of learners…and so enhanced the desktop video assisted learning experience Student freedom to upload can lead to inadvertent breaches of copyright Some students cautioned that video-enhanced Web-based music teaching and learning can enhance but should not replace one-on- one tuition which they saw as fundamental to their learning

9. 9 Other issues During preparation stage: teacher found one-way style of presentation for the purpose of recording video initially challenging. Normally accustomed to two-way interactive workshop where questions drive the process. Conclusion: communication skills must be adapted to suit.

10. The End For More Information contact: Alan Anderson aanders1@scu.edu.auaanders1@scu.edu.au Allan Ellis aellis@scu.edu.auaellis@scu.edu.au

11. 11 Further Research and Development Further research and development of Web- based music (and other) courses is underway, some to be supplemented by real-time videoconferencing

12. 12 Anderson program for remote musical instrument instruction 1. Video-enhanced online course environment 2. Supported by Videoconference mediated lessons To Right: Videoconferencing at Uni of Oklahoma (Shephard, 2000) Internet 2