Developing a Teaching Framework for Online Music Courses
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University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2016 Developing a Teaching Framework for Online Music Courses Johnson, Carol Johnson, C. (2016). Developing a Teaching Framework for Online Music Courses (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25620 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/2886 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Developing a Teaching Framework for Online Music Courses by Carol Johnson A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH CALGARY, ALBERTA MARCH, 2016 © Carol Johnson 2016 Abstract Post-secondary music courses are being offered in an online learning format at an exponential rate of increase (Johnson & Hawley, in press). The purpose of this multiple case study was to develop a teaching framework that assists music faculty members in transitioning from traditional face-to-face classroom teaching to teaching in the online environment. The three case studies included: 1) hybrid online courses; 2) a fully online course focused on social constructivist learning and; 3) fully online courses with limited student interaction. Case data was collected from 11 faculty and 4 student interviews, 16 online student surveys, and 2 faculty focus group discussions between November 2014 and November 2015. First Cycle and Second Cycle data coding and analyses (Saldaña, 2013) revealed four essential elements for online music courses: 1) online music pedagogy (e.g., teaching philosophies, authentic music learning, openness to online music learning, institutional support, and learning approaches); 2) course design (e.g., planning, organization, multimedia use, and course design process); 3) assessment (e.g., meaningful opportunities to demonstrate music learning), and 4) communication (e.g., methods for exploring subject content and technology tools). The data collected from Community of Inquiry student surveys (Arbaugh et al., 2008) and student interviews indicated that the incorporation of these components assisted learning. The resulting teaching framework was developed from both literature and findings from the case studies. It incorporates evidenced components (course design, assessment, and communication) with online pedagogy incorporated in its iterative development process. This framework was presented to and subsequently validated by the faculty who participated in the study. ii The findings and implications of this study contribute relevant evidence about current online music learning and teaching practices. Overall, constructivist and social constructivist learning approaches to course design were found assistive to providing students with interactive learning in the online environment. The implications of this study are that online music faculty require ongoing active participation in sustainable workshops as well as mentoring, and that administrators choosing new online music faculty members should seek those who have both an openness for online teaching and past experience in teaching using innovative technology. iii Acknowledgements Momentous accomplishments are not made in solitary. With this in mind, I am grateful for my deeply-rooted support network of family, friends and colleagues scattered the world over. You have provided me with much-needed encouragement, words of advice, and prayer as I completed this Ph.D. journey. There are a number of people that I would like to specifically thank as they have been a significant source of support: I grateful for my family (Mom, Dad, Linda, Scott, Mac, & Brenna). You have loved me and cheered me on at all times while graciously giving me the space I needed to finish well. I am indebted to my Nashville family and inner circle of inseparable friends who have encouraged me over the distances as I completed this task. To each one of you, I owe you a depth of gratitude that cannot be repaid. You have truly been applets of gold in settings of silver. I value each one of you and have appreciated your support in this journey. Thank you to Dr. Jennifer Lock and my doctoral committee members. Dr. Lock has been my awe-inspiring supervisor, late-night email responder, and online learning herald. Thank you for your tireless efforts to encourage me to find the “so what” and meaning behind the words. Your scholarship and mentorship are appreciated beyond words. I am grateful to the counsel of my doctoral committee and for your all of your guiding efforts that resulted in this work. Finally, I give honour and thanks to my Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ - in whom I live, move and have my being. All good things in life come from you alone. Editing was completed by Dr. Virginia McGowan, McGowan & Co.: The Write Edit Group, with the approval of the student’s supervisor/instructor. iv Table of Contents Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents .............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. x List of Figures............................................................................................................................... xi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION......................................................................................... 1 Introduction................................................................................................................................... 1 Literature Context ........................................................................................................................... 2 Statement of the Problem............................................................................................................. 3 Purpose of the Study..................................................................................................................... 4 Context of Study............................................................................................................................ 4 Significance of the framework for learning music online. ............................................................. 5 Research Questions....................................................................................................................... 6 Definitions...................................................................................................................................... 6 Theoretical Framework................................................................................................................ 8 Jean Piaget. ..................................................................................................................................... 9 John Dewey..................................................................................................................................... 9 Constructivism: Learning through action. .................................................................................... 10 Social constructivism.................................................................................................................... 11 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................................... 15 Introduction................................................................................................................................. 15 Online Learning .......................................................................................................................... 15 Online learning environments (OLE). .......................................................................................... 16 History of Online Learning........................................................................................................ 16 Ties to distance learning. .............................................................................................................. 17 Educational technology................................................................................................................. 18 Blurring of influences. .................................................................................................................. 19 Trends .......................................................................................................................................... 19 Tablet computing. ......................................................................................................................... 19 MOOCs........................................................................................................................................