Abstract:

Many factors have contributed to increase in the popularity of online college courses and degree programs serving music education over the past decade (McLain & Proszkow, 2014). Some post-secondary institutions have turned to distance education to assist their efforts to attract in-service educators to graduate programs, given the current constraints of school calendars, rising costs, and an increasingly busy pool of potential students.

Distance learning programs in music education have grown slower than other fields (McLain & Proszkow, 2014). Publications related to graduate distance learning music programs are primarily anecdotal, based on professors’ reflective thinking (Rees & Downs, 1995; Walls, Powell, Miranda, & Good, 2005; Walls, Wolfe, Good, Powell, & Schaffer, 2004). Groulx and Hernly (2010) indicate that online graduate degree programs are a growing phenomenon as technology continues to develop and becomes more widely available and the needs of an increasingly educated society require better access to higher learning.

While the Master of Music Education degree program provides the common music practitioner with prospects
for professional development, meeting teacher certification renewal requirements, innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and inventive methods to meeting the challenges of today’s classroom, the online program design makes this wealth of knowledge, resource, and capital equally available to the music teacher, far removed from an institution of higher learning (Author, 2012).

Online instruction has potential to provide educational opportunities seldom available to music teachers seeking advanced study while maintaining full-time jobs, family responsibilities, and evening school-related obligations. Perceived enticements of salary increases, convenience, reduced expenses, freedom from class meetings, scheduling flexibility, and minimal stress in pursuing educational goals and advanced degrees appear to be the most immediate benefits. However, the busy music teacher needs to know about participation requirements, personal contributions and peer interactions, production of coursework, assessment and evaluation, and general performance and behavioral expectations, before investing time and money in an online music education program (Author, 2010).

This paper will provide recent research data comparing distance learning graduate degree programs in music education in the United States to examine:
1) program design,
2) credits required,
3) curriculum,
4) entrance and exit requirements, and
5) delivery methods of instruction.

Of 644 total institutions accredited the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), a total of thirteen schools offer online graduate degree programs in music education. This study will examine and compare components of these varied distance-learning program structures. As there has not been one clear model in granting the online graduate music education degree, this presentation will present common elements of best practice among current programs to provide valuable information for refinement of graduate distant learning music education in the 21st century.

Keywords:

Distance Learning, Graduate, Music Education, Online, Program Design.