Seeking a foundational understanding of instructional video use in tertiary music education

Abstract

Despite the widespread use of instructional video and other technologies across higher education, the role of learning technologies in tertiary music education remains largely unexplored (Zhukov, 2015). Instructional videos have been shown to be a widely used pedagogical tool within higher education in Australia (Colasante, 2022; Fyfield et al., 2019; Henderson et al., 2017). Music is a domain in which students typically engage in extensive independent practice and learning (Jorgensen, 2000; Zhukov, 2015), presenting a strong use case for the provision and use of asynchronous learning materials to support this independent study and practice (Grant, 2013; Johnson, 2022). However, in the context of tertiary music education, there is little empirical evidence to confirm widespread use of instructional videos in explicit or self-directed learning, or to explore the pedagogical purposes they serve (DeWitt et al., 2013).

This Pecha Kucha reports on preliminary findings from the first phase of a mixed-methods research project on the use of instructional videos in tertiary music education. The research project aims to address these gaps in the literature by (1) establishing foundational understandings of current practices relating to instructional video in tertiary music education, (2) investigating how educators’ values and perspectives influence pedagogical decisions regarding video selection and design, and (3) evaluating the impact of various multimedia design features on student learning gains, drawing on theories such as Mayer’s (2014) Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) for analysis in subsequent phases.

The first phase of the research involved distributing an online survey to tertiary music educators and students across Australian and international institutions. The survey collected both quantitative and qualitative data, which are currently being analysed using statistical methods and inductive thematic analysis, respectively. Quantitative data describes the extent, frequency, context, and purpose of instructional video use in tertiary music teaching, and qualitative data captures the reasoning for utilising instructional videos, factors influencing adoption, and perceived pedagogical quality. The online survey was conducted in the second half of 2025. While data collection and analysis are ongoing, this Pecha Kucha presents a descriptive analysis of the data collected to date, providing an initial picture of how instructional video is currently being used (or not used) in tertiary music education contexts, as well as educators’ and students’ experiences with and attitudes toward the use of instructional video within the tertiary music context.

This research aims to make a novel contribution to the fields of music education and digital pedagogy by providing a foundational view of the use of instructional video in tertiary music education, with a focus on the Australian context. It will also provide insight into educators’ pedagogical reasoning and preferences, offering evidence to inform the design of more effective, discipline-specific video resources. In doing so, the research aims to support more pedagogically grounded use of instructional video within the tertiary music context. More broadly, instructional video can enhance accessibility and inclusion by supporting regional learners, enabling flexible engagement with diverse expertise, and fostering equitable participation in independent learning.