Participant approaches to and reflections on learning to play a keyboard in an asynchronous e-learning environment

This study investigated the viability of learning to play an improvised 12-bar blues on keyboard, with both hands together, in an asynchronous e-learning environment. It also revealed the approaches to learning adopted by participants with and without prior formal instrumental musical training during the learning sessions. Participants worked individually, with the assistance of the ‘Blues Activities’ text and support from ‘guide’ and ‘backing’ tracks in the form of MIDI files accessed through a music sequencing program. A ‘remote facilitator’ was also available via email to provide advice, support and encouragement during and after each learning session. Participants required between 9-10 learning sessions, over a period of six weeks, to successfully complete the six ‘Blues Activities’. Individual, semi-structured interviews, designed to reveal participant reflections on their engagement with the Blues Activities were conducted with the participants after they had completed the learning sessions. All participants were able to play the 12-bar improvised blues by the end of the final learning session. Results revealed that participants engaged in five distinct behaviours during the learning sessions. These behaviours were interpreted as ‘Learning Activities’ (i.e. ‘instruction’, ‘copying’, ‘practising’, ‘playing’ and ‘evaluating’). Support for these interpretations was found in emails exchanged between participants and remote facilitator, and the analysis of the reflective interviews. Results also revealed relationships between the content of the ‘Blues Activities’, prior research on formal-informal learning practices and theories of ‘playing by ear’. Qualitative analysis of the reflective interviews also revealed ‘overall themes’, suggesting high levels of participant motivation, related to positive feelings of ‘autonomy’. Implications for instrumental music education are discussed.