Video Conferencing with Preschool Children: Mass Communications Media in Music Instruction.

An experiment is described that involved video conferencing technology with preschool children in a music instruction context. Video conferencing is a powerful communications medium, and may be used in creative interactive contexts. The subjects were children, ages 3 through 5, participating in video conferences from Australia and Canada, eight at each conference site. A detailed discussion of rehearsal procedures, technical broadcast information, instruction techniques, evaluation of instructional efficacy with objective tools, and interpretations of the data are provided. Whereas children's television programming, especially in a music context, is essentially non-interactive, video conferencing provides educators a viable, interactive audio-video medium to deliver instruction in a variety of subject areas. (Author)