Assessing the educational value of YouTube videos for beginning instrumental music.

Internet video has altered the teaching and learning of instrumental music, breaking down barriers separating instruction at school from practice at home. The purpose of this exploratory study was to assess the educational value of beginning instrumental music tutorials available via the video-sharing site YouTube. Results of searches for flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and snare drum videos were systematically evaluated by a panel of three judges. Criteria included credibility, efficiency, musicality, and overall value. The first 20 results for each instrument category (n = 100) were rated and subjected to statistical analysis using nonparametric procedures. The judges found the videos to be of average to good pedagogical utility as a supplement to traditional instruction. However, the videos rated very low in musicality, and those featuring nonprofessional presenters offered questionable educational value. Findings support limited use of internet video in teaching instrumental music while also pointing to the constraints of virtual learning and the need for additional research