Students' Perception of Online Learning During COVID-19: A U.S.-Based Music Therapy Survey

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic affected music therapy education, with many university programs instantly shifting from in-person to remote online teaching. As literature related to various aspects of COVID-19 is emerging, none has yet examined music therapy students' responses to the sudden modification of teaching modalities. The aim of this study was to understand how the music therapy learning environment changed during the COVID-19 pandemic; students' experiences with unexpected remote learning, clinical training, and examination; and their perception of barriers and benefits of online learning. American Music Therapy Association students attending courses from Spring 2020 through Spring 2021 were invited to participate in this national survey. In total, 230 music therapy students across seven regions responded to the 26-item questionnaire through Qualtrics®. Seven questions were further explored with a student focus group. Results indicated that courses were mainly altered to synchronous lectures, clinical training changed to varied telepractice experiences, and examination was modified across universities. Students spent about the same time in remote learning and found synchronous lectures mostly engaging. Commonly perceived barriers included screen fatigue, physical isolation from peers, and poor internet connection. Safety during COVID-19, no traveling time, and being more comfortable at home were noted as key benefits. In conclusion, online learning allowed the continuation of music therapy education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moving forward, the development of effective online courses and research-based guidelines for tele-interventions is desirable to improve the music therapy educational landscape during future crises and to prepare students for competent services in a digital world.