MacPhail Online Music Programming: 2019-20 Evaluation Results for the Online School Partnerships and Sing Play Learn Programs

The MacPhail Center for Music Online School Partnerships program aims to increase access to high-quality music education for students who attend schools in Greater Minnesota in order to improve student interest and knowledge in music, and to improve or maintain positive school engagement and non-academic skills. The MacPhail Teaching Artists work collaboratively with school music educators to develop curriculum, implement the Online School Partnerships program, and work with students individually, in sectionals, or in large group settings on their music lessons via the internet. Teaching Artists teach classes at the partner schools remotely and in real time through teleconferencing technology. Wilder Research worked with the Online School Partnerships program to develop an evaluation to answer the following questions about the program: (1) How well is the Online School Partnerships program being implemented? What are aspects of the program, if any, that need to be adjusted over time? (2) How well does the collaboration between MacPhail and the schools function, and how can it be strengthened? (3) To what extent does student participation in the Online School Partnerships program affect their interest, motivation, knowledge, and skills in music? (4) To what extent does student participation in the Online School Partnerships program affect their attitudes about school (school motivation and engagement) and student non-academic skills? and (5) To what extent does music educator participation in the Online School Partnerships program affect their growth as an educator, job satisfaction, and ability to handle many aspects of their work assignment? Sing Play Learn with MacPhail® Online Early Childhood Music Partnerships strives to increase access to high quality music education for early childhood students in Greater Minnesota. The virtual musical play experiences are customized to support classroom goals via collaboration with the early childhood classroom teachers and taught by MacPhail-trained early childhood music specialists. Wilder Research worked with the Sing Play Learn program to develop an evaluation that answers the following questions: (1) Do child development centers benefit from their partnership with the MacPhail Center for Music? (2) Do classroom teachers and Teaching Artists develop useful and meaningful relationships? (3) To what extent does participation affect students' listening skills? (4) To what extent does participation affect students'