Using online research methods to complete investigations with young children: Suggestions for music practitioners and researchers

Abstract

As stakeholders turn to online methods, researchers would benefit from assistance in identifying ways to address important questions related to children’s musical lives in an altered research landscape. The purpose of this article is to describe how online methods can be used to conduct research with young children and music. A secondary purpose is to introduce and orient readers to relevant literature and resources to enable them to complete investigations. Our discussion is presented in three primary sections: online research with children and music, ethical considerations and suggestions for practice. Sections one and two provide general overviews of relevant literature and resources while establishing a foundation for our suggestions, which are also informed by our previous experiences. As researchers, we began this investigation to address a need in our own work, and we offer our preliminary findings and suggestions in this article as a resource for others.