Long-term intervention through online courses in music education: Impact on assessment, performance, creativity, and musical culture.

The digital transformation of music education has accelerated in recent years, raising questions about how online platforms contribute to students' creative and cultural competencies. This study assesses the long-term effects of an online music course on undergraduate learning outcomes in China. Conducted over two academic years (2022-2024), the research involved 287 students from a Chinese music college, randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 144) that completed the online course or a control group (n = 143) that followed a traditional curriculum. Student outcomes were evaluated across four domains: (1) music perception and analysis (MPCA-1), (2) performance skills (MPCA-2), (3) musical creativity (MPCA-3), and (4) music in cultural context (MPCA-4). Independent samples t-tests revealed that the online course significantly improved outcomes in MPCA-3 and MPCA-4, enhancing students' creative abilities (improvisation and composition) and understanding of music's cultural dimensions. In contrast, no significant differences were found in MPCA-1 and MPCA-2, highlighting the continued importance of hands-on practice for perceptual and performance-based skills. These findings support the constructivist theory of online learning by showing that interactive digital environments can effectively foster creative thinking and interdisciplinary engagement. The study provides practical insights into combining digital tools with traditional methods to achieve more balanced and comprehensive music education outcomes.