Education Commons^™

Making A Difference In Learning Through Arts-Rich Pedagogy, Robyn Ewing Am

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

There is unequivocal evidence that arts-rich pedagogies enhance student social and emotional wellbeing and, consequently, academic learning outcomes across the curriculum. Yet many primary teachers report they lack the expertise and/or confidence to embed quality arts processes and experiences in what is increasingly described as an overcrowded curriculum. This presentation reviews the research findings about the impact and sustainability of School Drama, an initiative developed through a partnership between the Sydney Theatre Company and The University of Sydney. An innovative co-mentoring teacher professional learning program and drama-based intervention, the program aims to develop primary teachers’ professional knowledge of and expertise …

I See A Spark And Blow On It: Drama Practice In Year 1 And The New Australian Curriculum In The Arts, Christine Lovering

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

New educational directives have an effect on the practice of teachers in schools. This study is propelled by the introduction of a national Australian Curriculum and subsequent changes to the Arts curriculum. As one of the five arts subjects, drama has been included in the primary school curriculum in Western Australia since 1997, however, its inclusion and the teaching of drama has not been consistently realised.

Teacher perspectives and beliefs about specific Learning Areas influence their planning and practice; often this is related to past experiences. This study aims to determine Year 1 teachers’ perspectives of, and practices in, drama. …

Spark : An Educator's Look At Connection In 21st Century American Schools, Melissa J. Berrada

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Connection, creativity in the classroom and miracles are possible, even in today's standardized climate. The author gives examples that prove damaged systems can be overcome and difficult situations surmounted. Her hope is that this integrative master's project will show a true exploration of what it means to have an inner voice, to find and free it, and eventually express it.

Cultural Arts And Diversity: Rainbow Multicultural Theater Troupe, A History And Education Model, Maria Antoinette Olivo

Theses Digitization Project

This study will explore ethnic and cultural theater history offering a point of view of theater from the African American, Chicano Latino American, Asian American, and Native American experience; as well as a view by international theater artists who influence many artists and educators of color, and who influence cultural arts and diversity programs. information about student persistence and perseverance in attaining and education is explored ans evidence supporting the notion that cultural arts and diversity programs do in fact help students to achieve their goals.

Theatre Across The Curriculum: Playing A Role In Multicultural Identity, Literacy Acquisition, Special Education, And Beyond, Fergus James Loughnane

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the benefits of theatre and theatrical practices across the curriculum. it is a counter weight to the pervasive argument that theatre does not offer adequate training and prospects to our students. Theatrical practices have been show to dramatically improve literacy acquisition by reinforcing the lesson.

Residual Effects Of An Elementary Theatre Program, Karen D. Dietry

Master of Education Research Theses

This qualitative study reports student perceptions regarding residual effects of participation in an elementary school theatre program. The study was based on interviews of 22 students who were 11-16 years old and who attended a public school in a rural Midwestern community. Results showed that students perceived the following effects of participation in an elementary play: development of academic and personal life skills that were transferred to other areas of life, increased development of personal traits, such as self-confidence, development of positive social networks, and stimulated desire for continued involvement with performing arts.

Pass The Roles Please, Dana Christy Klopping

Theses Digitization Project

This thesis project is a study of the process and development of a Career Development Creative Drama unit for first grade students which any teacher can reapply in their own classroom. The goal of this project was to create and polish a program which teachers may use in the classroom to benefit their students. This interactive and creative platform enhanced a career development program for early education students.

Thunder Rock: The Play, And Enriching The High School Curriculum, Jason William Bayless

Theses Digitization Project

This thesis is a position paper developing an argument for the advancement of the play Thunder Rock, by Robert Ardrey, into consideration for the California Reading List for Public High Schools. To support the validity of the argument the thesis explores three key elements: the content of the play itself; connections to the California Content Standards for California Public Schools; as well as related instructional methods appropriate to the task of teaching the play. The goal is to develop in this thesis not only an argument for the inclusion of Thunder Rock into the California Reading List, but also create …

Influences Of Morality In Theatre For Children, Ashleigh Merle Lutes

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this thesis is to examine current practices and suggest strategies and support for effective ways to teach morality with and through theatre. Using theatre as a moral training ground creates opportunities for children to learn to make positive choices throughout their lives.

A Handbook For Using Creative Drama And Readers Theatre Concepts To Better Prepare Second Graders For The California Standards Test In English Language Arts, Pilar Alvarez

Theses Digitization Project

The proposed project provides early literacy intervention that will put attending second graders at an advantage in the future while taking their yearly English Language Arts (ELA) California Standards Tests (CSTS). More importantly it could improve its participants knowledge of English Language Arts content standards. The program described in this handbook uses creative drama and readers theatre concepts that have been shown to enhance second grade students' ability to recognize and understand words, comprehend texts, think critically, and express their ideas in writing.

Pinch Play Puppet Project, Carolyn Faye Mattson

Theses Digitization Project

The project was designed to investigate issues and ideas of developing a play adapted from a children's book to bring "history to life" for a modern family. The research model was designed to be a tool for the evaluation of the material presented. It was constructed to allow student practitioners to participate in the exploration and discovery of the creative process and improve their understanding of implementing theatre practices to teach required subjects.

Affirmative Acts: The Need For American Black Theatre In The Classroom, Angela Batrice Brooks-Van Niel

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this study is to reveal that racial inequality in American Theatre is still in existence: that while our country has gained some level of integration, several societal and artistic echelons evidence a remaining tendency towards discrimination--a separatist sense of culture that unfortunately informs elementary and secondary classrooms all across the United States as well as still exists in the general arts.

Using The California Content Standards With Readers Theatre In The Classroom, Arlene Frances Delgado

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of this project is to use readers theatre to enhance the language arts skills of the low socio-economic student population and the Hispanic population in the classroom. The author created some of her own activities and incorporated them with readers theatre to increase the critical thinking skills of her students in order to score proficient and advance in the assessments used in this project.

Using The California Content Standards With Readers Theatre In The Classroom, Arlene Frances Delgado

Theses Digitization Project

The focus of this project is to use readers theatre to enhance the language arts skills of the low socio-economic student population and the Hispanic population in the classroom. The author created some of her own activities and incorporated them with readers theatre to increase the critical thinking skills of her students in order to score proficient and advance in the assessments used in this project.

Dual-Language Drama As A Door To Classic Literature, Ezekiel Glenn Stear

Theses Digitization Project

The author believes that the mediation of classic literature through drama would increase student's opportunity for academic success on the secondary and post-secondary levels of education. This project develops curriculum and materials using dramatic adaptations of ancient literature created by the author.

Using Drama As An Effective Method To Teach Elementary Students, Mandie M. Moore

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

The Development Of Personal, Analogous And Universal Thinking Through In-Role Drama : A Case Study, Sarah Riddoch

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the development of the problem-solving skills of eleven year olds in a Western Australian Primary school when the teacher and the children were in-role within the drama. The teacher, as teacher in-role, and the students role-played a variety of situations in which effective problem-solving skills were used. As the study progressed the nature of the children's use of symbol and metaphor became an important issue. In the first session the teacher in-role as the Mayor of a small town informed the children in-role as the town council that an alien spacecraft …

Notions Of Justice Through Drama, Elvira Sammut

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This paper explores and describes the lived-experience of a group of 16-year-old girls in a drama class designed to heighten awareness of values of social justice. The students involved are experienced drama students, with a good knowledge of the theory of role-play and play-making, as well as, sound dramatic skills and techniques. The lived-experience provided the source for the research study that used film as a medium to inculcate notions of justice and equity in the classroom through self-devised drama. Phenomenological research was conducted with a group of seventeen Year II drama students. The students took part in a series …

Dramatic Role-Play As A Process Of Exploration With Adolescents : A Phenomenological Study, P. R. Wearne

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this research study is to describe the lived experience of adolescents with dramatic role-play as a process of exploration. The responses of the participants are compared with the proposed learning objectives of the researcher. A comparison is provided which occasionally reflects a difference in actual or perceived learning and expected learning. The process of exploration about self and society is undertaken by using dramatic role-play as a specific methodology of process drama. The current theories of 'drama education', 'process drama' and 'role-play' are discussed and evidenced through the drama experience of the research participants. Although generalisations are …

The Journey Of Making Meaning In Drama : A Case Study In A Metropolitan Priority School, Heather A. Timms

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Children with a low socio-economic background frequently fail within our schools. The school milieu is a potential contributor to this scenario, as schools are generally designed for the attributes, needs, and skill levels that are characteristic of middle• class children. It is therefore important to explore alternative learning frameworks that will enable these children to function within the school system. Drama offers unique and exciting possibilities in this field. Previous research endorses the use of drama in education for this specific purpose; and the theories propounded by learning and language theorists and drama educationalists provide a strong theoretical framework.

The Impact Of Dramatic Improvisational Strategies On The Oral Comprehension Skills Of Children With A Low Socio-Economic Background, Heather A. Timms

Theses : Honours

Children with a low socio-economic background frequently fail to reach a high level of scholastic performance during their school years. The school milieu is a potential contributor to this scenario, as schools are generally designed for the attributes, needs, and skill levels that are characteristic of children from middle socio-economic backgrounds. As a result, these children require specific intervention to enable them to function within this 'alien' system. Drama offers unique and exciting possibilities in this field. Previous research endorses the use of improvisational strategies for this specific purpose; and the theories propounded by learning and language theorists and drama …

A Survey Of Creative Dramatics, Julie Devecchio Baker

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The little princess was merrily playing in the garden with her ball; tossing it up into the air and bounding it down on the ground. As she played she danced around, humming and singing little snatches of tunes to herself. She was completely unaware of the evil-looking creature creeping up behind her. Suddenly, the evil witch stretched out her arms and, with fingers pointing at the little princess she loosed an evil-sounding yell. The little princess looked up first in amazement and then in horror. Then, she yawned sleepily and fell back on the ground fast asleep. The witch then …

Comparative Study Of The Effect Of Creative Dramatics On Listening Achievement, Alice L. Setzer

All Master's Theses

The researcher, in an attempt to find if there were any differences in listening skills, compared the rate of progress in listening skills of fifth grade students, one group (experimental) participating in a planned program in creative dramatics in addition to the regular school program, with the second group (control) participating in the regular school program.

Children’S Drama Available For The Elementary School Children Of Portland, Oregon, Margaret Othus Gender

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis was an endeavor to find the drama available for the elementary children of Portland, Oregon. In deciding what drama was for children two different forms were first researched. Children's theatre done by adults such as in community services, educational programs and professional and commercial theatres were studied. Drama by children, referred to as the less formalized drama, creative dramatics was also investigated.

To further examine the background of children's theatre in the United States, various children's theatres around the country were studied including the University Children's Theatre at Northwestern under the direction of Winifred Ward and Goodman Memorial …

An Investigation Of Social Acceptance As A Function Of An Extra-Curricular Formal Dramatics Program Involving Sixth Grade Students, Larry B. Bowen

All Master's Theses

It was the purpose of this investigation to discover whether participation in formal dramatics as an extra-curricular activity in the elementary school affects the social acceptance of the children involved.

A Study Of Some Children’S Drama In Denmark In 1952 And 1953, Ruth R. Miller

All Master's Theses

When colleges and universities recognize theater as a vital part of a liberal arts education and support productions worthy the attention of students, faculty, and community, theater will become more important to Americans. When the prices of fine productions are kept within the grasp of most people, general recognition of the value of theater will increase. Not bound by tradition, American schools, colleges, and universities have an opportunity to develop an American educational theater, culturally influential.

Justification And Suggestions For Teaching Creative Dramatics In The Primary, Elementary, And The Junior High School, Mary Henrietta Johnson

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) to state and define the philosophy of the creative dramatics program; (2) to give suggestions to teachers as to how creative dramatics can, and should, be a part of the curriculum; (3) to provide a means by which teachers can improve their instruction and thus promote a better appreciation for creative dramatics.

An Inquiry Into The Use Of Drama To Teach History, Paul Edward Hobbs

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to show how dramatization of significant historical themes can be more easily realized in high school American history classes.

An Investigation Of Contemporary Dramatic Art Programs, Theater Plants, And Production Attitudes In One Hundred And Sixty-Six Public High Schools Of California, Curtis Cureton

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The existence of dramatic art activity at the secondary school level has been often accepted as expedient and profit- able. The objectives, nature, and operation of such & program are, however, topics for much dispute. An investigation of dramatic activity in our public high schools could drew a clearer picture of current dramatic activities in those schools responding to the study. Such definition might well lead to a better understanding of the problems peculiar to dramatic activity in the public nigh schools of California