Post on 20-Dec-2015
A progressive sequence of theatre techniques for teaching science
Paris Papadopoulos
Fanny Seroglou
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki - Greece
theatre techniques
provide a cultural bridge between the two “worlds”inside and outside the school
teachers
pupils
a progressive sequence of theatre techniques
pantomime
the experts robe
role play
the expert’s chair
debate
trials of historic characters
a teaching course on weather phenomena
What’s is the weather today?
15 10-year-old pupils
primary school of Drymos
flexible zone
subject-free period of the curriculum
teachers may develop various projects and activities
two hours per week
haven’t been taught science as an individual subject
the developed course is their introduction to science concepts and phenomena
weather phenomena
rain, snow, hail, wind, water circle
multi-level platform for introducing pupils to the science
children water always play with water
weather phenomena are part of and affect every day life
challenge
motivate pupils to participate in theatre techniques
speaking, moving, acting styles
use this creative environment in order to learn science
a progressive sequence
focus each time on a new element of acting (learning through acting)
focus on encouraging the related skills
step focus theatre
technique
1 moving pantomime
2 speaking dialogues
story-telling
3 moving &
speaking
dramatization
4 debating role-play
debate
expert’s chair
trials
learning science becomes…
more creative
more appealing
a pleasure !
pupils involvement in learning increased rapidly
pantomime
allows pupils to create movements, sounds and mime pieces
about science phenomena
water circle and weather phenomena
pantomime
the physical representation allows pupils to reflect on the unfolding procedure of the circle of water in an non-verbal way
they touch, see and experience the meaning of the science vocabulary
role-play
students form three groups:
scientists, adults, children
each group has its own interpretation about weather phenomena
role-play
provides pupils with opportunities to explore and elaborate a range of ideas other than their own
introduces them to variety of values and interpretations about the nature of science
fruitful feedbackdesign and re-design the various episodes of the course
theatre techniques
gradually got engaged in the teaching of other subjects of the curricula
became a bridging instructional tool
between different subjects
analysing data
qualitative analysis of the videotaped
sessions
key-ideas concerning the potential and the limitations of using theatre
techniques in the classroom
data interpretation
three dimensional cognitive, metacognitive and emotional framework
theory of multiple intelligences
Table 1. Cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
Concerning Boys (%)
Girls (%) Total (%)
Involvement in learning
75% 67% 71%
Problem solving skills
60% 50% 55%
Content of Physics
85% 88% 86%
Learning and thinking trough
observation and
experiments.( Scientifically)
55% 60% 58%
Table 2. Meta-cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
Concerning Boys (%)
Girls (%) Total (%)
Interactions of science and society (Moral, Cultural, Democratic and
usefulness).
30% 40% 35%
Nature of science (Methodology, content, science as not an absolute truth, changes of science through
time).
41% 45% 43%
Justify, form and express opinions 78% 70% 74%
Synthesising ideas in order to question and explain reason.
70% 65% 67%
Table 3. Emotional Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
Concerning Boys (%)
Girls (%) Total (%)
Exploring attitudes and values other than their own
70% 65% 67%
Increased students interests and motives
90% 95% 93%
Positive classroom climate 100%
100% 100%
Feeling that the work was meaningful.
85% 90% 67%
Table 4. Linguistic Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
Concerning Boys (%)
Girls (%) Total (%)
Increased narrative comprehension and production.
45% 40% 42%
Decreasing need for adult support during writing.
35% 30% 33%
Use of unfamiliar (scientific) and wider vocabulary.
80% 75% 73%
Longer retention of information 65% 70% 67%
Table 5. Intrapersonal Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
Concerning Boys
(%)
Girls (%) Total (%)
Express of feelings 55% 70% 63%
Self-esteem and self awareness
43% 30% 37%
Self-control 60% 65% 63%
Making decisions 55% 50% 53%
Increased independence 25% 30% 27%
Table 6. Interpersonal Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
Concerning Boys (%)
Girls (%) Total (%)
Social and communication skills 65% 60% 63%
Sharing and working collaboratively
80% 85% 82%
Acceptance of the difference 90% 85% 87%
Pupils’ participation through peer-group
100% 100% 100%
Table 7. Bodily- Kinesthetic-Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
Concerning Boys
(%)
Girls (%) Total (%)
Usage of body-gesture symbols
55% 60% 53%
Acting skills 60% 55% 57%
Ability to observe carefully and then to recreate scenes
in detail (imitate)
72% 70% 71%
Meta-cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
1st Step
2nd Step 3rd Step 4th Step
Moving
Speaking Moving and Speaking
Debating
Panto-mime
Dialogues
Story telling
Depiction image of weather forecast
Depiction image of impacts on people’s life.
Role play
Image
Trial
Interactions of science and society
Moral - 35% 25%
- 25% 40% 40%
Cultural
- - 18%
- 32% 45% 55%
Demo-cratic
- - - - - 25% 25%
Utili-tarian
- 31% 35%
- 35% 60% 65%
Meta-cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
1 2 3 4
Moving
Speaking Moving and Speaking
Debating
Pantomime
Dialogues Story telling
Depiction image of weather forecast
Depiction image impacts on people’s life.
Role play
Image Trial
Nature of science
Methodology
- 30% 35% - - 58% 55%
Content - 30% 45% - - 55% 60%
Science as not
an absolute truth
- 25% 20% - - 50% 40%
Changes of
science through
time
- 25% 20% - - 75% 65%
Meta-cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
1st Step
2nd Step 3rd Step 4th Step
Moving Speaking Moving and Speaking Debating
Panto-mime
Dialogues Story telling
Depiction image of weather forecast
Depiction image impacts on people’s life.
Role play
Image Trial
Justify, form and express opinions
- - - - - 74% 75%
Synthesising ideas in order to question and explain reason
- - - - - 70% 64%
Intrapersonal Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
1st Step
2nd Step 3rd Step 4th Step
Moving Speaking Moving and Speaking Debating
Pantomime
Dialogues Story telling
Depiction image of weather forecast
Depiction image impacts on people’s life.
Role play
Image Trial
Express of feelings
60% - - 67% 63% 60% 65%
Self-esteem and self awareness
35% - - 38% 40% 35% 40%
Self-control
67% 45% 55% 70% 72% 70% 60%
Intrapersonal Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions
Concerning
1st Step
2nd Step 3rd Step 4th Step
Moving
Speaking Moving and Speaking
Debating
Pantomime
Dialogues
Story telling
Depiction image of weather forecast
Depiction image of impacts on people’s life.
Role play
Image
Trial
Making decisions
- - - 30% 42% 40% 100%
Increased independence
25% - - 20% 32% 20% 42%