Category Archives: Theories, Policies and Practices
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Final Thoughts on our Final Sessions – PGCert Theories, Policies and Practices – Playfulness in the context of Assessment and Feedback
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In the realm of theatre education, the concepts of playfulness and theatre playground serve as vibrant frameworks for engaging students and fostering creativity. For this fourth blog post I will be contrasting Hans-Georg Gadamer’s playful concept, rooted in his hermeneutic philosophy, which invites us to approach learning with a sense of openness, curiosity, and exploration; and Ramiro Silveira’s concept of Theatre Playground, which offers a structured yet dynamic environment where students can freely experiment and collaborate in the theatrical process. While both approaches prioritise student-centred learning and experiential engagement, they diverge in their perspectives on assessment and feedback.
Gadamer’s playful concept encourages educators to embrace spontaneity and fluidity in the learning process, viewing assessment and feedback as organic components of dialogue and discovery. In his paradigm, assessment is less about quantifying outcomes and more about fostering dialogue and reflection. Feedback is offered as a catalyst for further exploration, inviting students to critically engage with their own learning journey and the perspectives of other participants. By prioritising process over product, Gadamer’s approach emphasises the importance of cultivating a supportive and nurturing learning environment where students feel empowered to take risks and learn from their experiences.
On the other hand, Silveira’s Theatre Playground offers a more structured framework for assessment and feedback within the context of collaborative performance-making. Here, assessment is integrated into the creative process, with students receiving ongoing feedback from peers and tutors as they navigate the challenges of devising and staging theatrical works. Feedback is framed within the context of the ensemble, with an emphasis on constructive critique and collective problem-solving. While Silveira’s approach allows for greater accountability and direction in the creative process, it can also run the risk of imposing hierarchical structures that may stifle individual expression and experimentation.
In comparing these two approaches, it becomes clear that while both prioritise student agency and creativity, they offer distinct perspectives on the role of assessment and feedback in the learning process. Gadamer’s playful concept celebrates the joy of discovery and the value of process-oriented learning, while Silveira’s Theatre Playground provides a structured yet dynamic environment for collaborative exploration and performance-making. Ultimately, the choice between these approaches depends on your educational goals, context of the group of learners, and learning needs of your students. However, by embracing the principles of playfulness and creativity, educators can create transformative learning experiences that inspire growth, innovation, and self-expression in the theatre classroom.
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Thoughts on our Second Session (Micro-teaching) and Object-based learning – PGCert Theories, Policies and Practices / Part 3-3 20min Micro-teaching session account with peers.
In my micro-teaching session, I decided to explore the theme of Micro-fiction (concept developed by James Thomas-1992 , and often illustrated by Hemingway’s six-word story “For sale: Baby shoes, Never worn”, although there is a possibility that Hemingway did not author this story) in order to open a practical workshop in storytelling and narrative which I call “Whose story is it anyway?”. The workshop aims to empower students to become storytellers themselves through understanding story’s structure and the subversion of those structures in a succinct and collaborative manner.
Exploring this, I introduced to my class the aforementioned “For Sale/ Baby Shoes/ Never Worn” firstly as an object (please refer to Stock Image in Part 1-3) and the structure that the six-word story provided – leaning in the brevity offered by it but also it’s clear structure of Beginning, Middle and End. After analysis of the structure, in pairs, students had a go at writing themselves a six-word story, taking as an initial source of inspiration a wooden Zebra.
Timed Lesson Plan:
– Introduction of initial image (baby shoes) and Micro-fiction concept (3min)
– Practical exercise analysing the structure of the six-word story “For sale/ Baby shoes/ Never worn.” (5min)
– Creative Task: responding to the stimuli object (wooden zebra) and try to write your own six-word story. ( in pairs – 8min)
– Sharing of stories and feedback on their structures (4min)
The collaborative nature of the practical task and the built knowledge of the structure they could rely on or subvert from produced enticing short stories, as you can see in the image below. It allowed me to marry my expertise in drama teaching and as a storyteller to the object-based learning techniques explored in the texts such as Meecham’s and our sessions with Chris and Linda, as well as the collaborate sessions led by Lindsay on Wednesdays.
The feedback received was incredibly positive, with specific praises to my engagement with participants, framing and structure of the activity and stimuli to the creative task proposed. There was point made by both our tutor, Chris, and our colleague, Beth, that the feedback portion of the Micro-teaching was slightly rushed and there was an element of restructuring one of the stories that I could have expanded on by further reflecting on the contextual explaining on Micro-fiction and story structure I had put forward at the start of the micro-teaching session. I completely agree and would add that this was a reflect of my shortcomings with time-keeping and worries about going over the timeframe of 20 minutes given to each of us.
It was incredibly helpful to also observe and participate in the micro-teaching sessions of my peers Beth, Beth and Bernadette, who are incredibly accomplished educators in other creative fields (textile, photography, and fashion jewellery, respectively). At times, when involved in your own teaching subject, it is easy for one to lose perspective of the intersections that all creative subjects have, and how much we can learn from one another on how to approach object-based learning in our sessions. I was initially reluctant in engaging with the practice, finding it distant from the approaches I was used to engage with when teaching at the BA Acting and Performance. This experience has allowed me to not only understand my successes and short-comings in my teaching methodology, but also seeing the importance to foster a creative, tactile, visual and hands-on environment in my classes with a plethora of stimuli which could be borrowed from other creative disciplines. To engage with the mission of the Theatre Teacher (Hobgood,1987) goes beyond comfortably experimented theatre practices, asking from us, tutors, to be fully open to international references and holistic approaches to foster our students creativity and talents.
References:
- Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Bloomsbury Publishing.
- Meecham, P. (2015) ‘Talking about things: Internationalisation of the curriculum through object-based learning’, in H Chatterjee & L Hannan (eds) Engaging the senses: Object-based learning in higher education, Routledge, New York: pp.66-81
- Hobgood, B.M. (1987). The Mission of the Theatre Teacher. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 21(1), 57–73. https://doi.org/10.2307/3332813 (Last access – 04.03.2024)
- Boal, A. (2008). Theatre of the oppressed. Theatre Communications Group.
- Thomas, J. (1992). Flash Fiction – 72 Very Short Stories. Rose Metal Press.
Thoughts on our Second Session (Micro-teaching) and Object-based learning – PGCert Theories, Policies and Practices / Part 2-3 Reflecting on educational approaches towards acting and storytelling contextual lessons
While Meecham’s essay focuses on object-based learning and internationalisation of the curriculum, and Hobgood’s work centres on the mission of the theatre teacher, both texts share a common vision of transformative pedagogy. They highlight the importance of experiential learning, dialogue, collaboration, and cultural context in promoting empathy, critical consciousness, and intercultural competence among students. By integrating innovative pedagogical approaches, both authors offer valuable insights into the potential of education to foster meaningful engagement with diverse cultures and perspectives.
I shall now expand this conversation into a reflection between the Internationalisation of the Curriculum as described by Meecham (2015) and Brazilian Theatre practitioner and pedagogue Augusto Boal’s approach of Theatre of the Oppressed (1974). Here also, despite the apparent differences in their methodologies, there are several parallels that can be traced between their approaches:
- Empowerment Through Participation:
- Both Meecham’s approach and Boal’s techniques prioritise active participation in the learning process. Meecham emphasises engagement with objects as a means to stimulate dialogue and critical thinking, while Boal’s “Theatre of the Oppressed” encourages marginalised communities to actively participate in theatrical performances, thereby empowering them to voice their concerns and aspirations.
- Critical Consciousness and Dialogue:
- Both approaches aim to foster critical consciousness and dialogue among participants. Meecham suggests that engaging with objects can prompt reflection and dialogue, challenging preconceived notions and fostering intercultural understanding. Similarly, Boal’s techniques, such as Forum Theatre, encourage participants to critically examine social issues and engage in dialogue to explore potential solutions.
- Cultural Sensitivity and Diversity:
- Both Meecham and Boal emphasise the importance of cultural sensitivity and diversity in their approaches. Meecham’s concept of internationalisation of the curriculum promotes the integration of diverse cultural perspectives into educational practices. Similarly, Boal’s “Theatre of the Oppressed” recognizes the importance of incorporating the cultural context of participants into theatrical performances, allowing for authentic expression and representation.
- Social Transformation:
- Both approaches advocate for social transformation and empowerment. Meecham’s internationalisation of the curriculum seeks to broaden students’ perspectives and promote global citizenship, thereby contributing to positive social change. Similarly, Boal’s “Theatre of the Oppressed” aims to empower marginalised communities to identify and challenge systems of oppression, ultimately leading to social transformation.
- Experiential Learning and Reflection:
- Both Meecham and Boal emphasise the value of experiential learning and reflection in their approaches. Meecham suggests that engaging with objects can prompt experiential learning and stimulate reflection on complex issues. Similarly, Boal’s techniques encourage participants to actively engage in theatrical performances, allowing for experiential learning and reflection on real-world problems.
Pam Meecham’s concept of “Internationalisation of the Curriculum” through object-based learning and Augusto Boal’s approach with the “Theatre of the Oppressed” may seem distinct at first glance, however, they share several key parallels in their emphasis on empowerment, critical consciousness, cultural sensitivity, social transformation, and experiential learning. Both approaches offer fantastic insights into innovative pedagogical practices that aim to promote inclusive education and positive social change, which are paramount to any positive educational process to take place and are principles that guide my own approach to teaching on the BA Acting and Performance.
Encouraging students to explore their own unique voice and perspective through acting and storytelling fosters creativity and self-expression, while also promoting empathy and understanding of diverse perspectives. Furthermore, providing constructive feedback and opportunities for reflection allows students to refine their craft and grow as artists. Ultimately, a student-centered approach that values collaboration, experimentation, and intercultural theoretical and conceptual contexts, in my opinion, lays the foundation for a fulfilling and transformative learning experience in acting and storytelling for undergraduate students.
To be continued…
Thoughts on our Second Session (Micro-teaching) and Object-based learning – PGCert Theories, Policies and Practices / Part 1-3 Contextual Conversation between Authors
After the considerations from our first session and how well it worked to put authors from different contexts in conversation, I have decided this in this post to bring together the subject of our first case study and micro-teaching sessions, Object-Based Learning, and my teaching subject, Drama and Performance Studies, to converse and perhaps shed light in my targets for our upcoming tutor and peer teaching observations. This will be split in three parts – 1) Meecham’s and Hobgood’s contextual conversation, 2) Reflecting on Meecham’s and Boal’s educational approaches towards acting and storytelling contextual lessons, 3) My 20min Micro-teaching session account.
Pam Meecham’s essay “Talking about things: Internationalisation of the Curriculum through Object-Based Learning” and Hobgood’s “The Mission of the Theatre Teacher” both offer insightful perspectives on innovative pedagogical approaches, despite being from different disciplinary contexts. Meecham explores the internationalisation of the curriculum through object-based learning, while Hobgood delves into the transformative mission of the theatre teacher, through mostly an American perspective. Despite their diverse subject matter, both authors share a common commitment to engaging students in meaningful learning experiences that extend beyond traditional classroom boundaries.
For example, Meecham’s text emphasises the importance of object-based learning in fostering cross-cultural understanding and critical thinking skills. She argues, “Objects are not just inert artefacts, they are active agents that can provoke dialogue, challenge assumptions, and stimulate reflection” (Meecham, 2015). This resonates with Hobgood’s assertion that theatre serves as a vehicle for social change – similar to teachings of Paulo Freire’s disciple and theatre practitioner, Augusto Boal, but I digress. He states, “Theatre can challenge, question, and provoke; it can encourage empathy and understanding” (Hobgood, 1987). Both authors recognize the potential of experiential learning to cultivate empathy, critical consciousness, and intercultural competence among students.
Meecham also highlights the role of dialogue and collaboration in object-based learning, stating, “By talking about things, students learn to listen, negotiate meanings, and engage in respectful exchanges” (Meecham, 2015). Similarly, Hobgood emphasises the importance of collaboration and community building in theatre education by saying that “[t]heatre is inherently collaborative, requiring students to work together towards a common goal” (Hobgood, 1987). Both authors underscore the transformative power of dialogue and collaboration in promoting inclusive learning environments and fostering intercultural competence, which is at the core of my approach as a teacher and as a theatre practitioner.
In my micro-teaching session, I decided to explore the theme of Micro-fiction (developed by James Thomas-1992 , and popularised by Hemingway’s six-word story “For sale: Baby shoes, Never worn”) in order to open a practical workshop in storytelling and narrative which I call “Whose story is it anyway?”. Exploring this, I introduced to my class the aforementioned baby shoes and the structure that the six-word story provided – albeit in such a few words. After analysis of the structure, in pairs, students had a go at writing themselves a six-word story, taking as an initial source of inspiration a wooden Zebra. The collaborative nature of the practical task and the built knowledge of the structure they could rely on or subvert produced enticing short stories, as you can see in the images below. It allowed me to marry my expertise in drama teaching and as a storyteller to the object-based learning techniques explored in our first case study.
Finally, Meecham discusses the significance of cultural context in object-based learning, stating, “Objects carry cultural meanings and histories that can deepen students’ understanding of diverse perspectives” (Meecham, 2015). This parallels Hobgood’s assertion that theatre provides a platform for exploring diverse cultural narratives. He states, “Theatre allows students to explore different cultures, histories, and perspectives through performance” (Hobgood, 1987). Both authors advocate for a curriculum that reflects and celebrates cultural diversity, promoting a more inclusive and globally minded approach to education, which I will attempt to bring further onto my on pedagogical practice.
To be continued…