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%