Virtual Forum Theater: Virtual Forum Theater: Creating and Sharing Drama Creating and Sharing Drama

to Resolve Conflictsto Resolve Conflicts

Interdisciplinary PhD in Child Interdisciplinary PhD in Child Development, Computer Science, and Development, Computer Science, and

DramaDramaTufts UniversityTufts University

Advisors: Alva Couch, Downing Cless, Advisors: Alva Couch, Downing Cless, Marina Bers and Edith Ackermann.Marina Bers and Edith Ackermann.

Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

Order of presentationOrder of presentation

Virtual Forum TheaterVirtual Forum Theater Theoretical BackgroundTheoretical Background ActivitiesActivities FindingsFindings ConclusionConclusion VFT & New Media Literacy SkillsVFT & New Media Literacy Skills

Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

Virtual Forum TheaterVirtual Forum Theater

VFTVFT is a computer-based learning is a computer-based learning experience that supports face-to-face, experience that supports face-to-face, computer, and multimedia-based computer, and multimedia-based drama. drama. The The VFT toolsetVFT toolset The The VFT processVFT process A A VFT performanceVFT performance

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The The VFT toolsetVFT toolset

The The VFT processVFT process

The VFT process includes:The VFT process includes: Dramatic exercisesDramatic exercises Improvisations Improvisations Using VFT toolset Using VFT toolset Within-group discussionsWithin-group discussions Group-to-group interactionsGroup-to-group interactions

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A A VFT performanceVFT performance

The The VFTVFT play: play: Depicts situations of oppression or Depicts situations of oppression or

injustice meaningful to the participants.injustice meaningful to the participants. Provides a starting point for resolving Provides a starting point for resolving

conflicted situations.conflicted situations. Suggests frames where audience should Suggests frames where audience should

propose alternatives (“virtual joker”).propose alternatives (“virtual joker”).

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Inspirations for VFTInspirations for VFT Research shows that disadvantaged children Research shows that disadvantaged children

and youth seem to have difficulties and youth seem to have difficulties expressing themselves and arguing for their expressing themselves and arguing for their points of view. points of view.

Drama-in-Education (DIE), Theater-in-Drama-in-Education (DIE), Theater-in-Education (TIE) and Creative Drama (CD) help Education (TIE) and Creative Drama (CD) help children develop expression abilities.children develop expression abilities.

Theater of the Oppressed (TO) is used with Theater of the Oppressed (TO) is used with adults to rehearse reactions to oppressive adults to rehearse reactions to oppressive situations.situations.

VFT combines DIE, TIE, CD, TO and VFT combines DIE, TIE, CD, TO and technology to create an experience that technology to create an experience that enhances expressive fluency.enhances expressive fluency.

Theoretical BackgroundTheoretical Background

Virtual Virtual Forum Forum TheaterTheater

Brecht’s Epic

Theater(1964)

Boal’s Theater of

the Oppressed

(1974)

Freire’s Pedagogy

of the Oppressed

(1972)

Papert’s Constructionism (1990)

Piaget, Vygostky, Brunner, Lave &Wenger, Koschman, Dorothy Heathcote

VFT ActivitiesVFT Activities

Script improvisationsScript improvisations Group discussionsGroup discussions Photo takingPhoto taking Recording character lines (VFT toolset)Recording character lines (VFT toolset) Creating the animation (VFT toolset)Creating the animation (VFT toolset) Creating intervention framesCreating intervention frames Watching virtual playsWatching virtual plays Rehearsing or discussing responses to virtual playsRehearsing or discussing responses to virtual plays On-line chattingOn-line chatting Video taping the sessionsVideo taping the sessions Watching clips of videotaped sessionsWatching clips of videotaped sessions Groups meeting at my houseGroups meeting at my house

VFT ActivitiesVFT Activities

N-NoeliaL-LuanaM-MatheusD-DanielT-Tania

VFT Activities (1)VFT Activities (1)

A-Adroaldo L- LillianR-Rebeca Res-Researcher T-Tadeu

Collaborative interactionsCollaborative interactions A “virtual joker” frame suggests the A “virtual joker” frame suggests the

audience to intervene and propose audience to intervene and propose alternatives.alternatives.

The studiesThe studies Teachers or vice-principals selected the Teachers or vice-principals selected the

participants participants Somerville, Ma (USA) Somerville, Ma (USA) 11stst Study: Study:

• Somerville Youth Community Center (SYCC), Somerville Youth Community Center (SYCC), 8 participants; 10-12 year old girls; 6 returned 8 participants; 10-12 year old girls; 6 returned surveyssurveys

Salvador, Bahia (Brazil): Public SchoolsSalvador, Bahia (Brazil): Public Schools 22ndnd Study: Study:

• Landulfo Alves School Landulfo Alves School 6 participants; 14-18 years old; 5 returned surveys6 participants; 14-18 years old; 5 returned surveys

33rdrd Study: Study: • Kabum School of Arts and Technology Kabum School of Arts and Technology

6 participants; 11 years old; 5 returned surveys6 participants; 11 years old; 5 returned surveys• Rotary High School Rotary High School

8 participants; 14-16 yrs old; 3 dropped out mid study8 participants; 14-16 yrs old; 3 dropped out mid study• Aplicacao Anisio Teixera SchoolAplicacao Anisio Teixera School

8 participants; 14-17 yrs old; 6 returned surveys8 participants; 14-17 yrs old; 6 returned surveys

Evaluating VFTEvaluating VFT

I studied how I studied how VFTVFT extends and extends and augments:augments:

face-to-face dramatic activities for face-to-face dramatic activities for improving argumentation skills/style, improving argumentation skills/style,

expressive fluency, expressive fluency, social consciousness and awareness, social consciousness and awareness, conflict resolution skills in conflict resolution skills in

disenfranchised youth. disenfranchised youth.

FindingsFindings

ImportanceImportance Fun and engagement Fun and engagement Argumentation skills/styleArgumentation skills/style Expressive Fluency Expressive Fluency Conflict ResolutionConflict Resolution Dramatic expressionDramatic expression Social AwarenessSocial Awareness Facilitator’s roleFacilitator’s role

Other FindingsOther Findings

The facilitator seems crucial in enabling The facilitator seems crucial in enabling use of technology and in deepening use of technology and in deepening arguments and discussionsarguments and discussions

VFT toolsetVFT toolset augments face-to-face augments face-to-face interactions and serves as catalyst of interactions and serves as catalyst of discussion discussion

VFT toolsetVFT toolset is not a director, but an object is not a director, but an object “to think with” (Papert), “to argue about”, “to think with” (Papert), “to argue about”, and “to enact with” and “to enact with”

ConclusionsConclusions

VFT improved social awareness, VFT improved social awareness, argumentation style, and expressive argumentation style, and expressive fluency. fluency.

Role of facilitator could not be separated Role of facilitator could not be separated from the other parts of the intervention. from the other parts of the intervention.

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NML Skills – Henry Jenkins NML Skills – Henry Jenkins

PlayPlay- the capacity to experiment with the - the capacity to experiment with the surroundings as a form of problem surroundings as a form of problem solving.solving.

AppropriationAppropriation- the ability to meaningfully - the ability to meaningfully sample and remix media content.sample and remix media content.

JudgmentJudgment- the ability to evaluate the - the ability to evaluate the reliability and credibility of multiple reliability and credibility of multiple sources sources

NegotiationNegotiation- the ability to travel across - the ability to travel across diverse communities, discerning and diverse communities, discerning and respecting multiple perspectives, and respecting multiple perspectives, and grasping and following alternative grasping and following alternative norms norms

NetworkingNetworking- the ability to search for, - the ability to search for, synthesize and disseminate information.synthesize and disseminate information.

Collective IntelligenceCollective Intelligence- the ability to - the ability to pool knowledge and compare notes with pool knowledge and compare notes with others toward a common goal.others toward a common goal.

VFT & NML SkillsVFT & NML Skills

Play & PerformancePlay & Performance Script improvisationsScript improvisations Photo taking Photo taking Recording character lines (VFT toolset), Recording character lines (VFT toolset), Creating the animation (VFT toolset)Creating the animation (VFT toolset) Creating intervention frameCreating intervention frame

Negotiation & JudgmentNegotiation & Judgment Key when interacting and proposing solutions Key when interacting and proposing solutions

for a VFT play for a VFT play

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VFT & NML SkillsVFT & NML Skills

AppropriationAppropriation Rehearsing or discussing responses to virtual Rehearsing or discussing responses to virtual

playsplays Remixing VFT playsRemixing VFT plays

NetworkingNetworking Chatting and sharing VFT playsChatting and sharing VFT plays

Collective IntelligenceCollective Intelligence Solving each other drama together, Solving each other drama together,

remixing VFT plays or creating new ones.remixing VFT plays or creating new ones.

Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010

Virtual Forum Theater: Virtual Forum Theater: Creating and Sharing Drama Creating and Sharing Drama

to Resolve Conflictsto Resolve Conflicts

Interdisciplinary PhD in Child Interdisciplinary PhD in Child Development, Computer Science, and Development, Computer Science, and

DramaDramaTufts UniversityTufts University

Advisors: Alva Couch, Downing Cless, Advisors: Alva Couch, Downing Cless, Marina Bers and Edith Ackermann.Marina Bers and Edith Ackermann.

Digital Media and Learning Conference 2010