Creative Drama as an Instructional Strategy in Adult Christian Education

Abstract

This study reviews the tenents of adult learning. Christian education and creative drama and presents the observation that there are parallel objectives in each of these three major areas. Noting that creative drama is rarely used in adult Christian education, which is primarily cognitive-based and lecture-discussion oriented, the study proposes the application of creative drama strategies to provide an alternative experiential learning process and therefore create a drama strategies to provide an alternative experiential learning process and therefore create a balance of focus between cognitive, affective, reflective and active learning styles in adult Christian education. It also suggests that through the application of creative drama strategies teachers may more effectively realize the intentions of Christian education: to nurture sensitively aware individuals who are continually growing in faith and empathic love for others. Extant theoretical writings about the practice of creative drama and also literature dealing with the principles and intentions of adult Christian education are reviewed for this study. In the process of surveying current theory and practice in adult evangelical Christian education, the study elaborates on its two basic concerns: adult learning and Christian education. The study discloses a discernible gap between theory and practice through which creative strategies in adult evangelical Christian education have fallen. The study advances the conclusion that this gap may be addressed by application of the creative drama process. Creative drama is presented as one viable means of refreshing individual adult creativity and adult group creativity in Christian education and as an additional way through which to nurture empathic awareness and personal spiritual growth. The underlying assumption is that creative drama is a powerful, often neglected, tool by which adult evangelical Christian education groups may be stimulated to more effective learning and growth. Creative drama, adult learning, and Christian education converge in this study to present an advantageous educational angle. Creative drama is an improvisational, non-exhibitional, process-centered form of drama in which participants are guided by a leader to imagine, enact and reflect upon human experiences. Built on the human impulse and ability to act out perceptions of the world in order to understand it, creative drama requires both logical and intuitive thinking, personalizes knowledge, and yields aesthetic pleasure. The strategy clearly interfaces with current findings in adult learning which represent the effective teacher as a facilitator who seeks to guide the adult learner toward more enhanced self-direction and growth rather than primarily as