Drama Education

Abstract

Drama education (DE), broadly defined, is the study, theory, research, and practice of the ways drama and theatre are informed by and inform the human experience, especially as concerns notions of learning. In educational terms, DE encompasses areas such as creative dramatics, Drama in Education (DIE), Theatre in Education (TIE), Play Building, Process Drama, Theatre by, for and with Young Audiences (TYA), Mantle of the Expert, and aspects of Applied Theatre and Drama Therapy. As a research methodology DE is used within paradigms that include: Enthodrama, Critical Performative Theory, and aspects of Artography. Drama and theatre are used to collect and analyze data across disciplines from the humanities to applied sciences. The creative and imaginative processes of drama, dramatic play, and theatrical production/performance are crucial to notions of learning in DE. Ultimately, theatrical processes and products are examined for insight into the human condition. University and college programs across the globe offer undergraduate and graduate degrees that feature aspects of DE. Programs models are as varied as the number of programs themselves. Programs offer undergraduate degrees and others graduate degrees. The undergraduate programs may appear as student teacher licensing degree attached to schools of education and or schools of theatre. The undergraduate programs are usually a blend of both DE, Creative Drama, and theatre production, by, for, and with youth. Graduate programs in DE tend toward explorations in the ways in which DE functions as a means for research or as research itself. Although boundaries are blurred across the many graduate programs as to what they teach, many programs focus research through a lens situated in notions of socio-cultural engagement while others specialize in examining the efficacy of DE on student academic achievement.