Introduction: Examining Contrasting Ways That Drama Approaches Can Be Applied to Support Learning Science

Abstract

The introduction to this innovative book introduces how there is a wide range of international perspectives that are presented to illustrate and examine the varied ways that different forms of drama can support learning in science. Each chapter presents one or more studies that discuss how drama can enhance, enrich or extend science education. The chapters consider how teaching and learning science by adopting (and adapting) theatrical techniques, being involved in a performance or engaging ‘in-role’ to represent something scientific offer differing ways that learners can relate to science. The processes by which subject matter can be introduced, thought about, discussed, transformed, performed and disseminated are endless. There is emerging evidence, too, of the different ways that drama pedagogies can actively involve and engage learners to promote scientific understanding of both a conceptual (Abrahams I, Braund M. Performing science: teaching physics, chemistry and biology through drama. Continuum, London, 2012; Dorion K. Int J Sci Edu 31(16):2247–2270, 2009; McGregor D. Int J Sci Edu 34(8):1145–1165, 2012; Ødegaard M. Stud Sci Educ 39(1):75–101, 2003) and procedural nature (McGregor D. J Emerg Sci 12:16–24, 2017). There are approaches adopting drama techniques that can enhance students’ understanding of the Nature of Science (NoS) (Anderson C. Theory Pract 43(4):281–286, 2004; Ødegaard M. Stud Sci Educ 39(1):75–101, 2003; McGregor D, Baskerville D, Anderson D, Duggan A. Int J Sci Educ B 9(2):171–194, 2019), recounting and recollecting (biology, chemistry and physics) science concepts (Abrahams I, Braund M. Performing science: teaching physics, chemistry and biology through drama. Continuum, London, 2012; Otter C. The use of drama in A level chemistry: a study into the effects of simulation-role-play on the quality of, and student attitudes towards, learning of organic reaction mechanisms [PhD Thesis, University of Leeds]. https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/27163/, 2020), considering science in society (Ødegaard M. Stud Sci Educ 39(1):75–101, 2003; Verhoeff RP. The use of Drama in socio-scientific inquiry-based learning. In: Hahl K, et al (eds) Cognitive and affective aspects in science education research. Contributions from science education research, Vol 3. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58685-4_9, 2017), stirring positive emotions about, and developing empathy (Turkka JS, Kaul M, Aksela MK. Nature of science in students’ conceptions of scientists: a pilot study of an “act a scientist -test.”. In Teo TW, Tan KS, Tan HK, Goh SF, Yeoh LW (eds) Re-searching science education, National Institute of Education, Singapore, pp 136–154, 2018) with science and scientific concepts as well as promoting learners’ scientific identities (Swanson C. Positioned as expert scientists: learning science through mantle of the expert at years 7/8. [PhD thesis, Waikato University, Hamilton, New Zealand]. http://hdl.handle.net/10289/9974, 2016; McGregor D. J Emerg Sci 12:16–24, 2017).