The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the relationship between social skills and dramatic arts. In an effort to explore and eventually eradicate the negative problems plaguing today's generation, this study sought to question youth who may have grappled with social and communicative problems during their matriculation in…

Environmental education in historically White schools of education has typically emphasized science, outdoor, or STEM education rather than environmental racism, environmental (in)justice, or the environmental justice movement. This focus often deemphasizes the role of structural injustice and state-sanctioned violence in environmental issues as…

The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study is to explore how teachers describe the process of creating lesson plans that use drama-based instruction (DBI) in the classroom to engage students as well as how they describe their experience using DBI in the classroom to engage students. Fourteen teachers located in the state of Florida…

Secondary ELA teachers use a variety of methods to engage, motivate, and teach their students literacy. Some methods include an emphasis on arts integration. One method of arts integration that has not been studied often in high school is the use of drama-based pedagogies (DBP). DBP are an innovative avenue to improving meaning-making and other…

The story of a mass shooting occurring on the place of school seems to be a common one in contemporary American cultural narrative. One of the more controversial solutions offered within this narrative is allowing citizens to protect themselves through the practice of conceal and carry. The practice of legally allowing individuals to conceal and…

The sweeping changes brought forth by the pandemic led me to reshape my dissertation in order to develop non-academic skills that will allow me to better meet the shifting challenges of our times. Mine is a non-traditional project focused on the application of technologies and the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (the process by which…

The foundation of this research addresses the lack of college readiness by first-time college freshmen to adequately matriculate in college, which results in them failing classes and eventually dropping out of higher education. To remedy the problem, the purpose of the study will explore the use of dramatics to improve/strengthen the Social,…

Although systemic racism has always been a persistent problem in university theater training (Community of BIPOC Theatremakers, 2020a), heightened calls for action began in the late spring and early summer of 2020. In July 2020, some 300 BIPOC theater-makers drafted and signed an open letter to the theater industry at large (Community of BIPOC…

Purpose: The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to explore how involvement in theatre arts programs helps to improve social functioning skills (SFS) in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, from a drama teacher's perspective, in middle schools in the central coast region of California. Methodology: A qualitative…

In this qualitative feminist narrative analysis of eight women's reflections on their co-curricular involvement as cast members in Eve Ensler's iconic feminist play "The Vagina Monologues," I seek to understand the ways that participants ascribe meaning to these experiences five or more years later. While evidence in the literature…

The focus in this exploratory multiple case study was to examine the reading comprehension and enjoyment of four male, English-speaking teenage students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during a 12-week Story Club series. Parents' perceptions of their teenager's reading comprehension were also considered. Story Club involved modifying a young…

Teacher self-efficacy is a construct that continues to be extensively researched. With the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, the learning environment has shifted dramatically and has had an impact on Jewish educators' sense of efficacy. This study examined the pre- and post-test scores for self-efficacy of Jewish educators who engaged in either…

The body is often ignored, in elementary science education, as a site of knowledge, meaning, and feeling. This study explored how embodied performances, defined as drama- and movement-based representations of science ideas, spontaneous or rehearsed, shaped construction and communication of science knowledge and identities among Latinx fifth…

Qualified teachers are a crucial component of preschool programs for improving young children's social, literacy, cognitive, and academic outcomes. Research shows that children are more sociable, exhibit a more developed use of language, and perform at a higher level of cognitive tasks if their teachers have bachelor's degrees and specialized…

"Playing With Dragons: Using Role-playing Games to Support Academic Objectives" explores how table role-playing games might positively impact the attainment of classroom learning objectives. This paper begins with an exploration of what a table role-playing game is, and compares it to educational theatre techniques, primarily process…