Feedback for Learning in the Drama Classroom

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Dunn, Julie

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Bundy, Penelope

Stinson, Madonna

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2018-09-14
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Abstract

This thesis explores secondary drama students’ experiences of teacher feedback in three urban secondary schools in Queensland, Australia. A case study design was selected to preserve the contextual details and foreground the voices of students aged 15-17. Qualitative data collection methods such as focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, explored the students’ perspectives of the modes, types, sources or purposes of teacher feedback and how, or if, they utilised feedback to enhance their learning. The research participants described uniquely individual experiences of feedback mediated by a combination of personal and contextual factors. The embodied and relational pedagogies of the drama classroom, presented a range of contextual factors including the social norms of classroom interactions, the complex networks of relationships, the nature of the classroom ambience, along with the coherence of the curriculum. Several personal factors mediated students’ experiences of feedback also emerged including; affective sensitivities, aspirations and expectations, and prior access to the art-form. The participants also identified positive and negative experiences of feedback, however, the majority of students from across all three research sites, valued teacher feedback that was coherent, timely and generated through interactive loops of reflective dialogue between teacher and student. Students found this interaction to be more constructive and accessible when the feedback aligned with their expectations of drama as a subject area. Several students also identified further opportunities for the drama teacher to offer catalytic feedback in the form of dialogue that extended their creativity, enhanced agency and fostered self-regulated learning. Findings from this study affirm previous arguments presented in the drama-in-education literature. Specifically, that students’ learning is enhanced through the teacher’s consideration of the socially sensitive, dialogic, relational and collaborative nature of learning in, through and about drama and the power of critical reflection to deepen aesthetic learning and engagement. Overall, the students’ levels of feedback literacy emerged as central to their experiences of teacher led feedback processes in the drama classroom. Drama students with well-developed feedback literacy were more aware of feedback in various modes. They effectively engaged with, responded to and actively sought greater interaction with the teacher to generate more opportunities for feedback to enhance their learning and achievement.

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Thesis (PhD Doctorate)

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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School Educ & Professional St

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The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.

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Feedback

Secondary drama classroom

Collaborative learning

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