The aim of this study is to examine and determine the extent to which educational drama, as an innovative teaching approach, can cultivate critical thinking of students in primary school. Based on the principles of educational drama, 15 theatrical workshops were designed in relation with and corresponding to the culture and interests of the specific age group. The experimental method that was followed, was designed and implemented in three discrete stages including: the pre-research stage, the main research stage and the results extraction stage. The sample comprising 400 students aged 8-10 has been drawn from six different primary schools in Greece, the subjects of which were randomly selected. Five critical thinking skills were studied, including subtraction, induction, observation, reliability, detection and troubleshooting skills. The qualitative and quantitative data collected was next triangulated in order to lead to the desired result. The results confirmed the main research hypothesis, hence educational drama, as an innovative method, can enhance students' critical thinking in primary school.
Drama in Education is an experiential way of learning that can be applied in a variety of ways in many learning fields. This article presents an action research that uses Process Drama as an alternative way of teaching Civil Law class to 16 year old adolescents of the Vocational School of Kranidhi, Greece. Clarifying complex legal meanings through Drama is used as a key to Legal Literacy. A pre-test, post-test design with a control group has been used for the evaluation of the method. In total 30 students of two vocational schools took part. For the experimental group, 24 teaching hours of regular lessons were replaced with teaching using Drama in Education. For the evaluation of this intervention, a valid and reliable tool was developed. In addition, data were also collected from interviews, participant observations and critical friend observations. Results support the claim that Drama in Education leads to better understanding of complex Civil Law meanings and contributes to the proposition of Drama as an alternative way of teaching in secondary school.
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